Andrew Goodwin's Theory

Goodwin identifies a number of key features, which distinguish the music video as a form:

• There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (with visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics).
• There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (again with visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music).
• Particular music genres may have their own music video style and iconography (such as live stage performance in heavy rock).
• There is a demand on the part of the record company for lots of close-ups of the main artist/vocalist.
• The artist may develop their own star iconography, in and out of their videos, which, over time, becomes part of their star image.
• There is likely to be reference to voyeurism, particularly in the treatment of women, but also in terms of systems of looking (screens within screens, binoculars, cameras, etc.).
• There are likely to be intertextual references, either to other music videos or to films and TV texts.

In American Hi-Fi's 'Flavor Of The Weak' there are lots of links to Goodwin's theory.

There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals as the girlfriend is seen to be getting closer to her boyfriend in an intimate way as the lyrics of "he means everything to her" are sung at 1:11, showing her attraction and love for him in the lyrics and visuals.

There are also links between the music and visuals as a student's dancing is in time with the guitar notes in the instrumental at 2:27.

Since the genre of this music video is punk rock Goodwin's theory fits perfectly with the visuals incorporated in it as a live stage is used for the band's performance element at 0:50, as Goodwin has stated as part of his theory.

There is also inclusion of many close-ups of the main singer in the band, as Goodwin also states. For example this is shown at 2:57.

There is also quite a lot of references to voyeurism as in multiple parts of the video women are seen to be sexually depicted. For example the low angled shots of the girlfriend are seen at 1:42 and also at 2:50 when the boyfriend is seen by the girlfriend to be cheating with another highly sexualised woman in his car.