Record labels are companies that manufacture and distribute recorded music. They are brands or trademarks that are associated with the marking of music recordings and music videos. Artists tend to belong to record labels and are maintained through a contract deal with their managers. In the music industry, more artists have become reliant upon record labels to widen their audience, market their albums, and both be promoted on other means of communications such as MP3, radio, and television. The internet has increasingly been vital for artists way to avoid expensive costs and gain new audiences, as well as use their videos to sell their products. Overall, the purpose of a belonging to a record label is so that they manage the artist as a whole, which benefits them and could make them more visible in the music industry.
Major Record Labels
Major record labels are labels that command a high percentage of the annual sales of record, and have their own distribution system. These are large companies within the music industry that may also own smaller record labels. Major record label usually work with artists who've developed a fan base but will back new acts that they have faith it.
The three major record labels in the UK currently are: Syco Music, EMI (Electric & Musical Industries Ltd.) and Warner Music Group.
The record label, Syco music, also known as Syco Records is a British record label founded by Simon Cowell in 2002. It is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and has got offices in London and Los Angeles, but the original base in London and is known for its successful artists, especially in the UK market. Xfactor winners and Britain got talent exclusively have the right to get signed by Syco. An example is Susan Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, which sold over 9 million copies, making it one of the best selling releases of the last decade. Also, the well known successful boy band One direction is signed with the Syco with a full UK deal and joint US deal with Columbia Records. Syco Music do not not only handle music but also handles entertainment overall and this goes by the name of Syco Entertainment. Within Syco Entertainment, they have music, films for artists such as One Direction and TV shows e.g The Xfactor and Got Talent (which has global television formats that air in 60 countries including chine). This shows that Syco is not only for music, but for film and TV shows too. The second record label is EMI group (Electric & Musical Industries Ltd.) who are a British music company that is one of the world's largest music companies, controlling record labels on five continents. EMI own a vast collection of record labels such as Capitol Records, Virgin Records and EMI records. There are more than 70 labels that operate around the world, throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, South and North America. Artists that are signed under EMI Group include Coldplay, Spice Girls and Emeli Sandé. Last but not least, another major record label is Warner Music Group. It is the third largest global music record label and it was founded back in 1958 as 'Warner Bros. Records.' Originally it was owned by Time Warner itself, the world's largest global conglomerate. WMG operates some of the largest and most successful recording labels in the world. This includes its flagship labels Warner Bros. Records, Parlophone Records and Atlantic Records. WMG also owns Warner/Chappell Music which is one of the world's largest music publishing companies. British Artists that belong to this major record label are Birdy, Ed Sheeran and Only The Young.
Independent Record Labels
Unlike Major record labels, Independent record labels or indie record labels operate without the funding of or outside major record labels. These record labels are likely to sign undeveloped or unusual artists than major record labels are. In independent record labels their releases are usually distributed by smaller regional distributors, but sometimes they'd arrange a "pressing and distribution" deal with a major label that will help get your record into more stores. Due to them being smaller organisations, independent record labels will often be satisfied with small profits from any given act. Whilst they lack the expansion in marketing and distribution power from major labels, they however help artists build on their niche appeal rather than try and make you conventional to the mainstream act. An example of an independent record label in the UK would be XL recordings with is an independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records and is part of the Beggars Group of labels. The label releases albums worldwide and operates across a range of genres. Artists such as Adele, FKA twigs and Tyler, The Creator have worked with XL recordings. A particular artist that has made the label successful is Adele, with her sales for Adele's 21, it helped XL Recordings' bank balance from £3million to £32million in the space of 12 months.
In addition, another independent UK record label is Cooking Vinyl which was founded in 1986 by former manager and booking agent Martin Goldschmidt, who remains the current owner and managing director,and distribution manager Pete Lawrence. The company is based in Action, London. The record operates as part os the Cooking Vinyl Group whom comprises essential music & marketing, CV America, Cooking Vinyl Australia and Cooking Vinyl publishing. This record label is home to artists such as The Prodigy, The cult and Alison Moyet. From a music point of view I don't think its fair that four companies dominate the music industry because it puts other companies in so much pressure just to compete with them.For example an artist from an independent company wouldn't be able to compete with an artist from one of the four companies, as they have a small fan base and less promotion for themselves because they don't have the mass funds from the company to distribute and promote themselves. Also, with four companies having more impact in the music industry this creates a hierarchy of record labels as they offer more opportunities than other record labels. For example, Emeli Sande belongs to the media conglomerate EMI and since the company operates around the world e.g Asia, America and Europe etc, this allows her to have more promotion and distribution than an independent artist such as Alison Moyet because the company runs in different parts of the word, which diversifies her fan base. Whereas independent artist, Alison Moyet would only rely on the independent record label to distribute her music to the nice audience, which concentrates her fan base and gives her less opportunity to expand. However, with these music conglomerates dominating the industry, what is let out is usually mainstream which allows independent labels to diverse and stem away from the mainstream acts. Even though major record labels are prone to be more successful than independent labels, this could be criticised slightly through XL recordings and their success with Adele's 21 sales which made their bank balance increase rapidly. Adele is a well known soul artist who's music can be recognise anywhere with her songs "Rolling in the deep" and "Skyfall" which was a song for the James Bond film 'Skyfall'. This proves that even though Adele belongs to an independent company, she has still gained the same success that a major artist would have, because of her authentic sound and also expansion through films. But of course major record labels will remain more successful. Honestly, I think it is possible for independent labels to be just as successful as major labels but it's just that the'd have to put more work in to reach there. It could be argued that independent labels are more authentic and appealing to a niche audience which major record labels cannot do solely because they're interested in the profit rather than the interests that the artists wants to put out like in independent record labels. Therefore, independent labels can allow artist to nurture and invest more time into their music, whereas major record labels are busy and need their artists to be ready whenever they need them.
