95 replies to this topic

[Oikaze]

After reviewing the lists of others (e.g. Time Magazine) and watching a lot of music videos, I decided on the list below, based on both the video AND the music, treating the two as inseparable parts of the overall experience. Making such a list is, of course, daunting, since music videos are made in many languages and nearly every genre and, of course, some like the polished mainstream style, while others prefer an "indie" approach that eschews glamour. Bearing all of that in mind, I think all of the music videos below are great and well worth watching and listening to.

You might wonder why I included no H!P or other idol videos, which are in no way "disqualified". Well, being as objective as is possible about such matters, I recognize that the people who make idol music videos are focused mainly on mass producing videos in a strictly commercial context as just another way of marketing their idols (which is, of course, no different from a lot of Western pop videos), so their videos are seldom on the level of videos of artists who have the time for personal expression and/or perfection of their craft.

Without further ado, this is my top ten, complete with links:

10. "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain (1998)
9. "Bother" by Stone Sour (2003)
8. "Criminal" by Fiona Apple (1997)
7. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash (2003)
6. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana (1991)
5. "Vogue" by Madonna (1990)
4. "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson (1988)
3. "Just" by Radiohead (1995)
2. "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor (1990)
1. "Thriller" by Michael Jackson (1984)

So what music videos, taking into account both the music and the visual aspect, do you think are the greatest ever, regardless of language, nationality or genre? Idol videos, including H!P videos, DO count, moreover.

[I ♥ Miyoshi Ayaka]

I love "Thriller" too. However, the album was released in 1982, and the video is © 1983.

Here's my favorite song and video by Slayer, "Seasons In The Abyss" (1990). I'm fascinated by Egypt, the pyramids and the Sphinx, so this video is up my alley. Notice that sand falls off Dave Lombardo's cymbal in the beginning when he hits it. Also note that the screen aspect ratio changes in the middle of the video. I love playing air guitar during Jeff Hanneman's solo!

[Cio'24]

'nuff said

[Oikaze]

^
^ True... since the copyright dates on YouTube are often too late (meaning someone has "re"-copyrighted the video), I just went by single release dates.

[kantutanTayo14]

You might wonder why I included no H!P or other idol videos, which are in no way "disqualified". Well, being as objective as is possible about such matters, I recognize that the people who make idol music videos are focused mainly on mass producing videos in a strictly commercial context as just another way of marketing their idols (which is, of course, no different from a lot of Western pop videos), so their videos are seldom on the level of videos of artists who have the time for personal expression and/or perfection of their craft.

So what music videos, taking into account both the music and the visual aspect, do you think are the greatest ever, regardless of language, nationality or genre? Idol videos, including H!P videos, DO count, moreover.

But Buono's My Boy is the best MV in the universe!

Being a MV that's in a strictly commercial context as just another way of marketing the idols doesn't make it less of an artistic masterpiece

e.g. 1 Romans My Dear Boy - MM

e.g. 2 3,2,1 Breakin' Out - MM

[airinokappa]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmndV5ZtNiM&feature=related

....oh sorry, this was a serious topic

Hmm so, because they made me laugh, cry, because they just need to be known :
Haru Haru from BIG BANG.
Be my side from David Choi.
The show must go on from Queen.
Never let you go by 2AM.
Love Song by BIG BANG.
Wasurenaiyo by Aoyama Teruma.
Shampoo by After School.
The rescue by Tyler Ward.
Nomi sugin nayo ~ Yaaaah bababai ~ From Ano HUMPTY.
Rockstar by Nickelback.
Gotta be Somebody by Nickelback.
When you're gone by Avril Lavigne.
Lucifer from SHINee.

And since we speak about music videos and not the talent of the singer/my personal tastes, here's Firework by Katy Perry.

This one is sincerely emotive, I cried as a fool, so don't watch sensible people.
Because I'm a girl from Kiss (Korean group)

And some that I actually forgot to put probably. And so yeah, no H!P for me, never saw any "breathtaking" MV from Idols. MVs that I like yeah, but MVs that are absolutely worked and such no, sorry. *oooh I'm such a bad fan*

[chuxnon]

-here comes my idol-biased self-

and Suki-chan. Bijin mama.

[ｍｉｃｃｈｉｐｙｏｎ☆]

Okay... here comes my list.
(not in any order)

RIVER - AKB47
Ponytail to Shushu - AKB48
Everyday, Kachuusha - AKB48
10nen Zakura - AKB48
Flying Get - AKB48
Beginner (the original ver.) - AKB48
Jumping - KARA
0330 - U-Kiss
Shut Up - U-Kiss (okay... i'm just u-kiss biased too much. XDD but this mv is still awesome. XDD especially for the fangirls. )
Run Devil Run (Story ver.) - SNSD
Genie - SNSD
MAX! Otome Kokoro - SUPER GiRLS


And there's still maany more. I'm too lazy to list all And I'm biased with those all, yes.

