Goodwin's Key Features of Music Videos

Andrew Goodwin identified six features of music videos in his book Dancing in the Distraction Factory:

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

In this music video there is a dance routine in the middle

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative amplifying, contradicting).

The video talks about Romeo and Juliet and the artist is dressed as Juliet and her male lead as Romeo. This video illustrates the lyrics

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

The tune of the song in this video is sad and so are the lyrics, talking about how much someone is missed. The video illustrates the music

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).

Lady Gaga's music videos all contain similar features that she has developed throughout her career

5. There is frequent reference to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

In this video, the members of the band are being looked at by males through a calendar where they are seen in a sexual way.

6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos, etc). 

The beginning of this video is similar to the beginning of the Star Wars films