AH : Are music videos art, porn or commercial?

The development of new media technologies, is a platform which alters our perspective on media, diversifying the range of media outlets in order to shape it in various ways. In terms of music videos, it has changed the dynamics, allowing us to produce, market and distribute them in many ways. Therefore in terms of music videos being art, porn or commercial, there are various aspects which may give some extent of answer to this question.

In terms of the media industry becoming more pluralistic  and democratised through the vast use of software allowing us to produce our own music videos, it has allowed for a significant increase in existence of music videos across the world. Therefore in terms of art, music videos allow us to be very experimental and innovative in the contextual and technical content which we include in them, due to the fact that everyone can develop their own kind of unique shots through the use of different ways of framing subjects, camera movement, post production effects etc... As a result, in terms of the definition of art; 'The expression or application of human creative skill or imagination' it can in many ways be considered a conventional aspect of this, as each piece of footage has its own incentive, featuring different elements of camera techniques, representation, as well as mise en scene, so therefore in this sense, music videos do allow us to apply some conventionally imaginative segments of footage, through the application of different meanings given through the text. Therefore in terms of Barthes theory the creation of 'art' in media texts may depend on the semiotics, as well as; enigma, action, symbolic, semic and cultural codes, which are therefore interpreted by the active audience, some with a polysemic nature. On the other hand some theorists such as Shore argue that music videos are just recycled styles that have surface without any substance. This therefore shows a conflict view, whereby music videos are all similar, as opposed to having any unique input, so therefore he would not consider them artistic as opposed to 'a perfectly formed, contemporary moving image form: quintessentially based on reinvention, reimaging, never standing sill; always looking different, being in flux and moving.'

In terms of the commercialization of the music industry it is evident that music videos are used in order to create some type of buzz for the audience. It is evident through high budget production within music videos that they are focusing to draw in a mass audience, and therefore market the product on a mass scale to gain more financial income. In terms of Archers view, music videos are considered a production that adds value onto the product, therefore inspiring the audiences to buy it through various aspects such as the star image and meta narrative created through them. Therefore the use of other media platforms to add value onto products is also created through aspects such as the album cover, advertising and marketing campaigns, in order to create some type of marketing buzz, which can now be developed  further through the use of web 2.0 to a much larger consumer market, through aspects such as social marketing campaigns via outlets such as Facebook, Twitter etc...

The use of music videos in some representations can be used in a form to create some kind of pornographic content. This refers to 'creative activity of no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desire.' In terms of Malvey's theory, she believes primarily in the concept the male gaze, where men see women as typically objects from a heterosexual perspective. The use of fetishism within music videos can be an evident factor in order to depict a representation, through the use of dismemberment, costume, props etc. in order to sexualize music videos. Furthermore, Goffman et al's theory also looks at the use of sexualisation of music videos through aspects such as artificial look and feminine touch which are once again incorporated as a form of pornography.

For example this music video 'satisfaction' by Benny Benassi could definitely categorise music video as porn, due to the representation of women within it. For example the use of the star image of women helps create artificial look, as well as the use of voyeurism to constantly focus on sexualized content. Furthermore the use of juxtaposition within the media text shows women working within a male role, however they are represented as objects by sexualizing it.

 

 

 

Overall, I personally believe that music videos differ in terms of conventional aspects from each one, so therefore there is no overall trend to define whether a music video is art, porn or commercial. Each music video contains different aspects, content, contextual information, target audiences and therefore each takes a different perspective to what purpose it serves.