There are many ways in which music videos engage their audiences. Whether its the style of video e.g narrative, performance or concept or the micro elements used such as editing e.g effects, these all attract the audience into watching the music video. In order for a music video to be successful, it has to be interesting to watch for the audience, for example a narrative could intrigue the audience with a story included and make the music video seem more as a story than a music video which they could pass along to others, which creates talk around the video. Moreover the micro elements; cinematography, editing and mise en scene are imperative when it comes to a music video. These elements help build the music video together and are essential when engaging the audience and matching the type of genre. In this post i'll be discussing further how different types of genre engage their audiences through the use of cinematography, editing and mise en scene.
An example of this is the filters used on top of the artist when drake is sitting on the bed between 0:00 - 0:11. What we see are flashing images such as fire flames, drake himself standing alone and 2 different types of girls (representing bad/good girl). The use of the flashing could represent different elements of his life , especially when we see the two girls shown differently. This links in with the concept of being stuck in the middle of his past life and what his new life has to offer and is conventional to the rap/Hip-hop genre as artists often incorporate what's going on their life in their music, which engages the audience as it makes them relate and build a relationship with them.
Another example of how editing is used to engage his audience, is through the use of fast editing which is apparent when he is rapping. This shows how passionate Drake is when his rapping which shows how much the lyrics mean to him. The fast pace of the music video could also imply how fast and busy his life is and how he copes with it through his body language seen. This engages the audience and gives them an insight of the artist life which grabs their attention.This conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop is usually fast paced as the artist expresses themselves through rapping. Also, the fast pace could also grab the audiences attention by getting them excited and energetic allowing them to express themselves just like how the artist is.
Drake Close Up
In the over music, cinematography is used to engage the audience.The use of frequent close ups of Drake is seen throughout the music video, for example when he is rapping lyrics from 0:23 - 0:30 " I know way too many people here right now, that i didn't know last year, who the f*ck are y'all?", there is a close up of his face. The use of this close up shows his facial expressions and emphasis on what he's saying. The close up complements his semi aggressive facial expressions,especially when he says "who the f*ck are y'all" and represents him as arrogant and careless about other people as he's says this whilst looking straight at the camera. The use of this may make the audience react to it as he's saying it right in the camera, which may feel intimidating but exciting to watch, which engages them to continue watching the video to see what else he has to say. This could be seen as a 'dig' to other artists as Drake is establishing himself as being known by many, but not knowing them (too famous) which could make other artists, particularly in the Rap/ Hip Hop genre feel threatened by him. This is conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre as they usually compete to be the best, and close up's like Drake's makes the audience feel intimidated and hyped about what he said which creates more of a buzz around the music video, as they'll talk about what he said in that camera shot.
low angle shot in puddle
Another camera shot used in the music video, is a low angle shot. This is evident when we see Drake rapping between 2:17 - 2:25. The low angle shot is seen through a puddle affect which makes it look like the audience is looking at him upwards from the puddle. The use of this makes him look superior and represents him as dominant and powerful. This is conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre, as artist usually avoid conveying themselves as vulnerable and weak, so the low angle shot demonstrates them as being confident and more important than the artists.
