RADIOHEAD 'BURN THE WITCH' INDUSTRY CONTEXT

Question 1

Who is Radiohead?

Answer 1

A famous British Rockband formed in 1985.

Question 2

Summarise the BTW music video?

Answer 2

Features a distinctive and unsettling stop-motion style, portraying a small, seemingly idyllic village where the townspeople engage in a ritualistic process.

Question 3

Who are Radiohead signed to?

Answer 3

• Intially signed to EMI, however left the label to self-release their album ‘In Rainbows’ as a (pay-what-you-want) dowload. Pioneering digital album distribution.
• BTW released under XL records– an independent lable known for giving aritist creative freedom.

Question 4

What genre is Radiohead?

Answer 4

• Alternative rock/Experimental/ Electronic Music.
• Use abstract lyrics, atmospheric production and avant-garde elements.

Question 5

What is ‘Burn The Witch’?

Answer 5

• First track from Radiohead’s 9th album ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’ (2016)

Question 6

What album is ‘Burn The Witch’ from?

Answer 6

• ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’- blends orchestral elements with electronic sounds.

Question 7

Radiohead & their cultural and political contributions?

Answer 7

• The band is known for their activitism (very vocal on digital rights/ impact of streaming services on artists)
• Political views: Left-leaning progressives. Tom York (lead singer) has been very critical of conservative politicans such as Thatcher, Trump.
• Themes- often explore themes of alienation and disillusionment with modern life, anti-capitalist rhetoric

Question 8

When was Burn The Witch released on YT?

Answer 8

May 2016

Question 9

Who produced and animated ‘BTW’?

Answer 9

• Produced by- Chris Hopwell.
• Animated by- Jackknife Prints

Question 10

What does the song warn against?

Answer 10

• Group-thinking/ mob rule
• Authoritarianism/ Populism/Nationalism
• Mass surveillance
• Politicians who promise a return to a vistionist version of the past/history
• The visual style was deliberately lighter in tone than the song. Radiohead “wanted the video to contrast with what they’re playing and to wake people up a bit”

Question 11

What was the critical reception of the song?

Answer 11

41 million views on YT

Nominated for a UK Music Video Award (UMVA)

“sharp critique of modern authoritarianism wrapped in a children’s TV nightmare.”- The Guardian

Question 12

Political context

Answer 12

Global rise of populism, nationalism, far-right politics (Brexit referendum weeks away, Trump MAGA campaign)

Rise of anti-immigrant, nationalist discourse, political fearmongering fears around refugees and terroism (Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen)

Radiohead highlight how political systems can manipulate fear to control populations to justify cruelty.

After Trump was elected US president on November 2016, Yorke tweeted lyrics from the song and linked to its music video, interpreted as a criticism of Trump’s policies.

Question 13

Cultural context

Answer 13

Critiques British traditionalism and nostalgia through distorted imagery of classic British iconography (Trumpton-style animation).

Part of RH broader critique of group-think, conformity and mob mentality within contemporary culture (cancel culture, nationalist populism)

Question 14

Mainstream vs. Independent Production Values and Constraints

Answer 14

Independent and anti-mainstream production values:

RD fund all of their projects (all for full creative control)

Produced by animation company (Jacknife Films) rather than a major label production team.

Avoid glossy aesthetics, celeberity apperances, product placement for mass appeal

Focus on aritistic expression and merit and narrative complexity (which limits commercial appeal but strengthens their niche audience loyalty).

Question 15

How do Radohead promote themselves through BTW despite not appearing in the video?

Answer 15

Mystery and viral marketing (erased all online presence to create engima and speculation amongst fans) Jenkins–fans decoded clues and discussed theories online (partipatory culture)

Aritistic credibility/ music video as high art
Goodwins Music Video Theory–reject traditional star image and instead rely on symbolism and narrative.
Neale- subverts expectations

Political conscious band (criques mass hysteria, suviellance culture, right-wing dogma)
Gramsci (Hegemony) The band challenges dominant ideology by critiquing authority structure.

Exclusivity & Anti-commercialism
Avoided traditional promotion to create outside status (no product placement etc). Bourdieu (Cultural Capital) → Their music video gives fans “cultural capital”—being a fan of Radiohead means being part of an intellectually elite group.