- 3 months ago
From groundbreaking animation to revolutionary choreography, these music videos changed the cultural landscape forever! Join us as we count down the most influential and visually stunning music videos in history. Our list spans from MTV's very first broadcast to modern viral sensations that redefined what music videos could accomplish.
Category
🎵
MusicTranscript
00:00I want a single lady! I want a single lady! I want a single lady! I want a single lady!
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most well-known, influential, and culturally significant music videos.
00:12But I've read this script in a costume film, so I play my part.
00:20Number 20. Video Killed the Radio Star, The Buggles.
00:24I heard you on the wireless back in 52, lying awake intently tuning in on you.
00:31What better place to start than at the beginning?
00:33Aside from being the earliest entry on our list, this was MTV's first ever music video airing on the channel at just after midnight on August 1st, 1981.
00:42The video opens with a young girl tuning a radio, then switches between shots of the band performing, and a number of radios meeting their untimely end.
00:50In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind, we've gone too far.
00:57While its atmosphere would best be described as fun, campy sci-fi, the video apparently received criticism for smashing a television, something that would now just be called having a bad day at the office.
01:07Around two decades after its premiere, Video Killed the Radio Star had the distinction of being MTV's one millionth music video.
01:14Video Killed the Radio Star, Video Killed the Radio Star.
01:22Number 19. Baby One More Time, Britney Spears.
01:25Okay, be honest. How many of you immediately started singing this one when the title card came on?
01:39Baby One More Time is one of Britney Spears' most iconic songs, and the music video doesn't disappoint.
01:44Directed by Nigel Dick, it has Spears executing multiple dances and gymnastic routines in different parts of a school.
01:51A hallway, a car, and a gymnasium.
01:59Spears herself was heavily involved in the making of the video, vetoing its original cartoon theme, suggesting the school setting, and picking out the now famous schoolgirl outfit.
02:08Give me a sign.
02:12Hit me baby one more time.
02:15The video won multiple MTV Video Music Awards, and made it to Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Music Videos list.
02:21Now, excuse us while we go and play it back one more time.
02:24Hit me baby one more time.
02:27The night only next comes in me.
02:31Number 18. Losing My Religion, R.E.M.
02:34The video for R.E.M.'s most successful single was directed by Tarsem, and draws on a number of religious and literary references.
02:50It features R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe lip-syncing and dancing in a dark room, a jug of milk on the windowsill.
02:56The other band members appear in the background, interspersed with people dressed as religious figures, usually angels.
03:08The video was the talk of the town at the 1991 MTV VMAs, winning six of its nine nominations, including Video of the Year and Breakthrough Video.
03:16I thought that I heard you laughing.
03:20I thought that I heard you sing.
03:24It also took home the 1992 Grammy Award for short form music video.
03:28That was just a dream.
03:31Just a dream.
03:33Just a dream.
03:35Dream.
03:36Number 17. Here It Goes Again.
03:38OK Go.
03:39It could be time but then again, I can't remember half an hour since I got to the boat.
03:45This video feels like a field trip or a fun day out.
03:49Four friends hit the gym, but instead of exercising, they just start jumping up and down the treadmills.
03:54Of course, it wasn't quite that simple.
03:56Just when you think you ain't the dog.
03:59Just when you think you gotta hug.
04:01Just when you get hug.
04:02Taking a break from their Oh No album tour, it took OK Go 2-3 days and 17 tries to successfully film this video, with a budget of only $4,000.
04:12Fearing it would harm their reputation, they kept it hidden for over a year, before uploading it to YouTube in 2006.
04:19Turns out, they didn't need to worry.
04:21Not only did the video win a Grammy in 2007, but it was also immensely popular and celebrated for its creativity, garnering over 67 million views on YouTube.
04:30Number 16, Nothing Compares to You, Sinead O'Connor.
04:39Making a music video by essentially zooming in on the artist's face for five minutes is probably not a great idea in most cases.
04:52But this entry is the exception that proves the rule.
04:55Cause nothing compares
04:59Sinead O'Connor's emotional performance pulls you in from the very first frame.
