Objective: To explore music videos as postmodern texts

Postmodernism in music videos What is your understanding of the term, ‘postmodernism’?

Postmodernism in music videos Intertextuality Irony Playing with conventions Pastiche and parody (mimicking other media positively or negatively) Eclecticism Black/dark humour Hybridization (swap purity for new combos of genres, styles and media) What postmodern factors feature in music videos? Magic realism (exaggeration) Bricolage (construction or creation from a diverse range of available things) Knowingness (cynicism) Cultural flattening (weakening and devaluation of cultural identities, symbols, icons and traditions) Different perspectives (excusing all values of judgement)

Postmodern Theory simulacra simulation hyperreality Baudrillard: Hyperreality A condition by which ‘reality’ has been replaced by simulacra. simulacra When a sign loses its relation to reality, it then begins to simulate a simulation. simulation Division between "real" and simulation has collapsed, therefore an illusion of an object is no longer possible because the real object is no longer there. The process in which a representation of something comes to replace the thing which is actually being represented. The representation then becomes more important than ‘the real thing’ hyperreality Celebrities who reach a point at which every aspect of their lives is taken care of by someone else are said to live in a hyperreal world. They lose the ability to interact with people on a normal level and are cocooned in Hyperreality. Normal people often try to copy this, for example a fan of Snoop Dogg believes their life relates to his, they genuinely believe that they live in the same world as her. This is a common case in which someone has become more engaged in the hyperreal world than the actual real world.

Discuss: How do music videos construct VERSIONS of reality? Postmodern Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVBsypHzF3U Discuss: How do music videos construct VERSIONS of reality?

Lyotard Narrative theory: Postmodern Theory Lyotard Narrative theory: Lyotard rejected what he called the “grand narratives” or universal “meta-narratives.” Principally, the grand narratives refer to the great theories of history, science, religion, politics. For example, Lyotard rejects the ideas that everything is knowable by science or that as history moves forward in time, humanity makes progress. He would reject universal political ‘solutions’ such as communism or capitalism. He also rejects the idea of absolute freedom. In studying media texts it is possible also to apply this thinking to a rejection of the Western moralistic narratives of Hollywood film where good triumphs over evil, or where violence and exploitation are suppressed for the sake of public decency. Lyotard favours ‘micronarratives’ that can go in any direction, that reflect diversity, that are unpredictable. Lady Gaga’s lyrics are centered around the metanarrative of not answering her phone in a nightclub, and yet the micronarrative in the video is that she’s in prison and get’s bailed out by Beyonce.

Postmodernism in music videos Lady Gaga Green Day Katy Perry Taylor Swift The Beatles Radiohead Madonna Iggy Azalea Telephone Nice Guys Finish Last California Gurls Shake it Off Eleanor Rigby Man of War Material Girl Bounce Irony Playing with conventions Black/dark humour Intertextuality Pastiche Magic realism Different perspectives Bricolage Cultural flattening Knowingness Hybridization Eclecticism

Kramer: Postmodern music theory Postmodern Theory Kramer: Postmodern music theory Fat Boy Slim features samples in his records and also won awards for the video ‘Praise You’ which was filmed covertly in a ‘flash mob’ style. The video plays no relation to the lyrics, contradicting what we might expect. His music features electronic sounds and mixes combined with lyrics. The music is eclectic featuring various styles. According to Kramer, postmodern music challenges barriers between ‘high’ and ‘low’ styles. Media texts are often judged on their cultural value, classical music for example is considered more ‘high brow’ than rap. He also states that postmodern music: includes references to music of many traditions and cultures considers technology not only as a way to preserve and transmit music but also as deeply implicated in the production and essence of music embraces contradictions encompasses pluralism and eclecticism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruAi4VBoBSM

Independent Study Choose one of the music videos we have looked at today (or one of your own) and analyse it from a postmodern perspective. Aim for 500-600 words. You must include: -The features of postmodernism -Baudrillard’s hyperreality theory -Lyotard’s narrative theory - Kramer’s music theory