How is the music industry regulated?

The music industry has to be regulated for many reasons, for example - to protect people from content that could potentially offend or upset them.

Ofcom is a UK communications regulator that operates under the 2003 Communications Act. One of their legal duties is to protect people who watch TV and listen to the radio from potentially harmful or offensive material. In order to protect people the company have a set of guidance codes, if something/someone has breached one or more of these codes then Ofcom have the duty to take necessary action against the material.

An example of Ofcom regulating the music industry happened in June 2012 when Ofcom fined the music channel Scuzz TV a sum of £10,000. The fine was in relation to an incident that happened on 19 August 2012 when the channel broadcasted a music video by the band Hollywood Undead. The video contained offensive language, nudity, drug taking and sexualised imagery, and was found to breach six Broadcasting Codes. Ofcom fines Scuzz TV

In the last few years there has been more of a need to regulate music videos as they have started to contain more sexualised content than ever before. It is essential that music videos with things like drug taking and unnecessary sexual content are regulated for the sake of children. Such videos cause a big concern for parents, and without regulation of this material it would be impossible for parents to shield their children from every inappropriate song and music video that is distrubuted.
A recent example of a music video causing a concern for parents was a video by the artist Rihanna in which she shoots a man that raped her. Music videos face crackdown over sexualised content

In my opinion I think it is absolutely necessary that the music industry is regulated. Without regulation children of a young age would be exposed to inappropriate songs and music videos that would set a bad example for children and could possibly change their views on subjects like drug use and sex.

Song choice

After much deliberation our group has finally decided on the song we are going to make a music video for. We decided to use 'She Move In Her Own Way' by The Kooks.
We all agreed that this song would be good to use as the band are an Indie-Pop band that we all like.

The Kooks are British band that formed in 2004. Since forming they have had success with songs such as "Naive", "Shine On" and "She Moves In Her Own Way".

The song we are using was featured on their first album "Inside In/Inside Out" and the single was released on 26th June 2006. It found success in the UK reaching number 7 in the Official UK Chart.

Here is the official music video for "She Moves In Her Own Way"

Sexuality in the music industry

Human sexuality has 5 key elements...

1. Cognitive/Intellectual - the need to share the thought aspects of one's life, to communicate with the other
2. Emotional - the need to give, and receive love & affection
3. Physical - the physical need for skin contact and sexual release
4. Moral - sexuality comes with a large bundle of codes and values
5. Social - sexuality makes us wanted, gives us identity and value in the eyes of others, defines us in social terms

Sexuality is a big part of the music industry, it has always been apart of it but over the years artists and their song lyrics have become a lot more provocative and open about sexuality.
It has now become acceptable to base a song and a music video entirely on sex. For Example - Blurred Lines.
The video and song has been talked about by many people for the fact that the video purely contains females in skimpy clothing dancing in a sexual way. The song lyrics are also controversial e.g - "The way you grab me, must wanna get nasty"
                                       

Rihanna is another artist that releases songs that are entirely about sex (e.g - 'Rudeboy' and 'S&M'). These types of songs by big artists tend to be successful in the music industry rather than criticised for their lyrics and music videos for being too provocative.

In the 50's Elvis Presley's dancing was seen to be controversial by parents as they didn't want their children to be watching unsuitable things. In comparison to music videos today Elvis' music videos are quite toned down.

Artists have now become more comfortable with releasing songs about their own sexuality. For example - 'Same Love' by Macklemore. The song lyrics talk about legalising same-sex marriage and the video for the song shows two males getting married.

The song is very popular at the moment and is appreciated by many people, however I don't think it would of had the same reaction 30 years ago. This shows how opinions about homosexuality within the music industry have changed.

Music and Adolescent Sexuality - Music is an important part of teenagers lives as it allows young people to express themselves and gives them something to relate to. For example - Many popular songs with the target audience of teenagers are about love, pain and relationships.
Heterosexual teenager boys tend to seek an alternative way of life through music by listening to genres such as rap or rock.
Whereas heterosexual teenage girls tend to listen to the non-threatening, clean cut boy bands that sing about love. For example - One Direction.

Finished preliminary products

Preliminary music video -

 

 

 

Preliminary ancillary tasks -

 

 Inside the digi pack

 Back of the digi pack/CD cover

 Front of the digi pack

 Inside

 Magazine advert



Prezi on Preliminary task

The history of music videos

This is the presentation I have produced on the history of music videos

Link to the presentation

A2 Coursework - new group

For the A2 music video coursework I am now working in a group of 4 instead of a group of 2.
I am working with Molly Brailsford, Dominic Collins and Harry Jackson.
We decided to merge with another group so that all of our individual skills could work together in different areas in order to produce a great music video!