Music Video: Defining features of the form

Combination of visual images and music to portray a song or album’s message or meaning.
The genre of the song often dictates the style and thematic content of the video.
Usually created for promotional purposes, aimed at increasing the song’s visibility and boosting sales.

Performance Videos: These involve the artist or band performing the song. This category can be in concert or a staged performance specifically for the video.
Narrative Videos: Videos that tell a story using the song’s lyrics as guidance. Often the narrative runs parallel and compliments the lyrics.
Conceptual Videos: High on symbolism and metaphorical messaging, conceptual videos have a less clear-cut narrative and focus more on inducing an aesthetical experience.

Mise-en-scène plays a primary role; everything within the scene, including props, set-design, lighting, costumes, and actor performance serves a purpose in conveying the song’s message or mood.
The arrangement or the design within a single frame forms strong visual motifs which shops the interpretation of the video.

Fast-paced editing and non-linear narratives are often prevalent in music videos. This creates a dynamic audio-visual experience.
The cinematography (camera angles, movements, and shot size) also vastly influences the perceived meaning of the video.

Music videos often reference pop culture, other songs, or other music videos, a concept known as intertextuality.
They also follow certain genre conventions. For example, hip-hop videos may feature urban settings, while pop videos may have polished and glamorous visuals.

Music videos also serve to establish and reinforce an artist’s public persona. The personality and image portrayed by the artists in their videos often affects their public reception.

Music videos are a popular platform for expressing and challenging cultural representations. They often portray cultural, political, and social issues, making them a tool for social commentary.

As part of the media industry, music video production involves professionals like video directors, choreographers, and cinematographers. It’s a collaborative art form that intersects with sectors like film and television.
Content regulations can sometimes shape the content of music videos. Music videos are influential, have wide reach and therefore face scrutiny and often have to comply with broadcast standards and regulations.