05:04You're unable to look away as she takes you through her journey of longing.
05:08And those final tears deliver a lingering gut punch to your soul.
05:13Nothing compares to you
05:16We can still feel it, even though it's been 7 hours and 15 days since we last saw it.
05:21The video premiered on MTV in January 1990, to wide-ranging fanfare, awards recognition, and even a satirical parody.
05:36Number 15, Single Ladies, Put a Ring On It, Beyonce.
05:46If there was ever a video that demonstrates the power of simplicity, it's this one.
05:50Shot in black and white, it's just Beyonce with a bionically enhanced arm and two backup dancers.
05:56Despite this, it is considered one of Beyonce's most iconic videos, spawning many tributes and fan parodies.
06:02The video popularized the J-setting choreography it used, and received countless accolades, including the 2009 MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.
06:17Beyonce has also found success with some of her high-production music videos.
06:21Her 2016 video for Formation received high praise for its portrayal of African-American women, and references to Black Lives Matter.
06:29Rolling Stone even named it the number one music video of all time in 2021.
06:33I see it, I want it, I sun-yellow, I want it, I scream it, I work hard, I want it till I own it.
06:41Number 14, Waterfalls, TLC.
06:44Filmed at Universal Studios over two days, this video closely follows the song's social themes and lyrics.
06:57In one story, a young man neglects to heed his mother's warnings, and is slain in a drug deal gone awry.
07:03In another, a woman and her partner forego protection while intimate, and presumably pass away due to AIDS.
07:09Go, go, chase in the waterfalls.
07:13Interspersed between the two stories is the well-known footage of TLC performing under the waterfall, or on the sea.
07:20TLC reportedly had to work hard to convince their label, Arista Records, to promote the song, or pay for the video.
07:26I seen a rainbow yesterday, but too many stones I'm coming for, and leave in a drink, so not one die again.
07:32Their efforts paid off, however, when it made them the first African-American artists to win the MTV Video Music Award,
07:39for Video of the Year.
07:46Number 13, November Rain, Guns N' Roses.
07:58Reportedly inspired by a short story from author and musician Del James, this entry feels more like a short film than a music video.
08:04Lead vocalist Axl Rose stars as a man marrying his girlfriend in the desert, before she eventually takes her own life.
08:18The video's grand, and often haunting cinematography, fits right in with the song's instrumentals,
08:24and is complimented by footage of a live performance of the song.
08:36It made it onto the list of most expensive music videos ever made, and was one of the first from the 20th century to hit a billion views.
08:43Number 12, Bad Romance, Lady Gaga.
08:58100 years from now, if someone were to unlock the Lady Gaga time capsule,
09:02we're pretty confident this video will be one of the first things they would see.
09:05Directed by Frances Lawrence, the Bad Romance video was released in November 2009 to high praise.
09:16Gaga herself was heavily involved in the production of the video that showcased her unique brilliance.
09:20It's distinct visuals, eccentric fashion choices, and bold dance routines drew comparison to Blade Runner, Michael Jackson, and Stanley Kubrick.
09:38It's trafficking center plot and themes of abuse and exploitation inspired a wide discourse on Lady Gaga's career development,
09:45and the media's treatment of female artists.
09:47I want your loving, I want your revenge, you and me, you could ride a barrel of my hair.
09:54Number 11, Freedom 90, George Michael.
09:59I won't let you down, I will not give you up.
10:04In 1990, George Michael had one of the world's hottest songs,
10:08but was hesitant to film a music video due to his recent distaste for cameras.
10:11He eventually relented, but opted out of starring in the video himself.
10:15Instead, he brought British Vogue's January 1990 cover to life, hiring its subjects as the video's main stars.
10:22I think there's something you should know, I think it's time I told you so, there's something deep inside of me.
10:30The video was directed by David Fincher, and has the models lounging around an abandoned building, with various objects set ablaze.
10:36This was actually one of the first time supermodels appeared in a music video, not as love interests.
10:41Freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom.
