Calling (Almost) All Music Videos
June 8, 2022 4:27 PM Subscribe
This is a simple Ask. I like music videos. I really like music videos that have a story, that have evocative or interesting imagery, videos that make you think or just have a good time. Unfortunately I am an Old so I lost track of music around 2010, so I'm asking you to help me find what's new(ish) and really stands out these days.
If I tell you that I came of age in the mid to late 90s does that help? I'm talking the era of Michael Gondry videos, Spike Jonez, Hype Williams. Missy Elliot videos. Bjork being Bjork. A little later, I was quite fond of Gorillaz videos, Beyonce video events, OK Go videos, etc. Please don't feel like you need to limit yourself to a certain decade or genre however, as I'm up for almost anything. Trippy videos, goofy videos, terrifying videos, impressive dance videos, narrative videos. Even lyric videos are fine if they are good examples. I'm not picky.
That said there are a few things I'm not particularly interested in.
- The obligatory concert footage video unless it does something that elevates the material
- Low-effort performer performing, with or without supporting dancers, that doesn't really do much. Badass choreography does not fall into this category.
- Graphics that are cool on their own but not really related to anything. DJ KABOO's Enta slaps, but I don't feel compelled to actually watch the whole thing, you know?
Help me out y'all!
If I tell you that I came of age in the mid to late 90s does that help? I'm talking the era of Michael Gondry videos, Spike Jonez, Hype Williams. Missy Elliot videos. Bjork being Bjork. A little later, I was quite fond of Gorillaz videos, Beyonce video events, OK Go videos, etc. Please don't feel like you need to limit yourself to a certain decade or genre however, as I'm up for almost anything. Trippy videos, goofy videos, terrifying videos, impressive dance videos, narrative videos. Even lyric videos are fine if they are good examples. I'm not picky.
That said there are a few things I'm not particularly interested in.
- The obligatory concert footage video unless it does something that elevates the material
- Low-effort performer performing, with or without supporting dancers, that doesn't really do much. Badass choreography does not fall into this category.
- Graphics that are cool on their own but not really related to anything. DJ KABOO's Enta slaps, but I don't feel compelled to actually watch the whole thing, you know?
Help me out y'all!
Orville Peck - The Curse of the Blackened Eye (2022)
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:53 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:53 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
There are tons of modern high-concept metal videos.
for super dope psychotronic Heavy Metal animated fantasy that is not the least bit SFW: The Black Plot by High on Fire. This is my favorite treatment of the "hero descends into the abyss" step of the hero's journey.
Gojira has been killing it with their videos lately. Amazonia is devastating to watch, it is call-to-action activism about the destruction of the rainforests. And
Born for One Thing is inexplicable but takes place in a gorgeous natural history museum and has just enough premise to be intriguing.
posted by Sauce Trough at 5:07 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
for super dope psychotronic Heavy Metal animated fantasy that is not the least bit SFW: The Black Plot by High on Fire. This is my favorite treatment of the "hero descends into the abyss" step of the hero's journey.
Gojira has been killing it with their videos lately. Amazonia is devastating to watch, it is call-to-action activism about the destruction of the rainforests. And
Born for One Thing is inexplicable but takes place in a gorgeous natural history museum and has just enough premise to be intriguing.
posted by Sauce Trough at 5:07 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've always loved the video for "Paper Hanger" by MeWithoutYou from the early 2000's. I don't know what it is in particular that draws me in, but the lyrics are interesting and about halfway through the video the lead singer gets so expressive with his body that it gives me feels.
You can see the lyrics here since they aren't included with the video.
posted by tacodave at 5:16 PM on June 8, 2022
You can see the lyrics here since they aren't included with the video.
posted by tacodave at 5:16 PM on June 8, 2022
six years later beyonce's 2016 BET awards performance (where she and the dancers were all in a very shallow pool) still makes me go wow.
posted by noloveforned at 5:26 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by noloveforned at 5:26 PM on June 8, 2022
tierra whack's whack world is fifteen minutes of one minute songs, all strung together with their own video with awesome production values.
posted by noloveforned at 5:33 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by noloveforned at 5:33 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
also tierra whack's unemployed video with the animated potato is... something.
posted by noloveforned at 5:45 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by noloveforned at 5:45 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Janelle Monae is great at this. All the Dirty Computer videos slap.
