OK Go Music Videos Analysis

OK Go

What has happened to their videos over time? Why do they choose to make videos like this?

Over the years, many elements of OK Go's music videos have stayed the same, mainly with a conceptual theme to them. A reoccurring theme throughout all of their videos is that the four band members are shown, mainly dancing or performing in unison and symmetry. Elements such as these take a unique spin on traditional music videos whilst keeping to a low budget, allowing the audience to see something new and be more engaged throughout. Another concept that recurs is how all four band members have the same or similar costumes, for example in End Love and Needing/Getting, they're all shown to be wearing bright, block colour onesies; this is another distinctive characteristic of their videos that attracts the target audience.

Videos such as Here It Goes Again (2006) and A Million Ways are examples of how OK Go's music videos are mostly simplistic, in which the members perform dance routines on eight treadmills and dance in a back garden in one take. In addition, most videos only contain one location, with the later videos such as This Too Shall Pass being shot in a large warehouse. However, earlier videos such as Here It Goes Again are shot in a single room with treadmills. 

In more recent years, the technology used in the band's videos has increased, with the innovative idea of illusions which are shot smoothly in one take, grabbing the attention from the audience and keeping them glued to the screen. From these grand illusions it's indicative that their budget has increased, along with their popularity over the past 10+ years - this will allow them in the future to be able to create even more quirky and intriguing videos for the audience to enjoy more than other artists around the world.

Around the world, OK Go aren't that well known around the world and have roughly 670,000 subscribers on YouTube, which is relatively small in comparison to other artists. However, they are well known for having a lower budget which is another aspect to add to their unique selling point of creative, conceptual videos. Throughout the years, even as the budget has seemed to increase, the technical planning and display of the captivating ideas never fails to impress the diverse audience. Even though these videos may not show many conventions linked to Alternative Rock and Pop Rock, the use of the bold colours in the band's costume and/or props highlights how they try to challenge stereotypical conventions in order to attract the largest and most diverse audience possible.