I really love to listen to a wide variety of music. Beethoven, Biz Markie, Salieri, Nina Simone, etc. but I just… never really watched Music Videos until recently. I am astounded that I simply missed out on decades of visual feast. Nine Inch Nails - Closer. George Michael, Freedom '90, an entire decade of MIssy Ellliot nonsense, and of course Aha.
What, in your opinion, is the best music video that you are sure I will like? I’m old, as evidenced by my grammar and lack of spelling.
This might be my favorite music video of all time, at least specifically in terms of quality and production values: Madness - Night Boat to Cairo.
They’ve got nothing on the technical perfection of Madness, but OK Go is notable for the impressive choreography and authenticity of their music video performances: OK Go - Upside Down & Inside Out. Some, like this one, are particularly impressive for being filmed in a single take: OK Go - Here It Goes Again.
There’s also, in the same vein as “of course Aha,” the ones that are historically significant in terms of evolution of the medium: Video Killed the Radio Star, Thriller, Sledgehammer, Virtual Insanity, etc.
I love the Fincher-directed video for “Judith” by A Perfect Circle.
Other favourite music videos:
Jesus, I really have found my people.
One of us! one of us!
Adam Jones from Tool is an actual visual artist/special effects person outside of his role in Tool, so a lot of their stuff is good. Personally, my favorite is the video for Sober
There’s so many iconic ones! I’m going to skip the ones already mentioned and add:
- Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight
- Korn - Freak on a Leash
- Elton John - I’m Still Standing
- The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
- Primus - Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver
- Weird Al - Smells Like Nirvana, Fat, White & Nerdy, Gump
- Presidents of the United States of America - Peaches, Lump
- Radiohead - No Surprises
- Byörk - Army of Me, It’s Oh So Quiet
- Fatboy Slim - Praise You, Weapon of Choice, Rockafeller Skank
What about Everlong or Learn to Fly by the Foo Fighters?
I love those songs. Never seen the videos. Thanks friend.
Oh yeah, how could I forget?
Daft Punk made the music videos for the songs on their album Discovery into an entire anime movie: Interstella 5555.
As an example, I didn’t know this had a video until yesterday. https://youtu.be/8AHCfZTRGiI?si=MtmfLY-ePNNdLiIh
You have to watch this one too Johnny Cash - Rusty Cage and then follow it up with this Soundgarden - Rusty Cage.
OK, you’ve got me looking for shit now.
Perturbator - She Is Young, She Is Beautiful
Both of these have strong neon synthwave type vibes but with different kinds of art direction
Highly controversial video when it came out and I believe is highly regarded, bit Meh in my opinion but it caused a ruckus when it was originally released.
I grew up without MTV. Are music videos still good? I feel like the heyday was like 1980-1998 or something, which was when I grew up.
New ones aren’t anything, but 80s to 2010 are pretty solid.
After that it just becomes influencer porn with a video of the star getting ready for her concert or whatever.
I just remembered a king gizzard video I saw a while ago. It was fucking cool. Wish I could remember which song.
Well this thread is going in my saved list.
For me, it’s an odd one, but my love of jets means that Van Halen - Dreams is my all time favorite video.
I remember sitting around watching MTV just waiting for it to come on. Other distinct memories from that era.
Van Halen - Panama
Eddy Grant - Electric AvenueAnd just some random picks of mine:
Alice In Chains - Them Bones
Tool - Vicarious
Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
Herbie Hancock - RockitFriday - Rebecca Black
Yummy - Justin Bieber
Stupid Hoe - Nicki Minaj
My jeans - Jenna rose
Hot Problems - Double Take
Every time we touch - Cascada
STFU - Pink Guy
I’ve seen tons of music videos growing up but I never really liked most of them. Like, so, so many have a weird disconnect between the visuals and what the songs are about, it’s just not what I would expect. I like when the video goes along to what the song is about.
At the same time, I immediately think of Beastie Boys’ Sabotage when I think about good music videos. And a lot of videos directed by Spike Jonz, really.
Imma sabotage.
Flogging Molly’s “punch drunk grinning soul” or Modest mouse’s “king rat” are the first two that come to mind. If you like those I can probably find some more gems from the hours a day I used to watch back in the mid to late 00’s.
Well, it looks like I have a whole day to enjoy watching all your submissions, my fine feathered friends! Thank you!
I’m going to continue to reply to myself with examples of amazing songs that I loved before I ever saw the music video. Perhaps my favorite of the last couple years has to be this one: https://open.spotify.com/track/0pJO1tc1GpnxFyQp6Zp82r?si=b910dd1069844a24