I also like Billie Eilish, You Should See Me in a Crown, which is a very different vibe.
Lizzo vids are fun too - try Juice and Tempo.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 5:52 PM on June 8, 2022 [6 favorites]
I also like Billie Eilish, You Should See Me in a Crown, which is a very different vibe.
Lizzo vids are fun too - try Juice and Tempo.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 5:52 PM on June 8, 2022 [6 favorites]
Beyonce's visual album Lemonade is amazing.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 5:56 PM on June 8, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 5:56 PM on June 8, 2022 [6 favorites]
you don’t have to be a big k-pop fan to love BTS music videos- the dancing is *incredible*. This is my favorite and so, so many others are amazing too.
Editing to add that as I hit ‘post’ a car drove by in my neighborhood blasting BTS so it’s a sign you need to watch the video for sure.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 5:58 PM on June 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Editing to add that as I hit ‘post’ a car drove by in my neighborhood blasting BTS so it’s a sign you need to watch the video for sure.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 5:58 PM on June 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Here’s a list of other artists from my music video playlist that I think fit your criteria in many of their videos, in no particular order:
Years and Years
Panic! At the Disco
Pink
Sia
St. Vincent
Harry Styles
Dua Lipa
Janelle Monae
Ok Go- you mentioned their videos from *back then* but they are still making amazing videos.
Lil Nas X
I dunno about the rest of his stuff but the video “Colors and Shapes” by Mac Miller (made posthumously I think) is incredible.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 6:18 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Years and Years
Panic! At the Disco
Pink
Sia
St. Vincent
Harry Styles
Dua Lipa
Janelle Monae
Ok Go- you mentioned their videos from *back then* but they are still making amazing videos.
Lil Nas X
I dunno about the rest of his stuff but the video “Colors and Shapes” by Mac Miller (made posthumously I think) is incredible.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 6:18 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I am a huge fan of music videos as an art form & I offer this the caveats that I wasn't really a Taylor Swift fan until 2020 (look, we all dealt with the pandemic in our own ways, OK?) and it's a pretty literal interpretation of the song, but I actually really love the long-form video for "All Too Well". It's not particularly inventive but it's a great companion piece to the song & just a nice little short film.
posted by edencosmic at 6:24 PM on June 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by edencosmic at 6:24 PM on June 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Dirty Computer is the music video of the decade, if you ask me.
posted by eotvos at 6:31 PM on June 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by eotvos at 6:31 PM on June 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
Superorganism: Night time. Very narrative, very young/hip/modern international collectivist pop :)
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:39 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:39 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
A couple years old, but I liked the narrative thread in these Thundercat videos: Them Changes and then Show You the Way
posted by gnutron at 6:53 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by gnutron at 6:53 PM on June 8, 2022
Was coming here to make sure Turn Down for What was here and DELIGHTED that it's in "Everything, Everywhere..."
And just making 100% sure you've seen some classics: Pharell Williams' Happy and Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson's Uptown Funk and Macklemore's Thrift Shop, Childish Gambino's This is America and most of Li'l Nas X's stuff, start with Old Town Road and maybe check out Industry Baby.
Other ones I like
- DNCE's Cake by the Ocean video (weird cake fight). Watermelon Sugar has a similar vibe, sexy and not taking itself too seriously.
- Ed Sheeran's Shape of You was not what I was expecting and has a solid narrative throughline
- Horse Outside by the Rubberbandits always cracks me up though it's from 2010, same with Sexy and I Know It (2011)
- I don't know what is going on with Portugal the Man's Feel It Still but it's also on heavy rotation when I want a good video
- Lizzo's Good as Hell should be required watching
- Hozier's Take Me to Church is a very poignant black and white video
- Nikki Minaj's Anacond, Elle King's Exes and Ohs, Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass and WAP by Cardi B. are all colorful celebrations of various kinds of female expression
posted by jessamyn at 6:57 PM on June 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
And just making 100% sure you've seen some classics: Pharell Williams' Happy and Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson's Uptown Funk and Macklemore's Thrift Shop, Childish Gambino's This is America and most of Li'l Nas X's stuff, start with Old Town Road and maybe check out Industry Baby.
