Concept Music Videos

Concept videos are based around an unusual or obscure idea that may even be surreal for the audience. A successful concept video will keep the audience entertained for the entirety of the video and constantly looking at who or what is on screen. Many concept videos will also combine aspects of other video genres to widen an otherwise niche market. Concept videos often utilise a particular filming or editing technique and convey a metaphorical message.

Some examples of concept videos include:

• Sia - Elastic Heart
• Panic! At The Disco - That Green Gentleman
• Taylor Swift - Style
• Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
• OK Go - This Too Shall Pass

Many concept videos will incorporate aspects of the performance genre, usually by using shots of the artist lip synching the song to intercept the conceptual clips. While concept videos usually maintain the interest of viewers, they are unlikely to appeal to a mainstream audience without elements of more niche genres. Taylor Swift is featured throughout her music video for Style, thus creating a sense of familiarity for audiences. Close up shots of Taylor lip-synching are used to tie greater importance to the lyrics. The same is true for videos like Gotye's Somebody That I Used To Know. Often, the lyrics and the concept of the video seem unrelated - for example, the video for This Too Shall Past by OK Go. By combining the concept and performance genres, the musician can explore their artistic visions while still appealing to a bigger audience.

Taylor Swift - Style

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass

Conceptual videos do not always feature the artist and instead focus predominantly on a theme or message to portray. The video for Under Pressure by Queen exemplifies this category, highlighting the social decay of the 1900's. Shots of demolished buildings and crowds of unemployed citizens clearly demonstrate this message while also reflecting the lyrics of the song. An example of a concept video where the artist is not the main focus of the video would be Lying Is The Most Fun by Panic! At The Disco. The band are only in one scene of the music video, and even then are not the focal point of the video.

Queen - Under Pressure

Panic! At The Disco - Lying Is The Most Fun

As well as symbolic, conceptual videos can take the route of being thematic. This is portrayed through the mise-en-scene to suggest the genre or meaning of the video. I Don't Love You by My Chemical Romance uses a monochromatic palette and thus infers the mood and atmosphere of the song to the audience. Performance elements are also incorporated to engage the audience.

My Chemical Romance - I Don't Love You