Advert

• The advert is of Duffy's new album released on march 3rd which is indicated through the bold white font.
• The name and when it is released are made obvious they are the most important details as they jump out to the audience and are in a clear white thick font which is brighter than the background for the buyer to clearly read.
• The smaller writing presented towards the bottom indicates what the album has also to offer, which is important as this persuades the audience further in wanting this album.
• The image is of the actual artist so that the viewer knows the appearance of the singer who created the music they might want to purchase.
• The name of the singer it printed at the top and is in a more fancy writing with and underlining this connotes who is owning this music and who's work this is for the audience to recognise when looking for the music in a store.
• The colour scheme is in a old fashioned black and white this connotes the style of Duffy's voice and songs.
• The singer is looking down which connotes some upsetting emotion is within the music as the singer looks away.

Advert

This advert shows the release of Pixie Lott's new album 'turn it up.'

• The advert is huge to jump out on the audience reading the magazine, it persuades the audience to buy a copy 'out now' this connotes that it is ready for the buyer to purchase this minute, it is als in a bold red font so it can be clearly read and understood.
• The writing is in bold and clear fonts which jump to the audience so they know who's album what it is called and information dealing with the music.
• The image is of the CD's cover so that the buyer can remember this picture and find it without getting mixed up. The background is dark and gloomy so that the writing is clear. Also the reader's attention is being focussed on certain micro elements such as the picture which persuades them how easy it will to find and the artists appearance.

Advert

Advert for Adele's new released album.

• This advert is using a dark background to keep in continiuity with the actual album, it creates a mystery and darkness which connotes the style of the artists music.
• The writing is in two different fonts, the albums name is coming out of the advert in a bold white style which connotes to the audience what album they should be buying and if there interested they can find the album by the name.
• The slogan 'the new album out now' enforces the demand on getting an album right now as it is ready and waiting in shops this is shown by the words 'out now' the audience would feel they have to get a copy as soon as; It is a persuading device.
• There is a smaller image of the actual album so the buyer knows what to look for when purchasing it. It also shows the appearance of the singer so they buyer knows they have the right artist who sings the music they enjoy.

Advert

Ellie Goulding's album advert.

• The advert has kept continuity by the use of the same colours and same pose of the artist that is presented on the actual CD cover.
• The writing at the bottom of the advert is not so clear however it is in white to stand out from the background so the audience could have a scan over the information regarding the artist and her work.
• The symbols of the stars within the writing at the bottom of advert connote the success of her music and persuade the audience to pick it as it is modern and up to date.
• The lighting of the advert catches the audience's eye in picking it as it sticks to matching the CD, so the audience do not get confused and remember the appearance of the album.
• The artist's pose is sophisticated and classy which connotes her feminism and a stereotypical beautiful woman.

Advert

Advert of Taylor Swifts new album - 'Speak Now'

• The advert uses her album in a CD form to show the buyer what it looks like and connotes to the audience to buy it, this is enforced also through the big bold white font which says 'get it now!' this connotes the album is out in shops ready for the audience to listen to and hear there favourite songs. The exclamation mark adds less demanding and more encouragement towards the buyer.
• The colour scheme is kept to the albums to keep continity so the buyer remembers what the cover looks like, the colours are bright and bold which catch the audience's attention towards her CD.
• The artists pose is the same as the CD just made bigger so that the audience find it easy to look for and buy it.
• The font at the top of the advert indicates in the magazine what it is about and who the CD is buy so that they know straight away if they are interested in having a look at it.

CD Analysis

Ellie Goulding

• The album is by Ellie Goulding and is called 'Lights'.
• The colours used are mostly gold and black, the singer is centre of the midshot on the front cover, her hair is long and blonde with a natural looking wave this connotes her naturalistic beauty. Her hair is glowing with gold lights which connotes the idea of the album's name 'lights' , it brings out the cover to catch the audience's eye.
• The artists name and the album's name is lit up brightly by gold and stands out in a bold font, the artists name can't be missed as it is centre and huge, it is also jumping out at the buyer which connotes who created the music.
• The clothing is not apprant however the singer looks to be wearing a black simple top, this brings out the bright lights and makes the cover more interesting. It is also linking to the title of the album.
• The singer's features are clear by the natural and top lighting of her hair. She is not wearing alot of makeup which connotes her simple and pure face.