Other ones I like
- DNCE's Cake by the Ocean video (weird cake fight). Watermelon Sugar has a similar vibe, sexy and not taking itself too seriously.
- Ed Sheeran's Shape of You was not what I was expecting and has a solid narrative throughline
- Horse Outside by the Rubberbandits always cracks me up though it's from 2010, same with Sexy and I Know It (2011)
- I don't know what is going on with Portugal the Man's Feel It Still but it's also on heavy rotation when I want a good video
- Lizzo's Good as Hell should be required watching
- Hozier's Take Me to Church is a very poignant black and white video
- Nikki Minaj's Anacond, Elle King's Exes and Ohs, Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass and WAP by Cardi B. are all colorful celebrations of various kinds of female expression
posted by jessamyn at 6:57 PM on June 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
One music video that never fails to improve my mood is Genghis Khan by Miike Snow. Electronic music + spy story + modern dance.
posted by Paper rabies at 7:16 PM on June 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Paper rabies at 7:16 PM on June 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
Okay, I came of age at the exact timeframe as you and loved all the same videos you loved. You have to watch this kpop video: Max Changmin - Maniac.
Another one with a good narrative is Onew - Dice.
posted by thebots at 8:49 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another one with a good narrative is Onew - Dice.
posted by thebots at 8:49 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Blur’s Coffee and TV is a great example of this and one of my all time favourites.
posted by Jubey at 9:15 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by Jubey at 9:15 PM on June 8, 2022
Panda Bear's Boy's Latin is incredibly trippy and has a story. The music is beautiful too.
Thanks for asking this question!
posted by Zumbador at 9:27 PM on June 8, 2022
Thanks for asking this question!
posted by Zumbador at 9:27 PM on June 8, 2022
Fun Videos:
Matt and Kim - Yeah Yeaha food fight and multiple costume changes
The Muppets - The Windmills of Your Mind this a real song, not a parody, done by a Muppet.
Stories:
Kings of Leon - Waste a Moment tells a story of space aliens and cheerleaders, but it makes no sense. Part 1 of a trilogy (that also makes no sense).
Dawes - When My Time Comes Chain gang escape plan.
INXS All The Voices singing interspersed with scenes from a movie about Australian Coal Miners. You can learn a bit about something you probably know nothing about.
The Chats - Smoko about taking breaks or something
Raphael Saadiq - Daydreams Abed from Community goes shopping, buys a crowd
White Denim - I Start to Run kind of a comedic horror about a 10 second head start
Malajube - Fille a plumes
a witch possesses each band member
Lyrics Videos:
John Prine - The Sins of Memphisto
Max Stalling Ping Pong Pool an image for each line of the lyrics
Josh Ritter- Getting Ready to Get Down Josh writes the lyrics as they quickly roll by
Dancing:
JD McPherson -Let the Good Times Roll dancing in the living room after the baby falls asleep
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:34 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Matt and Kim - Yeah Yeaha food fight and multiple costume changes
The Muppets - The Windmills of Your Mind this a real song, not a parody, done by a Muppet.
Stories:
Kings of Leon - Waste a Moment tells a story of space aliens and cheerleaders, but it makes no sense. Part 1 of a trilogy (that also makes no sense).
Dawes - When My Time Comes Chain gang escape plan.
INXS All The Voices singing interspersed with scenes from a movie about Australian Coal Miners. You can learn a bit about something you probably know nothing about.
The Chats - Smoko about taking breaks or something
Raphael Saadiq - Daydreams Abed from Community goes shopping, buys a crowd
White Denim - I Start to Run kind of a comedic horror about a 10 second head start
Malajube - Fille a plumes
a witch possesses each band member
Lyrics Videos:
John Prine - The Sins of Memphisto
Max Stalling Ping Pong Pool an image for each line of the lyrics
Josh Ritter- Getting Ready to Get Down Josh writes the lyrics as they quickly roll by
Dancing:
JD McPherson -Let the Good Times Roll dancing in the living room after the baby falls asleep
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:34 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Janelle Monaë, Turntables
Childish Gambino, This Is America (very powerful but warning, incidents of shocking stylized violence)
Phoebe Bridgers, Motion Sickness
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:45 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Childish Gambino, This Is America (very powerful but warning, incidents of shocking stylized violence)
Phoebe Bridgers, Motion Sickness
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:45 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
New Rules by Dua Lipa and Treat People With Kindness by Harry Styles.
