Friday 17 April 2015

Final Production - Pocket Dreams

Critical Investigation Final Draft

“..artists could use the same technology to promote and distribute their own music, thus cutting out two of the important functions of a record company. In this new world, there would be no place for physical records; instead music would live as data on people’s computers."[1]

To what extent has the British Music Industry changed in recent years, focusing particularly on Radiohead and Hozier.

As with any industry, change is unforeseeable; change in popularity (which can determine and be determined by many other factors such as online views and money in the industry), technology, the internet, and countless other factors can have an endless effect. The British Music Industry is no exception. The landscape in which the BMI thrives has changed an incalculable amount of times; however, it is still successful: bringing in total revenue of “£730 million”[2] in 2013. To represent this change, this essay will be carrying out an in-depth analysis of a music video from both Radiohead and Hozier. These two artists were chosen due to the difference in music genres: Radiohead being more alternative and experimental with technology; and Hozier sounding more soulful and bluesy. Both cover thought-provoking topics of today’s society: The song and the music video of Radiohead's ‘Lotus Flower’ channelling their thoughts about the zeitgeist of today; and Hozier's ‘Take Me To Church’ talks about the loss of a lover, whereas the music video covers the issue of homosexuality in Russia. With the introduction of New Media, what is viewed as the “old industry”[3] can be seen as declining and “Once that does finally die, which it will, something else will happen”[4]. Thom Yorke's opinion can be seen as, perhaps, controversial. But, as shown further on in this investigation, it is what is to be expected. In continuation, the trend that the BMI has shown has been irregular from its boom to its ultimate demise due many factors as explored throughout the essay and this will show that, to a certain extent, the industry has changed greatly.

The main text this essay will be focusing on in this essay is Radiohead's Lotus Flower[5]. Lotus Flower was self-released by Radiohead in 2011 and is their latest music video to date. The video itself has gained more than 30 million views on YouTube, whilst Radiohead has 318 thousand subscribers on their channel. Having formed as a band in 1985, Radiohead would first-hand see changes happening to the industry. Radiohead rose to worldwide success a few months after the release of Pablo Honey; Radiohead's first studio album. The band's popularity grew in the UK with the release of their second album: The Bends. In the early stages of the band, Radiohead signed a six-album recording contract with major label EMI. The last album part of the contract was in 2003 with 'Hail to the Thief'. Following this, Radiohead have self-released two more albums (their 7th and 8th): 'In Rainbows' and 'The King of Limbs' in 2007 and 2011 respectively.

We are introduced to the video of Lotus Flower with a medium shot of Thom Yorke (Radiohead's singer and lead man) convulsing and flailing his arms. This action is very surprising to the audience, but, as the video progresses, the audience starts to get used to actions such as these. This can be linked to Medhurst’s theory of stereotypes; just having basic knowledge about the band brings a stereotype of abnormality with it, acting almost as shorthand. It can be connoted that, after the initial reaction, Yorke seems to be letting the music flow through him as to present another side to the music. A mixture of medium shots, with differing angles, blended with close-ups of Yorke's face and longer, further-out shots add a sense of variety to the almost monotonous video. The use of black and white for the entire video also adds to this feeling as a lack of colour gives a sense of dreariness. The first 50 seconds of the video has very low-key lighting with only filler light being used to illuminate the background. A lack of light in the foreground almost creates a silhouette of Yorke. The simplicity in this composition reflects the music as only bass and drums are being heard.

At times, what is heard can be considered parallel to what is seen on-screen, however, there are points where the audience again questions whether this is parallel or contrapuntal. An example of the song being parallel to what is occurring on-screen is when Yorke's actions can be seen to mirror that of the lyrics: "I will shape myself into your pocket"[6], Yorke puts his hands into his pockets while still bouncing around to the beat of the song. "Invisible, do what you want, do what you want"[7], Yorke is now thrusting in the direction of the camera symbolising that you should do what you want. "I will shrink and I will disappear"[8], he now slowly crouches.

There are little typical generic conventions of a music video here. This could be on purpose as Radiohead may be trying to almost parody music videos as a whole by Yorke flailing about on screen. However, it is thought that Yorke is letting the music engulf him as the meaning behind the lyrics may be about "losing yourself in music and the senses"[9]. An argument can be made that Yorke is physically representing the views of parts of society that go against the social conformities of today. This opinion of not conforming to the mainstream and challenging the status-quo is consistent with Radiohead. This can be linked to the theory of hegemony, where power is kept within the elite through manipulation of the media. An audience consisting of late-teen to mid-thirties can be applied to this text. Late-teens as they may be able to relate to what can be seen as a rebellious tendency from the lyrics. Mid-thirties as this audience would have been fans when Radiohead was in its infancy in the mid-nineties. These audiences tend to consist more of males than females. Also, the main psychographic group for this text would be an aspirer.