• The back of the album is all dark to keep the colour scheme the same as the front cover which connotes continity within the CD.
• The font is big and bold, and is the same gold colour used before which lights up the writing so the audience know what songs they will get off the CD.
• There is a smaller font at the bottom which connotes some basic information about the album.
• The bar code is presented at the top so it is easier to scan the album for purchasing.
• There is another tiny font around the CD back cover which borders the information in the centre, it is clear to read, it is of the album and artists name to reinforce to the audience what it is called and who by, a reminder.

CD Analysis

Pixie Lott

• Pixie Lott's album presents her as the centre image which is shown through a midshot, this connotes she is the main singer who has created the album.
• Pixie Lott is presented as a typical pretty woman with blonde hair which is wild to show her fierce personality. Her clothing is a simple plain top to connote mystery within her music, she is wearing a huge flower necklace which overpowers her outfit to connote her feminism.
• Pixie lott's facial expression connotes her confidence and power over her album of music, she reveals a proud look in her eyes by turning them to the right which connotes her enthusiam towards her music and to create to the best of her ability for her audience's.
• Pixie lott looks quite young by her clear complexion and independance which indicates her audience's as young people.

• The back of the CD shows a long shot of the artist, showing off all her outfit. Her clothing is still the same except for black leather trousers shown which connotes her confidence in her self and still reinforces the mystery about the singer.
• The singer's hair and makeup is kept the same to keep continity in representing the album, however this time the singer is staring at the audience who look over the back songs, which connotes the image of her persuading the buyer to buy her music.
• The artists pose is stong and bold to reinforce persuasion over the buyer.
• The bar code is there for purchasing the CD.
• Each song in the list is numbered for the audience to easily play the order and pick which songs they like best, the dark bold text of the songs makes them stand out from the background so they are easily read and clear to the audience what music is on this album.
• Pixie Lott's web address is in a orange which connotes the importance of noticing and persuading the audience to have a look at the website.

Analysis of a Music Video

Adele - Hometown Glory

• The first long shot, shows the artist in a form of a black silhouette which creates a mysterious, possibly suspicious atmosphere and also connotes sadness.
• The background of grey clouds emphasises further this sad and depressive mood. It also suggests the artist is miserable and possibly longing for something as her aloneness is highlighted by the framing of the shot, this could potentially be a major theme of the song, particularly as it is a common theme in songs found in our chosen genre.

A close-up is then used to reveal the face of the artist. In the frame of this close-up shot, top lighting is used which highlights Adele’s face. Immediately we again get the impression of sadness which is supported by the slow pace of the song, however the mystery which has so far surrounded the song is also continued as the artists eyes are blacked out courtesy of this top lighting, which restricts the audience from grasping her true feelings and emotions.

The artist is dressed entirely in black clothing which connotes sadness and depression. Her make-up is minimal and hair simple which allow the audience to relate to her as a person as it connotes a normal, typical woman. This is also continued through the background scene which is now a normal, stereotypical road with everyday housing. This idea of the listener relating to the artist and what they’re singing about is also a common attribute of our chosen genre, and often supported in music videos such as this one. It helps of course the audience of our chosen genre are similar in age and usually of the same gender of the artists themselves.
The rolling movement allows us to see the artist from all angles, it also causes her to appear closed in, and again emphasises her isolation.

• A crane shot then allows the audience to see the black studio in which the settings are hung. This adds a new dimension to the video and raises the issue of appearance or reality, in which the artist is stuck in the centre. This is a very effective way of conveying the artists emotions, and the underlying meaning of the song, which is of course being stuck between the city and her hometown. Being torn and having to make decisions are also common meanings found in songs belonging to our chosen genre of soul with elements of pop.
• The constant rolling movement around the singer enforces that she is not changing however the wall hangings displaying settings are constantly different, this connotes the singer has lost faith in her world and just feels like sitting away from the real world. The top lighting reinforces her features as upset and emphasises the quiet lonely room.

