ARTIC MONKEYS MS4 MUSIC INDUSTRY CASE STUDY

ARTIC MONKEYS MS4 MUSIC INDUSTRY CASE STUDY

TEXT Bell Activity What are the conventions of 'Indie Rock'? TIP: Think about... The Artists Instruments Music Videos (Think about setting/mise en scene Music Lyrics Ideologies

To identify the conventions of the 'Indie Rock' genre and analyse the Develop understanding of the Music Industry. You can identify generic conventions and explain how they are used. You can analyse generic conventions and explain how they are used comparing to other texts. You evaluate the importance of genre and analyse how genre is both changeable and fixed.

The Artist Look at the following images of 'The Arctic Monkeys' identify the conventions and features and analyse the connotations of these. The "Look" Gender Nationality Musical Instruments Ideologies about music and the music industry.

Question - Why is creating an identifiable genre important to the music industry?

The Music Lyric Content Instruments Performance - Live music preference or recorded Look at the lyrics from the song 'When the Sun Goes Down'. What is the song about? What does this suggest about the band?

Instruments What significance do instruments have to: genre image audience perceptions

When the sun goes down https://youtu.be/eqkbrvukqme So who's that girl there? I wonder what went wrong So that she had to roam the streets She don't do major credit cards I doubt she does receipts It's all not quite legitimate And what a scummy man Just give him half a chance I bet he'll rob you if he can Can see it in his eyes, yeah That he's got a driving ban Amongst some other offences And I've seen him with girls of the night He told roxanne to put on her red light They're all infected but he'll be alright 'Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know I said he's a scumbag, don't you know! Although you're trying not to listen I bet your eyes are staring at the ground She makes a subtle proposition I'm sorry love I'll have to turn you down And oh he must be up to something Want half

Past Examination Questions On Genre 1. To what extent are you chosen texts typical of their genre? 2. How do your chosen texts reinforce or challenge typical genre conventions? 3. Considering you chosen industry, is genre still important when creating a media text? 4. Are there any new genres? Consider this in the context of your chosen text

Bell Activity Look at the stills from Arctic Monkeys' music videos. Do they adhere to 'Indie Rock' genre conventions?

Annotate the previous stills using visual and technical codes. Think about what impression you get from the still, and how this relates to the bands image.

Arctic Monkeys Artist, Image & Music Make notes on Arctic Monkeys hits, analysing them using the following features as anchors. Feature Look/image Connotation Gender Nationality Musical Instruments Ideologies -Beliefs perpetuated by the artists

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN MUSIC VIDEOS Key Information Technical Conventions Audience Representation Purpose: Entertainment? Persuasion? Profit? Form: Performance? Narrative? Conceptual? Genre: Rock? Indie? Pop? Tone: Happy? Serious? Sad? Mysterious? Camera Shots: Lighting: Costume/Make Up: Colour: Setting: Props: Who is the target audience? How are they being targeted? What is the band/artiste doing? What are they wearing? How are the men & women represented in the video? How does this target their audience? Think about age, race, gender.

Arctic Monkeys Videos to analyse 1) I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor (2005) 2) When the Sun goes down (2006) 3) Leave before the lights come on (2006) 4) Fluorescent Adolescent (2007) 5) Crying Lightning (2009) 6) Are you mine? (2012) 7) Arabella (2014) 8) Snap Out Of It (2014)

Fill in the worksheets provided.

Stephen Graham appeared in two of the Arctic Monkeys music videos. He is renowned for playing gritty roles such as 'Combo' in This Is England (2010). STAR STRUCK? Or Keeping it real? Stephanie Sigman is a Mexican actress known for her role in 'Miss Bala' (2011), a film about a women who enters a beauty contest but witnesses drug-related murders and is forced to do the gang's bidding. She is the lead in the Arctic Monkey's 'Snap Out Of It (2014).

"The Sheffield group have recalibrated their sound, hiring Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme as producer. " What does this suggest about how the music differs from their earlier albums?

Music Videos I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor (2005) Leave Before The Lights Come On (2007) Arabella (2014) Snap Out Of It (2014) How has the band's image changed? How is this reflected through their videos? What does this suggest about the band? What does it suggest about the music industry? How does effect our understanding of genre

Homework: Research the bands YouTube videos and note the number of views. Ensure you consider how long the video has been uploaded for. How important do you think music videos are for promoting the band?

To analyse how genre changes. Develop understanding of the Music Industry. You can identify generic conventions and explain how they are used. You can analyse generic conventions and explain how they are used comparing to other texts. You evaluate the importance of genre and analyse how genre is both changeable and fixed.

What do you notice about the colour scheme? What is this and why is it on the page? Institutions: What are they selling? Consider links to products. Who does this benefit? Why is the logo positioned here? Consider size, colour and font. Why have they included a video? Why is it live? Can viewers share this? Why is that important? More videos positioned above social networking. Why? What does this say about the band? Why are there no photos of the band? Social Networking: Links to Twitter and Facebook. Why? Shows how many likes. Why is this important? News (tour dates) Why is this important? What does it tell you about the band? Consider institutions/profit/promotion. Why is navigation bar repeated at the bottom of the page? Why are these images important? How does this help promote the band?

