The Heritage Prior to Killing the Radio Star: How Modern Music Videos Were Shaped by Their Predecessors

Abstract

AbstractIn accordance with one of the chief themes of this collection, the present study aims at discussing the music video (MV, from now on) within the context of heritage studies, and through the interface of that not-too-often frequented sub-field of semiotics known as “historical semiotics”. In Peter Haidu’s words, “semiotics must consider history, not as phenomenal event, but as an entity producing meaning, as a signifier capable of being assigned a signified. The events of history, that is, must be considered as ‘event-messages’; it is their meaningfulness that allows the imposition of semiotic analysis” (Haidu, Semiotica 40:187–228, 1982: 198). With that in mind, the study is organized in three main parts, each corresponding to a specific analytical goal: The production of an exhaustive semiotic-inclined definition of MVs, not so much in terms of an explanation of the expression (here offered in an admittedly simple, if not simplistic, form), but rather of a classification of its main characteristics and stylistic features; An actual semiotic history of MVs, evidently in an abridged format, and with the hope of prompting more extended and systematic endeavors of this sort; and final. The application of the theoretical draft on two case studies, corresponding to three Beatles videos: “I Feel Fine”, “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” (the last two being considered a single case study as they were conceived as a single narrative in two parts).KeywordsVisual aestheticsSemiotic analysis of music videosThe BeatlesPopular musicPlot-clips