[Pukovnik Krv]

This takes the cake for silliness

[Oikaze]

^ That is bad, but I know a video that makes it look like a masterpiece by comparison... for those who haven't seen it, this is, without any question, the worst music video of all time.

[matt9210]

I expected it, but I think it's hilarious how any H!P PV could be considered one of the best music videos of all time. Don't get me wrong, there are quite a lot of H!P PVs I like. But to consider any of them one of the best music videos ever made?

Nice No. 1 Oikaze

I'll post some videos when I'm not on my iPod

[Glasseyelashes]

here's my list of my favorite "greatest music videos ever"

1. earth song - michael jackson. (imo, the best song of his, ever)
2. stay - shakespeare's sister (had the HUGEST crush on them both!)
3. dirty diana - michael jackson
4. november rain - guns n roses
5. anything by deep forest.
6. they don't care about us - michael jackson
7. rhythm nation - janet jackson
8. scream - janet jackson and michael jackson
9. like a prayer - madonna (one of my all-time favorite songs)
10. ice ice baby - vanilla ice ( )

i was biased and chose (some of) my favorite artists from back in the day. they COULD be considered "greatest music videos ever" but to me, they were great. these artists hit me like no one else. they had an impact in my life that i still feel today.

[Tony Oguri]

AKB48's Heavy Rotation

[I ♥ Miyoshi Ayaka]

Alan Parsons Project was cool for many reasons. Here's my number one reason.

Spoiler

P.S., I know all the lyrics.

[Aly B]

@GEL I absolutely love your list! Except Vanilla Ice... that was random. lol. But to each his own, right?

I think anyone who loves pop music really ought to recognize that just about every video Michael Jackson ever made out-does pretty much every other pop artist in the universe. He was simply born to be an entertainer, and entertain us, he did. Many artists copy his ideas and advance on his foundation, but he did it first, and he did it best.

Now that my fan-girling is over, I'll post a couple videos. Both have already been mentioned.




These are just my top two.

Sorry, but in my opinion, the GREATEST music videos ever made, were all MJ's. At least to me, anyways.

[Glasseyelashes]

^ oh, i was totally kidding with the "ice ice baby". and i totally agree, michael jackson was amazing. i listened to his music as a kid, from the early 80s, till now. your picks there are awesome! i love his intensity. there isn't anyone who can top that. i don't know if you saw it, but last year(?) there as an awards show (i believe it was the american music awards) where several music artists sang "earth song", and the video behind them was in 3D. i loved their rendition, but it was so much better when michael did it. i still can't watch that video without crying.


oh, and i wanted to add "girls just wanna have fun" by cyndi lauper to that list. really, anything she did was awesome. i loved it all. i love her just as much as i do morning musume. she's amazing, quirky, funny, and super cute! i remember she'd come to my home town for a concert, and i desperately wanted to go, but i had no cash. i remember crying because of that. imagine, a 30 something woman, crying because she can't go to a concert. sad isn't it?

[Oikaze]

^
^ If you can fangirl, then I'll do a bit of fanboying.



Vintage Gwen Stefani... What can I say? It's all in the video... a blonde angel, sorrowful but brave, intelligently expressing her feelings... cool enough to hang out with the boys yet gracefully feminine, possessing the physique of a goddess and a voice that soothes the soul... Did I mention I like Gwen Stefani?

The parts where she is on stage in that yellow shirt... it's beyond nosebleeding... it's just awe one feels when looking at perfection one can scarcely believe is real. Sheesh, I'm like Eeyore about Ai-chan.

[Glasseyelashes]

^ what was nice about her, was she wasn't super skinny, yet she showed her curves proudly. to much these days, it's all about who's thinnest, or who's most fit. i wish we could go back to not caring. just doing.

[Oikaze]

^ I look at her and think she has a gorgeous physique. Gwen Stefani felt a little embarrassed about the stage scenes (not because of her curves but just because she felt a bit "overexposed"), but she was told to leave the scenes in because "that's all the guys at work are talking about". Any guy in his right mind would adore such a body... I think the "skinny" craze is mainly from the fashion industry: It's easier to design clothing for skinny models because they are all the same physically. Then girls copy the models and it spreads as a cultural disease.

Anyhow, more honorable mentions...

[kantutanTayo14]

So what music videos, taking into account both the music and the visual aspect,

Not exactly the greatest ever, but what about the book part in MM's I Wish? So artistically well it invokes the emotions