Genre

Genre is the catagorisation type of media text, which are shared by certain conventions and features. Music videos have their own genres which come with conventions. Genre allows audiences to make choices about what products they want to consume through acceptance in order to fufil a particular pleasure from watching. Over the years genres have developed and changed as the wider society produce them and change, a process known as geneic transofrmation.

Music videos are a medium intended to appeal directly to youth subcultures by reinforcing the generic elements of musical genres. This means they can directly appeal to different subcultures of society, such as Moshas/Emos/Indie ect... The videos can be seen as pop promos as they are used to promote a band or artist, and are post modern texts whose main purpose is to promote the artists persona, and this is where genre helps, as their style could also match their genre, which is shown through mis-en-scene ect... The videos dont have to be a literal representation of the lyrics though. Others do fit around the lyrics, like the video I have chosen.

Here are some examples of different genres of music:

Classical Music: Classical music is a complex form of music as it requires high musical skills, like learning the ragas and ability to coordinate with other musicians. One has to maintain the complex relationship between its emotional flows. If you wish to learn this music, then you have to go through proper training.

Rock Music: This music genre originated in the rock and roll era of 1950s. The vocals are accompanied by guitar, drum and bass. (Read information on musical instruments.) Certain rock groups also use piano, synthesizer, saxophone, flute, mandolin and sitar for a deeper effect. This type of music has several sub genres, such as hard rock, progressive rock and metal rock. All these types of rock music are popular till date.

Metal Music: Metal music emerged after the Second World War. Here the melody of the song is heavily influenced by the structure of the songs. While in rock music, songwriting is based within a form; in metal music, the central melody decides the structure of the song. It is also known as ‘information music’.

Hip-hop Music: Hip-hop music always includes the use of instruments such as guitar, violin, fiddle, piano, bass and drums. In these types of music, the bass is the main instrument. This can be used in different intensities to emote feelings of anger, pride and others. This type of music is the result of hip-hop culture and is known as hip-hop music. This music shows a heavy influence of Jamaican music. The roots of the music are found in African American and West African music. It was first played by a group of traveling singers and poets of West Africa.

Wedding Ceremony Music: Wedding music is used in the ceremonies like wedding. These can be classical and modern, according the tastes of people. Some people prefer country melodies, while others opt for classical music as wedding music. Such music varies from every culture.

Trance Music: This type of music is usually played in club houses and discotheques. It originated in the 20th century. This music is characterized by fast tempo and repetitious beats of the percussion. It has a hypnotic effect on the souls of listeners.

Jazz: This type of music is featured by strong and complex rhythms. The main musical instruments used for jazz music are cornet, trumpet or violin, that help carry the melody. This is a rhythmic music and has a forward momentum called "swing". However, in this music genre, the skilled performer interprets a tune in his own way. To know more about the musicians of this genre read on jazz musicians.

Folk Music: Folk music is a kind of traditional music that is handed down from generations in every culture. This type of music reflects the emotions of common laity. Popular music and tribal music are the two sub genres of folk music. This folk music shows the social upheaval that lies among various classes of people. This also portrays their struggle for survival and their culture.

Techno Music: Techno music is also known as fusion music. This became popular towards the middle part of of the 1980s. This is a form of electronic dance music and based on African American music styles like funk, electro and electric jazz. It features fast beats and this form was initiated by Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May.

Opera Music: Opera music first emerged in Italy in the 1600s. This genre has a remarkable combination of theatrical art and musical invention and is specifically played in the theaters. This has greater appeal for its delightful orchestral accompaniment. The preludes and interludes of this music set the tone for the action on-stage.

A theory from a man named Rick Attom argues genre’s allows audiences to make choices about what products they want to consume in order to fulfil a particular pleasure from watching. These pleasures could be separated into categories:

- Emotional pleasures
- Visceral Pleasures
- Intellectual Pleasures

Over the years genres have developed and changed as the wider society produce them and progress, a process known as genetic transformation. One of these changes could be the development of sub genre. A theory by Barry Keith Grant suggests that all genres have sub-genres, and this mean they are divided into more categories that allow audiences to identity them specifically, by their recognisable characteristics. Also, we know the general conventions of music videos, such as cuts with the beat of the music, the mis en scene fitting with the lyrics of the song creating a story and so on, but I will be looking at how the genre of song I have chosen is represented with these conventions, or how they might be different.