Alf Bjornberg argues that there are two structural aspects to popular music

narrative and epic, both of which are derived from Richard Middleton's studies of popular music, and his distinction between the two categories of musical syntax

In contrast to the narrative category, which privileges difference, there is what we can call an "epic mode, where the focus is on repetition and varied repetition; and in between comes a "lyrical" category (marked by symmetrical open/closed and binary structures).
Middleton, p.216

Bjornberg defines a narrative musical syntax as having "linear" properties, while an epic syntax has "circular" properties. He says "Middleton links the narrative mode of musical syntax construction with the absence of repetition...in which no musical element is repeated, the music continuously moving forward" (Bjornberg, p.55). Most popular music depends on repetition of some kind, be they musical riffs or hooks, chord sequences arranged into sections (e.g. Verse, Chorus, Bridge, etc.) or even vocal repetitions (Choruses). The most common kinds of musical syntax evident in pop songs are therefore "epic" or "lyrical" structures, with musical "narrative" structure being much less common. This is the area where the sounds and visuals of music video differ most greatly. Music video may make great use of linear narratives, but it is just as likely to make use of a circular visual narrative. Bjornberg categorises the use of visuals with music of "epic" musical structure as in table 1.

Narrative visual construction / epic musical construction.

Bjornberg's definition of this category suggests that despite being a music video, the music is still secondary to the visuals, as is the case with the use of pop songs in films - i.e. the music merely "providing backcloth to the visual narrative" (Bjornberg p.69). This is not always the case, as with the promo clip for Richard Marx's "Hazard" (1991).

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