# What is the best music video you've ever seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544 "2016-04-08T14:55:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/61 "2016-04-09T11:57:10Z")
Similarly, Split Enz’ [One Step Ahead](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UjcOSSg76rE), and Quarterflash’s [Harden my Heart](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OqeKV2UYq1Q). Perhaps it helped that I was an impressionable eleven-year-old for all this. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/62 "2016-04-09T12:05:10Z")
For sheer cleverness, the contemporary act OK Go deserves a mention – for when you’re in a problem-solving mood rather than an artistic one. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/63 "2016-04-09T12:16:11Z")
Two contenders: Smooth Criminal (M.J.) [Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (Official Video) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D3VFfhvs4&nohtml5=False) Smack My Bitch Up (The Prodigy) [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DPF_pWIy3w&nohtml5=False) ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/64 "2016-04-09T12:34:02Z")
Hard to point to just one as “The Best” but [Désenchentée](https://youtu.be/vkiyW0vqat8) by Mylène Farmer/Laurent Boutonnat. They made many remarkable music videos together and revolutionised French pop music. Some of the best have disappeared from YouTube unfortunately. This trilogy is exceptional: [Libertine](https://youtu.be/oGFr_NcKyfo) [Pourvu qu’elles soient douces](https://youtu.be/LG4PHWobUpw) [A Qoi Je Sers](https://youtu.be/9XomkqGlqmU) This was what introduced me to her [Sans Logiqué](https://youtu.be/CokOcBAjLEM) Mylène in concert, to give an idea of what she is like live: [Tombre 7 Fois](https://youtu.be/TCmhCPl7iOg). [Pas Le Temps De Vivre](https://youtu.be/mcGPYgD3kmw) [Degeneration](https://vimeo.com/48534319) This has been messed with and lost a lot of it’s impact, only the centre rectangle is of interest, the rest a distraction. [California](https://youtu.be/JAad4_MIb8k) [XXL](https://youtu.be/kYRZxaC6psk)! [Comme J’Ai Mal](https://youtu.be/78Sy5sVxPxs) ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/65 "2016-04-09T12:49:08Z")
Missed the edit window - Degeneration is in the wrong place, Is from her (as usual) themed album Point De Suture and is followed up by [Si j’avais au moins](https://youtu.be/NZIVRq-oNN4) You may think all I listen to is Mylene Farmer but that, although true at one point is not so. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/66 "2016-04-09T13:16:10Z")
This may not be the ‘Best’ but is still pretty good for a 15 year old (16 today) and her third video. [Comin’ Home](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CUEB2D-bos) Jackie Evancho. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/67 "2016-04-09T15:19:30Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > For sheer cleverness, the contemporary act OK Go deserves a mention – for when you’re in a problem-solving mood rather than an artistic one. “This Too Shall Pass.” The Rube-Goldberg machine version is classic, but I’m partial to the one with the Notre Dame Marching Band. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/68 "2016-04-09T15:48:14Z")
[Resonant Chamber](https://youtu.be/toXNVbvFXyk) ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/69 "2016-04-09T18:57:12Z")
[Coldplay - Strawberry Swing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3pJZSTQqIg) is pretty amazing, especially when he falls among the buildings, the flashlight into the camera, and the leafstorm at the end. Wow! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/70 "2016-04-09T21:12:58Z")
Just FYI, some of **Myglaren** ’s Mylène Farmer videos are _decidedly_ NSFW… ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/71 "2016-04-10T06:11:09Z")
‘Safety Dance’ - Men Without Hats… what? ---
**Author:** ![Cara\_mel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@Cara\_mel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cara_mel)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/72 "2016-04-10T07:03:48Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tyBs6-cmFvQ/hqdefault.jpg "Michael Jackson - Black or White") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyBs6-cmFvQ) Michael Jackson. Black or white, short version. For me it’s nostalgia value, great dancing, and he looks good at this stage. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/73 "2016-04-10T11:01:46Z")
Favourite pervy video: The BPA & David Byrne feat. Dizzee Rascal - Toe Jam [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bWAl31G-f1E/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHeA4ACjgKKAgwIABABGGUgTyhGMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBPQmzlu52VdAIINtVeS0mmUzwaxg "The BPA & David Byrne feat. Dizzee Rascal - Toe Jam") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWAl31G-f1E) Interesting preachy animation: Pearl Jam - Do the Evolution Cool, funny, sexy: “Weird Al” Yankovic - It’s All About The Pentiums: Seen it many times - so much entertaining stuff is packed into it: Psy - Gangnam Style From Ylvis (and What Does The Fox Say?) Mr Toot: (exotic, catchy) The visuals are completely linked to the music: Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0S43IwBF0uM/maxresdefault.jpg "The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S43IwBF0uM) ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/74 "2016-04-10T12:34:49Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Just FYI, some of **Myglaren** ’s Mylène Farmer videos are _decidedly_ NSFW… Oops, sorry, never thought of that but she was the first singer to go fully nude. Of course that doesn’t bother the French much. Some of her videos were banned but that was for the blood and gore aspect - she can be a bit odd at times. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/75 "2016-04-10T13:07:38Z")
One of her SFW but somewhat grim videos. [L’Âme-Stram-Gram](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeBpg27WSNo). She is often two characters in a video and one generally dies. Her ‘twin’ is her principle dancer from her concert tours. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/76 "2016-04-10T13:11:07Z")
Another vote for Bad Romance by Lady Gaga ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/77 "2016-04-11T00:13:11Z")
If you guys nominat talking heads then we also need to include wall of voodoo Mexican radio. [Wall Of Voodoo - Mexican Radio (Official Video) - YouTube](http://youtu.be/eyCEexG9xjw) ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/78 "2016-04-11T00:26:32Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > [Feist’s 1234](https://youtu.be/ABYnqp-bxvg) > > Simply mesmerizing… > [@lost4life](#): > > Johnny Cash doing [Hurt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt1Pwfnh5pc). > [@msmith537](#): > > [Nirvana’s - Smells Like Teen Spirit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg). So very grunge. All great choices. I will add Safety Dance- Men without Hats [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nM4okRvCg2g/maxresdefault.jpg "Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM4okRvCg2g) ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/79 "2016-04-11T05:16:44Z")
My picks are two more videos directed by Michael Gondry: [“Fell in Love With a Girl”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTH71AAxXmM) by The White Stripes and ["Walkie Talkie Man"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7UvbwCjXUk)by Steriogram. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544/80 "2016-04-11T06:09:32Z")
[It’s a niche market, but it is certainly engaging.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqmpWBM2bTo) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-music-video-youve-ever-seen/751544.md?page=5)