posted by Threeve at 11:07 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by Threeve at 11:07 PM on June 8, 2022
Since the South Korean domestic market is much smaller than those of Japan or the USA, the kpop industry is keen to export what it produces. Relatively few in these export markets understand Korean, so kpop music videos seek to impress not just musically but visually too. Try these:
LOONA/Odd Eye Circle -- Sweet Crazy Love
MONSTA X -- Dramarama
WJSN -- As You Wish
ONEUS -- Twilight
(G)I-DLE -- Hwaa
ONF -- Beautiful Beautiful
posted by Deodatus at 11:16 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
LOONA/Odd Eye Circle -- Sweet Crazy Love
MONSTA X -- Dramarama
WJSN -- As You Wish
ONEUS -- Twilight
(G)I-DLE -- Hwaa
ONF -- Beautiful Beautiful
posted by Deodatus at 11:16 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
That sounds like the kind of music video I go for. Here are some favorites from my watch history that came out in the past ten years.
Trippy videos:
BICEP- SAKU
Bonobo: No Reason
High Contrast - Spectrum Analyzer
Impressive dance videos
Beck - Colors
Galantis - Peanut Butter Jelly
Sam Spiegel & Ape Drums - Mutant Brain
Avicii - Levels
World Order - Have a Nice Day
Kiesza - Hideaway
Goofy Videos:
Weird Al Yankovic - Foil
DJ Snake - Magenta Riddim
Ganja White Night x LSDREAM - BADMAN
Duck Sauce - NRG
Major Lazer - Titans
DJ Fresh VS Jay Fay ft. Ms Dynamite - Dibby Dibby Sound
Terrifying videos
Dance With The Dead - Sledge
Lorn - Timesink
Noisia - Tentacles
Capital Cities: Kangaroo Court
Delta Heavy - Get By
Chemical Brothers - Believe
Moby & The Void Pacific Choir - In This Cold Place
Amon Tobin - Esther's
Igorrr - Very Noise
posted by subocoyne at 11:25 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Trippy videos:
BICEP- SAKU
Bonobo: No Reason
High Contrast - Spectrum Analyzer
Impressive dance videos
Beck - Colors
Galantis - Peanut Butter Jelly
Sam Spiegel & Ape Drums - Mutant Brain
Avicii - Levels
World Order - Have a Nice Day
Kiesza - Hideaway
Goofy Videos:
Weird Al Yankovic - Foil
DJ Snake - Magenta Riddim
Ganja White Night x LSDREAM - BADMAN
Duck Sauce - NRG
Major Lazer - Titans
DJ Fresh VS Jay Fay ft. Ms Dynamite - Dibby Dibby Sound
Terrifying videos
Dance With The Dead - Sledge
Lorn - Timesink
Noisia - Tentacles
Capital Cities: Kangaroo Court
Delta Heavy - Get By
Chemical Brothers - Believe
Moby & The Void Pacific Choir - In This Cold Place
Amon Tobin - Esther's
Igorrr - Very Noise
posted by subocoyne at 11:25 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Anything by Miike Snow; my gateway video was Genghis Khan. I'm also quite fond of Autoheart's My Hallelujah.
posted by confluency at 1:23 AM on June 9, 2022
posted by confluency at 1:23 AM on June 9, 2022
The video for Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox is a lot of fun.
posted by terretu at 3:52 AM on June 9, 2022
posted by terretu at 3:52 AM on June 9, 2022
Low budget but gleeful:
Daddy Like by Dorian Elektra
Gold Dust by DJ Fresh
Just to check - as you like Missy Elliott, have you seen WTF? It's an utter delight.
posted by Hermione Dies at 6:01 AM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Daddy Like by Dorian Elektra
Gold Dust by DJ Fresh
Just to check - as you like Missy Elliott, have you seen WTF? It's an utter delight.
posted by Hermione Dies at 6:01 AM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
I love Dry Cleaning’s Magic of Meghan - really simple material but put together so well. My favourite video for years.
I like Aldous Harding’s videos because they’re so odd, and potentially comic, but done so straight and sincerely. e.g. The Barrell.