Being an established band, the music videos of Radiohead may be expected to be of a high budget. This, however, may not be the case for 'Lotus Flower' as there not much happening in the video itself. A video of the lead man 'dancing' doesn't typically cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. Compared to the U.S. music video for 'High and Dry'[10] (also by Radiohead), Lotus Flower is thought of as very simplistic. Just a quick glance at 'High And Dry's' video tells the audience that a substantially larger budget was used. This could suggest that the music video medium itself is declining. This may be due to the rise of new media as newer and more sophisticated technologies have allowed artists in the British Music Industry to branch out when promoting themselves and their music. Websites and services such as Soundcloud and YouTube allows artists to "record music, build websites, crowd-fund, upload music videos, create and sell a variety of merchandise and, most importantly, release and promote their music online"[11]. With Bandcamp, artists can set their own prices, with the "pay-what-you-want model being a popular option"[12]. With all these developments, music videos are now not seen as the most important form of promotion. In an era before the internet, where the likes of 'MTV' and 'Top Of The Pops' dictated how successful a band was going to be, the music video was seen as the best marketing tool. Now, where a fan can listen to and download an artist’s music in a click of a button, services such as Amazon and iTunes are used instead of the record shops of yesteryear. The next step would be making music available for free and legally. Thom Yorke seems to have already thought of this as he told the world that his new solo-album "was currently only available through a legitimate, paid BitTorrent file"[13] in 2014.

The next video this essay will be focusing on is up-and-coming artist: Hozier. "Take Me To Church"[14] has seen critical acclaim with 62 million views on YouTube as well as Hozier having 224 thousand channel subscribers. Releasing his debut EP in 2013 and his debut self-titled album globally in October 2014, Hozier is signed to Island Records. The video starts off with cutting between a close-up of a fire; a man franticly trying to bury a locked box; and another man riding a bicycle to come and meet the first man. It is established quickly that these two are the protagonists of the text. Typically, Todorov's narrative theory could be applied to the text; however, there is no new-equilibrium here, only equilibrium then dis-equilibrium (the text ends here). The two male protagonists are shown passionately kissing, which, in turn, creates an action code showing that the issue of homosexuality is involved with the narrative. Later on, a locked chest is unearthed and thrown into the fire shown at the beginning. The use of foreshadowing with the fire creates a non-linear narrative which draws the audience in even more. Linking to Propp's narrative theory, the villain of the text is the gang on the hunt for two protagonists. Growing up in Ireland, Hozier is familiar with a "cultural landscape that is blatantly homophobic"[15]. This served as a basis for creating a "strong statement about the institutional homophobia in Putin's Russia"[16]. The video is showing the representation of homosexuals in Russia; where it is against the law. A connotation can be made that Hozier wanted to show an accurate representation of what is happening to those who are gay (i.e. brutally beaten). This also reflects back onto the society in Russia and the mediation of homosexuality in the news. The ideology of multiculturalism is being promoted here as Hozier wants to encourage social and political change within Russia and anywhere else where these views are held. He wants to educate and inform the masses about this big issue. The text is again in black and white. This adds certain grittiness to the text which mirrors the location of Russia well. In the climactic parts of the song, a fast-paced editing style is used.

The popularity of the music video in the earlier decades was, on the other hand unparalleled. This was also supported by television music programs. The likes of "Top Of The Pops"[17] and Later...With Jools Holland significantly aided artists. The programme may have seemed controversial in its time as it is widely known that the artist(s) were lip-syncing along to the studio track. All of this occurred in front of a studio audience. The show can be seen as one enormous music video; an advertisement for the band and their new song. The year reflects the types of music shown as today's Top of the Pops would sound relatively similar throughout the programme. At the time of this episode, it was thought that if a band is seen on TOTP, then they have made it to the higher stages of stardom. A UK-based bands main goal would be to get onto the show as this would guarantee sales. However, as new media was introduced and technology developed increasingly, there became more methods of advertising and informing the audience of the 'new album' or 'new single'. This included online advertising using social media (Twitter has aided tremendously) and making the music available through online means. This has reduced the need for the music video and is not regarded as the best way to show audiences new music any more, thus significantly changing the landscape for the industry. Consequently, budgets have decreased dramatically for music videos, except for the established, world-known bands/artists, which have not much need for them.

