Very playful experimental video that raised the expectations of music video making. Not all the special effect hold up against today’s digital cgi world - but don’t forget this was 1986 and while the techniques used in the video were not breakthroughs they were used to deliver something very fresh and entertaining.
Directed by Stephen R. Johnson who has directed 10 videos in all, another Peter Gabriel video 1192 “Steam” should make this list just for the laughing towel-clad girls that slide back and forth on a bench of tilting steam room.
Director Michel Gondry pioneered “bullet time” freeze frame photography for this video - which was later adapted and expanded upon in the making of the “Matrix”. He also experiments with a lot of warping image manipulation.
As mentioned in a previous post Gondry directed “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” - he also has a film coming out starring Mos Def and Jack Black that looks hilarious called “Be Kind Rewind”
Fun to watch - the creative visual approach offers good synergy with the edgy staccato of the 2003 song.
Directed by Michel Gondry is a French Academy Award winning screenwriter, film, commercial and music video director. He began his career as a filmmaker began with creating music videos for the French pop group Oui Oui, in which he also served as a drummer. His film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” won critical acclaim and showed his flair for inventive visual style.
Talking Heads frontman and songwriter David Byrne not only stars in this riveting 1980 video, but he also directed with help from Toni Basil of “Mickey” fame. In 2002, Talking Heads was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Four of the band’s albums appeared on Rolling Stone magazine’s 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Great song - and the last thing you would think of for the music video is Moulin Rouge-esque costumes and set design and a supporting role by b-movie legend Eric Roberts, but it works.
Directed by Sophie Muller in 2004. Muller has directed over a hundred music videos and has had long collaborating partnerships with No Doubt, Gwen Stefani, Annie Lennox, Garbage and others. Click here for other videos by Sophie Mueller
I love the storyline of the lead singer (the gorgeous Gewn Stefani) getting all the attention and upsetting the unappreciated bandmates. Unless your a die hard No Doubt fan you probably can’t even name the other members of the band. But its not like she went solo on them when fame hit - they were together for 10 years before they hit the national conscious and she didn’t go solo until another decade after this song hit in 1996.
Directed by Sophie Muller who has directed over a hundred music videos including at least a dozen for both Gwen Stefani and No Doubt. When No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” won the award for Best Group Video at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards Stefani thanked her extensively, saying, “I’d like to say that Sophie Muller is a genius.” Click here for more videos by Sophie Mueller
Any list of best music videos is sure to include Sabotage - its simply one of the best music video of all time. A great homage to seventies cop television dramas.
Written and directed by Spike Jonze in 2000. Jonze made it big in commercials and music videos before becoming an Academy Award-nominated director for major motion pictures. Jonze was also a co-founder and editor of Dirt magazine along with Mark Lewman and Andy Jenkins, as well as an editor for Grand Royal Magazine and senior photographer for Transworld Skateboarding.
The techniques used to render separate objects in the same frame moving at varying speeds (i.e. one person in slow motion while the other is at regular speed) plays tricks on the viewer’s mind and adds to the unsettling effects of the music. Although after a while the special effects seem over used and begin to be just one trick after a nother without a storyline - but cool nonetheless.
Simple concept - executed beautifully. Can’t resist a rapper playing less-than-cool.
Directed by Spike Jonze in 2000. Jonze made it big in commercials and music videos (such as Beastie Boys 1994 classic “Sabotage”) before becoming an Academy Award-nominated director for films such as the 1999 film “Being John Malkovich” (1999 starring Malkovich and John Cusack) and “Adaptation” (2002 staring Nicolas Cage). He is also credited as a co-creator of MTV’s Jackass.
Dark and disturbing music video - obviously a commentary on modern society, but I will leave the symbolism to your own interpretations.
Directed By Jonathan Glazer, a British director known for original music videos since the mid-1990s and was named MTV Director of the Year 1997. He has also directed the films “Sexy Beast” (2000 starring Ben Kingsley) and “Birth” (2004 starring Nicole Kidman).
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.