White Tracksuit
Trench Coat
Mise en scene, costume is used in the 'Over' music video stereotypically and unconventionally. Firstly, we are introduced to drake wearing an all white tracksuit and a gold chain when he is seen sitting on the bed. The use of wearing a tracksuit and chain is conventional in the Rap/Hip Hop genre, as they're usually associated with gangs which the genre developed from and typically worn by people in them. In addition, the colour white catches the audience eye which could portray him as good and pure and different to other rappers, which makes him stand out more. Also, the use of wearing a tracksuit could be used to help build a relationship with the audience, as tracksuits are seen as normal clothing which could convey him as 'normal' which makes him relatable to his audience. Overall the costume in this particular scene is conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre. In contrast to the white tracksuit, we do see Drake wear an outfit that looks more luxurious. For example when he is wearing a a smart trench coat which looks expensive. The use of this represents him as wealthy and having expensive taste in clothing which is a shift away from the stereotypical look for the Rap/Hip Hop genre. The contrast between the two outfits convey how Drake is a part of both lifestyles and shows he's relatable but to an extent obviously because he's a star.
Another element that is clear in this music video is the positioning of the artist. The positioning of Drake in this music video is generally in the middle, which conveys his importance and dominance within the video, as the audience focus on him. The use of this builds a relationship with the audience, as the position of being in the middle engages them with Drake, which makes them focus on the actions and expressions he's doing. This is conventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre, as artist like to convey that their powerful and dominant in the rap scene through the use of the positioning in the middle of their videos.
The use of lighting and iconography is prominent in the video as it sets the atmosphere and mood. In the drake 'Over' music video, the use of low key lighting is used at the beginning of the video. In this shot, the only source of lighting seen is from the iconography of two lamps at both sides of the bed, however Drake himself is not seen and is just shown like a silhouette. The use of the low key lighting could convey the darkness that he's experiencing in his life, but the lamps are a sign of hope for him. The use of this lighting and lamps as iconography, makes the audience understand a little more about the artist, and also makes him relatable as expressing that theres always hope even in dark times.
Drake is found in numerous of locations in the music video, however the setting of the whole video is always in isolated places as he is always seen alone. For example, we see him sat on the bed alone. When this is happening there are images shown on a projector behind him e.g people's walking fast. The use of this is unconventional to the Rap/Hip Hop genre, as you expect artists to be in the 'hood' and in gangs with lots of girls around them. However, Drake takes the subversive approach and uses a normal like setting e.g bedroom, which builds a relationship between him and his audiences because it conveys realism that they can relate to. In addition, the use of a bedroom as his setting shows how he's comfortable and letting his audience in, as bedrooms are places of privacy where people can be themselves.
All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor (Pop)
The song I will be analysing for the pop genre is, All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor as it is conventional to the pop genre. Firstly, the use of cinematography showcases the pop genre, especially through a long shot. In this long shot we see Meghan dancing with a bunch of dancers whilst singing. The use of this long shot, shows off her dance moves and shows how she is multi talented because she's doing two things at once. Also, it shows off dancing which is conventional to the pop genre, as artists want to make themselves look fun and young. This makes her audience engage more with the video and also learn more about her as an artist as they see her do more than just singing.
The second cinematography that is found in this music video, is the use of a aerial shot. This is evident when Meghan is laying on a colourful floor of fabric. The aerial shot is taken from above the scene to establish the landscape she's in and the relationship she has with it. Within this shot, you can see the colourful background which represents her as a fun, cheerful and colourful which is conventional the pop genre and appealing to the target audience as they'd want to feel the same way.
When it comes to editing, the technique used all depends on the mood of the song. In pop it is usually varied, however in this particular music video, its quite upbeat. This is evident through the use of jump cuts from 2:12 - 2:15 when we see Meghan standing next to a boy, then it jumps to a scene of her surrounded by girls then back to the boy. The use of this jump cut establishes that she is more of a girls girl as theres more of them than the boy. Also the jump cut creates a live atmosphere for the audience which is conventional to the pop genre because the video is not smoothly run.
Mise en scene is apparent in the music video, as it is very vital in conveying the pop genres. Firstly, the setting for the All About That Bass video is a hot pink coloured setting which similarly looks to be like a doll house. Iconography of a doll house used by the two little girls in the music video suggests the theme of the music video as a whole being like a doll house. The use of this setting and iconography is to create a vibrant, girly and fun atmosphere but also appeal to the target audience e.g little girls, through the use of doll houses which they in particular are likely to play with. This is conventional to the pop genre, as artists often use elements of their target audiences life, so that they can relate with them and build a closer relationship with them. Throughout the music video, it is set in high key lighting and the colours used are bright e.g pink,blue yellow etc. The use of high key lighting is to amplify the joyful, fun atmosphere especially when the target audience e.g little girls are playing with their dolls. The bright colours are used not only to catch the audiences attention, but to follow the conventions of what a doll house is like, as their usually brightly coloured. This shows that Megan is very aware about her target audience, and makes them feel involved as she is representing herself like them. The use of bright colours in the music video is conventional to the pop genre so its ensures the audience are attracted to the videos right away.
Overall in the music video, through mise en scene costume, Megan and the other characters are dressed in doll like clothing which are brightly coloured. This shows their youthfulness and vibrance within the video. The colourful costumes appeal to the audience as it gives them more of an understanding of the doll like themed video and also may make them want to copy the fashion style.
