BEST MUSIC VIDEOS EVARR

September 12, 2009 4:13 AM

Music videos that make you go WOW? For any reason - total genius or cheap, cheesy glittery appeal. List me your faves! I just want things that are great to stare at.
posted by mjao to media & arts (87 comments total)

There's some nice animation in Peter Fox's Schwarz zu Blau that's been hypnotizing me lately.
posted by Ljubljana at 4:25 AM on September 12

Although I am not really a fan of her music, I've watched the video for Kylie Minogue's Come Into My World about 50 times trying to figure out how they did it (before I saw the video where the director explains it)!

Chemical Brothers' Let Forever Be is similar in its ingenuity.

Most of Bjork's videos are pretty great to stare at.
posted by archimago at 4:26 AM on September 12

Let Forever Be - The Chemical Brothers

(seriously, BEST MUSIC VIDEO EVARR.)
posted by Lucinda at 4:26 AM on September 12 [2 favorites]

Just by Radiohead.

("Clever" rather than "shiny and glittery" but certainly worth watching right through.)
posted by Dali Atomicus at 4:56 AM on September 12

I think this unofficial video for Animal Collective's My Girls is pretty great.
posted by pasici at 5:08 AM on September 12 [1 favorite]

A-Ha's Take on Me - this video has always made me go wow, and still does. There's a moment of animation in it that's so amazing - I STILL can't figure out how they did it. Yes, it's cheesy, but I still love the concept, and still think the execution of it with the rotoscoping is fantastic.

I also love the look and feel of Bjork's All Is Full of Love video.

I got hooked on the Gorillaz because of their videos - particularly 19-2000.
posted by po at 5:14 AM on September 12 [1 favorite]

Low - Shame
Pete Shelley - Homosapien
Mia Doi Todd - The Way
posted by bunnytricks at 5:20 AM on September 12 [1 favorite]

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie : Found Here

Stop animation music video (amazing work)
posted by MechEng at 5:32 AM on September 12 [2 favorites]

Sober - Tool
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 5:35 AM on September 12

Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice.
How can you go wrong with Christopher Walken dancing?
posted by that girl at 5:39 AM on September 12 [7 favorites]

Pretty much all of Tool's videos, and Peter Gabriel as well. Digging in the Dirt was stunning when I first saw it.

Best though? Jack Nicolson by Bloodthirsty Butchers.

Phantom Planet by Beat Crusaders was created in/for(?) Little Big Planet. It's adorable.
posted by Ghidorah at 5:40 AM on September 12

Oh, and Baby Blue by Halcali is visually interesting, especially for the choreography (and the Han-Panda costumes).
posted by Ghidorah at 5:44 AM on September 12

Cheap, cheesy and glittery? Günther's got you covered.
posted by infinitewindow at 5:51 AM on September 12

Gnarls Barkley's video for "Who's Gonna Save My Soul?" is pretty amazing. Not in a showy, special effects way, but what makes it incredibly effective is it's casual, even mundane brutality, to which the song itself is just background music.

I like the music video for Amanda Palmer's "Oasis", which is similarly brutal, but full of so many visual jokes, bright colours, and up-tempo background singers that you have to actual think about the content of the song yourself in order to understand it.
posted by ellehumour at 5:55 AM on September 12

Can't link from my phone, but Eagles of Death Metal's "Midnight Creeper" really caught me off guard, and is still hard to watch.
posted by justonegirl at 6:00 AM on September 12

You might want to check out the Director's Series DVD's, which cover the works of Michel Gondry, Chris Cunningham, Spike Jonze, etc. Some of the videos mentioned here are by those directors (Weapon of Choice, All is Full of Love, Let Forever Be, Come Into My World).

A few examples:

The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar (Michel Gondrey, this one takes a minute to figure out)
Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy (Chris Cunningham)
Bjork - It's Oh So Quiet (Spike Jonez)
posted by Who_Am_I at 6:07 AM on September 12

Pretty much everything by Michael Gondry (including the aforementioned "Let Forever Be") but particularly Cibo Matto - "Sugar Water" and explained here.
posted by benzo8 at 6:09 AM on September 12 [1 favorite]

Check out this list by Pitchfork of the best music videos of last year. It's a nice sampling of different styles of well-done videos.
posted by deeparch at 6:12 AM on September 12

A few of my favourite videos:

Aphex Twin: Windowlicker
Lots of WOW-moments in that one! :)

Massive Attack: Unfinished Sympathy
Knocked my socks off when I first saw it back in 199... 1? Totally different

Ok Go: Here It Goes Again
Deserved all the hype

Madvillain: All Caps
Funkiest comic book EVARR

Beastie Boys: Sabotage
It's just cool, y'know?