In continuation, there has been a dramatic change in the distribution of music over the last two decades; where vinyl and CDs were once the main source of income for labels, it is now digital and online sales that triumph. This is seen throughout with online services such as iTunes and Amazon music. This then delves into the world of piracy, which is at the forefront of problems in the British Music Industry. Piracy has been steadily increasing in recent years with the rise of new media, starting all the way back with Napster and YouTube. In recent years, services such as Soundcloud and Spotify allow the user to effortlessly stream music via computers and smartphones. This has created a system in which the audience can receive the product, but without acknowledgement for the artist. This is seen greatly with Spotify; where the artist receives a fraction of what they would receive with every play.

In conclusion, as outlined by the points in this essay, the music industry has had a seismic shift in recent years. It is no longer reminiscent of what it was and has changed and adapted due to third-party factors such as YouTube and New and Digital Media. Due to the impact of New Media, the popularity of the music video has dramatically decreased and is now a tool of only the mega-stars of today. This change may have been unprecedented by some, due to the social and historical purposes found (as explored with “Top of the Pops”), but social media has now become the norm as a means of advertising and promoting an artist, as seen with the likes of Facebook and Twitter. The music industry has changed to a great extent, and this can be seen with the easy up-rise of new artists such as Hozier. His music was only well-known in Ireland before it was shared heavily online and played on American Radio. The same can be said for Radiohead as their main source of promotion is online media, as well as basic advertising such as billboards and TV advertisements.


2,312 words





Bibliography:

Works Cited:

Academic Texts:
  • Kolesnik, A. "Popular Culture And History: Representations Of The Past In British Popular Music Of The 2000s." Popular Culture And History: Representations Of The Past In British Popular Music Of The 2000s. National Research University Higher School of Economics, 10 May 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. 

Magazines:

  • Budd, C. "Changes in the Music Industry: From Labels to Laptops." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM34_Change_music1.html>.
  • Hendry, S. "Music and Politics." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM36_Collab_Music_Politics.html>.
  • Hobbs, M. "From the Unforgettable Fire to Arcade Fire." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Feb. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM35_Cultural_Arcade.html>.

Moving Image Texts:


·         Radiohead. Lotus Flower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfOa1a8hYP8

·         Radiohead. High And Dry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BciOfJsqh7M

·         Hozier. Take Me To Church. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw

·         Top Of The Pops. BBC. 1978. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ZutqF5utA
Internet Articles:
  • Aitkenhead, D. "Plan B: 'I Love Directing. But Does My Art Change Lives? I Don't Think It Does'" The Guardian. The Guardian, 7 June 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jun/07/plan-b-love-directing-art-lives>.
  • Andrews, C. "Has the Digital Revolution Really Changed the Music Industry? | Factor." Factor. Factor, 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.factor-tech.com/connected-world/8125-has-the-digital-revolution-really-changed-the-music-industry/>.
  • Dredge, S. "Thom Yorke Calls Spotify 'the Last Desperate Fart of a Dying Corpse'" The Guardian, 7 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Dec. 2014 <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/07/spotify-thom-yorke-dying-corpse>.
  • NME Blog. "NME Blogs | Did Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' Honesty Box Actually Damage The Music Industry?" NME.COM. NME, 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/did-radioheads-in-rainbows-honesty-box-actually-damage-the-music-industry>.
  • Lewis L. "Radiohead, 'The King Of Limbs' - First Listen." NME, 18 Feb 2011. <http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/radiohead-the-king-of-limbs-first-listen#LrFXuhDasc8Fd8kB.99>
  • Perry, K. "Plan B: The Rapper Turned Director on Ill Manors, Class War and Why He Doesn't Want to Be a Politician." GQ. GQ, 8 June 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2012-06/08/plan-b-interview-ill-manors>.
  • Taylor, G. "A Digital Revolution Transforming the Music Industry." - Capgemini. Financial Times, 13 May 2013. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://capgemini.ft.com/consumerisation-of-it/a-digital-revolution-transforming-the-music-industry_a-29-69.html>.
  • Travis, B. "Thom Yorke Wants You to Torrent His New Album." GQ. GQ, 29 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2014-09/29/thom-yorke-tomorrow-modern-boxes-review>.

Books consulted:
  • Rogers, J. The Death And Life Of The Music Industry In The Digital Age. Bloomsbury Academic, 2013. Print.
  • Storey, J., ed. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: A Reader. 3rd ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited, 2006. Print.
  • Wikstrom, P. The Music Industry: Music In The Cloud. Cambridge: Polity, 2010. Print.
  • Storey, J. (2010). Cultural studies and the study of popular cultures theories and methods (3rd ed.). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.



