Andrew Goodwin

Dancing in the Distraction Factory

The basis of Andrew Goodwin's theory is that:

1. Pop videos are built around songs - often songs do not pose traditional narrative structures
2. The pop video uses the singer both as a narrator and as a character
3. The singer often looks directly at the camera (star image) - the viewer is then involved in the video
4. Thought through beat (seeing what the lyrics mean in your head)
5. Relationship between the song and visuals

'Pop videos rely on repetition'

Goodwin highlights the manner in which images and themes are often repeated in pop videos in order to make the song memorable and recognisable which leads to expectations of music videos of specific genres. Repetition acts as a way of keeping the audience engaged.

Goodwin proposed three types of relation between songs and videos:

Illustration

This is where the video of the song acts as a visual narrative of the lyrics. 

A prime example of this is Beyonce's video to her song If I Were A Boy, she spends a day in the life of her male counterpart (all very literal). In the video Beyonce dresses as a male police officer and has an affair as the video explores role reversal, which the whole song is about.

Amplification 

This refers to when a video introduces a non literal visualisation of the song which brings new meanings which do not challenge/contradict with the lyrics but instead bring new interpretations/perspective. Amplification is closely related to disjuncture, but amplification is just the enhancement of a concept while still retaining a link to it. A prime example of this is Kanye West's Homecoming where the video clearly shows his home but the audience is given a creative foundation which allows them to understand that he is walking around a city that he knows which likens home.

Disjuncture

This is when the video intentionally ignores the content of the song and tries to create a whole new set of meanings. Videos of such a nature often don't make sense and tend to use abstract imagery, for example Fat Boy Slim's video 'Praise You' which has no relation to the lyrics of the song. This is the complete opposite of illustration.