I was a kid in the 1980s and a teenager in the 1990s, so I recall the glory days of MTV, when they would actually play music, and stay on the cutting edge of rock. And, even though I didn’t have cable TV, and I often scoffed at the self-indulgent broodiness of grunge rock, I still appreciated that bands had a visual outlet for their songs. As I aged, and MTV started to jettison their actual music videos in favor of crap reality TV shows, I started to realize what a vital and gorgeous medium the music video was. Sweet, scary, creative abstract short films to go with the song. Simple. Brilliant.
The concept of a performance film goes all the way back to the early days of sound in cinema (I’ve seen Cab Calloway music videos), and, to a degree, they still persist today, albeit in online venues. I often wish that music videos would recapture the cache they once had, and bands would release records and videos all at once, but I know the music industry has mutated a bit over the last few years to make room for the now-dominant video game market.
Since I didn’t have cable as a kid, my discovery of some of the great music videos has been through online venues, and, thanks to the vast music knowledge of my wife, I have now been exposed to some of them. I offer, by way of remembering and as an introduction, the 20 following music videos. I know there are hundreds of greats, and I haven’t necessarily seen all the best I possibly could, so this article will also serve as an opening to a conversation about the best; I wholeheartedly encourage you to share some of your favorites as well. I should be seeing them too, right?
“Sledge Hammer”
by: Peter Gabriel
directed by: Stephen R. Johnson
Often called the greatest music video of all time. And for good reason.
“Losing My Religion”
by: R.E.M.
directed by: Tarsem
Before he was making gorgeous and weird feature films, Tarsem made equally groundbreaking music videos, including this one for R.E.M.
“Take on Me”
by: a-ha
directed by: Steve Barron
Inspired by comics, featuring some geat animation, and, you must admit it to yourself, a dancey earworm of epic proportions.
“Close (To the Edit)”
by: Art of Noise
directed by: Zbigniew Rybczyński
This largely unknown New Wave band smash up a bunch of stuff. A little girl stands in for the lead singer. This was one of the first huge music video hits that largely launched MTV. It is great. It is historical.
“Frontier Psychiatrist“
by: The Avalanches
directed by: Tom Kuntz and Mike Maguire
Watch, and be converted. That boy needs therapy.
“Sabotage“
by: The Beastie Boys
directed by: Spike Jonze
Loud, pumping, awesome. And re-imagined as a cheap ’70s cop show.
“The Damned“
by: The Plasmatics
directed by: Rod Swenson
If the sight of Wendy O. Williams driving a bus through a wall of TVs doesn’t make your heart explode out of your chest, then you’re not human. Wendy was one of the awesomest human beings to have ever lived. She could have eaten Chuck Norris with her vagina. This is awoman who cahinsawed cars regularly on stage.
“Money for Nothing“
by: Dire Straits
directed by: Steve Barron
Reportedly based on a conversation overheard at a bustop, this is a song I always find myself rocking out to. It was one of the earlier examples of computer animation.
“Pork and Beans“
by: Weezer
directed by: Mathew Cullen
Weezer has made some excellent vidoes in their day (“Buddy Holly” features them singing with the cast of “Happy Days,” and “Keep Fishin’” impeccably includes The Muppets.), but their most significant is probably their “Pork and Beans,” which openly acknowledges the movement of music videos online by featuring dozens of recent YouTube videos. It’s turning the internet in on itself.
“Here it Goes Again“
by: OK Go
directed by: Trish Sie
I admire videos with dancing, and I admire videos where the band does their own dancing. OK Go has an impeccably rehearses and orchestrated dance number, in a single static take, on a set of treadmills.
“One“
by: Metallica
directed by: Bill Pop and Michael Salomon
A dark, disturbing song about wartime violence, the music video is long, hurtful, and contains footage from “Johnny Got His Gun,” one of the most damning antiwar stories of all.
“California“
by: Wax
directed by: Spike Jonze
Beavis: “Butt-Head. I’m only gonna tell you this once. If you touch that remote, I’m gonna kick your ass.”
“Ana Ng“
by: They Might Be Giants
directed by: Adam Bernstein
Reportedly, this was the first music video that had not actual lip-sync to the song. A thrilling song with fun, strange poetic lyrics, and best capturing the feeling of the band.
“Bastards of Young“
by: The Replacements
directed by: Ted Leo
Subverting the ideas of the music video, The Replacements decided to let the music to speak largely for itself but showing us nothing more than a stereo.
“Just“
by: Radiohead
directed by: Jamie Thraves
They groove in an apartment above, while a man below lays down on the sidewalk and refuses to rise. Why won’t he get up?
“Weapon of Choice”
by: Fatboy Slim
directed by: Spike Jonze
No words. Just watch Christopher Walken dancing alone in the Los Angeles Marriott.
“Windowlicker“
by: Aphex Twin
directed by: Chris Cunningham
A pair of gangstas talk trash, and try to pick up so hos. They swear a lot. They chat up some ladies, but are interrupted by the superlong limousine of Aphex Twin, who charms the ladies with nothing but his creepy, creepy smile. Then the women turn into Aphex Twin. Eek. Hilarious and fucking terrifying.
“Rock DJ“
by: Robbie Williams
directed by: Vaughan Arnell
Robbie Willaims, surrounded by women, trying to get the attentuion of the hot DJ. The women, inexplicably, ignore him (his is, after all, sex on legs). He ends up stripping. Nothing. Then he gets all the way nekkid. Still nothing. Then, in a bout of legitimate nightmare fuel, he strips his skin, then his muscles. Only then, do the ladies take notice.
“State of Shock“
by: Harvey Leeds
directed by: Harvey Leeds
The version of Michael Jackson’s “State of Shock” by a producer who couldn’t afford Michael, the music, any actual cameras, dancers, or instruments. The funniest damn thing I’ve ever seen.
“Thriller”
by: Michael Jackson
directed by: John Landis
A classic. Hands down.