Jason Forrest: War Photographer
Top animation, top humour, top sync, top tune.

Alva Noto: Spray
Speaking of sync. I just love this whole package.

J Dilla: Nothing Like This
Disturbing and effing BEAUTIFUL.

Teddybears STHLM: Rock'n'roll Highschool
Arcade goodness. Unfortunately I couldn't find a better version of this.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 6:13 AM on September 12 [3 favorites]

Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity
posted by pemberkins at 6:20 AM on September 12

I also enjoy Of Montreal - Wraith Pinned To The Mist And Other Games
posted by pemberkins at 6:24 AM on September 12

Really? Two references to Michael Gondry without mentioning Walkie Talkie Man? It's yarnimation!
posted by j-dawg at 6:28 AM on September 12

UNKLE - Heaven
posted by turkeyphant at 6:29 AM on September 12

seconding 'sabotage.'
It's not at all lo-fi, but I dig the lo-fi'ness of matt & kim's recent "lessons learned"
Whether or not you're a fan of EL-P, his video for "Deep Space 9mm" kicks all kindsa lo-fi ass.
Hope those links work, i'm at work-internet and chan't check the links.
posted by seansbrain at 6:31 AM on September 12

A great way to see some videos mefites that think are outstanding is to search the front page by tags.

I can't really answer without whittling this question down to one topic. Here's some DivaFilter:

I remember "Ring the Alarm" as the moment when I began to understand Beyonce's talent and appeal. It's similar but also sort of the opposite to this marvelously understated video for Jazmine Sullivan's "Bust Your Windows," which lets her singing and unique look do all the heavy lifting.

Janelle Monae's "Many Moons" showcases her not-so-hidden talents just fantastically.

Older ladies represent! I posted Grace Jones' "Corporate Cannibal" to the blue last year. It's a one-trick pony, but completely transcends its gimmick because duh, it's Grace Jones, that's what she does. Same exact thing with the video from Siouxsie's comeback album, "Into A Swan".

Let's not ignore Fiona Apple's "Not About Love" in which all her singing is done via Zach Galafianakis. Proving yet again that FIona is at her best when she proves that she has a sense of humor about herself and her music, such as in "Paper Bag" for example.

Speaking of '90s girl angst, do you remember Tracy Bonham's "Mother Mother"?

Do I have to even mention M.I.A.? Yes I do, because for the most part her videos from her album Kala managed to visually capture exactly what the album was all about, a rare feat IMO. See "Jimmy" and "Boyz" and "Bird Flu". Makes the lame "Paper Planes" video look like straight-to-VH1 material.

I don't think anyone really believed Britney was back until the Mad-Men-inspired video for "Womanizer" came out.

For pure pop ridiculousness that you can't believe is a real video, I present Lil Mama's "Lip Gloss".
posted by hermitosis at 6:42 AM on September 12

Oh shit, I forgot Kanye's "Flashing Lights", which is totally 100% stolen by the hot psycho lady.
posted by hermitosis at 6:44 AM on September 12

Guts Daze by ULFULS. Well, you did say cheezy glittery appeal. Dancing ninja and samurai!
posted by misozaki at 6:49 AM on September 12

Zach Galifianakis and Bonnie Prince Billy's alternate video for Kanye's "Can't Tell Me Nothin'" is amazing.

UNKLE and Thom Yorke - Rabbit in Your Headlights

Also Sober and Sabotage, mentioned above.
posted by The Michael The at 7:00 AM on September 12

My favorite Gondry is Lucas with the Lid Off.
posted by sugarfish at 7:21 AM on September 12

I lived on the moon is my absolute favorite as far as "eye candy" videos go -- it's a sad story, but with enough hope to really grip you, and beautifully animated.

