Goodwins Six Point theory

Andrew Goodwin, author of the 1992 book Dancing in the Distraction Factory: Music Television and Popular Culture, came up with his own unique insight into the changing media world.


This specifically included the definitive critical study of music television, with close studies of the emergence and growth of MTV. Andrew Goodwin raises many issues to do with conflicting theories surrounding Music Television criticism and the problems with using a classic realist criteria. He set out a list of six things that the audience would expect to see in a music video:



•Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band). The narrative and general gist of the music video should conform to the genre, however vary in content to create uniqueness. I believe all of the videos in my research have used this, possibly the most would be the Blink 182 post or the Nirvana post


•There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, use images to explain the lyrics which is very popular - Amplifying, repeated images are drummed into the audiences mind over an over mainly used for choruses etc - Contradicting, meaning of the song is completely ignored).


•There is a relationship between music and visuals: Structure of the music IE Verses/chorus; uniqueness of artists voice can help to create an image or trademark that will be continued in the music video; The artists mode of address such as storytelling, becomes a two-way thing as we listen to the story or the story is acted out in this case


•The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). Close up of artist is used heavily in just about all the videos so is needed in my main one


•There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body. I haven't personally seen voyeurism in my videos because it is a mainly male dominated. However, the exeption would be Blink 182 because of its showing of women naked etc


•There is often inter textual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc) - Sabotage by the Beastie Boys - directed by Spike Jonze is a major example of this.

Edit: After having done my video, I wanted to link back to Goodwin's theory and my final music video.

1st point - Here I have used issues of alcohol, teenage relationships and teenage hobbies such as Playstation.

2nd point - The lyrics at some points match the visuals, with the "Take it back" line added to parts where the narrative moves on or transitions into the next part of the narrative.

3rd point - I have edited the video so that when there are pauses or changes in tempo of the music, I will reflect it in the editing. For example, at first the music starts fairly slowly before quickening into the first main verse. At this moment where the guitar kicks in, I have used a transitional effect of doing double speed on the original filming, reflecting the fast paced music.

4th Point - Close ups of the lead protagonist and singer are used throughout my music video. This is because I needed to see his emotions far more clearly because all the things that occur in the narrative directly affect him and the audience's perception of him. Also, the brand identity is helped by the use of the railings as a place of equilibrium, which has become a signature of the band through all the different types of media.

5th point - Voyeurism isn't really used, apart from their is a woman and relationships with the woman at the centre of the plot.

6th point - References to other media and other relevant context include the use of a playstation 3 and Fifa 2011 (one of the most popular games in the world)