[1] Budd, C, Media Magazine 34, Dec 2010
[2] BPI Surveys, 2014
[3] Dredge, S, The Guardian, 2013
[4] Ibid
[5] Radiohead - Lotus Flower from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfOa1a8hYP8
[6] Lyrics for Lotus Flower from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/radiohead/lotusflower.html
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Lewis, L, NME, 2011
[10] Radiohead - High And Dry from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BciOfJsqh7M
[11] Andrews, C, Factor, 2014
[12] Ibid
[13] Travis, B, GQ, 2014
[14] Hozier - Take Me To Church from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw
[15] Shepherd, J, NYMag, 2014
[16] Ibid
[17] Episode of Top Of The Pops from 1978 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ZutqF5utA

Monday 16 March 2015

02/03/2015 Mock Exam Learner Response

1. Direct interviews with those involved in the demonstration provides massive believability. This is because the audience can receive the factual information straight from the protester, also adding a sense of authority. The sound heard in the interviews is diegetic, contrary to the voice-over heard, which is non-diegetic. To continue, the voice-over is used to explain context and to also persuade the viewer. Subtitles are shown instead of having someone translate to add authenticity. This ties in with the emotive and persuasive language used by both the presenter and the interviewee.

2. Audiences are very successful in using new and digital media to represent themselves. This is mainly because content can be controlled by the active audience. This is due to the fact that NDM is very accessible today because of technological developments and the subsequent fall in cost for said technology. Audiences are empowered and given a voice that they may not have in mainstream media. Audiences are also able to have multiple self-representations and identities of themselves due to the anonymity of the internet. This also allows the audience to have more control in terms of distribution. However, these representations are still constructed. There is also massive influence from present and previous mainstream representations on how self-representation is actually constructed. And this also reflects and reinforces the values of society produced and consumed.

3. There are many advantages for audiences of media products that do not rely on advertising, government, or business funding. The main advantage is that these is total (editorial) independence. This allows the provider to change their news values to suit their needs, and not just to bring in the mass audience that newspapers such as "The Sun" would need. A pluralist would argue that this is perfect as there is complete freedom of speech and press and it challenges a Marxist perspective as there is no elite looking over you to make sure the news you are providing influences the thoughts of the audience to keep them in their class. Furthermore, there is less pressure to produce media that pleases advertisers. User generated content comes into this as the audience becomes the product to deliver to the audience. There is also less pressure to produce media that makes a profit. Providers can also cater for audiences that are ignored in the mainstream media, being able to create news for niche audiences. The main example of all this is the Public Service Broadcaster. The BBC's source of income is from the licence fee that the public pays, but, they still have a relationship with the government. One example could be the coverage of the Scottish Referendum. Viewers felt that the BBC's coverage was biased to the side of England. This raises issues with the fact that their news may be sometimes influenced by outside sources, if it's in the BBC's best interest.

On the other hand, there are still disadvantages for audiences of media products that do not rely on advertising, government or business funding. The news provided can still be biased as a person or organisation can never truly be objective to the situation at hand. There is also a risk of being offensive with freedom of speech and/or showing extreme material. There is a debate on who decides what without being biased. There can also be problems with lack of funding, as this can lead to a decline in quality. If these institutions are struggling to survive, then ultimately the majors will still dominate.

Task #4

To what extent has the British Music Industry changed in recent years, focusing particularly on Radiohead and Hozier.

Introduction:

- Landscape for BMI has changed in many significant ways over the years.
- To represent this change, I'll be focusing particularly on music videos of two different artists: Radiohead (established) and Hozier (Up-and-Coming).
- Both videos cover thought-provoking topics of today's society: Radiohead (challenging the status-quo) and Hozier (LBGT views in Russia: bring in social and political context in specific paragraph)
- Touch on how music videos are a dying industry and declining budgets.

Quote:
"I feel that in some ways what's happening in the mainstream is the last gasp of the old industry. Once that does finally die, which it will, something else will happen," - Thom Yorke.
- Yorke always has controversial views on the mainstream popular music industry and is not afraid to voice these opinions (Put at beginning?)

Section 1 Radiohead - Lotus Flower Video:

- Conduct a thorough analysis of the video involving as much migrain as possible.
- How Yorke portrays himself and why
- Relevant theories? Audience theories, Psychographics, Gender and Ethnicity, Semiotics. Marxism and Hegemony, Cultivation theory, Richard Dyer (Those with power stereotype those without, stereotypes are exaggerated)
- Touch on comparisons between this video and early Radiohead video: High and Dry. Lotus Flower seems to be pretty low budget and High and dry seems to be high budget.
- Give small analysis of High and Dry through this.
Issues/Debates: Representation and stereotyping, Media effects, Regulation and censorship, The effect of globalisation on the media.
- Music video still a marketing tool for Radiohead? Compare from time periods of both videos (other forms of promotion now and not then?).
- Talk about their old label and how they started self-releasing online later on (piracy links?)
- SHEP link: Economical: Decline of industry? - piracy. Politcal: Challenging the status-quo (Hegemony and Marxism)