A cause des garçons ("Because of boys") by Yelle, showing the latest fad in France, "tectonic" dancing. I love watching this one, it's just plain old fun!
posted by fraula at 7:28 AM on September 12 [1 favorite]

This version of Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction" is also one I saw many years ago and still manages to pop into my head sometimes. I'm not sure if it's good, but there's something about it that is definitely mesmerizing.

Hope you like scantily clad women and power tools!
posted by that girl at 7:37 AM on September 12

Shock The Monkey by Peter Gabriel
posted by torquemaniac at 7:39 AM on September 12

Queens of the stone age - Go With The Flow
311 - I'll Be Here Awhile
Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight
Muse - Knights of Cydonia
posted by tylerfulltilt at 7:45 AM on September 12 [2 favorites]

Aphex Twin: Windowlicker
Bjork: All is Full of Love
Bat for Lashes: What's a Girl To Do
posted by whiskeyspider at 7:48 AM on September 12 [1 favorite]

I was actually just about to recommend the other version of Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction". Kind of creepy.

I actually really like the video for Paul Wall's "I'm Throwed", although I can't find it on YouTube anymore. It has cool typography!

Also, Electric Six's "Gay Bar".
posted by transporter accident amy at 7:49 AM on September 12

Tori Amos - Caught A Lite Sneeze (Sorry, it's low qual and has an ad in front but it's the only version I could find.)

Bad Religion - 21st Century (Digital Boy) (Sorry, short ad in front, but again, the best quality I could find.)

Pretty much any Tool video (except Hush) is going to be fairly knock-your-socks-off but I put forth that the last minute and a half of Parabola, animated by Alex Grey, is the greatest "rock animation" yet created.
posted by Liver at 7:51 AM on September 12

Amazing Jason Forrest (a.k.a Donnasummer) video created by Waverly Films. Prog / Spinal Tap jokes.
posted by galaksit at 7:53 AM on September 12

Gnarls Barkley- Crazy. Cannot listen to the song now, but hell that was a great film clip.
posted by arha at 7:58 AM on September 12

I'm not cool enough to hang with the cool kids, so I'll just recommend these two:

Limahl - The Neverending Story (only worthwhile if you remember the movie)

Cher, Beavis and Butt-head - I Got You Babe
posted by Diagonalize at 8:09 AM on September 12

The classic-era Belle and Sebastian videos admirably create a dreamlike feel out of mundane hipster life in Glasgow. For Super-8 fans.

Dog on Wheels, A Century of Fakers, This is Just a Modern Rock Song, Lazy Line Painter Jane, and The Wrong Girl.
posted by galaksit at 8:27 AM on September 12

Rabbit in your headlight by Unkle, dir. Jonathan Glazer - with Denis Lavant
posted by runincircles at 8:28 AM on September 12

I find it hard to stop staring at Eric Prydz's Call On Me
posted by Schlani at 8:52 AM on September 12

Strawberry Swing by Coldplay

(yes they did handdraw all that chalk.. amazing)
posted by chalbe at 9:10 AM on September 12 [2 favorites]

I'll be reading the rest of this thread closely, but in the meantime, I have to mention Massive Attack - Protection. The video has one big, subtle trick that blew my mind once I finally got it. (Yet another Michel Gondry video.)
posted by jhc at 9:12 AM on September 12

spazzy computer-generated videos (epilepsy warning!):

Clock DVA - Sound Mirror
Clock DVA - The Hacker (YT compression kind of kills this one)
Clock DVA - Techno Geist
Autechre - Gantz Graf
posted by neckro23 at 9:27 AM on September 12 [1 favorite]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Thriller yet! Is it just a too obvious choice?

(Awesome full-ensemble dancing always impresses me more than special effects.)
posted by Metroid Baby at 9:28 AM on September 12

Journey's Separate Ways has always greatly entertained me. Pure 80 cheese. I'm not sure they actually had to spend any money on the video.
posted by jmd82 at 9:28 AM on September 12

All of Jan Terri's videos make me go wow. But it's not the wow you're looking for. For instance, Losing You.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 9:31 AM on September 12

Lots of great recommendations above.