The positioning of Megan in this music video is mostly in the middle. For example when she is sitting in the middle of the other girls and when they're dancing. The use of her being positioned in the middle makes her stand out from the group but also shows that she is still involved. This could portray her as not stuck up, however the ring leader of the group. The use of this positioning is conventional to the genre, as artists usually are positioned in the middle so that their audiences pay more attention to them.
Year 3000 - BUSTED (Pop Rock)
The song 'Year 3000' by Busted belongs to the pop rock genre, which is a genre that has a mixture of both the pop and rock conventions. The pop rock genre involves a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar based rock songs. In terms of cinematography, we see a long shot of the boys playing their electric guitars whilst one sings. The use of this shot shows the audience the setting that they're which is a bedroom. This is conventional to the pop rock genre as musicians usually practice in their bedrooms which makes the artists look relatable for the audience, which helps build a closer relationship with them.
Another camera shot that is evident in this music video, is a low angle shot. This is used when the group are playing their guitars in the cartoonish futuristic setting. The use of this low angle shot represents them as confident, powerful and dominant. Also it suggests how nothing can phase them even if they were in a alien futuristic world as seen in the music video. The use of this shot is conventional to the pop rock genre as it makes the artists look 'cool' and 'brave' which are aspects of how an artist should be like. Also it engages the audience to continue watching because they are seeing the boys from a different perspective, which is down below.
CGI is used evidently in this music video. The editing technique shows the band in a futuristic setting where there are aliens walking around. The use of this shows the fun side of the band which is conventional to the pop genre as artists like to convey that their fun. Also the CGI used helps the audience understand more about the song through Goodwins theory of lyrics matching visuals. When we hear the lyrics " He said, I've been to the year three thousand" we see the visuals of them in a future like setting which portrays what is being said in the lyrics. This is conventional to the rock genre because it brings the lyrics to life which grabs the audiences attention. Another editing technique that is included in this music video is a montage. The montage is used at the beginning when were introduced to the band and they're are seen playing their guitars passionately. The fact that the montage was used at the beginning to show the boys, creates a fun atmosphere for the video as we seem them jumping around and doing what they love. Also, the montage emphasises their performance by showing the audiences how talented they are without singing. The use of this montage appeals to the target audience due to its liveliness which portrays the band like that and makes them want to have fun like they are. This is also conventional to the Pop Rock genre, as it conveys the fun element of the genre in a fast creative way which builds up the hype in the music video.
Mise en scene positioning and body language is evident in this music video. An example is near the end when the band is performing live in front of an audience. In this shot they are positioned in the middle of the stage performing to their audience. From this shot seen in the screenshot, the positioning of the boys is conventional to the pop rock genre as being placed in the middle makes the audience focus on them as a group. Also, the shot is from a point of view shot in the audience which makes them feel involved in the video as if they were actually watching them live. Their body language is of them clapping their hands encouraging the audience to copy them as well. This sort of movement is noted at concerts as its a way of artists getting the audience involved to create hype and involvement making them build a closer relationship with them. However, in this part of the music video we do see them positioned in the middle but alone. For example each band member would take turns in singing looking upwards faced the camera. The use of this lets the audience get to know each of them individually. This is conventional to the pop rock genre as it allows members of the group to show themselves as a person, but also help the target audience, especially teenage girls establish who their favourite is.
