Genre Convention – Alternative Pop

The genre I’m looking at for my music video is singer songwriter combined with elements of alternative or ‘angst’ pop as it is sometimes referred to. Typically this shows the artist in both performance and narrative capacities as they are the face of their own brand, and the aesthetics in the videos and other promotional material is usually directed by the artist and therefore reflected in the personal appearance and their social media accounts creating a greater and more identifiable synergy across all mediums.

The music videos above I have chosen because they all represent these ideas. Each artist is the main focus of their music video and they play a role in both the narrative and performance within the video, showcasing a strong theme in accordance to the lyrics of the song (amplification). Additionally, the use of filters or effects created in post production are often used across the genre to make the videos seem more artistic and elaborate in comparison to other genres, therefore elevating the star and aiding in the creation of their personal brand image. This is also supported by frequent use of close ups to designate who the main focus is within the narrative/performance.

The setting is usually limited to between 1 and 3 places with dramatic or high key lighting (such as in when the party’s over) once again to glorify the artist and their artistic vision as the implication is that they are the ones in control of their style. For all of the above videos there is comparatively little elaborate costuming and makeup when viewed in conjunction with typical pop videos that have often very colourful and detailed sets/hair/makeup/outfits; this distinction between the two is likely done to set apart the singer songwriters from the more mainstream and commercialised brands of pop stars in a bid to maintain artistic integrity. Movement or dance elements are also included in the videos with a view to pick out small details within the music itself that add to the perception of the artist as having an individual style, more ‘organic’, that is unique from other artists.