Best Music Video

Nirvana’s “Teen Spirit” music video is a landmark of 1990s alternative rock. Shot in a high school gymnasium, it features the band performing their iconic song from *Nevermind*. The raw energy and visual style significantly impacted music videos and helped popularize grunge music, primarily appealin...

Childish Gambino's 2018 "This Is America" uses a warehouse setting to stage a disturbing contrast between entertainment and violence. Gambino's dancing repeatedly draws attention toward the foreground while disorder develops behind him. Sudden acts of gun violence interrupt the performance, making t...

Released in 1986, Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" turns a musical performance into a succession of handmade visual transformations. Stop-motion animation and claymation surround Gabriel with shifting objects and surreal imagery, while frame-by-frame manipulation makes his own face and body part of th...

Johnny Cash's "Hurt" pairs his cover of the Nine Inch Nails song with images of age, memory and physical decline. Released in 2003, the video places the older Cash alongside archival footage from earlier in his life and career. Domestic scenes and images associated with his public legacy make the pe...

Michael Jackson's Thriller brings pop songwriting together with funk, R&B, and rock influences. Rhythmic tracks such as Billie Jean sit alongside the guitar-driven Beat It, while the title song gives the album a theatrical horror theme. Jackson's vocal performances and the carefully arranged product...

Sia's "Chandelier" centers on Maddie Ziegler performing an intense solo dance inside a worn, largely empty apartment. Wearing a blonde bob wig, Ziegler moves through the rooms with abrupt changes in expression and energy. The plain surroundings concentrate attention on her physical performance, whil...

For "Street Spirit (Fade Out)," a song from Radiohead's The Bends, stark black-and-white photography creates a setting that feels suspended outside ordinary time. The video uses extended slow motion and unusual contrasts in movement speed, allowing bodies and objects to seem governed by different ph...

Connected to Kanye West's 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, "Runaway" places the song featuring Pusha T within a larger musical short film directed by West. The film follows a man's encounter with a phoenix and uses richly colored, highly staged imagery to explore attraction and alienati...

Lady Gaga's 2009 "Bad Romance" video presents desire and obsession through a theatrical world of elaborate costumes and unsettling imagery. Its staged narrative places Gaga inside a stylized setting where performance, display and coercion become intertwined. Group choreography and changes in her app...

"Dick in a Box" is a comedy music video and digital short that aired on Saturday Night Live in December 2006. Created by the comedy trio The Lonely Island—Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone—the short features Samberg and guest host Justin Timberlake as two R&B singers. They present a st...

Kendrick Lamar’s “HUMBLE.” is a critically acclaimed music video for the 2017 single of the same name. Directed by Dave Meyers, it features striking black and white imagery and choreography emphasizing subservience and social commentary. The song's success propelled Kendrick to mainstream prominence...

Daft Punk’s “Around the World” music video features the duo in a visually striking performance set within a Parisian department store. Directed by Michel Gondry, it utilizes innovative camera techniques and reflections to create an immersive dance experience. The video is notable for its seamless in...

Beyoncé’s “Formation” music video is a powerful visual statement addressing racial inequality and police brutality in America. Shot in New Orleans, it showcases Black culture and resilience while confronting systemic issues. The video sparked widespread conversation about the Black Lives Matter move...

Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” is a critically acclaimed 2008 music video featuring a striking minimalist aesthetic and choreography. The video's iconic black dresses and synchronized movements became instantly recognizable. Primarily focused on R&B and dance, it’s notable for its visu...

The familiar animated video for a-ha's Take On Me was released in 1985 and directed by Steve Barron. It follows a young woman who enters a pencil-drawn comic-book world, bringing a romantic story into the presentation of the synth-pop song. Rotoscoping, an animation technique that traces filmed move...

M83’s “Midnight City” music video is a visually arresting piece of cinematic electronica released in 2011. The video utilizes striking imagery—neon lights, vintage cars, and a sense of nostalgic urban energy—to accompany the song's soaring synth melody. It gained significant attention for its innova...

Lady Gaga and Beyoncé’s “Telephone” is a visually arresting music video released in 2010. The film-length clip features elaborate costumes, striking set designs, and a narrative exploring themes of obsession and betrayal through a stylized prison setting. It’s notable for its ambitious production va...

The “Everlong” music video by Foo Fighters showcases a surreal and visually arresting interpretation of the song’s themes. Utilizing vibrant color and intricate geometric shapes, it creates a dreamlike atmosphere reminiscent of 1990s experimental animation. The video is notable for its ambitious pro...

Radiohead’s “No Surprises” music video accompanies the song from their *OK Computer* album. Shot in 1997, it features Thom Yorke performing in a flooded water tank, creating an unsettling and visually striking representation of the song's themes. The video is notable for its innovative use of practi...

The "Karma Police" music video for Radiohead’s “OK Computer” presents a surreal and unsettling narrative. Shot in 1997, it utilizes a stop-motion animation style to depict a young couple trapped in a distorted version of suburban life. The video's meticulous detail and dark tone reflect the album’s...

Kanye West’s “POWER” is a visually arresting music video released in 2010 as part of his *808s & Heartbreak* album promotion. The short film utilizes stark black and white cinematography and unsettling imagery to explore themes of vulnerability, relationships, and the complexities of emotional stren...

Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” is a powerful music video addressing police brutality and systemic racism within the Black community. Released in 2015, it gained prominence as an anthem during protests following the deaths of Michael Brown and other black individuals at the hands of law enforcement. The...

Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time” is a seminal pop music video released in 1998. It launched her career and became an instant global phenomenon, widely credited with revitalizing teen pop. The video's iconic schoolgirl aesthetic and choreography influenced countless artists and remains hugely rec...

Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity” is a groundbreaking 1993 music video celebrated for its innovative use of computer-generated imagery and live action. The video seamlessly blends a real band performance with surreal digital landscapes, creating a visually arresting experience. It's notable for pionee...

Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” music video is a notable introduction to her distinctive artistic style. The video utilizes unsettling imagery and absurdist humor to create a surreal narrative centered around a rebellious school figure. Its innovative approach to pop music videos gained significant attent...

Adele’s “Hello” music video is a significant return to form for the singer. The visually rich narrative explores themes of regret and lost love through a dramatic airport reunion. It garnered widespread attention due to Adele's powerful vocals and the video’s cinematic quality. This piece resonates...

Metallica’s “One” music video is a landmark achievement in heavy metal visuals. Released in 1984, it depicts a brutal, slow-motion depiction of a soldier's fall during wartime. The video’s innovative use of special effects and stark black-and-white cinematography significantly influenced subsequent...

R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” music video is a notable example of surrealist art within the alternative rock genre. The film, directed by Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, depicts a fictional exorcism using a Gregorian chant and unsettling imagery. It gained widespread attention for its visually arre...

A tightly controlled bass line and steady beat anchor Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," while his vocal performance turns a disputed claim of paternity into an atmosphere of suspicion and tension. The song belongs to the Thriller era and combines danceable pop with a narrative that remains uneasy rat...