15 Great Music Videos

I would not go so far as to say that these are the greatest music videos of all time. I haven't been up to date on the VH1/MTV/MTV2 world since high school. But these are definitely great videos, and the magic of YouTube (and of our web designer, Dave) allows me to show these within the site.

Despite the fact that MTV no longer plays videos, the medium has advanced far beyond its early stages to the point where almost any band, regardless of budget, can build an innovative visual assist. Take for instance, our first video:

Menomena, "Cough Coughing"

Local Portland band Menomena is building a national following with their groundbreaking computer rock. My favorite aspect of this video is the way the protagonist (we'll call him "Garbage Man") moves across lawns and in and out of houses, complementing the track's hiccuping silkiness. The Garbage Man's throwing montage is also especially arresting. You can find a better quality version here.

Sigur Ros, "Glosoli"

Let's get this straight: a boy marches across the land asking other children to follow him, pulling them from the masks they wear; the rocks they hide behind; from isolation into community; from their man-made worlds (the tower of rocks); from anger (the boys burning the car). The boy leads them to a hill over looking the sea, where they finally throw away all earthly bonds and fly away.

What a beautiful representation of the Gospel.

Outkast, "Hey Ya!"

Andre 3000 manages to mix major hip hop video themes and twist them into something completely new. The bright colors and beautiful women play off Andre's frenetic dance moves. Outkast ambitiously tie themselves to Beatlemania, which was appropriate considering The Love Below's crossover success.

The Verve, "Bittersweet Symphony"

I finished reading The Fountainhead around the time this video came out, and I couldn't help but compare Richard Aschroft's video character to Ayn Rand's hero, Howard Roark. This similarity actually makes me like the video less, but the imagery of a man on a mission, ignoring all else, is refreshing.

Natalie Imbruglia, "Torn"

It's not that this video is all that good. The "behind-the-scenes of a video" cuteness has not aged well.

But try and pull your eyes off the screen when Natalie gets a closeup. Hachi machi!

As hot as Natalie is, it's interesting how the "Torn" video doesn't hold up over time. Imbruglia's grunge act wears annoyingly thin, and the video borrows heavily from another female musician of the time, Lisa Loeb, who's video for "Stay" holds up quite nicely.

For another excellent video featuring this song, click here.

Radiohead, "Just" and "Karma Police"

It wouldn't be possible to have a list of videos and not mention the leaps Radiohead has made in the medium. Both "Just" and "Karma Police" play out like "Twilight Zone" episodes, with "Just" ending in apolocalyptic dread while "Karma Police" offers a glimmer of hope: the pursued man turning the tables against a dangerous authority. Bonus points for how creepy Thom Yorke looks in both videos...it's a twisted pleasure watching him softly mutter "This is what you get", leaning over the front seat.

Paul Simon, "You Can Call Me Al"

This may have been the first music video I ever saw; it's certainly the first to stick in my head. Chevy Chase's reputation as an arrogant ass often belies his role as one of the funniest men of the 80's. What's truly amazing is how this video holds up over time...comedy is a notoriously fickle art form, but Chase's lip-synching combined with Simon's straight man routine work due to their simplicity. This video is filled with little visual gags (pay special attention to Chevy's glass), but the biggest highlight may be Paul Simon's tremendous, burbling bass solo.

Jamiroquai, "Virtual Insanity"

A stunning video: stark colors, and little visual clues (a creeping cockroach or a river of blood, for instance) combine with choreography that seems charmingly impromptu, if a bit unintentionally funny. Jamiroquai received criticism for lifting vocal and music style from Stevie Wonder, which begs the question, "Wouldn't the world be better with more Stevie Wonder music?"

But that begs the question, "'Superstition'-style Stevie or 'Mon Cheri Amour'-style Stevie"?

I prefer the former.

Bjork, "It's Oh So Quiet"

An Icelandic prog-rock goddess plays the lead role in a musical that begins in a tire shop. It all makes perfect sense.

Yo La Tengo, "Sugarcube"

The cast of "Mr. Show" lend a hand in what may be the best comedy video ever made.

U2, "Sweetest Thing"

Along with Radiohead, a video list without U2 would be incomplete. While "Even Better Than The Real Thing", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Lemon" could easily make this list, "The Sweetest Thing" has so much heart that it's difficult to ignore. The video is brilliant from the opening moments when Ali Hewson steps into a handsome cab. For a lead singer infamous for mugging to the cameras, Bono saves some of his best facial expressions for this video. The background is repeatedly entertaining, as well, combining Chippendale dancers, elephants and the big-headed Fly costume with marvelous elan.

Johnny Cash, "Hurt"

You've been under a rock if you haven't seen this yet. A legend's life, his regret and love, wrapped into four stunning minutes.

Regina Spektor, "Us"

Rarely do videos capture a song's essence as well as this one. It's abstraction, beauty and grandiose themes are on display through an oversized piano, Spektor's glimmering eyes and the ancient maps that adorn the walls.

Bob Dylan, "The Making of 'Like a Rolling Stone'"

While not technically a musical video, I thought I'd leave you with my favorite clip from Martin Scorsese's Bob Dylan documentary, "No Direction Home". It's a fascinating look at the creative process behind what is considered one of the greatest songs ever written.