Quotes:
- "the last desperate fart of a dying corpse" - Thom Yorke Calls Spotify 'the Last Desperate Fart of a Dying Corpse'" The Guardian, 7 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Dec. 2014 <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/07/spotify-thom-yorke-dying-corpse>.
- "the music rights organisation PRS for Music reported this year that CD and DVD revenues fell by £8.7 million in 2009, but digital revenues grew by £12.8 million." (2010)" - Budd, C. "Changes in the Music Industry: From Labels to Laptops." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 15 Dec. 2014 <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM34_Change_music1.html>.
- "In many ways The X Factor and other heavily constructed pop music models can be seen to create a ‘total system’ which Adorno saw as a ‘hegemony of markets’ offering audiences nothing more than the same thing to buy over and over again, breeding a ‘passivity’ that is ‘produced and circulated by the culture industries’." Hendry, S. "Music and Politics." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM36_Collab_Music_Politics.html>. (Supports some of Yorke's views)
- "The Conservative government of the time introduced a range of social and economic changes which were resisted by a large number of people including musicians. They challenged public sector cuts, privatisation of nationalised industries and the social changes (and mass unemployment) created by the closure of manufacturing and production industries. There was a spate of urban riots in UK cities in 1981 with ‘Ghost Town’ by The Specials voicing the hopelessness of life in deprived urban environments. The riots had a racial element and The Specials were one of many groups who continued to speak out against far-right political activism and attempted to present the values of cultural diversity within their music." Hendry, S. "Music and Politics." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM36_Collab_Music_Politics.html>. (Relevant to any political points with Yorke's views: challenging the status-quo. Use relevant parts)

Section 2 Hozier - Take Me To Church Video:

- Conduct a thorough analysis of the video involving as much migrain as possible.
- Focus on why this issue/debate is being covered and why it is important. (LGBT)
- Relevant theories? Audience theories, Psychographics, Gender and Ethnicity, Semiotics. Marxism and Hegemony, Cultivation theory, Richard Dyer (Those with power stereotype those without, stereotypes are exaggerated)
- Comparisons with Lotus Flower.
- Issues and debates: Representation and stereotyping; Media effects; Moral Panics; Ownership and control; Regulation and censorship.
- Hozier's views on these issues with quotes.

Quotes:


Section 3 Historical Text (Top Of The Pops):

Section 4 Other Smaller Texts:

Section 5 Conclusion:


CI 2nd Draft - 16/03/2015

“..artists could use the same technology to promote and distribute their own music, thus cutting out two of the important functions of a record company. In this new world, there would be no place for physical records; instead music would live as data on people’s computers."[1]

To what extent has the British Music Industry changed in recent years, focusing particularly on Radiohead and Hozier.

As with any industry, change is unforeseeable; change in popularity (which can determine and be determined by many other factors such as online views and money in the industry), technology, the internet, and countless other factors can have an endless effect. The British Music Industry is no exception. The landscape in which the BMI thrives has changed an incalculable amount of times; however, it is still successful: bringing in total revenue of “£730 million”[2] in 2013. To represent this change, this essay will be carrying out an in-depth analysis of a music video from both Radiohead and Hozier. These two artists were chosen due to the difference in music genres: Radiohead being more Alternative and experimental with technology; and Hozier sounding more Soulful and Bluesy. Both cover thought-provoking topics of today’s society: The song and the music video of Radiohead's ‘Lotus Flower’ channelling their thoughts about the Zeitgeist of today; and Hozier's ‘Take Me To Church’ talks about the loss of a lover, whereas the music video covers the issue of homosexuality in Russia. With the introduction of New Media, what is viewed as the “old industry”[3] can be seen as declining and “Once that does finally die, which it will, something else will happen”[4]. Thom Yorke's opinion can be seen as, perhaps, controversial. But, as shown further on in this investigation, it is what is to be expected. In continuation, the trend that the BMI has shown has been irregular from its boom to its ultimate demise due many factors as explored throughout the essay.

The main text this essay will be focusing on in this essay is Radiohead's Lotus Flower[5]. Lotus Flower was self-released by Radiohead in 2011 and is their latest music video to date. The video itself has gained more than 30 million views on YouTube, whilst Radiohead has 318 thousand subscribers on their channel. Having formed as a band in 1985, Radiohead would first-hand see changes happening to the industry. Radiohead's first single 'Creep' was initially unsuccessful, but rose to worldwide success a few months after the release of Pablo Honey; Radiohead's first studio album. The band's popularity grew in the UK with the release of their second album: The Bends. In the early stages of the band, Radiohead signed a six-album recording contract with major label EMI. The last album part of the contract was in 2003 with 'Hail To The Thief'. Following this, Radiohead have self-released two more albums (their 7th and 8th): 'In Rainbows' and 'The King of Limbs' in 2007 and 2011 respectively.