•   The ending consists of a long shot where the audience watch the artists back as she walks away into what we assume to be the real world, as natural light and settings are shown, as apposed to the fantasy world which has been encoded by the false settings. This regains the mystery surrounding the video as we assume a decision has been made by her however is not revealed to us. Nevertheless as no apparent happiness is found by her, we still empathise as an audience.
• The music throughout is calm and full of emotion however towards the end, the singer sounds hurt and angry as she gets up to face a new surrounding.

Analysis of a Music Video

Duffy - Mercy

• The music begins with an upbeat rhythm, and a closeup shot of male smart leather shoes, which are constantly moving to the beat of the music. The lighting is key light to emphasise the shape of the moving shows.

• The long view used in the music video, connotes the main character the singer in control over the men dancing round her as she is high up and looking down upon them. This is not stereotypical as men are normally the dominant ones. The singer is a stereotypical pretty woman with long blonde hair and a sophisticated long dark dress which connotes mystery and feminism. The men are dressed in modern dark clothing which are smart, this connotes the idea of them competing to win the singer over. The back lighting enforces the singers gestures and stance. The iconography of the stand holds her in the centre as the main character for the audience to contantly watch. 

• The different straight cuts to the change of angles of the singer highlights her authority and emotion put into her lyrics. the music is a upbeat rhythm which keeps the audience's attention, the atmosphere is lively and makes you feel like you want to move about. The top lighting highlights the features within the setting which is a spacious classy club room, the darkness creates the mystery within the night life.

• The males are contantly shown through straight cuts to keep continuity throughout the music and this connotes them trying there hardest to impress the dominant woman (singer). The males are putting every bit of energy into there dancing and effort to win her.

• As the music rhythm and beat increases so does the intensity of the dancers, a few of the males gain bright hot fire to there legs which connotes the elborate atmosphere and intense mood to win. The bright fire lights up the room from the darkness of the night to exciting new mood, which helps increase the excitement of the lyrics.

• The singer shows her intensity by the closeup of her emotion full face, she is singing to her full potential and best quality of her voice to create even more meaning in the ending lyrics.
• The genre is more of an intense soul sound

Analysis of a Music Video

Beyonce - Listen

• The music video of 'Listen' begins with a midshot of the singer in the centre, this connotes who the main character is and the appearance of the singer. The clothing of the singer creates mystery as it is dark and plain, the singer is stereotypically presented as a independant strong woman whos complexion is clear and clean, her hair has a sophisticated look to connote the singer's personality.

• The video straight cuts to another midshot of the singer, who is now less of clothes and less confident to the first shot of the singer, by her gestures of wrapping herself away, her arms close to her connotes her feeling less strong and closing herself away from any problems. The sound of the music is slow which connotes the strong images of the singer, the lyrics are full of emotion which is in comparison with the images to create a calm and quiet atmosphere. 

• There is a straight cut to a close up of a male character who appears dominant by his stare, his clothing is smart by the tie and shirt which is dark colours to connote mystery. The propp of a camera connotes some sort of setting, such as a photo shoot. 

• The main singer is then presented as dressed up by the closeup of her features, her hair is curled neartly and shows more feminism. Her features are highlighted by the top lighting. The music is increasing in emotion and soul as the female singer is shown in different styles.

• The shot is again showing a closeup which connotes a male controlling the angle of the females pose, this enforces the male as the dominant one over the female. The singer looks away to connote she is unhappy and has had enough, the audience would feel sympathetic towards her as the lyrics increase in emotion and the rhythm is sharper. 

• There is constant straight cuts to the singer appearing as herself and trying to be strong, the straight cuts creates continuity, to keep the audience aware of the singers emotions and meaning to the lyrics. The atmosphere is depressing by the singer's fighting gestures and upset looks, however the back lighting, is lifting the mood.

• The singers eye is zoomed into which connotes her upsetting mood, her eye is emphasised by the use of eyelinear outlining the eyes shape this connotes her sadness, the chorus is upbeat and full of strength and independance. The rhythm is much faster however the lyrics flow slower within the music.

