The Best Indie Rock Music Videos of 2014

Looking for the best indie rock music videos of 2014? Look no further! We’ve compiled a list of our favorites, including videos from Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire, and more.

The National- “I Need My Girl”

“I Need My Girl” is a song by American indie rock band The National, from their sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me (2013). The song was released as the third single from the album on April 15, 2014.

The song was written by Aaron Dessner and Matthew Berninger. Speaking to Pitchfork, Dessner said that the song is “about the distance between two people when one of them is touring.” He added: “It’s about longing for somebody and feeling kind of jealous about all of the attention that person is getting from lots of other people. It’s hard being on tour and missing somebody at home.”

The music video for “I Need My Girl” was directed by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and released on May 6, 2014. It features a stop-motion animation of a paper puppet version of Berninger walking through New York City.

The War on Drugs- “Red Eyes”

The War on Drugs is an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 2005. The band consists of Adam Granduciel (vocals, guitar), David Hartley (bass), Robbie Bennett (keyboards), Charlie Hall (drums), Jon Natchez (saxophone, keyboards) and Anthony LaMarca (guitar). Frontman Adam Granduciel has said that the name of the band refers not to drug use but rather the “uselessness of the War on Drugs”.

“Red Eyes” is a song by The War on Drugs, released as the lead single from their third studio album Lost in the Dream. Written by frontman Adam Granduciel, the song was recorded over a period of two years in various studios throughout North America.

Arcade Fire- “We Exist”

Arcade Fire released the song “We Exist” ahead of their album Reflektor, and the song quickly sparked conversation because of its anthemic power and because it’s one of the first popular songs to explicitly address transgender issues. The music video, which was directed by David Wilson, amplifies the song’s message with a story about a young man who is struggling with his identity and trying to find his place in the world.

The video follows the main character as he travels to a small town, where he is met with hostility and violence. But despite the challenges he faces, he perseveres and ultimately finds acceptance from an unlikely source. “We Exist” is a powerful song about finding your own identity and being true to yourself, and the video does an excellent job of bringing those sentiments to life.

Hozier- “Take Me to Church”

Irish singer/songwriter Hozier hit the scene in a big way with his breakout single “Take Me to Church.” The song, which bemoans the negative aspects of organized religion, became an unlikely anthem for the LGBT community, particularly in light of its pro-LGBT video. The black-and-white clip features a gay couple forced to deal with violence and intolerance in their small town.

Spoon- “Do You”

Spoon’s video for “Do You” is a perfect example of an indie rock music video done right. The video is well shot, edited, and features the band performing in a variety of settings. The overall look and feel of the video fits the song perfectly, and it’s clear that a lot of thought went into its creation. It’s a great example of how a simple concept can be executed flawlessly, and it’s one of the best indie rock music videos of 2014.

Jack White- “Lazaretto”

Dir: Ben Swank & J Roy Lott
Cinematography: Brandon Rothrock
Winner of Best Music Video at the UKMVAs, Jack White’s “Lazaretto” was one of the most visually arresting videos of 2014. Shot entirely in black and white, the video features White as a nattily dressed zombie who arises from his grave and wanders through a carnival, encountering all sorts of freaks and geeks along the way. The result is a feast for the eyes that perfectly suits White’s genre-defying song.

Beck- “Blue Moon”

Beck’s “Blue Moon” might just be the best indie rock music video of 2014. The song is taken from Beck’s newest album, Morning Phase, and the video was directed by Hiro Murai, who has also helmed videos for Flying Lotus and Earl Sweatshirt.

The video stars Beck as a man who is down on his luck and decides to rob a bank. He enlists the help of his friends, and they successfully pull off the robbery. However, things quickly go awry, and Beck finds himself on the run from the police. He eventually makes his way to a secluded cabin in the woods, where he meets a strange woman (played by Lynch) who seems to have some sort of magical powers.

The video is visually stunning, and the acting by both Beck and Lynch is top-notch. It’s a dark and twisty tale that perfectly compliments the moody tones of the song. If you’re a fan of either Beck orMurathen this video is definitely worth checking out.

St. Vincent- “Digital Witness”

Directed by one of America’s most interesting auteurs, St. Vincent’s “Digital Witness” is a perfect video for our time: funny, sad, and ultimately a little chilling. The song is off of her self-titled fourth album, which is one of the best indie rock albums of 2014.

The Black Keys- “Fever”

The Black Keys are an American rock band formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums). The duo began as an independent act, self-releasing their first album, The Big Come Up, in 2002. They rose to prominence in the early 2010s with their breakthrough album Brothers, which along with its popular single “Tighten Up”, won three Grammy Awards. Their 2011 follow-up El Camino received strong reviews and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. After a five-year hiatus, they released their eighth album, Turn Blue, in 2014.
“Fever” is a song by American rock band The Black Keys. It was released on March 25, 2014 as the second single from their eighth studio album Turn Blue. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and number 16 on the Billboard Rock Songs chart.

The music video for “Fever” was directed by Theo Wenner and features actor Michael B. Jordan. In the black-and-white clip, Jordan plays a man who is haunted by visions of his past loves.

Broken Bells- “Leave It Alone”

Broken Bells is an American indie rock duo which formed in 2009, consisting of artist-producer Danger Mouse (Brian Joseph Burton) and singer-guitarist James Mercer of the indie rock band The Shins. Broken Bells released their self-titled debut album on March 9, 2010. A new single “Leave It Alone” off their forthcoming album After the Disco was revealed today along with an inventive and stylish stop-motion lyric video by Robert Hales that’s a definite homage to the work of David Bowie and Mick Rock from the early ’70s.