What camera shot is being used here? What is the colour scheme? Consider costume. What camera shot is being used here? Consider setting. Why? What camera shot is being used here? Consider costume. Who is the lead singer? How do you know? How are women being represented in the video? Consider special effects e.g. smoke. Why? What camera shot is being used here? What type of music video is this? What camera shot is being used here? Consider positioning of band members. Costume. How does this link with the website? Consider colour scheme, style etc. Direct address? Why? What are they doing here? Why? Consider effects e.g. lighting/pyrotechnics. Why? What camera shot is being used here? Why? What does this tell us about the band? How does this link to the website? Consider how women are represented. Look at costume/facial expression. Why?

ARCTIC MONKEYS ARTIST BACKGROUND (Minimalistic Album Covers)

ARCTIC MONKEYS sales figures ALBUM UK SALES US SALES Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007) 1.5 MILLION 860,000 820,000 62,000 Humbug (2009) 400,000 28,000 Suck It and See (2011) 300,000 92,000 AM (2013) 800,000 655,000 First 2 singles were #1 in 2005. Last top 5 single in 2007. Lead Singer Alex Turner net worth estimated at $22 million.

The current Arctic Monkeys logo is a simple black circle with the name of the band clearly written in the middle. This is instantly recognisable and is clear for all audiences to see and recognise. It is not over complicated or genre specific so can appeal to a wide audience. It has a modern, contemporary, uncomplicated, sleek design. As the band are now in their 5 th album, they have already established a large audience and do not need to use gimmicks to try and attract new fans.

The artwork for the band s new single and album compliments their logo completely. The colour scheme is still the same (entirely monochrome) and this is further continued with their music videos for the singles of the same album. The black and white lines on the album cover suggest sound waves which relate to the music theme. In the middle of the sound waves are the band s initials, AM. This is a homage to the influential band The Velvet Underground who had an album called VU.

Arctic Monkeys logo is in prime position at the top of the website. Once again, the website is completely black and white which shows the classic, vintage feel the band are trying to create. This also compliments their image as we will see in the video. The video for the band s new single is the main part of this homepage and has clear links to share to social networking sites. This helps with the band s promotion and encourages word of mouth to help them get new fans.

There is also a clear link to itunes so viewers enjoy the track, they can download it instantaneously. There is also further information to buy it on vinyl. This clearly shows the record companies influence as they are encouraging consumerism by the fans. There are more links to social networking at the bottom of the page so fans can instantly like the video on Facebook or tweet about it using Twitter.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to begin understanding music videos: 1. Is the music video based in real life, or does this take place in a fantasy world? 2. Is the way the artist is portrayed in the video really how that person dresses and acts in real life? 3. Consider how the musician is dressed - is that how regular people dress? 4. Consider the actions taken by the artist in the video - would they really do these things in real life? 5. What is the benefit for the musician to portray him or herself this way? 6. Does the video portray people in stereotypical ways? Are these reflections of real people or are they just one-sided characters? 7. Consider the editing - how does the frequency of cuts from shot to shot affect how you feel about the video? 8. Consider the setting - why did the director choose this location or setting? 9. Do you think this video has been successful in marketing the artist and the track?

Your Analysis of the video

Arctic Monkeys Audience Appeal? 1. The Music the sound : Genre 2. The Music - lyrical content : Narrative 3. The Image: Representation 4. Fans Audiences: niche vs. mainstream 5. Fans pleasure: Uses & Gratification: Escapism + Fan community 6. Music Videos connection / authenticity 7. Music Videos Star persona / Escapism 8. Internet Exposure / Raising Awareness

Comparing album sales ED SHEERAN SALES + Album Sales UK 2 million US 1.1 million Worldwide 4 million X Album Sales UK 2.6 million US 2 million World wide 14 million. /. Album Sales UK 1.1 ALBUM Acrtic Monkeys Sales Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007) UK SALES 1.5 MILLION US SALES 0.86 m 0.8m 0.06 m Humbug (2009) 0.4m 0.03 m Suck It and See (2011) 0.3m 0.09 m AM (2013) 0.8m 0.65 m LADY GAGA ALBUM SALES THE FAME (2008) WORLDWIDE SALES 15 MILLION BORN THIS WAY (2011) WORLDWIDE SALES 6 MILLION ARTPOP (2013) WORLDWIDE SALES 2.6 MILLION CHEEK TO CHEEK (2014) WORLDWIDE SALES 0.7 MILLION (JAZZ COVERS WITH TONY BENNETT) JOANNE (2016) WORLDWIDE SALES 0.6 MILLION. million US 0.5 million Worldwide Sales 2 million ED SHEERAN CASE STUDY 37