• The singer increases the pitch of her voice which is high and mighty, to show she is taking control of her situation that is making her depressed. The use of lighting constantly changes and jump cuts are used to each flash of different colour schemes, the background of white emphasises the singers hope and purity. The black and white image reveals the corruption within her life its dark and dawnting. The singers face in each is full of emtional hurt, which connotes the meaning to her lyrics. The audience feel more connected to the music by the gestures and facial expressions of the singer which are strong and meaningful.

CD Analysis

Sophie Ellis Bextor

• The album advertised is by the artist Sophie Ellis Bextor, who is centre of the frame this connotes this is her music she has created and it reveals to the audience the singer's appearance.
• The colour scheme is mostly black and grey, the writing of the singer's name and album title is bold and clear which connotes the importance of showing the audience what they are buying.
• The singer's clear complexion and pose connotes she looks after her appearance and will put all her effort in her work.The singers hair is full and healthy to emphasise the CD's appearance and connote her work as full of her potential. The clothing is a mystery as it shows a dark type of top, with some sort of beading detailing the clothing which adds to her feminism look.

• The of the album is of a side midshot of the singer who appears to be flicking her hair out which connotes the title of the CD 'make a scene.'
• The colour scheme is kept to black, whites and greys which connote that this is matching the front of the CD.
• The writing is in two different fonts, the list of songs are in a clear white colour so they stand out from the background this gives the information to the audience of what they are purchasing from the CD's artist, the numbers indicate to the audience which songs will be played first when being listened too.
• The bar code is for the staff that the CD is bought from so they can scan the album for the buyer to purchase it and pay.
• There is a much smaller less clear font, which connotes some information detailing the CD, it is obviously less important for the audience to read as it is not as bold.
• The singers facial expression connotes her passion for her work and music.

CD Analysis

Taylor Swift

• The advert shown is of Taylor Swift's new album called 'Speak Now'.
• 'Speak Now' is an album of expertly crafted pop music and is full of soul emotions.
• The writing used in the advert is presented as fancy and bold, it stands out matching the flowing dress. The sparkle round the writing connotes the a magical picture and connotes the fantasy's behind the music.
• The singer is presented centre of the advert which connotes her importance and her independance by owning the album she has created.
• The singer has a clear complexion and long beautiful curly blonde hair which connotes the singer as caring about how she looks on her album in selling her music as something she enjoys and takes pride into. Her clothing is a long flowing magical purple dress, which encodes fantasy into the album as it is presented on the cover. The singer is wearing a colour that would be in a stereotypical fairytale, it is not to bright that it overpowers the CD advert however it emphasises the emotion and creation of the singer's music.
• The CD stands out which draws the audience's attention, the layout is well thought as everything coordinates, this connotes the singer's creation and magnificant imagery of her music.  

• The back of the artists album is in a different colour scheme however is still brightly coloured, the artist is now in a long flowing similar dress as the one on the front of the CD but its in a more of a summer yellow also her hair is more sophisticated tied up tightly this connotes her change of style. The font of the writing is the same as the font on the CD front cover, it is in a deeper colour to emphasise the list of songs which are on the CD.
• The left hand side of the back has a frame with some bright colour behind it this draws more attention to the audiences eye.

CD Analysis

Adele

• This advert was placed in 'new' magazine, the writing in the advert is big and bold which connotes the CD's name and who the music is by, the number included is an obvious importance to the singer as it highlighted to the audience.
• The image is of the actual singer and is a close up of her in the centre of the frame to connote her importance as it is her music.The colour scheme is black and white which connotes the deepness of the music and that it is old fashioned colours to indicate the genre of the music would be soul.
• The facial expression of the singer is emotionless, her eyes are shut which connotes the music as calm and soulful. By using her hand to rest her head connotes her energy as drained and this is encoded to reveal that her emotions and work has gone into the albums music.
• The singer is stereotypically pretty and well presented, her complexion is clear and clean. This connotes to audience that she cares about herself as well as for her music and work.

