Effects

As you already know, there are stereotypes in music videos. A lot of stereotypes in music videos. But once we know this, why do we have to do anything? What are stereotypes doing to us? Quite a bit, it turns out. Enough that it makes you want to do something about it. I certainly did once I found out what I know now.

First of all, we should step back a minute and look at the audience who will be affected by these stereotypes. Who will be watching music videos? The answer is adolescents. Teenagers in the U.S. watch an average of 30 minutes to 3 hours of music videos per day (Wallis, 2010). That means that however music videos affect people (and trust me, it’s not positive) will be happening most to the next generation to lead our country. “An examination of music videos is particularly important because of their popularity with adolescents, who are likely refining their schema regarding gender and sexuality.” (Aubrey & Frisby, 2011, p. 475)

One of the major effects of music videos, which makes a lot of sense, is that the videos ‘program’ stereotypes into your brain. They make you think that their images are ‘good’ and right’-even if they’re unrealistic and negative. They make themselves seem like the world. Sexual objectification of women is a big example of this. “One of the most pervasive themes of contemporary media is the theme that an attractive appearance and sexy body are...the most important goals...women can achieve.” (Aubrey & Frisby, 2011, p. 476) Music videos are a major part of shaping the idea that it is most important for women to be beautiful, and to be beautiful they have to be thin, wear revealing clothing, and so on...but think about a girl or woman you think is beautiful and look at them. They’re not perfect. They don’t adhere to some or even most of the stereotypes. So why do we think people have to do these things? Music videos, among other sources, are planting these ideas in our minds- ‘programming us.’ They are making us believe things that are not true.

The other major effect music videos can have is giving people more permissive attitudes towards sex and sexual behavior. This goes with the programming because stereotyped videos often have women portrayed as sexual objects-important only for their bodies. “Evidence suggested that undergraduate students and teenagers who were exposed to music videos featuring sexual content were more likely to endorse casual and stereotypical attitudes about sex...In addition...music videos predicted permissive sexual attitudes and a stronger acceptance of women as sexual objects.” (Aubrey & Frisby, 2011, p.478) That means that music videos are making us throw away a huge wealth of brains and potential-making us call that useless. This has to stop.
So there’s your proof. Music videos are controlling our culture in multiple ways-by programming us with specific ideas and by making us more permissive to other ideas. And adolescents watch the most music videos, so they are going to be the most affected by it. Don’t you think we need to do something about this? Now is the time. It won’t be long until these people will be leading our country. We don’t want stereotyped music videos leading them.