Types of music video

What are the different types of music video?


Performative:


Performative music video's are those that are usually dramatic and of high artistic performance. They will consist of outgoing and adventurous ideas and techniques in order to grab the attention of the audience and stand out to any videos that are already available. An example of a performative music video is Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance' where the singer uses a variety of extravagant and unusual costumes with a number of changes, along with unexpected and surprising dance routines that may shock the audience into watching on. Similarly all of Lady Gaga's music video's contain atypical behaviours and she has always been known for this. This is done so that she is able to stand out from the rest of the music producer population and attract a large target audience. The abnormality of the music video 'Bad Romance' and the extraordinary makeup that is used, makes the video stand out from other ordinary music video's, this therefore appeals to a larger target audience and attracts more viewers and therefore listeners.

Abstract:


Abstract music video's will be existing in thought however, the video and song will usually have little relation to each other. The situation taking place within the video and the song may have little connection, for example a fast song with a slow dance video or unusual acting. An example of an abstract music video would be 'chandelier' by Sia, where the video doesn't coincide with the words of the song. The dance and location of the song has no connection to the words being sang, causing the audience to become confused. Another aspect of the video that makes it abstract is the fact that Sia herself doesn't appear in the video. Her hidden persona adds mystery to the music video and catches the attention of the viewers. Maddie Ziegler dances throughout the video and performs movements that are unusual making the video unusual to the rest of the music video's existing. This is similar to Lady Gaga's video's, unusual and often confusing to the human eye.

Narrative:


Narrative music video's are a visual way of telling a story and expressing a wide range of emotions and feelings, narrative music video's can be either fast or slow in pace, but in many cases will contain a slow song with an emotional storyline. An example of a narrative music video is 'Galway girl' by Ed Sheeran, the music video directly coincides with the story line and represents what's going on. By doing this Ed Sheeran is able to create an understanding of a story he is trying to tell, making it clear to the audience. This is useful as it means there is no confusion and the video is kept simple and original.
   

The similarities between these three different types of music video's is that the singer/songwriter is aiming to catch the attention of the audience through the variety of techniques they use and demonstrate within the video. Usually it is common for music video's to represent the narrative or performative aspect of a video in aim to represent either emotion in the slower paced songs or grab attention in the unusual fast paced songs for example those of Lady Gaga's. The difference between all techniques usually refers to the costumes and artistic features of the clip, and how drastically these change, however, all aim for the same effect, to develop viewers.

Music videos are a way for artists to create storyline along with their music as well as grab the attention of the audience in a fun and simple way. A music video in many cases can be how songs and artists can become well known and remembered, making them a vital part of any big song or single.