I found Remember Sports’ No Going Back surprisingly touching for a story shot entirely in The Sims.
Noise by Zsela is very effective for such a simple single shot. Beautiful.
posted by fabius at 6:07 AM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
I like Aldous Harding’s videos because they’re so odd, and potentially comic, but done so straight and sincerely. e.g. The Barrell.
I found Remember Sports’ No Going Back surprisingly touching for a story shot entirely in The Sims.
Noise by Zsela is very effective for such a simple single shot. Beautiful.
posted by fabius at 6:07 AM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
More K-Pop:
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - PONPONPON
The “goofy mental hospital” framing is problematic, but CO-ED’s Bbiribbom Bberibbom (The jump cuts! The puppy! They’re wearing gift wrap!)
There are also a lot of fun ones in this previous thread, though it’s from 2012 so all of these may already be on your radar.
posted by Mchelly at 7:00 AM on June 9, 2022
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - PONPONPON
The “goofy mental hospital” framing is problematic, but CO-ED’s Bbiribbom Bberibbom (The jump cuts! The puppy! They’re wearing gift wrap!)
There are also a lot of fun ones in this previous thread, though it’s from 2012 so all of these may already be on your radar.
posted by Mchelly at 7:00 AM on June 9, 2022
Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile from the New Pornographers is dancey and visually fun.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:08 AM on June 9, 2022
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:08 AM on June 9, 2022
I've been binging Nigel Stanford Lately.
One Hundred Hunters - Alien spheres interacting with the US Space Program in the 1960s.
Automatica - A man's teaching industrial robots to play music when the singularity occurs.
Genre's electronica.
posted by Spike Glee at 7:45 AM on June 9, 2022
One Hundred Hunters - Alien spheres interacting with the US Space Program in the 1960s.
Automatica - A man's teaching industrial robots to play music when the singularity occurs.
Genre's electronica.
posted by Spike Glee at 7:45 AM on June 9, 2022
Also Daria Cohen's Vampire series is delightful. 4-5 videos that tell a single story. (She's not a musician. She's an animator, animating to other people's songs.)
Here's the playlist.
posted by Spike Glee at 7:57 AM on June 9, 2022
Here's the playlist.
posted by Spike Glee at 7:57 AM on June 9, 2022
Girl Walk // All Day
This is not a music video in the thing-you'd-see-on-MTV-when-it-was-good sense, but a joyous narrative dance film set to Girl Talk's album All Day. You can watch it all in one go (just over an hour), or as a series of 12 (5- to 8-minute) chapters.
posted by D.Billy at 8:00 AM on June 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
This is not a music video in the thing-you'd-see-on-MTV-when-it-was-good sense, but a joyous narrative dance film set to Girl Talk's album All Day. You can watch it all in one go (just over an hour), or as a series of 12 (5- to 8-minute) chapters.
posted by D.Billy at 8:00 AM on June 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
Kodaline's Brother and High Hopes. Story-telling tearjerkers.
posted by snusmumrik at 8:29 AM on June 9, 2022
posted by snusmumrik at 8:29 AM on June 9, 2022
Narrative arc impeccable, devastating: Hozier's Take Me to Church.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 10:20 AM on June 9, 2022
posted by Lawn Beaver at 10:20 AM on June 9, 2022
Came in here to recommend Hozier's "Take me to Church" as a video that really tells a (tragic) story. See I was beaten to it.
I feel like Florence + the Machine has a lot of music videos that you would enjoy. For example, I really like Big God
The Lumineers have a series of music videos that have individual and combined story arcs.
posted by litera scripta manet at 11:44 AM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
I feel like Florence + the Machine has a lot of music videos that you would enjoy. For example, I really like Big God
The Lumineers have a series of music videos that have individual and combined story arcs.
posted by litera scripta manet at 11:44 AM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
It was banned by MTV, and should be considered an encyclopedia of triggering material, but in terms of compelling narrative The Prodigy's Smack My Bitch Up is canon.
posted by Morpeth at 12:46 PM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Morpeth at 12:46 PM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Goofy as shit: 12-minute part-animated modern prog rock fantasy epic, The Mystic Crystal by Ninja Sex Party. (NSP has many fun story-type animated videos.)
