5 Music Videos That Defined an Artist & 5 We Will Never Watch Again

MsMojo

Do we love these videos? Yes and no... Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the videos that were career highlights and the ones that we want to forget.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to MissMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the videos that were career

00:11highlights, and the ones that we want to forget.

00:22Number 5.

00:23To find an artist, Rhythm Nation, Janet Jackson.

00:26In glorious black and white, Janet Jackson delivers one of her best videos of the late

00:311980s.

00:37This film leaves the decade on a high note, with the singer in one of her most iconic

00:42looks.

00:43The hat and costume have their own power, amplified by the atmospheric warehouse.

00:47In the introduction, the images build with all the tension of a thriller, plus Jackson

00:58and her backup dancers perform laser-precise moves.

01:02The choreography, lighting, and performances all come together for a hypnotic end result.

01:08While the vocalist has many highlights across her career, this video stands as a shining

01:12example of her talent and versatility.

01:22Number 5.

01:23We'll never watch again, Do You Believe in Love?

01:25Huey Lewis and the News.

01:27We're not ones to judge, but we're pretty sure you don't want to spend your nights this

01:31way.

01:38Huey Lewis and the News spend part of this video singing to a sleeping woman.

01:43They crowd around her bed in a sight that's nothing short of creepy.

01:46At one point, the entire group even appears lying next to the love interest.

01:55Lewis and the gang thankfully leave her alone at points, performing in a stage set while

02:00we try screaming at her to hopefully escape, or something.

02:04She's also pretty plain in terms of style, which makes the entire video harder to justify.

02:09Thankfully, for everyone, she does wake up by the end.

02:19Number 4.

02:20Defined an artist, Sledgehammer.

02:22Peter Gabriel.

02:24With its stop-motion wonders, Sledgehammer was an extraordinary hit on MTV.

02:34Peter Gabriel's powerful single received an imaginative video that puts his head through

02:38many scenic backgrounds.

02:40The painstaking effort required to pull it all off doesn't go unnoticed.

02:44In a video that's entirely unique, filmmakers give Gabriel the dreamlike imagery his music

02:49deserves.

02:57He also wraps things up with a dance party for the ages.

03:01It's fun, zany, and full of an endless stream of surprises.

03:05The singer takes us on a non-stop thrill ride, where we uncover new details upon every rewatch.

03:16Number 4.

03:17We'll never watch again.

03:18Get down on it.

03:19Kool and the gang.

03:20It seems that in the early 1980s, Kool and the gang needed a video for this catchy hit,

03:26so we got a piece that defies categorisation.

03:36The band performs their tune, but they multiply in a dizzying special effect.

03:40We aren't doctors, but we recommend you not watch this one if you're prone to motion sickness.

03:52The visuals are basically a cross between pop-up ads and something you'd see when winning

03:56a solitaire game on an old PC.

03:58While the song might be fun, the video is nothing short of an endurance test.

04:02It's also not a good sign that the entire thing looks like a technical mistake.

04:13Number 3.

04:14Define an artist.

04:15All ladies, put a ring on it.

04:17Beyoncé.

04:25The magnetic video for this hit is simple, stylish, and ultimately perfect.

04:30It features Beyoncé and her dancers doing great choreography, while also dressed in

04:34iconic fashion.

04:42Queen Bey raises the bar for others with everything she does, and this is no exception.

04:48She shows that she can sing and dance in a video without anything else to distract us.

04:52Our eyes are focused on an artist in complete control of her art.

04:56With a minimalistic take, Beyoncé turns an anthem into a visually splendid experience.

05:01We simply can't ask for much more than that.

05:11Number 3.

05:13Watch again, Blurred Lines.

05:14Robin Thicke featuring Pharrell and T.I.

05:21What can we say about this video that hasn't already been said?

05:24It's a controversial piece of pop culture that ignited a firestorm of reactions, for

05:29good reason.

05:30Robin Thicke and company dance next to scantily clad women, with an unrated version including

05:36even less clothing.

05:44Blurred Lines already has some lyrics that are widely considered misogynistic, and the

05:48visuals only reinforce the harmful messaging.

05:51Actress Emily Ratajkowska even alleged that Thicke assaulted her during production.

05:55With all of the accusations and scandal surrounding it, the short feels like an overall negative

06:00experience.

06:01Even if it wasn't intended to, it leaves us with a bad aftertaste.

06:12Number 2.

06:13Defined an artist, Vogue.

06:15Madonna.

06:16After becoming one of the biggest pop stars in the world, Madonna arguably pushed her

06:19artistic career to the next level here.

06:26She entered the 1990s with this amazing piece of music history.

06:29Vogue combines fashion, art, and dance into a fantastic mash-up.

06:34Saluting ballroom culture, the singer brings some electric choreography to the mix.

06:38Indeed, she helped introduce the concept of voguing to a mainstream pop audience.

06:50The video itself is nothing short of stylish, coming to life with a killer wardrobe and

06:55epic moves.

06:56Thus, Madonna and director David Fincher make an incredible statement, pushing the

07:00former's career forward.

07:02It's a prime example of a video that amplifies the original track, making you want to watch

07:06along every time you hear the song.

07:15Number 2.

07:16Never watch again, Rock Me Tonight.

07:18Billy Squire.

07:19Rocker Billy Squire is best known for his guitar riffs and hit singles like The Stroke.

07:23The video for Rock Me Tonight, however, puts the emphasis on metaphorical dancing shoes

07:28with mixed results.

07:36It's not exactly the greatest fit for someone outside of the pop arena.

07:40Along with some strange choreography, this concept relies too much on a man that doesn't

07:44appear to be a natural dancer.

07:52The outfit also seems like a far cry from the leather jackets and other clothing that

07:56better represent the genre.

07:58Whether or not this hurts Squire's career as badly as many claim, it still shocks us

08:02to this day.

08:10Number 1.

08:11To find an artist, Thriller.

08:13Michael Jackson.

08:14Few videos are as cinematic or as game-changing as Thriller.

08:25This epic experience could easily have been its own standalone movie, combining genuine

08:30scares and awesome dances.

08:32Michael Jackson's transformation into a zombie is impressive enough, but his classic moves

08:36are timeless.

08:45Director John Landis pulls out all of the stops, crafting an iconic video that's arguably

08:49never been topped.

08:51It's become a nexus point for pop culture, and we can't overstate its tremendous influence

08:55on music.

08:56Jackson's classic album and title track would be incomplete without these exceptional visuals.

09:02Every time we watch the video, we're compelled to get up and dance along.

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09:27Number 1.

09:28Watch again, Blue, Dabba D, Eiffel 65.

09:32The song may be too catchy for its own good, but the video is a terrifying glimpse into

09:361990s technology.

09:44This sci-fi-themed plot follows Blue Aliens interacting with the band.

09:49It might be easy to criticise older visual effects, but this entire concept leaves a

09:53lot to be desired.

09:55When your clip makes Nintendo 64 graphics look good, you know you've done something

09:59wrong.

10:00Plus, there are some fight scenes and action sequences that have us scratching our heads.

10:12Even if the extraterrestrials don't haunt our dreams, they've definitely scared us away

10:16from watching this again.

10:24Did we forget another iconic or less iconic music video?

10:27Let us know in the comments below.

10:54And as always, thanks for watching.

10:55See you next time.

10:56Bye!

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