10:48Freedom 90 received heavy airplay on MTV, and was referenced a number of times in pop culture,
10:54including a Robbie Williams cover, and on the Spike show, Lip Sync Battle.
10:58All we had to see, is that I don't belong to you, and you don't belong to me.
11:08Number 10, California Love, Tupac featuring Dr. Dre.
11:12This one is for the hip-hop fans, and the Mad Max lovers.
11:28Released in 1995 as part of Tupac's comeback, California Love is a post-apocalyptic love letter to the state,
11:34from the minds of Hype Williams, Tupac, and Dr. Dre, with a concept from Jada Pinkett-Smith.
11:45Clocking in at nearly 7 minutes, the video is a star-studded affair that also features Roger Troutman, Chris Tucker, and Clifton Powell.
11:53It was filmed in El Mirage in California, and by all accounts, filming the video was every bit as adventurous as in subject matter.
12:08The result is one of hip-hop's most entertaining and memorable music videos,
12:12that took home the 1996 Mobile Award for Best Video.
12:15Number 9, Sabotage, Beastie Boys
12:27Crazy Cops Gone on a Rampage is exactly what you would expect from the group that defended everyone's right to party.
12:40Sabotage is 3 minutes of pure, unadulterated chaos, as the mustachioed Beastie Boys run around in absurd costumes, and solve a criminal case.
12:56Directed by Spike Jonze, it drew inspiration from 70s crime action TV shows.
13:01And yes, there is a terrible CGI explosion, and a guy who gets thrown off a bridge.
13:05Its humorous entertainment value earned it several nods during awards season,
13:09and it has been credited with inspiring The Lonely Island, and elements of the movie's Trainspotting and Anchorman.
13:16Boy, that escalated quickly.
13:19Number 8, Rhythm Nation, Janet Jackson
13:22Five, four, three, two, one
13:29As its name suggests, this video is chock-full of rhythm, but it's also a call to action.
13:34A young man is in despair in a post-apocalyptic factory, when his attention is drawn by something nearby.
13:40He comes to find Janet Jackson and her dancers, executing a number of choreographed routines.
13:50To advance the video's themes of racial and gender equality, it was shot in black and white,
13:55with the dancers wearing matching unisex military uniforms.
13:58Despite initial pushback from her label, this quickly became one of Jackson's most popular videos.
14:11It received heaps of praise from critics, and was called the gold standard for dystopian dance pop music videos by Rolling Stone.
14:18We are a part of the Rhythm Nation
14:22Number 7, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana
14:26This video opens with Nirvana performing to a gymnasium of rather uninterested high school students,
14:40with things getting more chaotic as the song progresses.
14:42In the end, are close-ups of an increasingly distressed Kurt Cobain, as total bedlam ensues.
14:48Cobain himself was responsible for the final cut, which conveys all the punk angst and sentimentality one would expect from Nirvana.
15:03Upon release, the video played heavily on MTV, and was credited with helping the channel reinvent itself.
15:09At one point, it broke the Guinness World Record for most played music video on MTV Europe,
15:21and is now a member of the exclusive 2 billion views club.
15:24It has since been referenced in other music videos, including Weird Al Yankovic's parody, Smells Like Nirvana.
15:30Number 6, This Is America, Childish Gambino
15:40If you ask 10 people what America is to them, you will likely get 10 different answers.
15:52Childish Gambino gave us his answer in 2018.
15:54The video for This Is America was directed by Hiro Murai, and paints a portrait of life for African Americans,
16:01both historically and in contemporary America.
16:03This is America, don't catch you slipping now, don't catch you slipping now.
16:09It is full of references to elements of African culture, such as the Guara Guara,
16:14and issues impacting the African American community, like gun violence and incarceration.
16:19The video was released to critical acclaim, with individuals and pundits pouring over every
16:24word and image to attempt to decipher its meaning.
16:27The final shot of Gambino running in fear leaves the viewer wondering, will African Americans
16:38ever escape the shackles of racism and white supremacy?