The groups costume consists of dark colours such as black, red and grey. However each are wearing different clothes, to establish their different personalities. This is conventional to the pop rock genre as it shows who they are individually and again helps audience connect with them each. Also, when it comes to hair, the boys have different hairstyles as well as clothing. Ones got spiky hair, the other has a shaved white mohawk and one has flat down hair. These hairstyles are conventional to the pop rock genre as they're not entirely out there like how rock stars usually have their hair but its still rockish with the spikes. This also connects audiences with them as these hairstyles were popular in that time and the target audience mainly teenage boys would have the similar hairstyles to the band. The iconography that is used in the music video is electric guitars. This is the instrument that the group plays throughout the music video. Electric guitars are conventional to the pop rock genre because of its sound that makes it sound rockish. However as it is a pop rock song, the sounds are up beat which the audience can dance too. The use of this iconography is for the audience to have evidence that the band can do other things but sing, so it allows them to show off more talents. The band is seen in 3 different settings. One is in a bedroom, then in a futuristic world and then at their live performance. All these stages of in the music video could convey their journey as a band. This is because they start in a bedroom where bands usually practice when they're starting off, then to a futuristic world that could symbolise how they're different to other bands and how its got them successful, to them performing live at a full crowd. All settings seem lively and fun which is conventional to the pop rock genre as this is how the atmosphere should be within music videos. When it comes to colour and lighting, it varies in this music video. However, for most of the video its very colourful and bright because of the futuristic theme that is placed in the song. This makes the artists stand out so that the audience engage with them and remember who they are. Also, the bright colours conveys youthfulness which is beneficial for the band as it draws their target audience in who are young teenagers. As for lighting, it is mostly normally lit, its not too dark but not too bright too. This is used to convey the realism side to the group so that audiences can relate with them especially in the bedroom scene. However when they are performing on stage it is low key lighting so that it conveys the underground concert like atmosphere that rock stars usually play in. Overall the use of lighting and colour is conventional to the pop rock genre because it creates a entertaining and vibrant atmosphere. In summary, this analysis of music genres has taught me many things about the different types of genres especially Rap/Hip Hop, Pop and Pop/Rock. Each music video has different elements to them which makes them conventional to its genre. For example what I liked about the Drake Over analysis is the way the editing style, filters was used to convey how the artist was feeling e.g fire shown inside him. This inspires me to use a filter inside my artist maybe in my music video to convey how our artist feeling in a artistic way so that the audience understand visually. Also, from the Pop video All About That Bass, what I think went well within that music video is the colour theme of pink. This was used wisely so that she could appeal to her target audience of young girls/teenagers. When planning my music video, I will consider my colour theme wisely as well so that I know what fits right for my target audience for them to enjoy watching the video. Lastly, what I found important in the Busted music video, was the positioning of the boys, especially when they were individually seen in the middle singing. Like this music video I will incorporate cinematography and consider mise en scene positioning for my artist so that my audience will know who to focus on and get to know individually rather than the other characters. The meanings of the micro elements were used differently in the different genres as they all portrayed a different concept or narrative within them. For instance, the Drake video used the micro elements to show the emotions and feelings of the artist, as the song was about a personal experience he's had which is conventional to the indie genre. For example, a long shot of drake sitting on the bed looking down, shows that he is sad and lonely. However, a long shot used in the All About the bass video conveys the artist and back up dancers dancing, which connotes positivity and fun within the video. Therefore, the use of the camera shot is used differently to the drake video, as its showing a performance instead of the artists emotions. In addition, the Busted music video includes a long shot as well like the All About The Bass video to show a performance. However, the use of the long shot does not only show the group playing their guitars and singing, it also shows them in a live concert scene, which differs from the Meghan Trainors video. Therefore, the micro elements are used differently in the Busted video to the other videos, as they convey the group in a real life setting for them, as they're known for performing in underground stages, therefore conventionally showing realism. Overall, this analysis will help assist me with my planning because I gained more of understanding about each music genre which I can incorporate some ideas into so that my music video is as conventional and entertaining possible.
The music industry is always evolving and one of these changes are the way artists reinvent themselves. There are many reasons to why they feel the need to,whether it's to keep up the current era as they've been around for a long time e.g Madonna or simply just bored of their genre of music, all these changes have been observed by audiences. Other examples of why artists may reinvent themselves is because of bad press of something they did and they wish to gain good publicity or like many disney stars such as Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, to show maturity and grow up along with their target audience. In this essay i'll be discussing the ways in which former Disney star, Miley Cyrus has changed over the past years through her music and appearance etc.
Hannah Montanna - Nobody's Perfect
Miley Dancing
The song 'nobody's perfect' is a song sang by Miley Cyrus but as her Disney character, Hannah Montanna. Goodwins theory of the style of video is evident in the music video, as we see a performance is the music e.g Miley performing on a stage in front of her fans. This is primarily seen throughout the whole music video as it is a live performance of the track which was released on July 3, 2007.
Audience
A performance is seen in the music video as we see Hannah Montana dancing and singing, and musicians at the background playing the instruments for the song. The purpose of this styled music video, is to intervene with the musical and TV side of her, as the TV show follows how she's two different people and one of them is being a singer. This shows her performance skills as an artist in the show, and showcases the talents she has that audiences from the TV show love. Incorporating a live audience as well makes the audience feel involved and feel like they're watching the live performance themselves, building a close relationship between the artist and audience. This is conventional to the Pop genre, as artists in this particular genre like to show off their talents through performing which allows them to visually see how the artist truly is like, especially when its a live performance.
The genre that this music video belongs to is the Pop genre. A convention that is apparent in the music video through mise en scene; costume and iconography is the fashionable costume worn by the artist throughout. Miley as Hannah Montanna, is seen wearing a buttoned jacket with a sparkly long sleeved top, black jeans and boots. The iconography used in the music is a blonde wig, which Miley wears when she's Hannah Montanna; the person who is a star. The use of the blonde wig could symbolise the stereotypes of how blondes ' have more fun ' and help characterise herself as an artist as a fun person which is appealing to her target audience. The dull colours and sparkly top she wears mixes her look with looking rocky but however still glamorous which is conventional to the pop genre. This is conventional as artists in this genre usually wear bright, flamboyant outfits that look glamorous to attract their audience but also convey their happiness and star qualities in themselves.
