MUSIC VIDEOS: ghost town & old town road

What will students learn in this unit?

This media studies unit focuses on two music videos: Ghost Town (The Specials) and Old Town Road (Lil Nas X).  Students will answer questions on this topic on A-Level Media Studies Paper 1.

In this unit, students will:

• analyse music videos, specifically focusing on "Ghost Town" by The Specials and "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X

• learn about key media theories and codes, such as cinematography, lighting, performance, and sound (CLAMPS), to understand how music videos create meaning and serve as cultural products within the media industry

• examine representations of ethnicity, race, gender, and social issues within these videos, drawing on theorists like Goodwin, Hesmondhalgh, Hall, Gilroy, Neale, Butler, and Shirky

• investigate the historical, social, and economic contexts surrounding each music video and their reception, including the two-tone ska movement, British recession of 1981, and the debate over genre and race in the music industry

• discuss postmodernism, intertextuality, and the evolution of music videos as an art form and a source of revenue

Materials for revision and further support 

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