Music Video - Postmodernism

Media Magazine Theory Drop - Postmodernism

Create a new blog post called 'Postmodernism in music video: blog tasks'. Read ‘The Theory Drop: Postmodernism’ in MM66  (p26). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:

1) How does the article define postmodernism in the first page of the article?

The article describes postmodernism as a cultural movement that distrusts all established philosophies and frequently experiments with the medium it is presented in.

2) What did media theorist and Semiotician Roland Barthes suggest in his essay 'The Death of the Author'?

He suggests there comes a need to test the boundaries of what a text is.

3) What is metatextuality?

Metatextuality - when a text draws attention to the fact that it is a text

4) What is the repeated phrase on the cartoon on postmodernism on page 28?

"Postmodernism is a cultural movement that distrusts all established philosophies and frequently experiments with the medium it is presented in."

5) How does postmodernism link to media representations and reality?

Postmodernism links to media representations + reality as it frequently bends the rules and subverts audience's expectations.

Music video CSPs and postmodernism

Now apply postmodern ideas to our music video CSPs by answering the following questions:

1) How does the music video for Ghost Town incorporate elements of postmodernism?

The music video for Ghost Town incorporates elements of postmodernism by twisting familar sights and places to make them seem unfamiliar to audiences - I'm mainly talking about the main setting of the music video, where the band members drive through an empty London, and end by throwing rocks into a deserted River Thames.

2) What film genres are alluded to in the music video for Ghost Town? Which scenes in particular created these links?

The hammer thriller and/or horror genre is alluded to in Ghost Town, particularly during the scenes of empty London - it's washed out, dull, and lacks life in it due to nobody being present in the city.

3) How does Old Town Road use postmodern elements in its music video?

Old Town Road uses postmodern elements by flipping what the audience thinks is going to happen on its head. It initially takes place in a very traditional western setting - but quickly changes to a modern, urban one instead. It surprises audiences as the introduction doesn't allude to this, it all happens quite fast.

4) How does the Old Town Road music video reflect technological convergence and modern digital culture?  

The Old Town Road music video reflects technological convergence and modern digital culture with its underlying theme and narrative. In the music video, Lil Nas X easily connects with an unknown community - which could reflect reality and how we connect with strangers and communities online through things we like and share. Additionally, the "yeehaw movement" that resulted from Old Town Road could also be an example of this, as it brought people together in their lives.

5) What do YOU think Lil Nas X was trying to say about reality and American culture in the music video for Old Town Road?

I think Lil Nas X was trying to reiterate that things change and that things aren't always as bad as they seem. In the Old Town Road music video, he starts off as a dangerous criminal, being shot and chased by others. But when he moves to the present, he's welcomed, cherished, and beloved by the community. Its narrative showcases how things can inevitably change, no matter how long or short it takes in the end.