Warning: this video contains drug use, sexual violence, nudity, etc
Prodigy’s 1997 video for “Smack My Bitch Up” was criticized for promoting violence against women, but the band defended it, saying the song was about “doing anything intensely.”
Banned by the BBC and played only after midnight on MTV, the video was very controversial but also very popular. Filmed in the first person, the viewer is taken along on a journey as this person and ends with a great twist as the protagonist is finally revealed.
Director Jonas Åkerlund was a member of the Swedish black metal band Bathory from 1983 through 1984. He first found fame as main video director for Swedish pop act Roxette. In 1998 he worked with Madonna for the song “Ray of Light”, he has since worked with superstars such as Metallica, Christina Aguilera, U2, Satyricon, Blink-182 and Pink. He directed the music video for the Smashing Pumpkins’ single Try, Try, Try, from which a short film Try was spawned.
Released in October 1997 this video was directed by Chris Cunningham and filmed on the same council estate where Stanley Kubrick shot many scenes in A Clockwork Orange. The acclaimed music video was voted 17th greatest music video ever by Q magazine readers. His video for Aphex Twin’s “Windowlicker” was nominated for the “Best Video” award at the Brit Awards 2000. He also directed Madonna’s “Frozen” video. His also directed the award-winning Björk’s - All Is Full of Love.
Bjork always find great talent to direct her videos, and as a sci-fi fan this may be my favorite.
This 1999 video was directed by Chris Cunningham. The video won multiple awards, including two MTV Video Music Awards for Breakthrough Video and Best Special Effects. It was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video (it lost to Korn’s “Freak on a Leash”). It was also the first ever music video to win a Gold Pencil at the D&AD Awards. It is on permanent exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The video also placed in “MTV2’s 100 Best Videos Ever” coming in at number 1. After seeing Cunningham’s work on the 1994 film version Judge Dredd, Stanley Kubrick head hunted Cunningham to design and supervise animatronic tests of the central robot child character in his version of the film A.I. Cunningham also directed Aphex Twin’s Come to Daddy.
This is the song that introduced most of us to Cake. I loved this song and listened to it often, but for some unexplainable reason I always assumed they were a one-hit-wonder band. It wasn’t until years later I actually checked them out and learned I love all their songs. And I do mean all of them - that’s rare.
Directed in 1996 by Mark Kohr. Kohr is probably best known for the 9 Green Day videos he directed in the 1990s. He also directed Primus’ My Name Is Mud - which would have been on this site if Universal wasn’t forbidding embedding (can someone tell me what these Music companies are possibly thinking by doing that?)
Directed by Steve Barron in 1984. Barron was very busy in the 1980s directing more than 75 music videos. He appears on our site already as the directer of another 80s classic from A-Ha.
The first of several Busta Rhymes videos directed by Harold “Hype” Williams, this style inspired many to follow. Williams introduces his now-trademark fisheye lens for this video. Williams has directed dozens of mostly hip-hop videos since his debut in 1992. Everyone from Ja Rule to Jay-Z to Jessica Simpson, Kobe Bryant.
Directed in 2007 by W.I.Z., a video director from Great Britain. W.I.Z. has directed a number of high-concept videos for major music artists from the United Kingdom and the United States, including Massive Attack, Kasabian, Oasis, and Arctic Monkeys. Many of these videos, in addition to featuring the song and the performers, also follow a running narratives that often contain a political or social message.
How can you not love Diamond Dave? As if his California Girls video was not enough to win over impressionable teen boys, his goofy self-deprecating video and catchy tune (a remake of a classic Louis Prima medley) was irresistable. Just don’t expect to see Yankee Rose make the list - any video with ass-less chaps is strictly forbidden. I bet Dave wishes every year could be 1985.
Directed by Pete Angelus and David Lee Roth in 1985 the video pokes fun at all the trends and video styles of the time. Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Roth’s Eat ‘em and Smile Tour was one of the most successful concert tours of 1986.
This had a David Lynch sort of bizarreness to it - like it was filmed backwards or something - very eerie. The party scene with the beatbox or whatever you want to call it is fantastic!
This site is intended to showcase the Best Music Videos from across the decades and spans all musical genres of the video age from rock to alternative to rap to reggae to R & B to Pop. Its part appreciation of the music and part appreciation of the cinematic qualities of the music video artform.
