Sexism in pop videos

In 2013 "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke and "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus provoked Controversy. 20 university student unions ban the record because of the controversial lyrics. It was said that it reinforced rape and sexual acts. The lyrics " You're a good girl... I know you want it" caused controversy as it suggested that Robin Thicke is promoting rape. It is also shown that there are different versions of the music video. One with completely nude women and one with the women in underwear. Both versions portray the women as sexual objects, as our media theorist Laura Mulvey would say, the women are viewed in a male gaze. This is a theory that women as viewed as objects of male erotic desire in film and in the audience. The men are active and women are passive with no agency and do not move the plot toward. They are simply there for men's pleasure and desires.

Laura Mulvey says this is how women are presented in the eyes of the men and audience.

In comparison to blurred lines. "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus also caused an outrage to pop music. Miley Cyrus who was once Hannah Montana and a role mole figure to most teenagers showed the contrast between the two. All of her teenage fans who knew her as Hannah Montana were shocked with the difference and the way she has changed from a funny inspiring teen role model into a sex icon. I believe Miley Cyrus made this video to show she is no longer a teenager and is now a women. Sinead O'Connor warned Miley, "Not to them prostitute you!" She believed that the music business were using her to exploit her body and herself to make money.

Key features of a music video

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics.
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)
3. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style) E.g. Katy Perry/Michael Jackson.
4. There is frequency reference to the notion of looking(screens within screens, telescopes etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
5.There is often intertexual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc)