in the decade that saw the creation of MTV these were the records that really
MTV these were the records that really
MTV these were the records that really made the most of the newfangled music
made the most of the newfangled music
made the most of the newfangled music video format welcome to watchmojo.com
video format welcome to watchmojo.com
video format welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our
and today we’ll be counting down our
and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top ten decade defining
picks for the top ten decade defining
picks for the top ten decade defining music videos of the 1980s for this list
music videos of the 1980s for this list
music videos of the 1980s for this list we’ve ranked the most popular most
we’ve ranked the most popular most
we’ve ranked the most popular most iconic music videos and those that best
iconic music videos and those that best
iconic music videos and those that best represent the 1980s in general there are
represent the 1980s in general there are
represent the 1980s in general there are no criteria limitations in terms of
no criteria limitations in terms of
no criteria limitations in terms of genre although only one video per act is
genre although only one video per act is
genre although only one video per act is allowed this is part of a series of
allowed this is part of a series of
allowed this is part of a series of video spanning the decades from the
video spanning the decades from the
video spanning the decades from the 1980s and beyond
number 10 faith George Michael I guess
number 10 faith George Michael I guess it would be nice George Michael flies
it would be nice George Michael flies
it would be nice George Michael flies solo to kick things off although he
solo to kick things off although he
solo to kick things off although he almost made the cut with Wham and the
almost made the cut with Wham and the
almost made the cut with Wham and the dance-pop anthem wake me up before you
dance-pop anthem wake me up before you
dance-pop anthem wake me up before you go go go but we put our faith in faith
go go go but we put our faith in faith
go go go but we put our faith in faith and all it’s leather jacket and shiny
and all it’s leather jacket and shiny
and all it’s leather jacket and shiny shoe glory cuz I gotta have faith in
shoe glory cuz I gotta have faith in
shoe glory cuz I gotta have faith in this video Michaels unforgettable getup
this video Michaels unforgettable getup
this video Michaels unforgettable getup is often copied but never bettered as
is often copied but never bettered as
is often copied but never bettered as the smartly edited close-up suggests
the smartly edited close-up suggests
the smartly edited close-up suggests it’s the expertly accessorized details
it’s the expertly accessorized details
it’s the expertly accessorized details that do it a single earring some
that do it a single earring some
that do it a single earring some knockout shades and jeans that are
knockout shades and jeans that are
knockout shades and jeans that are ripped in all the right places
number nine you gotta fight for your
number nine you gotta fight for your right to party Beastie Boys an all-out
right to party Beastie Boys an all-out
right to party Beastie Boys an all-out anthem ever since it was released the
anthem ever since it was released the
anthem ever since it was released the video for fight for your right is a
video for fight for your right is a
video for fight for your right is a literal reflection of the song’s lyrics
literal reflection of the song’s lyrics
literal reflection of the song’s lyrics and that’s what makes it awesome you
and that’s what makes it awesome you
and that’s what makes it awesome you gotta fight fire right
in the short film the Beastie Boys bring
in the short film the Beastie Boys bring their anarchic a game to an otherwise
their anarchic a game to an otherwise
their anarchic a game to an otherwise event free gathering transcending the
event free gathering transcending the
event free gathering transcending the tedium into cream pie infused chaos
tedium into cream pie infused chaos
tedium into cream pie infused chaos the trio regularly break the fourth wall
the trio regularly break the fourth wall
the trio regularly break the fourth wall making accomplices of us all
do you like parties because with this
do you like parties because with this video it’s almost impossible not to try
video it’s almost impossible not to try
video it’s almost impossible not to try this at home
number eight hungry like the wolf Duran
number eight hungry like the wolf Duran Duran one of the earliest 80s videos to
Duran one of the earliest 80s videos to
Duran one of the earliest 80s videos to really stand out hungry like the wolf
really stand out hungry like the wolf
really stand out hungry like the wolf was also one of the first music videos
was also one of the first music videos
was also one of the first music videos to receive heavy rotation on MTV
it’s massively contributed to the rise
it’s massively contributed to the rise of Duran Duran in general and received
of Duran Duran in general and received
of Duran Duran in general and received particular praise for its cinematic
particular praise for its cinematic
particular praise for its cinematic quality shot in Sri Lanka the narrative
quality shot in Sri Lanka the narrative
quality shot in Sri Lanka the narrative follows lead singer Simon Lebon as he
follows lead singer Simon Lebon as he
follows lead singer Simon Lebon as he pursues a tiger like woman through the
pursues a tiger like woman through the
pursues a tiger like woman through the jungle
there are iconic images of plenty in
there are iconic images of plenty in this one but we best remember his
this one but we best remember his
this one but we best remember his emergence out of a lagoon
emergence out of a lagoon
emergence out of a lagoon it’s all very Apocalypse Now
number seven girls just want to have fun
number seven girls just want to have fun Cyndi Lauper arguably the anthem of the
Cyndi Lauper arguably the anthem of the
Cyndi Lauper arguably the anthem of the 1980s the video accompaniment to girls
1980s the video accompaniment to girls
1980s the video accompaniment to girls just want to have fun is exactly that
just want to have fun is exactly that
just want to have fun is exactly that very fun
it’s packed with a full of classic 80s
it’s packed with a full of classic 80s style computer effects it’s God probably
style computer effects it’s God probably
style computer effects it’s God probably the most colorful cast ever assembled
the most colorful cast ever assembled
the most colorful cast ever assembled and it boasts possibly the wildest
and it boasts possibly the wildest
and it boasts possibly the wildest variety of sun shades ever worn
it became Cyndi Lauper’s signature tune
it became Cyndi Lauper’s signature tune and that dress became her signature look
and that dress became her signature look
and that dress became her signature look and what makes this video even more
and what makes this video even more
and what makes this video even more impressive is its relatively low cost
impressive is its relatively low cost
impressive is its relatively low cost most actors volunteered and a lot of
most actors volunteered and a lot of
most actors volunteered and a lot of equipment was loaned out free of charge
equipment was loaned out free of charge
equipment was loaned out free of charge no wonder everyone’s smiling
the like a virgin’ video is Madonna at
the like a virgin’ video is Madonna at her most provocative said predominantly
her most provocative said predominantly
her most provocative said predominantly along the canals of Venice images of the
along the canals of Venice images of the
along the canals of Venice images of the singer suggestively dancing on the
singer suggestively dancing on the
singer suggestively dancing on the city’s famous gondolas are matched to
city’s famous gondolas are matched to
city’s famous gondolas are matched to another alternative scene where it’s all
another alternative scene where it’s all
another alternative scene where it’s all white sheets and wedding dresses playing
white sheets and wedding dresses playing
white sheets and wedding dresses playing on the ideas of purity and sexual desire
on the ideas of purity and sexual desire
on the ideas of purity and sexual desire there’s even room for a real-life lion
there’s even room for a real-life lion
there’s even room for a real-life lion in the video as the best you’ll
in the video as the best you’ll
in the video as the best you’ll power-play of sex is plainly alluded to
power-play of sex is plainly alluded to
power-play of sex is plainly alluded to as well
the film’s empowering it was
the film’s empowering it was eyebrow-raising
eyebrow-raising
eyebrow-raising it’ll always be iconic number 5
it’ll always be iconic number 5
it’ll always be iconic number 5 Walk This Way Run DMC featuring Steven
Walk This Way Run DMC featuring Steven
Walk This Way Run DMC featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry
next a video of two halves and a hip-hop
next a video of two halves and a hip-hop hybrid pioneers
New York City rap outfit Run DMC teamed
New York City rap outfit Run DMC teamed up with stadium rock legends Aerosmith
up with stadium rock legends Aerosmith
up with stadium rock legends Aerosmith for what is widely considered one of the
for what is widely considered one of the
for what is widely considered one of the records of the decades in the short film
records of the decades in the short film
records of the decades in the short film a simple narrative shows both bands
a simple narrative shows both bands
a simple narrative shows both bands performing in studios next to each other
performing in studios next to each other
performing in studios next to each other with Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler
with Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler
with Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler is specially annoyed by this
is specially annoyed by this
is specially annoyed by this so Tyler trashes the partition wall and
so Tyler trashes the partition wall and
so Tyler trashes the partition wall and before we know it we have an unexpected
before we know it we have an unexpected
before we know it we have an unexpected double act on our hands
number four money for nothing
number four money for nothing dire straits yo-yos that’s the way you
dire straits yo-yos that’s the way you
dire straits yo-yos that’s the way you do it
do it
do it play the keytar new TV one of the first
play the keytar new TV one of the first
play the keytar new TV one of the first computer animated features ever made
computer animated features ever made
computer animated features ever made especially in terms of music
especially in terms of music
especially in terms of music dire straits money for nothing almost
dire straits money for nothing almost
dire straits money for nothing almost didn’t make it onto MTV at all
cuz in kitchen
cuz in kitchen lead singer Mark Knopfler was
lead singer Mark Knopfler was
lead singer Mark Knopfler was unenthusiastic about music videos in
unenthusiastic about music videos in
unenthusiastic about music videos in general believing that they’d attracted
general believing that they’d attracted
general believing that they’d attracted attention away from the performance
attention away from the performance
