Blurred Lines Music Video Analysis

“Blurred Lines”, a song produced and sung by Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams, quickly ranked as a number one hit song in multiple countries. These well known musical artists then directed and released two differently rated music videos for this specific song. The unrated version of the music video was promptly removed from YouTube, a video sharing website, due to violations of the site’s terms of service, particularly the nudity that was presented throughout the video. Four months later the unrated music video reappeared on YouTube. In addition to the rated version of the “Blurred Lines” music video, the two videos on just YouTube alone obtain well over 618 million views.

Music videos are typically released following a music track to promote and increase audience attention towards the artist and song. The “Blurred Lines” song and the corresponding music videos received an abundance of positive attention, which resulted in Robin Thicke’s nomination for three Grammy Awards: “Record of the year”, “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance”, and “Best Pop Vocal Album.” The Grammys Recording Academy deems itself as the most preeminent musical society that “is dedicated to celebrating, honoring, and sustaining music’s past, present, and future”. The renowned song “Blurred Lines” becoming nominated for three Grammy Awards illuminates the preferred reading of a catchy, fun song; however, widespread controversy of the song and the music videos emerged when oppositional reading was practiced among audiences. Thicke’s musical work in “Blurred Lines” promoted and acclaimed sexism and rape culture, through objectifying women, expressing derogatory lyrics and using the theory of male’s gaze.

Preferred or dominant reading is obtaining the intended message that Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams embedded within their “Blurred Lines” song and music videos. These artists deliberately and perhaps unconsciously produced their music with a purposeful meaning they wished the audience would perceive. In addition, music videos are essentially the advertisement for the artist and their music so it must be memorable. These two artists seemed to want to portray a fun and sexual atmosphere in their music videos. By presenting sexy naked (in the unrated version) or half naked women (in the rated version), using specific language, and portraying particular gender roles, the music videos can appear appealing and amusing to the audience. In both of the videos, especially the unrated version, women were used to demonstrate heterosexuality which is often used to grab the attention of the consumers, or in this case advertise for their new song. The sexualized lyrics could have been utilized to gear towards a specifically young audience who would most likely connect with the words. Lastly, in the eyes of the artists the specific gender roles represented in the music videos were “goofy and innocent”. Robin Thicke continues to argue that his intentions in the music video were to “channel Benny Hill and 1960s variety shows.” Because of the extensive interest and award nominations for the song “Blurred Lines”, it appears that the majority of individuals recognized the preferred reading.

From reading against the grain an alternative ideology regarding the meaning of the song and music videos surfaces: the encouragement of the rape culture and sexism. The music videos present naked women, only wearing a thong, walking from one side of the frame to the other, while the fully clothed men in the video are stationary in the center of the frame. The theory of the male’s gaze is present throughout the entire video, and the uninterested but cheerful walking women are being touched and watched constantly. Fully dressed in black suits with sunglasses on portray the image that these men as more powerful and in control than the walking women. They appear less vulnerable and suggest that women invite men to approach due to their appearances and choice of clothing (or lack of). In addition to the male’s gaze, Robin Thicke moves his fingers around in a toying manner and brushes a women’s hair while announcing “I hate these blurred lines, I know you want it.” This line specifically is promoting rape culture while objectifying women. The entire video was derogatory to women as the men only flaunted over the naked women for their looks as opposed to their intelligence, skills, personality, etc. In one of the last clips of the video the words “Robin Thicke has a big dick” was hung in silver balloons as an attempt to persuade these women into “wanting it.”

After analyzing the entirety of the song and the music videos of “Blurred Lines”, I have recognized that I interpret the song differently than the artists have intended. The preferred reading of the lyrics and video present a fun and catchy musical experience; however, I reject the artists intentional meaning and believe the song and video to be very detrimental, as it contributes to the rape culture and the degradingness of women.