Debuting in 1981 on MTV, the music video format became an expected part of every single release thereafter. A good video can sell a song as well or better than the music. Here are the 10 greatest of all time.
10. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen (1975)
For decades, bands had long made short films of their songs. Queen’s short film was probably the first “music video,” before there were music videos and the closest thing resembling the modern template. It’s so iconic it’s been parodied in films and skits. The four member’s heads on a black background were pretty eerie and equally powerful at the time.
9. “Ashes to Ashes” (David Bowie, 1980)
David Bowie spent an unheard-of £250,000 to make this video back in the day. Ever the consummate artist, David Bowie led the way in stretching the boundaries of videos the same way he had done so in his music and ever-evolving stage personas. Bowie forced all those that followed to think outside the box (if they could afford it).
8. “Here it Goes Again” OK Go (2006)
So many videos are high-budget masterpieces, but this video shows that something addictively watchable doesn’t require big bucks. Its well-thought-out choreography makes this endlessly fascinating. Even more amazing, the band members pulled off all these treadmill moves themselves. This video went viral out of the gate with over 50 million YouTube views within its first five years.
7. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana (1991)
This video represented the polar opposite of hair metal that ushered in the new grunge music movement. Not a big budget affair, and often out of focus, it features a darkly lit gym, during an assembly, with cheerleaders and the band amid smoke. But it struck the right tone at the right time, turning Nirvana into superstars overnight.
6. “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” by Dr. Dre, feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg (1992)
This first single from Dr. Dre’s debut solo album, The Chronic (1992), reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The MTV version of this video was the vehicle that made a star out of Snoop Dogg overnight. This video was instrumental in paving the way for other rappers to show off their lifestyle, often the thug life (edited for MTV).
5. “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits
“I want my MTV,” goes the opening line of the video that is clearly dissing the genre, while simultaneously revolutionizing it via animation. The video brings two complaining blue-collar workers from the song to life in 3D animated form. Coincidentally, the animation in this 1985 video looks a lot like the 2011 video game Minecraft.
4. “Take On Me” by A-ha
This video was integral in the advancement and evolution of what a music video could be. Many consider it the greatest music video of all time. A woman is yanked out of the café by the singer into a black-and-white animated realm. This video was one of the most ambitious of its time and still holds up today.
3. “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel (1986)
This groundbreaking music video, which used stop-motion animation, won a record nine MTV Video Music Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. Gabriel himself was used to pushing the musical envelope with his former group, Genesis. To this day, it remains MTV’s most-played music video of all time. It propelled the song to #1 around the world.
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2. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson always innovated with music and he did likewise with his music video for this song. He was the first to elevate a music video to the level of cinema. He hired director John Landis (An American Werewolf in London [1981]) to create this zombie masterpiece. The single pushed the album Thriller to become the best-selling in history.
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1. “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles (1981)
The first video to premiere on MTV in August 1981, this aptly-titled clip was portentous. It started a revolution. Thereafter, a music video was practically mandatory for every radio single. A video could make or break a song (and artist). This was proven by soaring video budgets as the art form evolved.
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