Top 10 Music Videos of All Time

video killed the radio star because who

video killed the radio star because who wants to sit around and watch the radio

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10

counting down our picks for the top 10

counting down our picks for the top 10 music videos of all time

for this list we’ll be looking at iconic

for this list we’ll be looking at iconic music videos made specifically for the

music videos made specifically for the

music videos made specifically for the medium

medium

medium Scalzi

Scalzi

Scalzi we’re excluding performance clips and TV

we’re excluding performance clips and TV

we’re excluding performance clips and TV appearances number ten Bohemian Rhapsody

appearances number ten Bohemian Rhapsody

appearances number ten Bohemian Rhapsody Queen

just killed a man

just killed a man while we could have chosen I want to

while we could have chosen I want to

while we could have chosen I want to break free we’re going with the Queen

break free we’re going with the Queen

break free we’re going with the Queen offering that’s often hailed as the

offering that’s often hailed as the

offering that’s often hailed as the first real music video

partly created so the band could avoid

partly created so the band could avoid lip-syncing on their top of the pops

lip-syncing on their top of the pops

lip-syncing on their top of the pops appearance the Bohemian Rhapsody promo

appearance the Bohemian Rhapsody promo

appearance the Bohemian Rhapsody promo vid was so successful it soon led to

vid was so successful it soon led to

vid was so successful it soon led to music video production becoming standard

music video production becoming standard

music video production becoming standard record company policy it later scored an

record company policy it later scored an

record company policy it later scored an MTV VMA when it was re-released and

MTV VMA when it was re-released and

MTV VMA when it was re-released and re-edited to include scenes from Wayne’s

re-edited to include scenes from Wayne’s

re-edited to include scenes from Wayne’s World

number nine walk this way Run DMC

number nine walk this way Run DMC featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry

this Aerosmith Run DMC collaboration

this Aerosmith Run DMC collaboration opened doors for the mingling of rap and

opened doors for the mingling of rap and

opened doors for the mingling of rap and rock

and help lift barriers between black and

and help lift barriers between black and white performers

the artists literally burst through

the artists literally burst through walls in its accompanying music video

walls in its accompanying music video

walls in its accompanying music video and are brought together by Joe Perry’s

and are brought together by Joe Perry’s

and are brought together by Joe Perry’s righteous riffs

the song and video didn’t only return

the song and video didn’t only return Aerosmith to the limelight it also

Aerosmith to the limelight it also

Aerosmith to the limelight it also helped cement Run DMC’s spot in hip hop

helped cement Run DMC’s spot in hip hop

helped cement Run DMC’s spot in hip hop music

please try the fish number eight Buddy

please try the fish number eight Buddy Holly Weiser

but it doesn’t sound like Buddy Holly

but it doesn’t sound like Buddy Holly said unfunny dad’s everywhere

coming to you straight from Arnold’s

coming to you straight from Arnold’s drive-in diner this Spike Jonze directed

drive-in diner this Spike Jonze directed

drive-in diner this Spike Jonze directed video features the group rocking and 50s

