Lewis Del Mar                        Loudy

Columbia Records

Lewis Del Mar is an American Experimental pop duo from Rockaway Beach, New York City. Consisting of singer and guitarist Danny Miller, and drummer and producer Max Harwood, the group first received attention in early 2015 when their debut single Loud(y) was featured in the number one spot on Hype Machine. They released their debut EP in January 2016, which peaked at number 7 on Billboard Emerging Artists. Their self-titled debut album was released on October 7, 2016 through Columbia Records.

Lewis Del Mar is one of clolumbias lesser known artists, Loud(y) is their most popular track, boasting 1.2M views on youtube. Their audience however will be one of clumbia's smallest, given their competition of headline aritsts such as Beyonce and AC/DC. This is definitely reflected in their music videos, particularly for Loud(y).

The duo's smaller fanbase has resulted in a smaller budget for their music videos. The videos, in turn, often consist of maticulasly edited collections of hand-held video. The footage sees the two venture around their home town Queens, New york and other parts of western America. Their video's locality is supportive of their fanbase who are likely to have come from similar places across the US. 

Their unique sound and style led to their debut song going viral in 2015, topping Hype Machine's 'popular tracks' aswell as other chart lists. Sony music quickly picked up the 'two ppl', as they describe themselves on their Twitter page, and they released their four track debut EP early months of 2016. By that summer Loud(y) had landed on the Billboard Alternative songs chart, offering an insight not only into the band's potential success but Columbia's alternative style and audience.

A$AP Rocky                     Babushka Boi

RCA Records / Sony Music Entertainment

Rakim Athelaston Mayers aka A$AP Rocky, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, model, actor and music video director. He is a member of the hip hop group A$AP Mob.Rocky released his debut mixtape ‘Live. Love. A$AP’ in 2011 to critical acclaim. The success of his mixtape led to a record deal with Polo Grounds Music, RCA Records, and Sony Music Entertainment. Rocky has also directed music videos for himself, Danny Brown, and other A$AP Mob members. He is also a noted record producer, producing under ‘Lord Flacko’.

 The video follows an antagonist, known as the “Babushka Boi” rob a bank and take down the police with the help of his freakish bandits. It draws inspiration from the 1990 stylised gangster flick Dick Tracy, even mirroring some of the film’s characters and scenes. The opening shot of the police van presents the police force as isolated and idle. The rural setting also offers a feeling of isolation, there is little else visible within the surroundings. The complimentary blues of the van and the nights sky creates a relationship between the two. 

The number of police officers crowded into the small van gives their entrance a comedic, clown-like feel. The jumpsuits and handcuffs of the ‘bandits’ have clear character connotations and reflect the supposedly lawless lifestyle of the artist. The following shot pictures the same group but this time they appear in fine suits, each brightly coloured and brandishing weapons on a now urban street corner.  

This change arguably reflects the success of the artist and the change of lifestyle he has experienced as a result of an increased economic gain. In the following shot police officers appear from behind a thin lamppost, repeating th critical/ humourus angle taken.