We are introduced to the video of Lotus Flower with a medium shot of Thom Yorke (Radiohead's singer and lead man) convulsing and flailing his arms. This action is very surprising to the audience, but, as the video progresses, the audience starts to get used to actions such as these. Dedicated fans, especially fans who have watched Radiohead live, may not necessarily be surprised as this type of 'dancing' is always a part of concerts. This can be linked to Medhurst’s theory of stereotypes; just having basic knowledge about the band brings a stereotype of abnormality with it, acting almost as shorthand. It can be connoted that, after the initial reaction, Yorke seems to be letting the music flow through him as to present another side to the music. A mixture of medium shots, with differing angles, blended with close-ups of Yorke's face and longer, further-out shots add a sense of variety to the 1 almost monotonous video. The use of black and white for the entire video also adds to this feeling as a lack of colour gives a sense of dreariness. The first 50 seconds of the video has very low-key lighting with only a filler light being used to illuminate the background. A lack of light in the foreground almost creates a silhouette of Yorke. The simplicity in this composition reflects the music as only bass and drums are being heard. A key light is now used to present to the audience Yorke. This set-up is used for the majority of video. An exception is shown at three minute thirty seconds when a mixture of close-ups of Yorke's face are shown to accentuate the change in pace in the song. Lighting is also used here to bring about complex shadows on the face.

At times, what is heard can be considered parallel to what is seen on-screen, however, there are points where the audience again questions whether this is parallel or contrapuntal. An example of the song being parallel to what is occurring on-screen is when Yorke's actions can be seen to mirror that of the lyrics: "I will shape myself into your pocket"[6], Yorke puts his hands into his pockets while still bouncing around to the beat of the song. "Invisible, do what you want, do what you want"[7], Yorke is now thrusting in the direction of the camera symbolising that you should do what you want. "I will shrink and I will disappear"[8], he now slowly crouches.

There are little typical generic conventions of a music video here. This could be on purpose as Radiohead may be trying to almost parody music videos as a whole by Yorke flailing about on screen. However, it is thought that Yorke is letting the music engulf him as the meaning behind the lyrics may be about "losing yourself in music and the senses"[9]. An argument can be made that Yorke is physically representing the views of parts of society that go against the social conformities of today. Examples are seen throughout the video and heard throughout the lyrics. An example in the lyrics is "I will shape myself into your pocket; Invisible, do what you want, do what you want." The first line could be referring to having to abide by the social traditions of the public. The word "invisible" in the second line could be referring to this section of society; this unwanted opinion that needs to be heard. This opinion of not conforming to the mainstream and challenging the status-quo is consistent with Radiohead. This can be linked to the theory of hegemony, where power is kept within elite through manipulation of the media. An audience consisting of late-teen to mid-thirties can be applied to this text. Late-teens as they may be able to relate to what can be seen as a rebellious tendency from the lyrics. Mid-thirties as this audience would have been fans when Radiohead was in its infancy in the mid-nineties. These audiences tend to consist more of males than females. Also, the main psychographic for this text would be an aspirer. This is because they are always on the look-out for quality rather than quantity; they also look for alternative rather than the mainstream. This would appeal to more of a middle/higher-class rather than working-class.

Being an established band, the music videos of Radiohead may be expected to be of a high budget. This, however, may not be the case for 'Lotus Flower' as there not much happening in the video itself. A video of the lead man 'dancing' doesn't typically cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. Compared to the U.S. music video for 'High and Dry'[10] (also by Radiohead), Lotus Flower is thought of as very simplistic. Just a quick glance at 'High And Dry's' video tells the audience that a substantially larger budget was used. This could suggest that the music video medium itself is declining. An argument can be made that this is due to the rise of new media, that newer and more sophisticated technologies have allowed artists in the British Music Industry to branch out when promoting themselves and their music. Websites and services such as Soundcloud and YouTube allows artists to "record music, build websites, crowd-fund, upload music videos, create and sell a variety of merchandise and, most importantly, release and promote their music online"[11]. With Bandcamp, artists can set their own prices, with the "pay-what-you-want model being a popular option"[12]. With all these developments, music videos are now not seen as the most important form of promotion. In an era before the internet, where the likes of 'MTV' and 'Top Of The Pops' dictated how successful a band was going to be, the music video was seen as the best marketing tool. Now, where a fan can listen to and download an artist’s music in a click of a button, services such as Amazon and iTunes are used instead of the record shops of yesteryear. The next step would be making music available for free and legally. Thom Yorke seems to have already thought of this as he told the world that his new solo-album "was currently only available through a legitimate, paid BitTorrent file"[13] in 2014. This may be a way to tackle piracy; a major problem for the industry.