attention away from the performance itself but video director Steve Barron
itself but video director Steve Barron
itself but video director Steve Barron eventually brought knopfler around
and the film picked up video of the year
and the film picked up video of the year at the third MTV VMAs in 1986 it looks
at the third MTV VMAs in 1986 it looks
at the third MTV VMAs in 1986 it looks almost primitive now but it was
almost primitive now but it was
almost primitive now but it was pioneering then
another Steve Barron beauty the
another Steve Barron beauty the legendary music video director is also
legendary music video director is also
legendary music video director is also the creative force behind our third
the creative force behind our third
the creative force behind our third place finisher
this iconic aha clip is actually the
this iconic aha clip is actually the second video shot for take on me and
second video shot for take on me and
second video shot for take on me and besides the after mentioned dire straits
besides the after mentioned dire straits
besides the after mentioned dire straits win it dominated the 1986 MTV Video
win it dominated the 1986 MTV Video
win it dominated the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
the film follows an unsuspecting comic
the film follows an unsuspecting comic book reader as she becomes a literal
book reader as she becomes a literal
book reader as she becomes a literal part of the pages that she’s reading its
part of the pages that she’s reading its
part of the pages that she’s reading its pencil sketch animation meets
pencil sketch animation meets
pencil sketch animation meets live-action film and it all looks
live-action film and it all looks
live-action film and it all looks remarkably effortless
number two sledgehammer Peter Gabriel it
number two sledgehammer Peter Gabriel it has been labeled as the most played
has been labeled as the most played
has been labeled as the most played music video in MTV history and the
music video in MTV history and the
music video in MTV history and the channel itself ranked sledgehammer as
channel itself ranked sledgehammer as
channel itself ranked sledgehammer as the fourth greatest music video ever
the fourth greatest music video ever
the fourth greatest music video ever made the praise heaped up onto our
made the praise heaped up onto our
made the praise heaped up onto our runner-up was unprecedented with
runner-up was unprecedented with
runner-up was unprecedented with claymation pixelation and stop-motion
claymation pixelation and stop-motion
claymation pixelation and stop-motion techniques all provided by the people
techniques all provided by the people
techniques all provided by the people who would go on to create wallace and
who would go on to create wallace and
who would go on to create wallace and gromit
gromit
gromit it’s an unbridled celebration of all
it’s an unbridled celebration of all
it’s an unbridled celebration of all things animation
just a picture of progress I was being
just a picture of progress I was being made at the time the video for
made at the time the video for
made at the time the video for sledgehammer really hits on something
sledgehammer really hits on something
sledgehammer really hits on something good
before we unveil our top pick here are a
before we unveil our top pick here are a few honorable mentions I want to break
few honorable mentions I want to break
few honorable mentions I want to break free
number one never gonna give you up rick
number one never gonna give you up rick astley
rickrolled I wasn’t that scared number
rickrolled I wasn’t that scared number one thriller Michael Jackson it seems to
one thriller Michael Jackson it seems to
one thriller Michael Jackson it seems to me our winner is way more than the
me our winner is way more than the
me our winner is way more than the average music video with a running time
average music video with a running time
average music video with a running time of over 13 minutes there’s probably
of over 13 minutes there’s probably
of over 13 minutes there’s probably nothing to match thriller in all of
nothing to match thriller in all of
nothing to match thriller in all of history let alone just the 80s the
history let alone just the 80s the
history let alone just the 80s the Michael Jackson anthem merged filmmaking
Michael Jackson anthem merged filmmaking
Michael Jackson anthem merged filmmaking with music like nothing else before it
with music like nothing else before it
with music like nothing else before it and is often described as the most
and is often described as the most
and is often described as the most influential example of its format a
influential example of its format a
influential example of its format a midnight hour is close at hand creatures
midnight hour is close at hand creatures
midnight hour is close at hand creatures crawl in search of blood efforts were
crawl in search of blood efforts were
crawl in search of blood efforts were even made for it to be considered for an
even made for it to be considered for an
even made for it to be considered for an Oscar nomination that’s how much it
Oscar nomination that’s how much it
Oscar nomination that’s how much it transcends its contemporaries we might
transcends its contemporaries we might
transcends its contemporaries we might have listed Jackson’s beat it in today’s
have listed Jackson’s beat it in today’s
have listed Jackson’s beat it in today’s top 10 but this record beats that and
top 10 but this record beats that and
top 10 but this record beats that and everything else
so do you agree with our list what’s
so do you agree with our list what’s your favorite music video from the 1980s
for more toe-tapping top tens published
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