video features the group rocking and 50s

video features the group rocking and 50s garb for the Happy Days game

and oh man

and oh man it may have only been Weezer’s second

it may have only been Weezer’s second

it may have only been Weezer’s second short film but Buddy Holly was a massive

short film but Buddy Holly was a massive

short film but Buddy Holly was a massive hit and netted them for MTV VMAs

this goes to show what but loads of

this goes to show what but loads of creativity editing and cash can do

so it’s as repetitive as its lyrics

so it’s as repetitive as its lyrics around the world’s music video is

around the world’s music video is

around the world’s music video is hypnotic and strangely satisfying

featuring jocks robots skeletons mummies

featuring jocks robots skeletons mummies and synchronized swimmers the michel

and synchronized swimmers the michel

and synchronized swimmers the michel gondry directed short film has each

gondry directed short film has each

gondry directed short film has each group of dancers representing a

group of dancers representing a

group of dancers representing a different element of the song with a

different element of the song with a

different element of the song with a slightly surreal feel and a blindingly

slightly surreal feel and a blindingly

slightly surreal feel and a blindingly simple concept around the world also

simple concept around the world also

simple concept around the world also helped carry the Daft Punk single to the

helped carry the Daft Punk single to the

helped carry the Daft Punk single to the top of the Billboard dance/club chart

number six vogue Madonna with the Queen

number six vogue Madonna with the Queen of Pop at the height of her Madonna’s

of Pop at the height of her Madonna’s

of Pop at the height of her Madonna’s this video has everything you’d expect

this video has everything you’d expect

this video has everything you’d expect from magic

sexy dance driven and slightly

sexy dance driven and slightly pretentious screaming old Hollywood with

pretentious screaming old Hollywood with

pretentious screaming old Hollywood with touches of Art Deco bold was influenced

touches of Art Deco bold was influenced

touches of Art Deco bold was influenced by the photography of Horst P Horst who

by the photography of Horst P Horst who

by the photography of Horst P Horst who was upset when he didn’t receive any

was upset when he didn’t receive any

was upset when he didn’t receive any credit

the singers transparently stopped also

the singers transparently stopped also created a bit of a stir but we’re okay

created a bit of a stir but we’re okay

created a bit of a stir but we’re okay with that number five sabotage BC boys

this spike jonze directed video is a

this spike jonze directed video is a send-up of 70s police shows with the

send-up of 70s police shows with the

send-up of 70s police shows with the Beasties as mustachioed wig and aviator

Beasties as mustachioed wig and aviator

Beasties as mustachioed wig and aviator wearing plainclothes cops busting

wearing plainclothes cops busting

wearing plainclothes cops busting baddies all over town

despite the censorship of certain

despite the censorship of certain violent scenes sabotage was nominated

violent scenes sabotage was nominated

violent scenes sabotage was nominated for five MTV VMAs in 1994

the hip hop trio may have left

the hip hop trio may have left empty-handed back then but MTV

empty-handed back then but MTV

empty-handed back then but MTV eventually awarded the killer video a

eventually awarded the killer video a

eventually awarded the killer video a moon man 15 years later

number four money for nothing dire

number four money for nothing dire straits the way is doing while it may

straits the way is doing while it may

straits the way is doing while it may not seem so now money for nothing was

not seem so now money for nothing was

not seem so now money for nothing was certainly groundbreaking in 1985

certainly groundbreaking in 1985

certainly groundbreaking in 1985 refrigerator

and not just for bassist John Illsley

and not just for bassist John Illsley CGI enhanced t-shirt

through the use of computer animation

through the use of computer animation the music video brought the dire straits

the music video brought the dire straits

the music video brought the dire straits song to life in a way that was

song to life in a way that was

song to life in a way that was completely original compared to Mark

completely original compared to Mark

completely original compared to Mark Knopfler & Cruz previous efforts that

Knopfler & Cruz previous efforts that

Knopfler & Cruz previous efforts that ain’t workin that’s we won it for

ain’t workin that’s we won it for

ain’t workin that’s we won it for nothing

nothing

nothing the mtv VMA winning video also helped

the mtv VMA winning video also helped

the mtv VMA winning video also helped the band top the Billboard Hot 100

number three sledgehammer

number three sledgehammer Peter Gabriel undoubtedly one of the

Peter Gabriel undoubtedly one of the

Peter Gabriel undoubtedly one of the oddest creations ever put to film this

oddest creations ever put to film this

oddest creations ever put to film this tribute to symbolism raked in a record

tribute to symbolism raked in a record

tribute to symbolism raked in a record nine MTV VMAs

employing both stop motion and

employing both stop motion and claymation Peter Gabriel’s sledgehammer

claymation Peter Gabriel’s sledgehammer

claymation Peter Gabriel’s sledgehammer became extremely influential for its

became extremely influential for its

became extremely influential for its successful combo of different animation

successful combo of different animation

successful combo of different animation techniques and who can forget those

techniques and who can forget those

techniques and who can forget those dancing chickens story goes Gabriel had

dancing chickens story goes Gabriel had

dancing chickens story goes Gabriel had to lay under glass for sixteen hours to

to lay under glass for sixteen hours to

to lay under glass for sixteen hours to shoot his close-ups and was also

shoot his close-ups and was also

shoot his close-ups and was also repeatedly zapped while donning the

repeatedly zapped while donning the

repeatedly zapped while donning the lightbulb suit

talk about suffering for your art number

talk about suffering for your art number two take on me

two take on me

two take on me aha

Britta’s sketchy musical adventure the

Britta’s sketchy musical adventure the Norwegian synth pop group scored six

Norwegian synth pop group scored six

Norwegian synth pop group scored six VMAs telling the story of a woman who’s

VMAs telling the story of a woman who’s

VMAs telling the story of a woman who’s pulled into a comic book world the music

pulled into a comic book world the music

pulled into a comic book world the music video for take on me features a pencil

video for take on me features a pencil

video for take on me features a pencil and paper look that was accomplished by

and paper look that was accomplished by

and paper look that was accomplished by tracing each scene frame by frame

thanks to its romantic fantasy elements

thanks to its romantic fantasy elements memorable storyline and unique blend of

memorable storyline and unique blend of

memorable storyline and unique blend of live-action and animation the song and

live-action and animation the song and

live-action and animation the song and video are pop-culture favorites

before we unveil our number one pick

before we unveil our number one pick here are a few honorable mentions

dog though MJ smooth criminal’ was also

dog though MJ smooth criminal’ was also a contender it’s this 13-minute epic

a contender it’s this 13-minute epic

a contender it’s this 13-minute epic that cost at least half a million

that cost at least half a million

that cost at least half a million dollars to make that tops our list

thanks to its zombie filled goodness

thanks to its zombie filled goodness easy to imitate dance moves and

easy to imitate dance moves and

easy to imitate dance moves and Jackson’s unrivaled on-screen charisma

Jackson’s unrivaled on-screen charisma

Jackson’s unrivaled on-screen charisma thriller became one of the most iconic

thriller became one of the most iconic

thriller became one of the most iconic music videos ever and a Halloween

music videos ever and a Halloween

music videos ever and a Halloween mixtape favorite

earning three VMAs and two Grammys it

earning three VMAs and two Grammys it also became the first music video to be

also became the first music video to be

also became the first music video to be selected for the National Film registry

selected for the National Film registry

selected for the National Film registry by the Library of Congress in 2009

do you agree with our list what’s your

do you agree with our list what’s your favorite music video

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