Less goofy, two songs by different bands both featuring Dan Avidan on vocals and animated by Knights of the Light Table, Magnum Bullets by Night Runner and Starlight Brigade by TWRP.
posted by Shark Hat at 1:42 PM on June 9, 2022
Less goofy, two songs by different bands both featuring Dan Avidan on vocals and animated by Knights of the Light Table, Magnum Bullets by Night Runner and Starlight Brigade by TWRP.
posted by Shark Hat at 1:42 PM on June 9, 2022
Oh! And a sweet electronic love song with a ridiculous kaiju video, 10 Years by Daði & Gagnamagnið, yes this was a Eurovison entry and yes it is great.
posted by Shark Hat at 2:02 PM on June 9, 2022
posted by Shark Hat at 2:02 PM on June 9, 2022
The Matches' video for Salty Eyes is really cool. They did it on almost no budget, they got friends and fans to donate old TVs and VCRs, and they did it in one take. (And you can see bassist Justin just *eat it* around 30 seconds in, and luckily recovered and got back on track!)
posted by radioamy at 3:33 PM on June 9, 2022
posted by radioamy at 3:33 PM on June 9, 2022
This video is an exercise in CGI and I think it's fun to watch and listen to.
posted by jessamyn at 5:33 PM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn at 5:33 PM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Kpop videos often have storylines (and sometimes entire extended universes across videos). A few of my favorites:
posted by Lexica at 6:03 PM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
- ONF "Beautiful Beautiful" (and here's a video called "RM's 'Moonchild' & K-Pop as Music for the Deaf" that discusses a clip from this video. I love the line about "what better way is there to visually show a gigantic high note than with a slow-motion neon pink bomb exploding into the side of your super futuristic flying Lamborghini?")
- Tomorrow By Together "Magic" (overthrow the robot masters via musical joy)
- WOODZ "Love Me Harder" (this is like a movie in three minutes)
- YJP "We Heung" [the text on the message passed in the video reads "Korean zombies are vulnerable to 흥" (흥 [heung] means roughly fun, happiness, joy)]
- U-Know "Thank U" (a gangster movie in 7 minutes; violence and implied violence)
- Blitzers "Will Make a Mistake" (try hard enough and you might get to space)
- Key "Hate That…" (maybe being up in space isn't that great)
- Block B "Very Good" (bank heist, yeah!)
posted by Lexica at 6:03 PM on June 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
These are the three best music videos of all time. They don't always exactly have a plot, but they all have a narrative of sorts...
The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist
Einstürzende Neubauten - Blume
The Art of Noise - Moments in Love
posted by ovvl at 6:20 PM on June 9, 2022
The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist
Einstürzende Neubauten - Blume
The Art of Noise - Moments in Love
posted by ovvl at 6:20 PM on June 9, 2022
(^ the plot is that all of these stories have a narrator who goes through a nervous breakdown, and then has a redemption of sorts.)
posted by ovvl at 6:31 PM on June 9, 2022
posted by ovvl at 6:31 PM on June 9, 2022
Wolf Parade - I'll Believe Anything The chicken!
Perfume Genius - Queen The shrimp!
Alt-J Deadcrush No animals were harmed in the making of this amazing choreography.
posted by batbat at 8:06 PM on June 9, 2022
Perfume Genius - Queen The shrimp!
Alt-J Deadcrush No animals were harmed in the making of this amazing choreography.
posted by batbat at 8:06 PM on June 9, 2022
A Tribe Called Quest - We Got Jazz/Buggin' Out, especially after the 3:34 mark
posted by not_on_display at 8:09 PM on June 9, 2022
posted by not_on_display at 8:09 PM on June 9, 2022
Random selection from the top of my head:
posted by not_on_display at 9:08 PM on June 9, 2022
David Bowie - Ashes to AshesSorry/Not-sorry for going overboard.
