They could have ditched the whole storyline and just had the creepy monkey version of the band it would still make this list.
Directed in 2001 by Traktor, a Swedish production team of five directors and two producers. They have produced more than 300 television commercials. Other music videos to their credit include Song for Shelter / Ya Mama by Fatboy Slim and Die Another Day by Madonna.
One of the great mysteries in video music history - “What does the guy say at the end?” I guess we will never know why he did it.
Jamie Thraves directed this video in 1995 as one of his very first music videos. He directed a dozen videos from 200-2006 including two videos for Coldplay and one for Death Cab for Cutie.
I was already a Johnny Cash fan long before this, but some of my friends began to take notice of him after he covered this Nine Inch Nails song.
Directed by Mark Romanek in 2002 and Wikipedia says the video “has been hailed by many critics and fans alike as the most personal and moving music video ever made.”
Romanek was given his first Grammy Award for Best Short Form Video in 1996 for “Scream,” a collaboration between the pop superstar siblings Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. The video, which cost $7 million to make, is cited as the most expensive ever made.
Take on Me may symbolize the 1980’s era of music videos more than any other. It also was one of the earliest attempts to make a music video play out like a story - the plot may not be much (comic book character falls in love with human girl, becomes human so they can live happily ever after), but its a story nonetheless.
Directed by Steve Barron in 1985. Barron directing dozens of music videos in the 1980s including Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, Human League’s Don’t You Want Me and Culture Club’s Karma Chameleon, before going on to a couple feature film comedies in the 1990’s - including Coneheads and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
If you can name any other Chris Isaak song than you are one of his biggest fans. I actually liked his tv show - but still this is the only song I can recall and it mostly because of Helena Christensen.
Director and famed photographer Herb Ritts hit big with this video in 1991, in the previous two years he directed Janet Jackson’s Love Will Never Do (Without You) and Madonna’s Cherish with the same sexy style cinematography.