The next video this essay will be focusing on is up-and-coming artist: Hozier. "Take Me To Church"[14] has seen critical acclaim with 62 million views on YouTube as well as Hozier having 224 thousand channel subscribers. Releasing his debut EP in 2013 and his debut self-titled album globally in October 2014, Hozier is signed to Island Records. The video starts off with cutting between a close-up of a fire; a man franticly trying to bury a locked box; and another man riding a bicycle to come and meet the first man. It is established quickly that these two are the protagonists of the text. Typically, Todorov's narrative theory could be applied to the text; however, there is no new-equilibrium here, only equilibrium then dis-equilibrium (the text ends here). The two male protagonists are shown passionately kissing, which, in turn, creates an action code to tell the audience that the issue of homosexuality is involved with the narrative. Later on, a locked chest is unearthed and thrown into the fire shown at the beginning. The use of foreshadowing with the fire creates a non-linear narrative which draws the audience in even more. Linking to Propp's narrative theory, the villain of the text is the gang on the hunt for two protagonists. Growing up in Ireland, Hozier is familiar with a "cultural landscape that is blatantly homophobic"[15]. This served as a basis for creating a "strong statement about the institutional homophobia in Putin's Russia"[16]. The video is showing the representation of homosexuals in Russia; where it is against the law. A connotation can be made that Hozier wanted to show an accurate representation of what is happening to those who are gay (i.e. brutally beaten). This also reflects back onto the society in Russia and the mediation of Homosexuality in the news. The ideology of multiculturalism is being promoted here as Hozier wants to encourage social and political change within Russia and anywhere else where these views are held. He wants to educate and inform the masses about this big issue. The text is again in black and white. This adds certain grittiness to the text which mirrors the location of Russia well. In the climactic parts of the song, a fast-paced editing style is used. Both videos cover pressing matters of today such as mediation of the news and media itself, moral panics and representations and stereotyping.

The popularity of the music video in the earlier decades was, on the other hand unparalleled. This was also supported by television music programs. The likes of "Top Of The Pops"[17] and Later...With Jools Holland significantly aided artists. The program may have seemed controversial in its time as it is widely known that the artist(s) were lip-syncing along to the studio track. All of this occurred in front of a studio audience. The show can be seen as one enormous music video; an advertisement for the band and their new song. This has since changed as during Christmas, the BBC shows a Christmas special with that year’s most popular music. It is seen that the artists do in fact play live now making the show more into a concert for television rather than an elongated music video. The year reflects the types of music shown as today's Top of the Pops would sound relatively similar throughout the program. At the time of this episode, it was thought that if a band is seen on TOTP, then they have made it to the higher stages of stardom. A UK-based bands main goal would be to get onto the show as this would guarantee sales. However, as new media was introduced and technology developed increasingly, there became more methods of advertising and informing the audience of the 'new album' or 'new single'. This included online advertising using social media (Twitter has aided tremendously) and making the music available through online means. This has reduced the need for the music video and is not regarded as the best way to show audiences new music any more. Websites such as Vimeo have tried to keep this marketing device afloat, but there is no helping a dying market. Consequently, budgets have decreased dramatically for music videos, except for the established, world-known bands/artists, which have not much need for them.

In Conclusion, as outlined by the points in this essay, the music industry has had a seismic shift in recent years. It is no longer reminiscent of what it was and has changed and adapted due to third-party factors such as YouTube and New and Digital Media. Due to the impact of New Media, the popularity of the music video has dramatically decreased and is now a tool of only the mega-stars of today. This change may have been unprecedented by some, due to the social and historical purposes found (as explored with “Top of the Pops”), but social media has now become the norm as a means of advertising and promoting an artist, as seen with the likes of Facebook and Twitter. The music industry has changed to a great extent, and this can be seen with the easy up rise of new artists such as Hozier. His music was only well-known in Ireland before it was shared heavily online and played on American Radio. The same can be said for Radiohead as their main source of promotion is online media, as well as basic advertising such as billboards and TV advertisements.


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Bibliography:

Works Cited:

Academic Texts:
  • Kolesnik, A. "Popular Culture And History: Representations Of The Past In British Popular Music Of The 2000s." Popular Culture And History: Representations Of The Past In British Popular Music Of The 2000s. National Research University Higher School of Economics, 10 May 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. 

