Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band from Sheffield. The lead singer is called Alex Turner. Since forming in 2002, they have released six albums and won seven Brit Awards. They were one of the first bands to come to the public’s attention due to the internet, heralding a new way that bands are produced and marketed.
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor is their first single from debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not released with niche, independent record label Domino. It was released in 2005 and went straight to number 1 on the singles chart.
Unlike One Direction, Arctic Monkeys weren’t put together by a record label, they were all friends from school. They formed in 2002 and wrote songs based on their lives and what they saw on nights out in Sheffield. They played pubs and small venues in and around Sheffield, and built up a huge following online using Myspace.
Video analysis and audience appeal
The power of the internet
- Social Media was only starting to be introduced in the early 2000s.
- You could chat to people with similar interests on chatroom or forums
- You used AOL or MSN Messenger to talk to your friends, send emojis and share pictures and music
- Myspace was released in 2003 and was one of the first major social networking sites. Myspace was used by bands and artists to gain fans without the need for a record company.
- Arctic Monkeys' music was shared on P2P sites, though this wasn’t known by the band or promoted when they found out. It allowed their music to be heard by their audience
- The sharing of their music encouraged people to talk about and share their music, which created a buzz about the band.
- Their fan base moved online, creating online communities where they could share songs and information
Convergence and technology
- ‘Convergence’ is the process of combining different, often old and new, technologies to create a new or better product.
- Technological convergence is the development of technology (such as phones and tablets) that allows us to access all types of media through one device. This has fundamentally changed the way music videos are produced, consumed and shared.
- Technological convergence has created both challenges and opportunities for the music industry - both artists and record companies.
Arctic Monkeys: performance video
- This is a performance video designed to look like a 1980s TV performance on programmes such as Top of the Pops or The Old Grey Whistle Test'. It was filmed using old 1980s Ikegami 3-tube colour TV cameras to give it an authentic, nostalgic effect.
- The simple performance video subverts music video conventions that became steadily more complicated and narrative-based in the 1980s and 1990s.
- It opens with the singer introducing the song and adding the words 'Don't believe the hype'. This could be a reference to the online following the band built up using Myspace.
Audience
- Arctic Monkeys' audience are likely to be white, middle class and reasonably young. Psychographic groups might include Reformers and Explorers. Recent global success pushed the band into bigger psychographic groups such as Mainstreamers.
- Audience pleasures would include diversion - the song is upbeat and fast-paced. Fans who followed the band from the early days might find a sense of personal relationship while many young people would get a sense of personal identity from the lyrics to the song (about going out to a club and drinking).
- Older fans would enjoy a sense of nostalgia from the 1980s-style performance video.
Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor: Blog tasks
Impact of new/digital media on music industry
You'll need to read our music video introduction and notes blogpost to answer some of these question.
1) How do audiences generally watch music videos these days?
2) What opportunities has the growth of digital technology and YouTube created for new music artists?
3) What is P2P and why did it cause huge problems for the music industry?
4) Do you think the internet has given audiences more power over who becomes successful in the music industry? Why?
5) How has Fortnite demonstrated the potential future for music videos and promotional opportunities for the music industry? You can read more on this event in this Verge feature.
Arctic Monkeys: Industry
1) How did the Arctic Monkeys first achieve success and build up their fanbase?
2) Why was P2P file sharing an unexpected aspect to Arctic Monkeys' early success?
3) How does the rise of Arctic Monkeys differ from how One Direction were formed and became famous?
4) How has technological convergence changed the music industry?
5) Has the internet been a positive or negative development for traditional record companies? Why?
Arctic Monkeys: Audience
1) What is the main Arctic Monkeys audience - demographics and psychographics?
2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor?
3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to Arctic Monkeys fans. Why did you choose those moments?
4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the Arctic Monkeys music video?
5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What does the artist want fans to take from their video?
Grade 8/9 extension tasks
Read this excellent Guardian feature on the Arctic Monkeys on the 10th anniversary of I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor. What key statistics can you take from the article concerning developments in the industry and the Arctic Monkeys' role in these changes?
Read this BBC News report from the time - documenting the records Arctic Monkeys broke.
Read this short blog on how the social media website Myspace helped the Arctic Monkeys make it big. What did the website allow the band to do?
Finally, read this short Guardian feature asking if Arctic Monkeys changed the music industry. What does the article suggest?
You'll need to finish this case study for homework - due next week Thursday.
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