Another convention that is evident in this music video, is the use of young dancers and actors. We see this throughout as Miley has back up dancers who look similar to her age, and actors with camera that pretend to be paparazzi. The use of the young dancers and actors, especially dancers is to convey the youth of today, but also make the artist relatable and appealing to their target audience e.g Miley's target audience is of young children to early teens. In Dyer's theory of how the artist is represented, Miley Cyrus as known as Hannah Montana in the Nobody's Perfect music video is represented as a fun, confident, happy young girl. The music video portrays her as fun and happy through her performance involving dancing and singing which she clearly enjoys doing. This is clearly shown through her body language and facial expressions. Also, she's portrayed as a confident person because she is performing in front of a crowd and does not look like she is afraid to. I think Miley Cyrus in this stage of her life can be viewed as a product, especially targeted for younger audiences. Miley is viewed as a product by being seen as a girl living her dream which young audiences may look up to and see her as a role model. Examples of where she is seen as a product could be when her character, Hannah Montana has been used in magazines, TV adverts, Teen Awards etc. This shows how she's fabricated for her target audience through what she looks and says in these media platforms.
She also displays Dyer's paradox that an artist must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary as she is represented as ordinary in the TV Show as being Miley Cyrus, but as extraordinary when she is Hannah Montana and performing (as seen in Nobody's perfect music video). This makes her relatable, but fascinating for her target audience which engages them to continue following her as an artist. The second paradox of an artist being simultaneously present and absent can be seen through the use of Miley known as two people. For example, when she is seen as Hannah Montana and willing to be seen as a star she is present, but when she's Miley she's normal and doesn't want people knowing who she is. I think the music video 'Nobody's perfect' is for hegemony, as Miley Cyrus promotes it in the sense that she is saying to go against the norm and be yourself. In addition showing how the rich people are telling the working class to accept their flaws,so they don't work to be better and because its a smiley face of a teen it is internally accepted. This also links into the messages and values aspect of accepting flaws and mistakes by not beating yourself up about it but in fact learning from them. This song was released in 2007, and in this time period teen stars were dominant in the music industry where many would make music videos or songs to fit their TV Show but also keep the target audience entertained. The positive social content message behind this was essential back then as it discusses the importance of overcoming mistakes. The target audience for Miley Cyrus at this stage is primarily young, pre teen girls, specially the age 6- 15. The reason for this is because she her self is young and portrayed as a teenager, that the audience could inspire to be when they're her age, therefore acting as a role model for the younger ages.
Miley Cyrus - Can't Be Tamed
Miley's music video ' Can't Be Tamed', was the one that demonstrated the drastic change in her sound and image. Through Goodwin's theory of voyeurism, this is clearly seen as we see Miley dressed in a revealing black leather leotard which portrays her drastic change from the previous video. This is also used in the album cover of her third studio album named 'Can't Be Tamed' where we see her wear black leather tight trousers, leather jacket and black crop top. The use of this particular costume, conveys the point addressed in the whole song of how she ' can't be tamed' which suggests her breaking free from her past self, and telling the audience how she wont stay the same forever. By wearing this sort of costume, this attracts a new older audience, particularly male which shows her branching out and growth as an artist. This is conventional to the pop genre, as they often consist of revealing and tight costumes that emphasise the body figure, so it attracts the male gaze.
Synchronised dancing
A genre convention that is clear in this music video is synchronised dancing. We see this on numerous occasions in the music video, for example when Miley is in the cage with other dancers. The use of the the synchronised dancing engages the audience into watching the music video, as everyone is seen doing the same thing. This is conventional to the pop genre as it shows a sense of togetherness and makes the video look more lively, which may have the audience copy the dance moves. In addition, audiences may copy dance moves from the music video, and then create a buzz around it which produces more publicity for the artist.
Peacock representation
Eye Make Up
Another convention that is evident in the music video, is the use of make up. Miley's make up, especially eye make up is quite dark and green which portrays peacock colours which we see her dressed as a peacock further in the video. The eye make up help convey her bird look and can portray her as dark and free. This is conventional to the pop genre, as artists usually wear makeup that suits their music video, but also so it helps illustrate the music video and artists feelings, views or message, so audiences have more of an understanding.
