Record Labels

What is a record label?

A record label is a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Often, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks; coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos;

Examples of record labels:

Universal Music Group

Universal is the largest of the ‘big four’ record companies. They sell music, television, film, publishing, telecommunications, the internet and video games, worldwide. This means that any music produced by Universal can be easily publicised using all of these mediums. They are responsible for 30% of music sales. In 2013 they had a revenue of $6.552 billion. Universal Music Group represent artists such as Miley Cyrus, Elton John, Nicki Minaj, and Prince. 

Sony Music Entertainment 

Sony Music Entertainment (SME or Sony Music) is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four“ record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation. In 2014 they had a revenue of $4.89 billion. Sony Music Entertainment represent artists such as Adele, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga and also represented Michael Jackson. 

Warner Music Group 

Warner Music Group (WMG), also known as Warner Music, is an American major global record company headquartered in New York City. The largest American-owned music conglomerate worldwide, it is one of the 'big three' recording companies (the third largest in the global music industry). The company operates some of the largest and most successful recording labels in the world, including its flagship labels Warner Bros. Records, Parlophone Records and Atlantic Records. WMG also owns Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world's largest music-publishing companies. In 2013 thye had a revenue of $2.87 billion. Warner Music Group represent artists such as Coldplay, Jason Derulo, Katy Perry, Madonna, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars. 

Record Label - Fallen Mind Records

This is my record label 'fallen mind records' I created my record label would represent both artists and bands. My genre style would be rock/indie as well as pop music. Above is the logo i would use for my record label.




The band i am using for my coursework is 'The Nites' they are an acoustic/pop/rock band. The band members are Anthony Goldsbrough and Michael Gazzard, They formed their band in 2004 and are from London.

Music Video Director: Spike Jonze

Spike Jonze 

Spike Jonze  is a music director, film director from Rockville, Maryland, US. He is well known also for his music video collaborations with Weezer, Beastie Boys, and Bojörk. He was also a co-creator and executive producer of MTVs Jackass. He also co-founded Directors Label, with filmmakers Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry, and the Palm Pictures company. Spike Jonze's trademark for films/music videos are off-beat in their visual storytelling, particularly their mix of live-action, animation, and puppetry. 

This is one of the many music videos that has been directed by Spike Jonze, it was a big hit in 1996, this was partly due to the special effects that were used in the video. In the video the artists are filmed lip syncing backwards, then the video is played back in reverse which gives an effect in which the artists are singing with the music but everything else is happening in reverse for example them putting their clothes on. Spike Jonze has kept the artists hip hop image as they are set in a typical urban environment in Los Angeles. But he has still stamped his own mark on the video to make it different by using this reverse technique.

This video is unique and unusual all at the same time, but is typical of Spike Jonze. The video is set in an abandoned, creepy house, the camera shows the antics of violent children (an immediate contradiction to their smart dress and cute faces) as they cause havoc whilst the band plays irrespective of their surroundings. Harsh electric lights and green filters help to emphasize the low key lighting, heightening the macabre feel of the video. The main concept is to explore the idea of ‘control’ by presenting a complete lack of it in the video. Scenes of humorously fake violence are used to parody the horror films of the 80s.

Green Screen Analysis

Green Screen Analysis 

The genre of this shot is performance as well as spectacle because we can see him playing the instrument which is a drum in the shot, but there is also a jungle background which has be created by a green screen. The drum in the jungle connotes the tribal aspect however if he had a drum in the middle of the city it would have a much more urban aspect. By the way he's hitting the drums he is in control, it creates a representation that he is powerful.

COMPARISON

Textual analysis of music videos

Analysis of music genre stills

Image

This picture is of the music video genre is image, i have edited it as desaturated. This represents the artist as mysterious as you cant see their face. The background is a brick wall so could suggest they are in an rough urban environment. The way the artist is holding the collar up on her leather jacket connotes she is hiding herself.

Performance

This image has been edited with the text 'Chelsea Somers', The text has been written in white in a simple font, I did this so the audience were able to see the name on top of the visuals. The name has been added to the bottom right corner of the shot this allows the audience to know who is playing the piano as she is not facing towards the camera. From the picture you are able to see her fingers playing the piano which could suggest she is a musician as she is performing, because we can see her playing the piano it almost makes the audience feel they are with the performer. This video is of the performance genre we know this because the main item in this frame is the piano, which means the audience focuses on the instrument.

Narrative

From these images it shows the artist sitting on a bench, this is of the narrative genre. We know this is narrative because it is featured in natural environment. From her body language she seems upset this could suggest something bad has happened. also from the position of her legs in the image she looks like shes trying to be alone and cut off from everyone else. The girl is wearing casual clothes so isn't standing too much out in the shot. The lighting is high key because it is during the day outside, this gives the shot a more natural feel for the situation in the video.

Comparison to real examples

Image

When comparing this image of Azealia Banks from her music video '212' to my image from the image genre, i found both similarities and differences between the both of the images. The two images was they have both been edited with desaturated. Another similarity is the background they are both have a brick wall background so this suggests that they both in a rough urban environment. Some differences are that Azealia Banks is facing the camera which could suggest she is more confident, the image fro this shot would be her face because this is what the audience focuses on. However on my image the girl is looking away from the camera so suggest she is more shy and mysterious, so from this the audience is focused on what shes doing for example how shes holding up the collars on her leather jacket, rather than focusing on her face.

Performance

When comparing this image of You Me At Six from their music video 'stay with me' and my image of performance there are again some similarities and differences, but there are more differences. The main similarity is the fact they are using instruments like in my image as the girl is playing the piano, all of these guys are playing instruments. But unlike my image You Me At Six are playing in a beautiful scenery and my image is in a type of room, this makes You Me At Six seem more free than my image. Also there are more artists in this image and they are playing a more variety of instruments as in my image its just one artist playing a piano, we can tell by the genre of music would be different because of the types of instruments they are using.

Narrative

The image shows Justin Timberlake in his music video ' what goes around...comes around' i am comparing it to my narrative picture, a similarity is in both the pictures there seems to be a negative emotion because in my picture the girl is facing away so shows she is upset and is cutting herself away from everyone. Then in the picture of Justin Timberlake you can see the emotion in his facial expression which you can automatically see is sadness, this could suggest he may have just witnessed something horrible that might have effected him in some way.