There are different styles of music video that have defined characteristics that place them into a series of genres. Different genres are often attributed to certain kinds of music but are often varied.
PERFORMANCE:
This video is characterised by the band playing the music in the video with not much else happening. It might include certain segments of the band not playing, but the band is ultimately the focus of the video. It can use live, studio or otherwise environments and is more often then not shot in black and white. It could also have the setting of the making of a music video. Essentially making it a music video about making a music video.
The intention is to showcase the band itself while trying to avoid pretentions, to emphasise that the band are interested in the music alone as opposed to visual appeal.
This video is very typical of a performance video. The band are playing live in black and white while focusing attention on the fans as much as the band. Not much happens and there is no narrative, with the video being more like a celebration of the bands music. This cements it as a performance video.
COMEDIC/PARODY:
This music video focuses on humour and is intended to parody or make fun of other forms of music video or bands. This can also extend to references to movies or television programs. The comedy could also be an original scene. These videos often involve the band or actors acting out the humorous scene.
This genre can be highly varied.
This video uses the forms and conventions of a generic soap opera and the backstage drama as a parody, making fun of the typical nature of such shows for the purposes of humour.
PSYCHEDELIC / ENTROPIC:
Deliberately psychedelic imagery and visuals are often used in music videos, and these are used to provide an interesting spectacle and sometimes hidden meanings. This can be used by the band to express themselves visually or artistically in a different fashion in a way that fits their music as they see.
This can be one of the most highly varied genres with the imagery and sequences not being limited by what might be considered conventional or even understandable.
This video uses purposefully psychedelic imagery in seemingly random sequences to highlight the psychedelic nature of the song, using highly entropic footage and visual effects. Some could argue that it is in fact parody of such videos.
SPECTACLE:
These videos usually contain dance sequences and high end visuals and are often used for pop musicians with money to spend on high production videos and is often used for mainstream pop musicians.
This video is fairly unimaginative and is only used to highlight the aesthetic nature of the ''artist''. The video is mainly dancing and redundant visual effects and only serves to look good for the ''artist'' in question.
NARRATIVE:
This video is usually used to tell a story that fits with the mood of the song. It is, by nature, highly redundant. These can be used by both mainstream and indie artists which makes them very versitile as the mood of the song, and thus the video, can vary greatly.
This video has a clearly defined story to go with the song and is often used to illustrate a mood of the song or what the song was written about. The narrative can have elements of comedy, parody or even entropy in it for the purpose of the narrative and is a highly varied genre.
''SEXY'':
These videos are used to often there just to reflect the misogynistic and indulgent nature of the songs they represent. Three words: Bling, guns, bitches. These feature heavily in these videos. Oddly enough only rap videos appear to thrive on this imagery.
As you can see from the video it is nothing but childish male fantasises endulging their egos.
