Product Context

Question 1

Music Industry Context (Label)

Answer 1

Riptide was released under Atlantic Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

This means the song benefited from the resources of a major record label in terms of distribution, marketing, and promotion. Atlantic Records provided the support to introduce Vance Joy to a global audience.

Question 2

Indie-Folk popularity

Answer 2

The song was released at a time when indie-folk music was experiencing a surge in popularity.

Vance Joy’s music, including Riptide, was well-positioned to ride this wave of interest in more acoustic, emotionally-driven music that blends folk, indie, and pop.

Question 3

What makes the music video ‘Indie’

Answer 3

1. low-budget = more innovation and creativity
2. Experimental director - more complexity in the way that gender is constructed
3. Director’s style is surrealist/absurdist - representations won’t necessarily make sense

Question 4

What makes the music video especially unique?

Answer 4

Vance Joy is hardly in it

Potentially a message as opposed to just building purely him lip-syncing

Question 5

Vance Joy:

Answer 5

• An Australian singer-songwriter signed to Atlantic records (a subsidiary of Warner)
• His music can be categorised as fitting into indie folk pop genre.
• Riptide was his first single to be released in the USA (2013), following his debut EP, “God loves you when you’re dancing”. It became a platenum selling single

Question 6

Who directed the music video + how many views on YouTube

Answer 6

Dimitri Basil and Laura Gorun and has more than 350 million views on YouTube.