• The back of Adele's album is in comparison with the front, the colour scheme is exactly the same and the artists pose is very similar however her eyes are wide open, this connotes her drawing her audience's attention to the music list created by her.
• The list is in a light white font which stands out from the dark background. The numbers connotes the order in which the audience can play the music in.
• The bar code is used to allow the shop staff to scan it for the buyer to purchase it.
• The artists name is bordering the back which allows the audience to remember her name and the importance of her creation.
• The artist's eyes are outlined with dark makeup to emphasise her emotion through her eyes, she has natural makeup to connote her natural emotions.

Analysis of a Music Video

Leanne Rimes - Can't Fight the Moonlight

• The starting long view shot of the music video indicates to the audience that it is being played in a busy pub, the mood of everyone is cheerful. All the sound is coming from the busy crowd shown. There is no main character introduced yet as it is just showing the upbeat atmosphere and estatic surrounding to the audience.

• As the background noise of the busy crowd dies down, the singer is then revealed and is standing on the bar which is shown through the use of a worms eye view shot this connotes her dominance over everyone and the top lights above her highlight her features. The singer is wearing tight clothing this connotes her confidence in showing herself as who she is and it also is quite casual to link to the pub setting. The singer is a stereotypical blonde haired pretty woman, with a clear complexion which connotes she cares about her appearance.

• A jump cut to this male is encoded which connotes his a main character who is obviously to do with the music. The male is wearing a black shirt and jacket which connotes mystery about him and shows he cares about his appearance as he is dressed smartly and his complexion is clean as well as his tidy dark hair. The midshot shows some background action which connotes to the audience that he is at a club or maybe another pub. The lighting is mostly back lighting which is encoded to create more shadows in showing that the character is surrounded by alot of other people.

• A straight cut is encoded to create continuity in showing the audience another key character, as the rhythm starts to get quicker and more apprant the mid shot of this young woman is shown, she has a stereotypical long blonde hair and is seen to be dressed quite casual in a light purple jacket which connotes she is closing her self off from some of the surrounding. 

• The long view shot reveals the characters know each other, there eyes stare at one another which connotes romance between the characters. The shot reveals the setting is on a city street and it is obviously night time by the darkness and just a hint of light coming in between them which highlights the romantic mood. The shot also is shown when the music is non - diegetic and the lyrics are 'magical feeling' which connotes that it is a magical romance between these to characters who have stereotypically fallen for each other. 

• There is constant flash backs to the singer from the shots of the romantic scene of the man and woman. This is emphasising to the audience who is singing and the busy pub atmosphere from the quiet romantic mood which connotes the different atmospheres to reflect on the busy upbeat rhythm and romantic intense lyrics.

• There are constant straight cuts to midshots of different stereotypical pretty women who are behind the bar, they are also dressed in tight clothing like the main singer which connotes there confidence and dominance within the setting. The colour of the top is red which connotes romance as well as flirtatious. The iconography of the bottles in the midshot connote the setting of a bar and alcohol drinking. The straight cuts keep continuity as the chorus comes in, the rhythm is faster however the lyrics still connote romance. 

• The close up of the singer swinging around a pole connotes her independance in dancing alone and entertaining the crowd,it also shows her confidence in dancing around on the bar while loads watch her. The iconography of the pole is not normally on the bar and connotes it is a different type of bar for singers to stand up and sing to there crowd.

• The close up of the man and woman kissing connotes the romantic mood and emphasises the words of the lyrics, it also connotes the relationship as a close connection. This is obviously a calmer atmosphere to the pub setting. The female is wearing a light colour which connotes her innocence and purity, the male is in darker clothing which connotes the reinforcement of mystery about him.

• The long shot reveals more women are dancing with the main singer, this connotes the confidence of the women getting up above the crowd and dancing. The top lighting hightlights the features of the women which emphasises there beauty. The atmosphere is clearly shown to the audience as cheerful and fun by the characters smiling and the dim lighting. 

• The constant flashbacks to the same man and women connote the love story behind the lyrics and the connection between the characters. It is revealing to the audience that there is a bigger meaning to the lyrics, that it is about two people in love and enforces that different mood from the crowded loud bar to a calm and romantic atmosphere. The lyrics of the chorus are more apprant when showing the relationship between the male and female.
• The genre is clearly a romantic soul sound by the romantic story as well as the singer, being at a bar singing to the audience emotional lyrics.