OOIOO - Umo
The Slits - Earthbound
The Slits - Typical Girls (brief mud-covered nudity)
Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love
Vincent Collins - Life is Flashing Before Your Eyes
The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane
Sun Ra - The Outer Space Employment Agency (from Space is the Place (1974)
The Monkees - Opening and closing credits
posted by not_on_display at 9:08 PM on June 9, 2022
OK two more cause these were my entryway into MUSIC
posted by not_on_display at 9:12 PM on June 9, 2022
Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetimethank you for indulging me
Blondie - Rapture
posted by not_on_display at 9:12 PM on June 9, 2022
NZ's The Phoenix Foundation has a tremendously fun video for their song "Forty Years" starring (and directed by) everyone's OFMD favourite, Taika Waititi.
posted by slightlybewildered at 12:17 AM on June 10, 2022
posted by slightlybewildered at 12:17 AM on June 10, 2022
Sudan Archives' "Nont for Sale" creates a world and vibe that's both gritty and fantastical . So vivid when I watch it, like I can smell the tar of the road and heat of sitting on the hood of the car.
posted by bendybendy at 8:57 AM on June 10, 2022
posted by bendybendy at 8:57 AM on June 10, 2022
Bit late but a few fav's of mine
Handwritten and really any video by them.
Bliss n Eso
and love a good Macklemore video
Thrift Shop
Same Love
Next Year
Downtown
posted by Lesium at 5:56 AM on June 13, 2022
Handwritten and really any video by them.
Bliss n Eso
and love a good Macklemore video
Thrift Shop
Same Love
Next Year
Downtown
posted by Lesium at 5:56 AM on June 13, 2022
This comment is a labor of love - MeFi refreshed as I finished writing my first comment and lost it all (sigh) so I am rewriting it all again from scratch.
Rina Sawayama - STFU! Queer Asian diaspora women telling orientalizing, fetishizing white men to STFU!!!! Heavy metal with horror and high queer pop girlie glam elements.
Paramore - Rose Colored Boy (fuck toxic positivity!)
LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem
The K-pop videos here being mentioned in the earlier comments are so interesting to me because they are definitely very new, but there's countless gems from the first half of the decade (2009-2016) that are very overlooked in the comments, so I'll share them:
Orange Caramel - Lipstick (three kpop idols try to impress the star table tennis player, hjinks ensue, extremely campy)
Orange Caramel - Catellena (three kpop idols get back in touch with their past lives by eating nigiri sushi)
Ga-in - Bloom (this music video is incredible, probably the first major portrayal of women's masturbation and a healthy sex positive attitude that is a big FU to conservative culture)
Brown Eyed Girls - Cleansing Cream (very hauntingly beautiful ballad and music video)
Epik High - One (Upbeat rap song about suicide awareness, this narrative follows what happens before someone's last moments in a suicide, complete with a forensics crime scene)
Red Velvet - Peek-A-Boo (I love the vibe of this one, creepy pretty sirens living in the American Horror Story house, with one unsuspecting American pizza boy)
Loona (Chu, feat. Yves) - Heart Attack (This is explicitly very sapphic)
Taeyang (Big Bang)- Wedding Dress (this is so legendary, probably one of the best melodramatic videos about the compulsory heterosexual storyline of 'I should've shot my shot before the girl I was in love with married another guy!! Love the Ne-Yoness of it as well)
Tohoshinki - Doushite (another storyline of that sad comphet marriage storyline, except this is the legendary DBSK, arguably the first kpop mega boy band that disbanded in 2009, they were the first to have simultaneous careers in Korea and Japan)
T-ARA was a kpop girl group with all great songs, that was also known for their ridiculous 12-20 minute drama videos! I love them all though, especially because I like how they weave in other songs throughout the music video, linking them with all with English language fansubs
T-ARA - Day by Day/Sexy Love (post-apocalyptic sapphic-adjacent fantasy warring groups, this is a full 20 minutes)
T-ARA - Cry Cry (melodramatic heist gangster movie)
T-ARA - Roly Poly (this song and visual concept is so good, the whole concept is a take on Saturday Night Live and performing at the big dance floor at the end)
T-ARA - Lovey Dovey (drama version) this is melodrama
T-ARA - Lovey Dovey (7 minute zombie rave drama series) (this is the other version of Lovey Dovey, basically LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem but T-ARA style, so good)
posted by yueliang at 11:33 PM on June 25, 2022
Rina Sawayama - STFU! Queer Asian diaspora women telling orientalizing, fetishizing white men to STFU!!!! Heavy metal with horror and high queer pop girlie glam elements.
Paramore - Rose Colored Boy (fuck toxic positivity!)
LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem
The K-pop videos here being mentioned in the earlier comments are so interesting to me because they are definitely very new, but there's countless gems from the first half of the decade (2009-2016) that are very overlooked in the comments, so I'll share them:
Orange Caramel - Lipstick (three kpop idols try to impress the star table tennis player, hjinks ensue, extremely campy)
Orange Caramel - Catellena (three kpop idols get back in touch with their past lives by eating nigiri sushi)
Ga-in - Bloom (this music video is incredible, probably the first major portrayal of women's masturbation and a healthy sex positive attitude that is a big FU to conservative culture)
Brown Eyed Girls - Cleansing Cream (very hauntingly beautiful ballad and music video)
Epik High - One (Upbeat rap song about suicide awareness, this narrative follows what happens before someone's last moments in a suicide, complete with a forensics crime scene)
Red Velvet - Peek-A-Boo (I love the vibe of this one, creepy pretty sirens living in the American Horror Story house, with one unsuspecting American pizza boy)
Loona (Chu, feat. Yves) - Heart Attack (This is explicitly very sapphic)
Taeyang (Big Bang)- Wedding Dress (this is so legendary, probably one of the best melodramatic videos about the compulsory heterosexual storyline of 'I should've shot my shot before the girl I was in love with married another guy!! Love the Ne-Yoness of it as well)
Tohoshinki - Doushite (another storyline of that sad comphet marriage storyline, except this is the legendary DBSK, arguably the first kpop mega boy band that disbanded in 2009, they were the first to have simultaneous careers in Korea and Japan)
T-ARA was a kpop girl group with all great songs, that was also known for their ridiculous 12-20 minute drama videos! I love them all though, especially because I like how they weave in other songs throughout the music video, linking them with all with English language fansubs
T-ARA - Day by Day/Sexy Love (post-apocalyptic sapphic-adjacent fantasy warring groups, this is a full 20 minutes)
T-ARA - Cry Cry (melodramatic heist gangster movie)
T-ARA - Roly Poly (this song and visual concept is so good, the whole concept is a take on Saturday Night Live and performing at the big dance floor at the end)
T-ARA - Lovey Dovey (drama version) this is melodrama
T-ARA - Lovey Dovey (7 minute zombie rave drama series) (this is the other version of Lovey Dovey, basically LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem but T-ARA style, so good)
posted by yueliang at 11:33 PM on June 25, 2022
My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade (a lovely metaphor for welcoming death and being part of the parade, I was not prepared for the amount of energy at the end)
Blur - The Universal (their take on A Clockwork Orange)
Perfume - Secret Secret (This music video is really interesting, it's a song that was written for a commercial but it ends up being a meta-storyline about Perfume's rise to popularity)
Hikaru Utada - Final Distance (This song is the ballad version of 'Distance' which was written after one of Hikaru Utada's fans died in a murder, I always thought the visuals and the storyline of this very touching)
Utada Hikaru and Sheena Ringo - Nijikan Dake no Vacance (this one is beautiful, these two are some of the top singer-songwriters in Japan and they talk about how they want to take a vacation together and get away from it all, to Jupiter)
posted by yueliang at 12:00 AM on June 26, 2022
Blur - The Universal (their take on A Clockwork Orange)
Perfume - Secret Secret (This music video is really interesting, it's a song that was written for a commercial but it ends up being a meta-storyline about Perfume's rise to popularity)
Hikaru Utada - Final Distance (This song is the ballad version of 'Distance' which was written after one of Hikaru Utada's fans died in a murder, I always thought the visuals and the storyline of this very touching)
Utada Hikaru and Sheena Ringo - Nijikan Dake no Vacance (this one is beautiful, these two are some of the top singer-songwriters in Japan and they talk about how they want to take a vacation together and get away from it all, to Jupiter)
posted by yueliang at 12:00 AM on June 26, 2022
Lee Suhyun (AKMU) - Alien (this music video is so fun too, she's embracing herself being an alien)
posted by yueliang at 12:49 AM on June 26, 2022
posted by yueliang at 12:49 AM on June 26, 2022
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Daniels' Turn Down for What (2014) (DJ Snake, Lil Jon) is back thanks to Everything Everywhere All at Once.
It's probably already on your list, but Beyonce's Formation (2016) always stops my heart.
posted by pjenks at 4:47 PM on June 8, 2022 [3 favorites]