Music video: One Direction - History

Our first music video CSP is One Direction - History.

One Direction are an English-Irish pop band forming during Series 7 of hit show X Factor and going on to come third. They were propelled to success through social media and become one of the most successful groups ever, breaking many records. Their third album was the best selling album in the world in 2013.

After finishing the show, they signed a record deal with Syco Records (Simon Cowell’s record label) which is part of Sony, one of the ‘Big 3’.

History is their final single and is taken from album Made in the A.M. By the release of this album, Zayn had left to pursue solo projects. The single is their last before taking a career break. They reflect the lyrics (looking back on their huge success) through featuring footage of X Factor, behind the scenes at tours, anecdotes and videos of all the members.

This 2015 video self referentially covers the bands own history since their creation during 2010s X Factor. Their debt to Simon Cowell is acknowledged in this video.



Video analysis and audience appeal

Narrative

• The song is about the history of the band and about moving on towards the future. 
• The band said it marked a ‘period of closure’ for them after the departure of Zayn Malik, who has left the band to pursue a solo career. 
• It features a performance element with each of the band performing live and dancing in unison, cut with black and white footage of all 5 original members on tour and ‘behind the scenes.’ This is nostalgic and will appeal to loyal fans as it will remind them of the band’s success and younger appearances, right back to the start of their career on X Factor (featured in the opening of the video) in 2010. 
• Lyrics such as ‘now my heart’s breaking’ and ‘you and me got a whole lot of history’ and ‘all of the rumours, all of the fights’ can be applied to a relationship between a girl and a boy, but also to the other members of the band. 

Audience pleasures

• Diversion through a feeling of nostalgia
• Personal relationships: Fans were used to contribute to the single’s chorus. (Collaboration / example of Prosumerism)
• Personal identity with the band members (following through Twitter etc.) who were marketed as ‘the funny one’ and the ‘handsome one’ and also relating to other like-minded fans. 
• Surveillance – insight into behind the scenes.
• Intertextuality of previous tours and footage 

One Direction - History: Blog tasks

Industry

1) How were One Direction formed and how is this reflected in the music video for History?

2) What is vertical integration? You may need to check your book for this (or remind yourself from this Year 1 blogpost.)

3) What is horizontal integration? (See link above for help again!)

4) How has technological convergence changed the way audiences consume music videos?

5) As a manufactured band, what influence do Simon Cowell and the record company Syco (part of Sony) have over the content and release strategy of One Direction music videos? You may want to read this text from an article in The Inquisitr about the relationship between 1D and Simon Cowell.


Audience

1) What is the One Direction target audience - demographics and psychographics?

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for History?

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to One Direction fans. Why did you choose those moments? 

4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the History music video?

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What do the producers want One Direction fans to take from the video?


Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Huffington Post article about the video. What extra details are provided in the article regarding the construction of the video?

Read this short Teen Vogue feature on the video. What does it suggest regarding the ending of the video?

Try reading this excellent Medium blog on the future of the music video in the digital age. Summarise the main points of the blog in 100 words.

Read this Independent columnist writing about why she loves One Direction. What audience pleasures can you pick out from this article?

You'll need to finish this case study for homework - due date on Google Classroom.