25. Ms. Jackson - Outkast
Move over Keyboard Cat! An adorable puppy is playing piano in this video. It is pretty obvious that the puppy isn't actually playing the right notes as he runs across the keys, but it is still pretty cool. Normally, I hate things that involve talking animals. I made an exception for this song because they have so few lines. They also all contagiously bob their heads up and down with the song. This makes you do the same while thinking "Eff yeah, that pup knows whats up!" Even though the animals seem to get me off track, there are other features about this video that makes me love it. You see, Andre and Big Boi seem to be indebted to this older woman because they are doing all her chores. No matter what they do, it ends up in failure. For example, the car gets struck by lightning after it had just been washed. In this song, Big Boi raps to his future mother-in-law (the lady he is indebted to). The point of this video and song is to say, that even though he is a failure at everything else, he will still marry her daughter (his baby mama). If you do not even listen to the lyrics, you can tell because of "Here Comes the Bride" being played on the piano.
24. From Above - Ben Folds/Nick Hornby
If there is one word to describe this video, its "serendipitous." It is full of cool drawing effects and Ben Folds is hidden throughout it. It is just crazy to think that you could be that close to your soul mate and not meet until you are in heaven.
23. Tonight, Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins
Known for directing "Little Miss Sunshine," Dayton and Faris made a very unusual video. At the time, it was hard for them to find costumes for it because the Titanic had taken all of the time period cloths in LA. It is obvious that other videos, such as "Into the Ocean" by Blue October, were heavily influenced by this one.
22. The Gorillaz (In General)
How many bands actually identify themselves as cartoons? There are not many more than the Gorillaz. The artwork is extremely well done and videos for songs such as "Feel Good Inc." have a lot of dimensional properties to it.
21. Rough Landing, Holly - Yellowcard
This video is full of neat effects. Ryan Key is always running from one man that looks like he wants to kill him. All he has to do is turn and he is in a different place. He goes out a window and comes out a man hole. He is swimming in the ocean and comes out a sink. Personally, I have always wanted to be part of a kissing train.
20. Nine Inch Nails (In General)
Nine Inch Nails are a band that pushes the limits of videos. They often make you go "WTF?" The video for "Closer" is known as one of the best videos of all time, however it is really weird. They also have one of the most horrifying videos of all time. The videos of theirs that I like are the ones that have been done more recently. For example, "Survivalism" is a video that gives you a big brother feel as you look at people through surveillance cameras. My favorite NIN video is the one for "Only." The reason I love this video is because it uses 3D Pin Art for Trent Reznor's face...it is pretty cool.
19. Buddy Holly - Weezer
Wait, wait, wait! Happy Days ended in 1983. This video was made in 1994...How did they do that?!??! Anyway I'm impressed. I remember watching this music video over and over on my computer when I was 8. All I ever remembered was the Fonz doing a split and "Not today Al!"
18. Sabotage - Beastie Boys
Who wouldn't love running around acting like asshole cops from the 1970's! This Starsky and Hutch-esqe video looks like it was incredibly fun to make. Beastie Boys are actually known for making a lot of funny videos. These videos include ones where they diss Sasquatch and others where there are fighting robots. However, I feel like Sabotage is the one that is by far the best.
17. Walkie Talkie Man - Steriogram
Though this band is only somewhat known for this song, it doesn't mean the video is not awesome. Everything is made out of yarn. EVERYTHING! and when the lead singer is ripped apart by a huge yarn man, he gets sewn back together...backwards! It's neat.
16. 30 Seconds to Mars (In General)
MAN TITS! Did I get your attention? well good, because in 30 Seconds to Mars' 13 minute film for "Hurricane" there are man boobs and much more. Most of their videos, especially lately, have been to make a point to end war or help the environment. After movies such as "Fight Club" (sorry for breaking rules), Jered Leto has tried to combine his theatrical nature with his on going music career. Each video is somewhere between six and fourteen minutes long and is directed as if it should be up for an Academy Award. I feel like each one is a part to a puzzle, but not one that I have figured out yet. This leaves me very intrigued.
15. Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden
Have you ever tried acid? I haven't...but this video makes it feel as I have. The whole time you watch it, you just say "what the hell is going on?" But it is one of the most unique videos and there really has never been a video that is like it.
14. Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
A little help from Tenacious D was all this video needed to become one of the best of all time. The fact that the Foo Fighters love playing every other character in their videos also helped. I personally like this video for just how silly it is. Watching Dave Grohl play a girl in anything is worth it!
13. Smack My Bitch Up - Prodigy
This video was not let on tv. It is known as one of the most offensive videos of all time. However, the reason it is on this list is not for the sake of controversy. The reason is the way one thinks when watching it. This video makes you go into the point of view of an out of control partier. I have watched this video a couple times with other people and their comments are always "this guy..." and "he is crazy," things of that nature. You cannot watch this on Youtube because they censor the entire point of the video. After having wild crazy sex, the main character looks in the mirror, and sees a drugged out woman. The whole time, you thought you were a man! Mind. Blown!
12. Freak on a Leash - Korn
Though I will have a lot of friends that yell at me for having Korn on any list, this video is worth it. Directed by the same people who did "Tonight, Tonight," they were able to make a horrifying cartoon come to life. Also, you follow a bullet...it is just really neat, to say the least.
