FROM DEBORD TO DEUTSCHLAND: RAMMSTEIN AND MEDIA SPECTACLES IN MUSIC VIDEOS

This paper investigates the narratives presented and framed via various societal discourses in Rammstein's music videos, particularly synthesized through Debord's society of the Spectacle. In light of the main research question "How do Rammstein engage with constructing narratives via controversial discourses in their music videos, and what is the significance of the music video medium as the platformised dissemination for their storytelling?", and three sub-questions (1) "does the media spectacle challenge and dispute a discourse as social commentary?", (2), "does the media spectacle help to advocate for an ideology?", and (3) "does the media spectacle help with engagement and notoriety?, this paper explores how Rammstein employ media spectacles under three main societal themes in order to provide storytelling through controversial imagery: national & totalitarian, sex & gender, colonial & racial. Moreover, the music videos are also studied through their media medium and the band's interactions with platforms like YouTube in terms of their visual language. This study is mainly grounded on Debord's works on the spectacle, Garber et al.'s media spectacles, Wicke's Gesamtkunstwerk, Kong & Yeoh's studies on nationalism, Schippers' gender hegemonies, Said's Orientalism, and O'Leary's platformisation. A total of 32 music videos are analysed with a mixed method approach of visual analysis and critical discourse analysis (CDA). The results suggest that Rammstein's media spectacles around nationalism are often multifaceted and intentionally placed to communicate a message, create irony, or provide social commentary. While media spectacles on sex, gender, colonialism and race are utilized much more loosely, creating less irony and reinforcing more traditional notions on sex, gender roles & race difference. Furthermore, the band's media spectacles have followed the shift of platformisation by favouring more universal topics in their latest videos compared to their earlier ones. However, the platforms are not a source for the curation of their media spectacles but more of a facilitator. This paper contributes to the overall knowledge and perception of the media spectacles with the application of spectacle theories onto new mediums of media, and their interactions with platformisation.