Miley at the Grammy
In reference to Dyer's theory, Miley in this music video is represented as rebellious, abnormal, voyeuristic , a sexual magnetism , aggressive, youthful and creative which shows that she has more of the common values in his star theory. This is evident through the use of costumes, dancing and iconography. I don't think Miley in this music video is seen as a product, as the video is about not being held back by anyone and doing her own thing. This shows her maturity from Hannah Montana and that she's now interested in doing things her own way instead of being told what to do. An example of her growing up is from the way she dresses, its not longer 'childish' but more grown up. Artists tend to do this so that they attract an older audience but also show that they are growing up. Furthermore, Dyer's paradox of being ordinary and extraordinary is evident in the music video. Miley can be seen as extraordinary through the use of costume and concept of the music video of being a bird that cannot be tamed. This exaggerates her stardom and shows her as being different to others. However, unlike the Hannah Montana music video, She is seen as different through her real image as Miley cyrus but this can be seen as ordinary because 'normal people' do change the way they are when they grow up, which adds on the point of her growing up. The second paradox of an artist simultaneously being present and absent could be evident in this sense, as when Miley was 'breaking free' from her Hannah Montana stage she was quite low - key. But after a year, her album Can't be tamed shows the change in her and how she's reinventing herself away from the disney world. I don't think the music video ' Can't be tamed' is for Hegemony but in fact for it because of the lyrics it self and concept of not being controlled by others especially society. Therefore, she's promoting the belief of not being restricted, and being herself whilst going against the norm to her audience. Furthermore, she promotes hegemony in the sense of telling her audience to against the norm through the use of lyrics "I wanna be a part of something I don't know, And if you try to hold me back I might explode". This illustrates her wanting to be apart of something that does not follow the norms, which encourages her audience to be like her as they may see it as cool because she is feeling that way.
Miley in the bird cage
The video could be seen as breaking away from what society see's as normal because of the use of birds and a cage that she is contain her. This may attract the new audience to think that she is rebellious and fearless as she is not following societies norm in her music video and is seen as different to her Hannah Montana stage where she did follow societies norms because she was young. Unlike the previous video, the music video attracts a new target audience of young females as well as men due to her being seen as a sex symbol. This show the maturity and change in Miley, which older audiences may be intrigued to follow and watch her videos. Therefore, Miley's target audience in this period is young adults; age 17-27, due to the mild revealing costume and minimal provocative dance moves that she illustrates showing that she's fearless and powerful.
Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop
Twerking
In this stage Miley's life, she reinvented herself not only through her image but her music as well. Back in 2012, the drastic change that happened in this period, was the chop of her hair. She tweeted after cutting the hair " never felt more me in my whole life" , expressing how she feels like her self with the hair do. This drastic change in her appearance was talked about in social media a lot and was trending on twitter. This was the mark of Miley's true change. The We Cant Stop music video was one of the most talked about videos as well, due to the sense of oddness of seeing Miley do different things. Goodwin's theory of a relationship between the lyrics and visuals is evident in this music video. This is evident when we hear the lyrics " To my homegirls with the big butt, shaking it like we at a strip club" and see Miley and a couple of girls 'twerking' (shaking their bums). This style of dance was a trend that started then, and the fact Miley is incorporating it in her music video, is showing how she is up to date with the latest trends which audience may talk about and be like ' Miley did so and so', which creates a buzz around her music video. This is conventional to the pop genre, as artist tend to convey that they are following whats 'hot' right and also to show that they're not afraid to try new things.
partying
A genre convention that is apparent in the music video, is the theme of partying. This is evident in the We Can't Stop video as we see numerous of clips of Miley and other people partying in a pool and indoors. Also the use of people dressed up as bears conveys the party theme, as parties can be fancy dressed for the fun aspect. This represents the artist as fun, youthful and rebellious through the use of the setting and actions happening in the music video e.g dancing, drinking and drugs shown. This is conventional to the pop genre, as artists usually want to convey themselves as daring and fun to their audiences so that they feel like they're having a good time whilst watching their music video like how they are in the actual video. The imagery created is often based on sex or partying because this is usually associated with what the target audience e.g teens enjoy doing, which makes the artist look relatable.