11. Typical - Mute Math
Yes, I know. There are a lot of videos that have done the backward thing. But this one is unique for a couple reasons. The first one is because of the natural stage presence of the band. There is just so much keytar breaking and keyboard flipping that its just impossible not to love it. Secondly, they try to do the things that would look the coolest backward. These things include shooting silly string and having paint thrown on the lead singer. I always just thought it was an extremely interesting video.
10. Ok Go (In General)
I do not think there is much I can say about Ok Go, that has not already been said. This band became famous because of their videos. Their popularity started with a choreographed dance on treadmills in the video for "Here it Goes Again." The video went viral and everyone wanted to watch it over and over again. Personally, I knew the dance without the treadmill at the time. More recently, they did music videos for songs "White Knuckles," where they had the help of some well trained dogs, and "This Too Shall Pass," which was all a big Rube Goldberg Machine (The Bravery did something similar). I think what makes this band so fantastic, is the fact that they do these things in one fluid take. That has to be time consuming!
9. Weapon of Choice - Fat Boy Slim
THE ICE, IS GONNA BREAK...because of how awesome this video is. In this video, Christopher is not only Walken but he is dancing! Did you know he could dance? He is actually a professional dancer, and he gets to showcase it. He is in a lobby all by himself and no one witnesses the astonishing stunts that he pulls. All of a sudden, he is flying! like really? FLYING? Yes. Flying. Though Fat Boy Slim has other videos that are also fun, this one will cure any fever...without a cowbell! Alright, I'll stop the puns now.
8. Vampire Weekend (In General)
Vampire Weekend is a band that tries to do anything they can to be unique. On top of that, their videos all seem very fun to make. With a couple of camera effects they are able to change with the seasons or screw around in an alley. For the sake of having fun, they also have cruised around in 70's garb...1670's that is! I am not the only one to notice their music video making ability. Other musicians and actors, such as Jake Gyllenhaal have made guest appearances!
7. Grapevine Fires - Death Cab for Cutie
I don't know if there is another music video that makes me feel as emotional as this one does. With some kind of paper art, Death Cab was able to bring the lyrics to the song to life. It reminds you to cherish the ones you have while they are around because we can burn away faster than paper.
6. The Scientist - Coldplay
"Hello, Chris Martin" we all say as we start with a close up on his baby blue eyes. Then we realize that the video is going all backward. "A backward video is cool and all, but it doesn't impress me that much," you say. Well if you would stop complaining and keep watching, you would notice that he is in deep contemplation the whole time. What could he be thinking about? Well, he then gets out of town and goes into the woods...in reverse. Eventually he gets into a car randomly in the grass and hits his head on the steering wheel and gets knocked out. Meanwhile, a girl bounces off the ground and comes back through the windshield. It is found out that she takes off her seat belt to get a jacket right before he gets into an accident. He was probably in shock when he left the vehicle, so i guess that explains why he didn't go check on his possibly dead girlfriend. However, even though this is a wonderful video it does the raise the question: How did she not get thrown out of the car sooner? Still, one of my favorites!
5. Love Lost -Temper Trap
To be honest, I wanted to do this list just to put this video in my top five. It finds a way to be both artistically done, while also being kind of comical. The video involves what I can assume is some kinda of ten year old youth soccer team that is forced to do laps. What makes it amazing is the fact that while running, the main kid is singing and all of them do some kind of exercise dance that is wonderful. On top of this, they eventually start doing flips and they jump in the mud during every cymbal crash. When there are no puddles to jump in, there are fireworks that shoot up out of the ground. Meanwhile, they get passed by a group of girls in much better shape then them. Finally, the song ends the best way possible...with a chubby kid throwing up. This video is just so unexpected, that is why it is great!
4. Californication - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
As a kid, I thought this was the coolest video ever. I always wished I could play a video game where you could swim with sharks and escape bear attacks, and RHCP's fake game delivers. I feel like I could play all day as Chad and snowboard down the Golden Gate bridge. This game...I mean video, was something that was very different. I would not be surprised if it actually influenced a game or two.
3. Jeremy - Pearl Jam
As we get into these last three videos, we enter into videos that are way before their time. Pearl Jam is a band known for their compelling songs about topics such as homelessness and domestic abuse. "Jeremy" was practically a warning about teenage anxiety in the 90's. I say it was a warning because seven years later the shooting at Columbine unfortunately struck the nation. This song and video basically tells others to pay attention. Jeremy was neglected by his parents and laughed at by his peers. No one knows how much actions and neglect can affect a person. It is a video that hits home because we all have those people in our life.
2. Take On Me -Ah-Ha
Before there was the cartoon/real life transition in "Freak on a Leash" there was "Take On Me," which will always go down as one of the best videos of all time. This is a video that just about everyone has seen. The main character falls in love with the hansom drawing version of the lead singer. As they are forced out of his world, she is forced to reluctantly go back to hers. She tries to save him and he becomes human, even though he almost dies doing so. Aw how cute! But this video seems as if its straight out of a Molly Ringwald romance.
1. Thriller - Michael Jackson
I remember being seven, fifteen years after this came out, and changing the channel when MTV would play the video. It was still horrifying late into the 1990's. If it wasn't for a change in the Horror genre, this music video would still be scary to me. It is as if they decided to take "The Night of the Living Dead" and actually make it more effective. What else can I say about this video? It was way before its time, the make up and directing is wonderful, and the dancing is legendary. By far, the best music video ever made in my opinion.
Strawberry Swing by Coldplay.
ReplyDeleteJust saw it for the first time. I agree, that should be tied with the Scientist at 6th.
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