Arctic Monkeys Star Image

This music video was made in 2006 and produced by Domino's studio. It is an obvious organic music video due to the camerawork, editing and quality. Most of the video is of the bands life and them going to the US and it uses a low quality grainy effect to add authenticity. There are a lot of quick cuts that make it seem like it isn't as carefully thought out as an organic video. The narrative is not very detailed and the camerawork constantly looks handheld as if the person filming was with them their whole lives. They are famous for the black and white authentic look as it makes them quite sophisticated and cool. However their video features them performing live in front of an audience. Although they are popular, around this time they had very small crowds and judging by the video, low budgets too.




This video was released in 2014 and was available to purchase on major online platforms such as iTunes etc. Already we know that the band has become very famous worldwide and this video proves their success. The video again looks authentic but this time professional. They also sport a new look that brings the past into the present. The quality is immaculate and the camerawork is steady and the editing skills are spectacular. They bring synthetic features with them due to the style of the video. It looks like it had a large budget and that it was carefully planned out. The band still features in the video but correlates with the female that is the main focus of the story. AN UPCOMING MUSIC VIDEO MAY RELATE TO THIS (spoilers)!!


Overall this gives us an insight of the changes that an organic artist has, when their music gets noticed by the world.

Richard Dyer Star Theory

Richard Dyer- Star Theory

Richard Dyer - Star Theory

Richard Dyers star theory is the idea that icons and celebrities are manufactured by institutions for financial gain. He believes that stars are constructed to represent 'real people' experiencing real emotions. Stars are manufactured by the music industry to serve a purpose; to make money out of audience, who respond to various elements of a star’s personality by buying records and becoming fans. 

His theory is spilt into three sections:

1. Audiences and Institutions 

2. Constitutions 

3. Hegemony

Audience and Institutions 

Stars are made for money purposes alone. Increasing the brand identity benefits the institution as they become a household name increasing sales in all of the media platforms they are in.  The institution then models the artist around the target audience they choose. For example Lady GaGa, according to Dyer, was modelled around fashion forward people so the audience can relate to her as a person and also her music. 

Constitutions

This is more or less the same as the audience and institution part of his theory. 

Hegemony  

This is also known as 'culture'. It is the idea that the audience relates to the star because they have a feature they the share or admire with the star. Some fans may attempt to replicate the star in their behavior, what they and what they do. But this could also be a negative impact as some stars often are heavy drinkers and drug abusers. For example in the 60's and 70's there was an increase of illegal sales of cannabis due to The Beatles being open about using it. Stars represent shared cultural values and attitudes, and promote a certain ideology. Audience interest in these values enhances their 'star quality', and it is through conveying beliefs, ideas and opinions outside music that performers help create their star character to their fans. A star may start a fashion trend, with masses of fans copying their hairstyle and clothing. Stars benefit from cultural discourse for example, via their Twitter feed. Now more than ever before, social networks give pop stars the opportunity to establish their own values outside their music. Lady Gaga tweets frequently about issues, and expects her “Little Monsters” (The name of which Lady Gaga calls her fans)  to engage with that discourse just as much as she expects them to listen to her music.

As you can see, the Beatles have undergone several changes throughout the years and have influenced fans all over the world to mirror not only their appearance but their beliefs. The Beatles may also have been modelled by the clothes they wear, revolutionizing the way people dress today.

Synthetic Artist Album Analysis (Union J)

Organic Album Cover (AC/DC)