Posing seductively
The next convention that is evident in the music video, is the use of Miley wearing revealing clothes. This is seen throughout the music video, as we see her wearing white mostly; a crop top and tight leggings, body suit, a cutout leotard and so on. Linking with Dyer's theory of sexual magnetism, she uses voyeurism to gain attention and inform the audience that she is rebelling from her past and has grown up. With the exposure of her body through her revealing clothes, Miley also flaunts herself provocatively to look more sexual and appeal to male audiences. This is conventional to the pop genre, as artists tend to wear more revealing clothes to portray a sexual atmosphere and lure the audience into watching their music video. This often creates a hype over the music video as audience talk about the seductive activities portrayed in them which gives the artist more publicity. The music video definitely follows Dyer's start theory, as the common values of a star e.g rebellion, sexual magnetism, originality , creativity/talent, aggression, youthfulness and references to drugs and sex are noticeable. This is because Miley wants to assure people are aware of her reinventing herself as she wants to break away from her Disney childhood image. Unlike the Can't Be Tamed video, Miley does this major change and promotes it with her new look which connotes her new style, whereas the other video it was just a small change. Miley can be seen as a product, especially for teenage girls as she represents the growing up stage in this music video which audiences can relate to. However, illustrates that she is for hegemony in the We Can't Stop video like the Can't Be Tamed video and Nobody's perfect video. This is through the use of drugs and alcohol which promotes the idea of her audience to do these activities, because they're seen numerous times in the video and emphasises on the way she's having fun with them. Therefore, hegemony is apparent within the music video, which promotes the idea that using drugs and alcohol is cool and fun and that her audience should so it as well. The target audience are quite the same as the previous video, but just more primarily with adult audiences as she is older and able to do what adults can do. The target audience is 18-30 year old females and males because she is seen indulging drugs and alcohol which is known to be consumed by this target audience, but also the whole party lifestyle is relatable to them as well, therefore making Miley look like she's one of them. In addition to Dyer's theory of being present and absent, Miley is simultaneously present after the release of the video as she further promotes her escaping from her childhood image and being 'herself' through interviews and performances e.g 2013 MTV VMA's where she performed 'We Can't Stop ' and danced provocatively with Robin Thicke. The messages and values from each video have been fairly similar, with the idea of being yourself and not allowing anyone to change you. In the Nobody's Perfect video this demonstrates this by expressing the view to accept your flaws and not let anyone get to you. Whereas, the Can't Be Tamed video expresses the ideology, that you should not restrict yourself to what others want you to be, and should break out of the norms, and the We Can't Stop video showcases the message of having fun and no one being able to stop her from doing what she wants to do. Therefore, the overall message and values promoted throughout Miley's music videos is the message of being true to yourself and not letting anyone tell you what to do or change yourself. This appeals to the audience, as we live in a society of rules and with her music videos, the audience could feel a sense of escapism from the rules.
In conclusion, it is clear that Miley Cyrus has reinvented herself in the past few years purely to break away from her past imagery and actually be seen as what she says his herself. Also, that she changed because she wants to keep up to date with the latest trends to stay relevant, but also grow up with her audience so that they will still engage to her. This research will help assist me with an idea of who I will choose an artist to create a music video to, as it is clear from the research the ways artist reinvent themselves has an impact in the music industry. Also, it'll gain me more of on understanding of my chosen artist as I'll do research on them so that I make my music video as conventional as possible. Furthermore, I've learnt from this post that it is good for an artist to reinvent themselves as it attracts new audiences which widens their target audience and gives them more publicity.
The record label, Syco music, also known as Syco Records is a British record label founded by Simon Cowell in 2002. It is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and has got offices in London and Los Angeles, but the original base in London and is known for its successful artists, especially in the UK market. Xfactor winners and Britain got talent exclusively have the right to get signed by Syco. An example is Susan Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, which sold over 9 million copies, making it one of the best selling releases of the last decade. Also, the well known successful boy band One direction is signed with the Syco with a full UK deal and joint US deal with Columbia Records. Syco Music do not not only handle music but also handles entertainment overall and this goes by the name of Syco Entertainment. Within Syco Entertainment, they have music, films for artists such as One Direction and TV shows e.g The Xfactor and Got Talent (which has global television formats that air in 60 countries including chine). This shows that Syco is not only for music, but for film and TV shows too. 
The second record label is EMI group (Electric & Musical Industries Ltd.) who are a British music company that is one of the world's largest music companies, controlling record labels on five continents. EMI own a vast collection of record labels such as Capitol Records, Virgin Records and EMI records. There are more than 70 labels that operate around the world, throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, South and North America. Artists that are signed under EMI Group include Coldplay, Spice Girls and Emeli Sandé. 
Last but not least, another major record label is Warner Music Group. It is the third largest global music record label and it was founded back in 1958 as 'Warner Bros. Records.' Originally it was owned by Time Warner itself, the world's largest global conglomerate. WMG operates some of the largest and most successful recording labels in the world. This includes its flagship labels Warner Bros. Records, Parlophone Records and Atlantic Records. WMG also owns Warner/Chappell Music which is one of the world's largest music publishing companies. British Artists that belong to this major record label are Birdy, Ed Sheeran and Only The Young. 
An example of an independent record label in the UK would be XL recordings with is an independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records and is part of the Beggars Group of labels. The label releases albums worldwide and operates across a range of genres. Artists such as Adele, FKA twigs and Tyler, The Creator have worked with XL recordings. A particular artist that has made the label successful is Adele, with her sales for Adele's 21, it helped XL Recordings' bank balance from £3million to £32million in the space of 12 months. 
