The Best Heavy Metal Music Videos of the 2000s
Looking for the best heavy metal music videos of the 2000s? Look no further! We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 videos, complete with links so you can watch them for yourself.
Best Heavy Metal Music Videos of the 2000s
The early 2000s were a golden age for heavy metal music videos. With the advent of YouTube, fans had easier access to their favorite band’s music videos, and bands had a new platform to showcase their art. In this article, we’ll take a look at the best heavy metal music videos of the 2000s.
Metallica- “I Disappear” (2000)
METALLICA’s “I Disappear” video was directed by Jonas Akerlund, who also helmed the band’s “Turn the Page” clip, as well as videos for MAROON 5, MADONNA, LADY GAGA and THE ROLLING STONES.
“I Disappear” was one of two new songs recorded by METALLICA for the “Mission: Impossible 2” soundtrack. The track marked the first time in eight years that the entire band — James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo — had written a song together.
The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Metal Performance at the 2001 ceremony.
Slipknot- “Wait and Bleed” (1999)
Released in 1999, “Wait and Bleed” was the first single off of Slipknot’s self-titled debut album. The song quickly gained popularity, eventually reaching #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. The music video for “Wait and Bleed” was directed by Otto Sabatini, and it won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Metal/Hard Rock Video in 2000. The video features the band performing in a dark room covered in blood, with close-ups of the members’ faces interspersed throughout.
System of a Down- “Chop Suey!” (2001)
System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” was one of the most popular metal songs of the early 2000s, and its accompanying music video was just as iconic. The video features the band performing in a caged-in area while various images and footage are projected onto them. The visuals range from war footage to images of animals being slaughtered, and they all contribute to the song’s overall themes of anger and frustration. “Chop Suey!” is a powerful and brutal song, and its music video is a perfect visual accompaniment.
Avenged Sevenfold- “Bat Country” (2005)
Avenged Sevenfold’s “Bat Country” is one of the best heavy metal music videos of the 2000s. It tells the story of a man who has gone insane and is now living in a world populated by bats. The video features some great acting by lead singer M. Shadows and awesome special effects.
Tool- “Parabola” (2002)
Tool is one of the most popular and influential metal bands of the past two decades, and “Parabola” is one of their best-known and most-loved songs. The song is a perfect example of the band’s unique sound, blending heaviness, melody, and atmosphere in a way that few other bands can match. The video is just as iconic as the song, featuring the band performing in a surreal, otherworldly landscape. It’s a must-watch for any fan of metal music.
Honorable Mentions
These five metal videos may not have made our top 10 list, but they’re still some of the best the 2000s had to offer.
Mudvayne- “Dig” (2000)
“Dig” is the first single from American heavy metal band Mudvayne’s debut album L.D. 50. The music video was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards. The video features the band performing in a construction site where “Murder, Inc.” is taking place.
Linkin Park- “In the End” (2001)
“In the End” is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. It was released as the lead single from their debut album Hybrid Theory (2000) and was a commercial success, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, while also reaching the top ten in many other countries. The song’s music video, directed by Nathan “Karma” Cox and Joe Hahn, features the band in a fantasy world populated by puppets created by director Marianne Notz.
The video was nominated for Best Rock Video at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost to Linkin Park’s second single “Papercut”. It did, however, win Best Editing in a Video at the 2002 MTV2 Awards. In 2009, it was voted number one on Kerrang! TV’s The Greatest Music Videos of All Time poll.
Godsmack- “Awake” (2000)
Godsmack’s Awake was one of the most well-received metal videos of the early 2000s. The video featured the band performing in a dark forest as well as being intercut with shots of them walking through a dark and foggy forest. This video set the tone for many of Godsmack’s future videos.
The video was directed by Nathan “Karma” Cox and it won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Metal/Hard Rock Video in 2001.
Disturbed- “Down with the Sickness” (2000)
The group’s third single, “Down with the Sickness”, became their breakout hit, peaking at number 11 on the Mainstream Rock chart and number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. The success of “Down with the Sickness” helped propel their debut album, The Sickness, to platinum status.
Papa Roach- “Last Resort” (2000)
Papa Roach’s breakout hit, “Last Resort,” was also one of the first great heavy metal music videos of the 2000s. The video, which features the band performing in a demolition derby while surrounded by an angry mob, perfectly captures the chaos and aggression of the song.
