Music videos have long been a great tool for musicians to express themselves creatively and to communicate ideas to their audiences. The digital aesthetics used in these videos, on the other hand, frequently propagate damaging stereotypes and reinforce societal biases regarding sexuality.

Gender representation in music videos can sometimes become problematic. Women are commonly presented as sexual objects or submissive characters, which reinforce patriarchal norms and objectify them for male pleasure. Although sexual objectification is commonplace in media culture, music videos provide the most potent examples of it (Frisby 2011). This not only limits women’s representation, but also conveys viewers a negative message about gender roles and expectations. For example, Robin Thicke’s ‘Give it 2 U’ or ‘Blurred Lines’. One of the most common complaints levelled at these songs is that their lyrics create a culture of sexual objectification. Both songs’ lyrics plainly depict women as things to be chased and conquered. This not only promotes gender stereotypes, but also leads to a culture in which consent is ambiguous, potentially resulting in harm. Additionally, the explicit material of the music videos for these songs has drawn controversy. In the video for “Blurred Lines,” Thicke and his collaborators are surrounded by scantily clad women presented as servile objects of desire. This depiction reinforces detrimental power relations by sending the notion that women exist primarily for male pleasure. The determining male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly (Mulvey 1975).

To summarise, while music videos can be visually gorgeous and entertaining, they frequently fall short when it comes to appropriately representing ones sexuality. It is critical for artists and producers to consider the social impact of their work and strive for more inclusive depictions that challenge stereotypes rather than perpetuate them. 

References:

Frisby, C. M (2011) Sexual Objectification in Music Videos: A Content Analysis Comparing Gender and Genre

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233027814_Sexual_Objectification_in_Music_Videos_A_Content_Analysis_Comparing_Gender_and_Genre

Mulvey, L. (1975) Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema

By: Alicia Mahady-Ahedo 33699698