Take on Me by Aha, or Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel. Sure, they’ve both been mentioned, but watch them and you’ll know why.
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, though it’s more of a package deal…I like her looks, I like her voice, I like the song. Therefore, a good video.
Let’s give credit to the director who created so many of the videos already mentioned: Steve Barron.
He did “Billy Jean,” “Take on Me,” “Money for Nothing,” “Unforgettable,” and one of my all-time favorites, Joe Jackson’s “Steppin’ Out.” He also co-directed the wonderful “She Blinded Me with Science” with Thomas Dolby.
And about a million others that are listed on this page.
Let’s hear it for Steve Barron, greatest director of the early music video age!
I hated the song, but Phil Collin’s Billie Don’t you Lose My Number was a fun video, with Mad Max and David Lee Roth parodies.
I love Weird Al Yankovic’s video for “Eat It”: a brilliant re-creation of the “Beat It” video with plenty of sight gags thrown in.
also their videos for “It’s A Mistake” and “Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive”!
For me, this one falls into the category of “fairly obscure videos I saw once or twice, a long time ago, and I wish I could watch again to see if they’re as cool as I remember.” Others in this category include “Bop Till You Drop” by Rick Springfield and “Mean Disposition” by Dave Davies.
Gahhhh how do I always forget that one? I love Alice in Wonderland and always loved that video. Maybe I subconsciously started this thread as a refresher course for myself?
Thank you for mentioning that one because I’ve been trying to remember the name of that song for some time now!
Anyone else remember the song/video “Puttin on the Ritz” by Taco?
My favorite video of the '80s is one I haven’t seen since the '80s – maybe I’d think it sucks now. Alan Parsons Project’s Don’t Answer Me was a really cool animated bit with a trenchcoated hero and fisticuffs on the way to a happy, smoochy ending.
I wish I could see that again sometime.
Another vote or Twilight Zone
but come guys
David Lee Roth California Girls
and
The Romantics Talking in you Sleep
Duran Duran Girls on Film
Great video memories here, but someone needs to acknowledge that David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” set a high mark right at the beginning of the decade with a winning combination of literal interpretation and abstract symbolism. Or you can just have a laugh at the clown suit.
Midnight Oil - Read About It and Power and the Passion
Early 80’s videos… I still haven’t seen many done better
Sorry to hear about your eyes. Whats your dog’s name? 
Fagjunk Theology: Not just for sodomite propagandists anymore.
This thread takes me back. I can feel me 501’s cutting off my circulation
Pat Benatar Shadows of the Night is another favorite that has not been mentioned here.
okay I’m still wearing 501’s.
I had five come to mind right away:
“Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. Because it was the first that was shown on MTV and because it was just so bad. I remember the cheesy outfits, the bad set, and the girl in the weird silver outfit sliding up the glass tube. And didn’t a TV set explode at some point?
“Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats. Irritating as hell but I watched it every time it came on. The goofy, greasy guy; the silly girl dancing around like a lunatic; and the little dude dancing up the path in the Irish countryside or whatever. You don’t see videos like that anymore.
“Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners. This song and video symbolize the whole early video thing for me. Cheesy but catchy song. Dudes in overalls standing on the corner in some English town. Some weird dance involving placing your arms behind your back…now that’s cutting edge.
“I Ran” by A Flock of Seagulls. A guy with bad hair standing in front of a mirror while the camera goes around and around. Impressive stuff.
And my personal favorite:
“Steppin’ Out” by Joe Jackson. This was a neat video intercutting Joe playing with the maid dancing around and fantasizing that she was rich and beautiful. A meloncholy little thing and a great song.
As I mentioned earlier, the “Steppin’ Out” video is one of my favorites. Steve Barron had the unparalleled ability to create mini-stories that worked to the music. (The blinking streetlight that exactly mimed the piano is perfection incarnate.)
For a brief moment in the early 80s it appeared that music videos might become a true artform. Instead they devolved into stroboscopic eye-tests that fail even to achieve their modest function of showcasing the band and the music.
I understand exactly what vl_mungo is saying. Those early 80s videos may not have had huge budgets and cool effects, but they made the music better.
Of course, you may have to remember the days when MTV actually showed videos all day long to realize how far we’ve fallen. It used to be fun and cool to watch MTV because something new and different and great was right around the corner. That no longer exists. The early 80s were great times, and I say that as an unreconstructed 60s boomer.
I will nominate Metallica’s video for “One”. At that time it was the only video they had ever released. I had no idea what that song was about until I saw the video (I was only 12 or something).
I remember liking Paul Simon’s “Call Me Al” back then. Watching Simon’s deadpan face as Chevy Chase jumped in and began lip-synching the lyrics or pretending to play an instrument brought back the very first days of SNL for me, and reminded me how much fun it was to watch those two together.
Besides, it was a catchy song.
Kharma Chameleon brings backs so many memories. I love the colors. I love the anachronistic integrated crowd. I like the end when the steamship rides off into the sunset.
I really liked Herbie Hancocks ‘Rocket’ the one with all the weird robots and the robotic legs walking around the room on a boom. All the other ones I like are already here, but that one still springs to mind as a really cool video…I really like the song still.
I’d forgotten one – Heat of the Moment by Asia. That was a great video, enough to make me like the song, even.
Favorite video scene ever: in “Hot for Teacher”, Eddie Van Halen is playing his guitar while walking on an endless line of study hall tables. That was so fine.
No one has yet mentioned the Cars’ “You Might Think I’m Crazy”.
Other personal favorites: “Money for Nothin’”, “Would I Lie to You” (Eurythmics), “Cold Shot” (Stevie Ray Vaughan - funny video), “I’m on Fire” (Bruce).
The 80s was a sweet time for video. I miss it.