16:41Number 5, Hurt, Johnny Cash
16:51This was originally a Nine Inch Nails song, but we're going to focus on the video for the
17:002002 Johnny Cash cover.
17:02It opens with Cash dressed all in black, playing guitar and piano, before shifting to a montage
17:07of various stages of his life.
17:09The video explored themes of human futility, with Cash's intimate and chilling performance
17:23giving the viewers goosebumps.
17:24His poor health during filming meant that he was often emulating the song's lyrics throughout
17:28his performance.
17:29Everyone I know goes away in the end.
17:38This was Cash's final music video.
17:40It was a critical success, ranked the greatest of all time by NME, and holds the second spot
17:46on Rolling Stone's The 100 Greatest Music Videos list.
17:49Number 4, Vogue, Madonna
17:59Strike the pose
18:02Few artists have released music videos as impactful as those of Madonna.
18:09Her 1989 video for Like a Prayer stunned the world with its provocative religious imagery.
18:15The next year, she teamed up with regular collaborator David Fincher to deliver the spectacle that
18:20was Vogue.
18:21Look around, everywhere you turn is heartache, it's everywhere that you go.
18:28Shot in black and white, it has a static feel, taking inspiration from various renowned photographers
18:33and heavily emphasizing the choreography.
18:36It received high critical acclaim, citing both its elegance and edginess, with many calling
18:41it one of Madonna's finest career moments.
18:43Come on, go, let your body move to the music.
18:50Aside from winning numerous awards and accolades, the video remains an enduring symbol of pop culture,
18:55decades after its original release.
18:58After all, we can expect nothing less from Billboard's greatest music video artist of all time.
19:02Number 3, Sledgehammer
19:17If you are looking for one place to find dancing headless chickens, trains, fruits, and an absolute
19:24masterclass in animation, this video is it.
19:27Directed by Steven Johnson, Sledgehammer does not have any coherent storyline.
19:39It's simply Peter Gabriel, or sometimes just his head, dancing around whatever the animators
19:43could conjure.
19:44It's simple concept, however, belies the over 100 hours of effort that went into it.
19:57Just one scene required Gabriel to lie under a pane of glass for 16 hours.
20:01The hard work paid off, though, as Sledgehammer swept the 1987 BMAs, winning 9 awards, the
20:07most of any single video as of 2025.
20:10You better call the Sledgehammer.
20:15It is MTV's most played music video globally, and regularly tops greatest music video lists.
20:21I'm gonna build that power, build me up that power.
20:26Number 2, Take On Me, A-Ha
20:35This 1980 smash hit actually has two music videos, and it is the second that is by far
20:40the more popular of the two.
20:41Tapping into our universal desire to be heroes of our own story, the video's heroine is having
20:46an otherwise ordinary evening sipping coffee when she's thrust into the comic book she
20:50was reading.
20:57Using a combination of animation and live action, the video takes you through her journey as she
21:02encounters motorcycle chases and pipe wrench-wielding villains.
21:12She eventually returns to the coffee shop and Leia reunites with her comic book partner, played
21:16by A-Ha frontman Morton Harkett.
21:18The video has garnered over 2 billion views and has been widely referenced in pop culture,
21:23inspiring commercials and popular television shows.
21:32Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
21:36about our latest videos.
21:38You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
21:42If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
21:46It's no surprise the king of pop tops this list.
22:00The video for Scream, his 1995 collaboration with sister Janet Jackson, was a smash hit that
22:06inspired other artists.
22:07The Billie Jean video tore down racial barriers when it was one of MTV's first videos from
22:12an African American artist in 1983, but it was the video for his masterpiece Thriller that
22:18became a pop culture phenomenon, elevating Jackson to the next level of stardom.
22:22It's zombie dance is a Halloween staple, commonly recreated during parties, dance events, and even
22:35weddings.
22:35It has been frequently called the most famous or greatest music video of all time, and was
22:47the first selected by the Library of Congress for addition to the National Film Registry in 2009.
23:00Which of these creative masterpieces is your favorite?
23:02What other videos should have been on this list?
23:04Let us know in the comments below!
Comments