Music Videos are the most common way for bands to advertise their music. It gives bands and artists their own individuality , that separates them from others. These videos can have multiple ways of capturing an audience; for example: they could have a performance based video which demonstrates their playing ability. They could also have a storyline, including sequels and spin-off's, this makes videos more enjoyable to watch rather than a band clubbing or partying. Some music videos can ignore all the conventions and can create an individual piece of art. Most modern music, particularly in the rap, and pop genres tend to contain many semi-naked women and therefore have moved into a soft porn view on selling music.
Theodore Adorno disbelieved in these music video techniques. Born in Germany in 1903, he was brought up and educated with classical music alongside his studies, before moving to Frankfurt School of Critical Thinking for his teenage years. He became a sociologist, philosopher and a musicologist. Over time he grew to criticize and, or review music as well as art and other forms of media. He had a strongly critical view towards pop music and how by the late 50's it became a lot more suggestive and far less musical. Classical music was perceived as being artistic and modern pop; e.g. The Beatles, were portrayed as being commercial or advertisement. In my opinion Adorno had a strong point when he claimed that classical music was more artistic, however that is not to say that "The Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles isn't artistic. For example "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" below, from the film titled "The Yellow Submarine" released before Adorno's death, in 1967.
Modern interpretations of music and music videos have developed to a stage whereby Porn, Art and Commercial Advertisement have integrated and are almost always used simultaneously. Such videos as "T.G.I.F" by Katy Perry include many advertisment references such as Facebook, Youtube, Coca Cola and even her previous singles playing in the background. The song also contains a storyline and multiple scenes with attractive women dancing which partially abuses the traditional ideology of Music Videos.
In most modern day music videos women are portrayed as being objects for a male voyeuristic approach. In most music videos of the R'n'B and Rap genre, women are semi dressed and sometimes barely dressed at all! They act subservient to men, reverting back to the residual ideology of male dominance.
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