Analysis of a Music Video

Taylor Swift - Love Story

• The first image shown is of a school environment which looks modern this connotes that it will have  characters who are a younger generation, it is effective in giving a busy atmosphere as it begins at the school.

• The video then straight cuts to a young teenager,the mid shot shows the main character who is stereotypically pretty with a clear complexion and long blonde hair, her clothing connotes modern society youth which is just plain and simple for the school environment which was shown in the previous shot. The use of the propp which is the books are effective in showing the audience that she is obviously a student which links to the setting. As the character walks in the music begins, this highlights the importance of the character to the audience, the music is a slow rhythm which indicates the use of a guitar and a drum.

• Another straight cut is used to flow towards the young guy who is holding books which reinforce the propp again this connotes there age as students, as they are obviously studying. The clothing again is quite plain and simple for the school environment. The use of the long shot connotes the importance of the setting as it is a wide space also there is not much too look at, this draws the audience's attention to the character who is positioned in the centre.

• As the rhythm quickens and a straight cut is used, the lighting dims and turns to a more darker sky which connotes the time passing. The setting also changes to a fairytale old fashioned castle which is just surrounded by large fresh green trees, this changes the atmosphere to a peaceful surrounding this also indicates to the audience that a different kind of narrative is about to begin.

• The next scene of the video not only enforces the different setting of the castle, but enforces the character of the female dressed in a old fashioned ball gown which was seen more in the victorian times; this connotes the fairytale fantasy. The lyrics then begin and the character begins to tell a story through the music which emphasises to the audience that the music is linked to a fairytale world. She is not shown as a stereotypical student as she is in a castle background and dressed in old fasioned clothing. The mood is peaceful and blissful this is created through the use of the slow rhythm and gentle lyrics.

• The jump cut to the long shot connotes the setting of a room inside the castle, the use of lighting is mostly back lights which emphasise the romantic atmosphere. The iconography of the candles connotes the old fashioned period compared to a modern time where the use of bulbs are used. It emphasises to the audience the change of time period not just setting. The males are showing more dominance which reinforces the time period as men were the more dominant figures in society over women.The clothing of the men is smart dark clothing which connotes mystery and there pride of their appearance. The women are in long elegant ball gowns which were very fashionable in the victorian times. The music is quicker and elborate as the romance between the men and women highestens through the dancing.

• There is constant jump cross cuts to the singer alone in the castle this connotes the importance of the singer and her lyrics which explain the narrative of the video. As the chorus is more clear and elborate to the audience, the narrative and romantic atmosphere unfold.  

• The straight cut to the forest connotes the continuity within the video, the setting is shown through a long shot which emphasises the forest and the mysterious atmosphere. The lighting highlights the darkness of the surrounding which connotes the characters vulnerability and innocence however it also connotes how the singer lightens up the dangerous forest. The forest is a stereotypical setting for a fairytale as it is magical.

• The cut to the long shot of the characters connotes the romantic mood, it also links to the lyrics which are enforced with a gentle rhythm. The lyrics 'Love Story' connote the narrative as a stereotypical fairytale of romance and happiness. The iconography of the horse connotes the time period, horses were important animals specially in the victorians times as men rode around on them not like modern transport. The elements shown communicate to the audience that the singer enjoys fairytale narratives and believes in the romantic storys. The colour of the horse is white, this connotes the purity and creates a calm atmosphere. 

• The songs rhythm picks up as an uplifting melody, and the lyrics are more extensive and clear which connotes the fairytales happy ending. This is shown through the two shot of the characters dashing towards each other, connoting there romance at its highest. The use of the top lighting highlights the characters gestures. 

• The final scene of the video, is cut to the modern first school setting, which connotes the fairytale as reality and appears just like an old fashioned love story but is actually real in the modern times. The midshot connotes the connection between the characters and emphasises the songs lyrics of their bond and happiness, the use of the day light enforces the gentle mood.
• The genre throughtout the music video is a romantic soul song which is created through the use of the romantic fairytale scenes. The narrative structure links to propps theory, the main characters shown the young blonde female would represent a princess and the male represents the stereotypical prince who is the hero of the story which propp applys through his theory of fairytale characters.