Moray McClean - We Got Time was featured on the blue some time ago. I've watched a lot (a lot) of music videos, and it's one of the best I've ever seen. I'm surprised nobody's posted it yet. Watch the excellent Making Of too (should be linked from that page).
posted by Magnakai at 9:49 AM on September 12

Oh, and I occasionally read this blog, which often has something interesting and worth watching.
posted by Magnakai at 9:49 AM on September 12

More Grace Jones. Demolition Man.
posted by Bruce H. at 10:01 AM on September 12

Royksopp's You Remind Me. Infographics-tastic.
posted by Nice Guy Mike at 10:12 AM on September 12

MGMT's Time to Pretend is pretty stareworthy. A lot of their videos are, actually.
posted by bibliophibianj at 10:42 AM on September 12

“Cruisin’ (Lucy and Ramona and Sunset Sam)” by Michael Nesmith. Link to the back story.
posted by torquemaniac at 10:49 AM on September 12

True Faith by New Order. Kind of surreal, features people in outlandish costumes slapping each other in time to the music. I am entranced by it.

Reckoner by Radiohead.

I guess this says I like abstract videos that only have a passing association with the content of a song, but which have events that are in time to the music.
posted by A dead Quaker at 10:56 AM on September 12

The Bird and the Bee -- Polite Dance Song. I don't know if "wow" is the exact response, but I like it a lot.
posted by lore at 11:14 AM on September 12

Sigur Ros, "Untitled #1".
posted by so_gracefully at 11:14 AM on September 12

99 Problems by Jay Z, surprising and just perfect for the song

Single Ladies by Beyonce, the dancing is incredible
posted by kathrineg at 11:25 AM on September 12 [1 favorite]

Has to be windowlicker, and Tool schism
posted by sundri at 11:30 AM on September 12

Peter Wolf (J Geils Band) Come As You Are, he just never stops.
posted by tommasz at 11:46 AM on September 12

The incorporation of an airport moving walkway into the choreography of Feist's My Moon My Man is kind of clever.
posted by Doohickie at 12:02 PM on September 12

Also.... Happy Up Here by Röyksopp is a weird interpretation of the 1970s Space Invaders video game, and their song Eple is used as the soundtrack for Deadline, an art student project I thought was pretty clever.
posted by Doohickie at 12:14 PM on September 12

J'aime trop ton boule by Fatal Bazooka (french) is amusing.
posted by majikstreet at 12:38 PM on September 12 [1 favorite]

This is a fan-made video of a Boards of Canada remix of a Clouddead song (Dead Dogs Two). It's the best fan-made video I've ever seen, and it ranks well up there with the best videos I've seen.
posted by ifandonlyif at 1:18 PM on September 12

I was knocked over by the impact/dollar of this music video the first time I saw it:

Shine On by the group Needtobreathe
posted by forthright at 2:08 PM on September 12

Kanye's Welcome to Heartbreak is my favourite music video of the past year.

Also, and I don't actually like her music so this recommendation's coming purely on the level of the video, but Miley Cyrus's 7 Things is pretty tremendous.

I'd strongly second the Beyonce and MGMT recommendations (see also Kids, I love that one).
posted by SoftRain at 3:04 PM on September 12

In the 90s, U2 aligned themselves with some innovative music video directors.

Even Better than the Real Thing: A camera on a circular rail is utilized to dizzying effect.

One: There were three videos produced for this song, but this one is notable as being possibly the calmest video ever produced.

Numb: Featuring The Edge intoning the lyrics directly into the camera, numb to all the activity going on around him.

Lemon: Just plain different for its time (the middle of the grunge era).

If God Will Send His Angels: The video was filmed with the song playing back slowed right down, with Bono mouthing along accordingly, but everyone else around him moving at a normal pace. Once the video was sped up to match the proper speed of the song, the singer appears to be moving at normal pace, with the rest of the action going on at a much faster pace.

The Sweetest Thing: When I watch this I wonder at the organizational skills of the director.
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 5:48 PM on September 12

Faith No More made awesome videos.

