Genre Theories- Kasabian "Fire" Textual Analysis

Over the past couple of lessons, we have been looking over some theories revolving around music videos which we can apply to our own work. These theories, which concerns genre specifically, consist of:


Hartley (1994)- Genre limits creativity- Hartley argues that genres are agents of ideological closure which limit the meaning-potential of a given text. In this case, it appears that this is not true. This video could have quite literally been anything. The bizarre subject matter and theme of the video prove the expanded limits that the video may have been held to. However, it is true that the video was limited in its mise en scene as the artist opted to use instruments as props, a common feature of the genre.

Hodge & Kress (1988)- limits creativity by conforming to audience expectation- Genre controls the behaviour of both the producers and potential consumers.
With the genre of rock stereotypically appealing to more of a male audience, the producers appear to have made the music video for 'Fire' appeal to a male audience by revolving it around a violent setting wich will appeal more to a male audience.

Fiske (1987)- the crucial ideological concerns of the time they are popular- genres tell us something about the time in which they are popular. 

In the music video for 'Fire' by Kasabian, the issue of bank heists and armed robbery is addressed in a way which suits the genre by replacing weapons with guitars and money with sheet music. While bank robbery isn't such an issue in the UK as it is in the US, the video very well addresses it as it was popular at a time when this was happening a lot.