The Top 10 Music Videos of All Time

Time magazine has revealed its list of the top 10 music videos of all time. These are the videos that have changed the way we see music.

Michael Jackson- “Thriller”

“Thriller” is a song recorded by American singer Michael Jackson, composed by Rod Temperton, and produced by Quincy Jones. It is the seventh and final single from his 1982 studio album Thriller. It was released on January 23, 1984, by Epic Records. The song was written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. An accompanying music video was directed by John Landis, who also worked with Jackson on the werewolf-themed “Black or White” two years earlier.

The music video features Jackson starring as a protagonist who transforms into a werewolf and terrorizes a group of people in a small town. In the 12-minute short film directed by Landis, Jackson plays both the main character (Turner) and the werewolf (Jackson). The video features horror film elements and remains one of the most influential music videos of all time. The “Thriller” short film won three MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, including Video of the Year, making Jackson the only artist to win this award more than once.

The song’s popularity remains widespread more than three decades after its release; it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. Rolling Stone placed “Thriller” at number 20 on its list of 100 Greatest Pop Songs since 1963, while Jackson’s estimated sales for Thriller are above 105 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums housing six diamond certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Madonna- “Like a Prayer”

This is one of the most important and influential videos ever made. It completely changed the course of Madonna’s career, and is still considered one of the best music videos of all time. It was directed by Mary Lambert and was released in 1989.

The video caused controversy because of its religious imagery, which some people felt was blasphemous. Madonna defended the video, saying that it was about love and tolerance, not religion.

Despite the controversy, the video was a huge success, and won several awards, including Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Nirvana- “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” might be the most iconic music video of all time. It captures the perfect blend of grunge and pop culture, and it made Kurt Cobain a household name. The video became an instant classic, and it has been watched millions of times since its release.

Queen- “Bohemian Rhapsody”

There is no doubt that “Bohemian Rhapsody” is one of the greatest rock songs of all time, and the music video is just as epic. It was directed by David Mallet and released in 1975, and it features footage of the band performing the song live. The video was an instant hit, and it helped to launch Queen into superstardom.

Guns N’ Roses- “November Rain”

“November Rain” is a song by American rock band Guns N’ Roses, appearing on their 1991 fourth studio album, Use Your Illusion I. Written by lead singer Axl Rose, it was released as a single in 1992. The song is a power ballad that features an orchestral arrangement and rose to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the band’s most successful single and their only top five hit not written by Rose. “November Rain” topped the charts in several other countries and became the longest running gun video of all time.

The music video for “November Rain” was directed by Nigel Dick and released in June 1992. It features Rose marrying his then-girlfriend Stephanie Seymour in front of a crowd at their wedding ceremony, which takes place during a downpour. As the priest pronounces them husband and wife, Seymour’s character unexpectedly dies from a gunshot wound; Rose subsequently mourns her death along with the rest of the guests. The video won two MTV Video Music Awards—Best Cinematography and Best Special Effects—and was nominated for six others, including Video of the Year.

A-ha- “Take On Me”

A-ha is a Norwegian band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band members are Morten Harket (vocals, guitar), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards, guitar) and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitar, keyboards). The group initially rose to fame during the mid-1980s after being discovered by musician and producer John Ratcliff, and had continued global success in the 1990s and 2000s. A-ha achieved their biggest success with their debut album, Hunting High and Low, in 1985; its title track topped the charts in several countries, including the UK.

The music video for “Take On Me” was directed by Steve Barron. The video features a pencil-sketch animation sequence by Mike Patterson and Kolbjørn Engineæter. Barron would later go on to direct another one of the most iconic music videos of all time: Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”

The video tells the story of a young woman named Mia Hytner who is sucked into the world of a comic book by its main character, a young man named Alex Sheppard. In the real world, Mia is in a coffee shop daydreaming while reading one of Alex’s comics when he suddenly appears and convinces her to step inside his sketchbook world. Mia reluctantly agrees, but as she does so she rips the page that he’s on, erasing his lower body. Mia then panickedly tries to escape but ends up getting trapped inside the comic book forever. It’s a classic case of meet cute gone wrong.

Despite its tragic ending, “Take On Me” is one of the most iconic music videos of all time thanks to its ground-breaking animation sequence which was years ahead of its time. The videopowered the song to become a global smash hit, spending an impressive eight weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1985/1986.

Peter Gabriel- “Sledgehammer”

Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” is widely considered to be one of the greatest music videos of all time. The groundbreaking stop-motion animation, which was done entirely with claymation, was inspired by the work of Ray Harryhausen. The video won nine MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year, and was nominated for four Grammy Awards.

Beyonce- “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”

“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” is a song from Beyoncé’s third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008). The song was released as the album’s lead single on October 13, 2008 and serves as the female anthem. The song won three Grammy Awards at the 52nd Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year, making “Single Ladies” only the second single to win all three major categories. Directed by Jake Nava, this now-iconic video features Beyoncé in an all-black outfit dancing with two backup dancers, who are also dressed in all-black. This video is widely credited as helping to popularize the “booty bounce” dance move.

Lady Gaga- “Bad Romance”

“Bad Romance” is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her second studio album, The Fame Monster (2009). It was released as the lead single from the album on October 23, 2009. The song was written and produced by Gaga and RedOne. Lyrically, “Bad Romance” explores Gaga’s attraction to individuals with whom romance never works, her preference for lonely love over companionship, and the paranoia she experiences as a result. Musically, it is a synth-pop and dance-pop song with elements of Germanesque house within its composition. The song’s hook comes courtesy of a buzzing synth sound which shares similarities with a theremin.

The music video for “Bad Romance” was directed by Francis Lawrence and premiered on November 10, 2009. In the video, Gaga appears in several fashion ensembles while singing the song against different backdrops including an underwater scene where she floats in a glass tank filled with water-hose wearing multiple synthetic mermaid tails. Lawrence also incorporated strong elements of surrealism into the video, with references to German Expressionist filmmaker Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis as well as his own film I Am Legend (2007). Other notable features in the video include Ancient Egyptian culture and Celtic mythology. To promote “Bad Romance”, Gaga performed the song on The X Factor UK results show on December 6, 2009; at Alexander McQueen’s 2010 Spring/Summer collection show on October 6, 2009; on December 31 that same year during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve celebration in Times Square; at Brooklyn Academy of Music for Brooklyn magazine in December 2009; as part of her performance at Radio City Music Hall for Fashion Rocks in September 2009; at Madison Square Garden for Z100’s Jingle Ball on December 11; and many more throughout 2010–11

Britney Spears- “…Baby One More Time”

Released in 1998, “…Baby One More Time” was Britney Spears’ debut single, and it quickly propelled her to superstardom. The music video, which featured Spears as a schoolgirl dancing in a provocative outfit, was criticized for its sexualization of minors but was also a huge commercial success, becoming one of the most watched videos of all time.