Everything's Ruined
Epic
A Small Victory
posted by the duck by the oboe at 7:53 PM on September 12

I've enjoyed many music videos since the beginning of the medium, but the only time I literally said, 'WOW!' was when I saw the full version of Michael Jackson's 'Smooth Criminal'. There's this move where he kind of .. leans forward at a 45 degree angle. Okay, I can't really describe it, and I forget what the move is more popularly called. It's incredible to watch, though. It reminds me of the first time I saw the scene from Royal Wedding where Fred Astaire dances up the wall and on to the ceiling.
posted by Mael Oui at 8:29 PM on September 12

Orbital - The Box

A classic I've been trying to find all day thanks to this thread.
posted by Liver at 9:03 PM on September 12

Prodigy's 'Smack my bitch up'
posted by bunny hugger at 9:41 PM on September 12

"You Might Think" - The Cars (can't believe this hasn't been mentioned yet!)
posted by SisterHavana at 11:58 PM on September 12

Santigold (formerly Santogold)'s L.E.S Artistes video is one I can watch over and over. I don't think I've really seen a White Stripes video that I didn't like - the all-Lego Fell In Love With A Girl is a good starting point.
posted by daisyk at 11:41 AM on September 13

Blur's Coffee and TV has always been a favorite 'cool video' of mine, as well as being just a kickass song in general.
posted by msali at 1:37 PM on September 13

huh. I'm surprised more Feist wasn't on anybody's list.

The most recent video that I found to be amazing was this:
Sour - 日々の音色 (Hibi no neiro) The band connected with fans and made this video with people in a few different countries. It's pretty amazing.

Other great videos:
Feist - 1234
Santogold - L.E.S Artistes

There are tons more but I'm lazy and I should be doing work...
posted by carpyful at 7:48 PM on September 13

Dirty Projectors Stillness is the Move
posted by Jeff_Larson at 10:47 PM on September 13

My favorite in the bizarre animation category is The Devil Went Down to Georgia by Primus. I give it bonus points for dancing chickens.
posted by Eumachia L F at 1:37 AM on September 14

Gabe Askew's fan vid for Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks" is one of the best animations I've seen in years. It just keeps getting richer and richer the more you watch. The original's cute, too, in a slowly building schoolboy-glorious kind of way.
posted by mediareport at 9:06 AM on September 14

Pearl Jam - Do the Evolution
posted by Alex404 at 9:46 AM on September 14

Durand Durand's "Wild Boys". Because, wild boys always want...boys. At least, that's the way I heard it, and that's what I saw.
posted by Goofyy at 10:35 AM on September 14

Bop Til You Drop by rick Springfield, is in many ways the video companion to Wild Boys, as mentioned by Goofyy.

I was surprised to see no mention of No Surprises, by Radiohead.
posted by dirtdirt at 2:29 PM on September 14

Herbie Hancock - Rockit
Replacements - Bastards of Young

Seconding the Michel Gondry video collection -- the Kylie and Chemical Brothers clips are some of the best, most hypnotic videos ever made, and the White Stripes clips aren't half-bad either.
posted by porn in the woods at 4:32 PM on September 14

nth-ing the Santigold love - Lights Out does some amazing things with patterns.

For stop-motion fun, check out Guggenheim Grotto's Her Beautiful Ideas.

For endearing old people having fun like kids and fighting other old people, here's Sigur Ros's Hoppipolla.

Down with cheesy dancing lawyer joy honoring 50's/60's wholesomeness (sorta)? The Weakerthans - The Reasons.
posted by cobwebberies at 8:00 PM on September 15

Ooh, and a couple of cheesier faves:

w-inds - It's In the Stars: J-pop trio dance around in a spaceship that may or may not have been inspired by the Enterprise. Full of suits, shiny silver pants, and random English.

TLC - Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg: neon comedic rap GOLD.
posted by cobwebberies at 8:26 PM on September 15

Come on, guys, Foo Fighters! Hilarious cross-dressing, bizzare plots, what's not to love? Early stuff is better, like Everlong and Monkey Wrench.
posted by gabrielbenjamin at 9:50 PM on September 18

Love the video for Oren Lavie's Her Morning Elegance. Here's a Making Of Myspace blog.

Also La patère rose's adorable PaceMaker feels like Amélie and the Arts and Crafts movement all rolled into one.
posted by Devika at 8:38 AM on September 30

In the category of creepy, terrible, and bewildering, I have two nominations.

First there's Little Girls by Oingo Boingo. To be fair, the video is an accurate and fitting counterpoint to the song. But that's precisely why it's so awful.

Then there's Dog Police. This is the sort of video that instantly empties all words of their power. Like the universe itself, it simply is, and only fools would attempt to contain it within the tenuous, ineffectual bonds of descriptive language.
posted by dephlogisticated at 11:11 PM on October 24