This might be my favorite music video of all time, at least specifically in terms of quality and production values: Madness - Night Boat to Cairo.

They’ve got nothing on the technical perfection of Madness, but OK Go is notable for the impressive choreography and authenticity of their music video performances: OK Go - Upside Down & Inside Out. Some, like this one, are particularly impressive for being filmed in a single take: OK Go - Here It Goes Again.

There’s also, in the same vein as “of course Aha,” the ones that are historically significant in terms of evolution of the medium: Video Killed the Radio Star, Thriller, Sledgehammer, Virtual Insanity, etc.

There’s so many iconic ones! I’m going to skip the ones already mentioned and add:

• Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight
• Korn - Freak on a Leash
• Elton John - I’m Still Standing
• The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
• Primus - Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver
• Weird Al - Smells Like Nirvana, Fat, White & Nerdy, Gump
• Presidents of the United States of America - Peaches, Lump
• Radiohead - No Surprises
• Byörk - Army of Me, It’s Oh So Quiet
• Fatboy Slim - Praise You, Weapon of Choice, Rockafeller Skank

I love the Fincher-directed video for “Judith” by A Perfect Circle.

Other favourite music videos:

• Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy
• Smashing Pumkpins - Stand Inside Your Love
• Tool - Parabol / Parabola

What about Everlong or Learn to Fly by the Foo Fighters?

As an example, I didn’t know this had a video until yesterday. https://youtu.be/8AHCfZTRGiI?si=MtmfLY-ePNNdLiIh

OK, you’ve got me looking for shit now.

Carpenter Brut - Turbo Killer

Perturbator - She Is Young, She Is Beautiful

Both of these have strong neon synthwave type vibes but with different kinds of art direction

Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up

Highly controversial video when it came out and I believe is highly regarded, bit Meh in my opinion but it caused a ruckus when it was originally released.

Oh yeah, how could I forget?

Daft Punk made the music videos for the songs on their album Discovery into an entire anime movie: Interstella 5555.

Well this thread is going in my saved list.

For me, it’s an odd one, but my love of jets means that Van Halen - Dreams is my all time favorite video.

I remember sitting around watching MTV just waiting for it to come on. Other distinct memories from that era.

Van Halen - Panama
Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue

And just some random picks of mine:

Alice In Chains - Them Bones
Tool - Vicarious
Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
Herbie Hancock - Rockit

Friday - Rebecca Black

Yummy - Justin Bieber

Stupid Hoe - Nicki Minaj

My jeans - Jenna rose

Hot Problems - Double Take

Every time we touch - Cascada

STFU - Pink Guy

I grew up without MTV. Are music videos still good? I feel like the heyday was like 1980-1998 or something, which was when I grew up.

Flogging Molly’s “punch drunk grinning soul” or Modest mouse’s “king rat” are the first two that come to mind. If you like those I can probably find some more gems from the hours a day I used to watch back in the mid to late 00’s.

I’ve seen tons of music videos growing up but I never really liked most of them. Like, so, so many have a weird disconnect between the visuals and what the songs are about, it’s just not what I would expect. I like when the video goes along to what the song is about.

At the same time, I immediately think of Beastie Boys’ Sabotage when I think about good music videos. And a lot of videos directed by Spike Jonz, really.

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I’m going to continue to reply to myself with examples of amazing songs that I loved before I ever saw the music video. Perhaps my favorite of the last couple years has to be this one: https://open.spotify.com/track/0pJO1tc1GpnxFyQp6Zp82r?si=b910dd1069844a24

Nickelback - Savin’ Me