This week I felt inspired from watching old and new music videos to do the Friday 5 on Stand Out Music videos. There is nothing better than when a song is put to the visuals to enhance it. Music videos are as common or as well funded as they once were but still can be amazing for a song to have. Here are my Top 5 standout music videos.
5. a-ha – “Take On Me”
This video was a little weird to me when I first would see it on tv, and even parodied on Family Guy. Now that I am older I can apricate the artistry that is the “Take On Me” from the Norwegian group. It was revolutionary for it’s time and still stands out nearly 40 years later. A little fact you may not know, it’s the 2nd video of the song.
4. Fatboy Slim ft. Bootsy Collins – “Weapon of Choice”
If you have seen the video you cannot un-see this masterpiece by Fatboy Slim. For me this was my first introduction to Christopher Walken, and for years he was always the guy dancing in the hotel in that music video. The video feature the Hollywood star dancing and flying around a hotel for no rhyme or reason. It stood out in the early millennia and does today.
3. Peter Gabriel – “Sledgehammer”
A video that may shock many to find on the lost but when it came out in 1987 it was ground breaking. The video used stop-motion and claymation while requiring Gabriel to lie under a sheet of glass for 16 hours. I love the song and the video is very unique to say the least in 2023.
2. Johnny Cash ‘ “Hurt”
It shcked people to find out Johnny Cash was covering a Nine Inch Nails song when he was doing “Hurt” including the singer/songwriter of the song. What we got was an emotional tale of man looking back at his life as he knows the end is quickly coming. Johnny Cash created the rare music video that makes me tear up while watching it. Grab the tissues.
1. Michael Jackson – “Thriller”
There is no other music video that could be number one on the list. This was a masterpeice as were many of the prince of pop’s music videos. Michael Jackson basically made short films with his videos and this one takes the top prize hands down, especially with Vincent Price’s voice on top of it. This is the video we all remember and in some case caused a bit of a scare. It doesn’t matter if it’s the extended video or the shorter one Michael Jackson set a bar that has not been passed to this day.
– Everett