Magazines:

  • Budd, C. "Changes in the Music Industry: From Labels to Laptops." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM34_Change_music1.html>.
  • Hendry, S. "Music and Politics." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM36_Collab_Music_Politics.html>.
  • Hobbs, M. "From the Unforgettable Fire to Arcade Fire." English And Media. Media Magazine, 1 Feb. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mm/subscribers/downloads/archive_mm/mmagpast/MM35_Cultural_Arcade.html>.
Internet Articles:
  • Aitkenhead, D. "Plan B: 'I Love Directing. But Does My Art Change Lives? I Don't Think It Does'" The Guardian. The Guardian, 7 June 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jun/07/plan-b-love-directing-art-lives>.
  • Andrews, C. "Has the Digital Revolution Really Changed the Music Industry? | Factor." Factor. Factor, 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.factor-tech.com/connected-world/8125-has-the-digital-revolution-really-changed-the-music-industry/>.
  • Dredge, S. "Thom Yorke Calls Spotify 'the Last Desperate Fart of a Dying Corpse'" The Guardian, 7 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Dec. 2014 <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/07/spotify-thom-yorke-dying-corpse>.
  • NME Blog. "NME Blogs | Did Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' Honesty Box Actually Damage The Music Industry?" NME.COM. NME, 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/did-radioheads-in-rainbows-honesty-box-actually-damage-the-music-industry>.
  • Lewis L. "Radiohead, 'The King Of Limbs' - First Listen." NME, 18 Feb 2011. <http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/radiohead-the-king-of-limbs-first-listen#LrFXuhDasc8Fd8kB.99>
  • Perry, K. "Plan B: The Rapper Turned Director on Ill Manors, Class War and Why He Doesn't Want to Be a Politician." GQ. GQ, 8 June 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2012-06/08/plan-b-interview-ill-manors>.
  • Taylor, G. "A Digital Revolution Transforming the Music Industry." - Capgemini. Financial Times, 13 May 2013. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://capgemini.ft.com/consumerisation-of-it/a-digital-revolution-transforming-the-music-industry_a-29-69.html>.
  • Travis, B. "Thom Yorke Wants You to Torrent His New Album." GQ. GQ, 29 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2014-09/29/thom-yorke-tomorrow-modern-boxes-review>.

Books consulted:
  • Rogers, J. The Death And Life Of The Music Industry In The Digital Age. Bloomsbury Academic, 2013. Print.
  • Storey, J., ed. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: A Reader. 3rd ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited, 2006. Print.
  • Wikstrom, P. The Music Industry: Music In The Cloud. Cambridge: Polity, 2010. Print.
  • Storey, J. (2010). Cultural studies and the study of popular cultures theories and methods (3rd ed.). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.



Citations:

[1] Budd, C, Media Magazine, Dec 2010
[2] BPI Surveys, 2014
[3] Dredge, S, The Guardian, 2013
[4] Ibid
[5] Radiohead - Lotus Flower from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfOa1a8hYP8
[6] Lyrics for Lotus Flower from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/radiohead/lotusflower.html
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Lewis, L, NME, 2011
[10] Radiohead - High And Dry from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BciOfJsqh7M
[11] Andrews, C, Factor, 2014
[12] Ibid
[13]Travis, B, GQ, 2014
[14] Hozier - Take Me To Church from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw
[15] Shepherd, J, NYMag, 2014
[16] Ibid
[17] Episode of Top Of The Pops from 1978 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ZutqF5utA







1st draft Feedback Summary:

Level: 3/4
Mark: 32/48

WWW:
- Knowledgeable comments about the industry.
- Good textual analysis.
- Well analysed and in-depth, with great terminology.
- Good connotation and denotation.
- Covers most key concepts.
- Good use of political points.
- Media effects included.
- Good range of sources.

EBI:
- More academic/book references needed.
- Conclusion needed that fully focuses on the question and it's keywords.
- Make some sentences a bit shorter if possible.
- Link to more theories.
- Try to include genre of music.
- Less space filled with big quotes.
- Could include representation and globalization.
- Sort the layout and include works cited clearly, in correct format.
- Take notes from post-it paragraphs to improve introduction and create conclusion.
- Don't refer to myself (e.g "I", "My")



[1] Budd, C, Media Magazine 34, Dec 2010
[2] BPI Surveys, 2014
[3] Dredge, S, The Guardian, 2013
[4] Ibid
[5] Radiohead - Lotus Flower from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfOa1a8hYP8
[6] Lyrics for Lotus Flower from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/radiohead/lotusflower.html
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Lewis, L, NME, 2011
[10] Radiohead - High And Dry from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BciOfJsqh7M
[11] Andrews, C, Factor, 2014
[12] Ibid
[13] Travis, B, GQ, 2014
[14] Hozier - Take Me To Church from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw
[15] Shepherd, J, NYMag, 2014
[16] Ibid
[17] Episode of Top Of The Pops from 1978 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ZutqF5utA