7 Iconic Music Videos (and 7 That Aged Poorly)

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was the first MTV world-premiere video. We all sat with bated breath waiting for its release; it was, in fact, a video triumph. It’s still scary and marvelous decades later, featuring Michael’s iconic zombie dance. Let’s not forget Vincent Price’s speech that fused classic horror with contemporary concepts. The companion documentary, “The Making of Thriller,” is also worth watching. 

The a-ha “Take On Me” video begins with a lady reading a comic in a diner. It tells the story of a motorcycle racer. She stares deep into his eyes when suddenly he winks. His hand enters her world, and he pulls her into his. A maniacal pit crew thwarts their adventure, but the hero escapes after a daring showdown. 

This video launched the Grunge era. It was a time where flannel shirts and Doc Martens were the gold standard. The song touched millions and became the underdog’s anthem. The video depicts a twisted perspective on the usual pep rally crowd and promoted the antihero. It was the paragon of sheer genius. 

We enjoy the industrial setting for this video. The timing and precision of Jamiroquai’s dancing is epic. He exudes his fun and carefree spirit while dodging furniture and sliding throughout the space. His skill and artistry have made him and this unique production an icon. 

Ryan Heffington whipped up this absolute stunner of a routine. Maddie Zeigler’s dancing portrays the struggles and demoralization of alcoholism. Each transition is seamless and sets the mood for Sia’s lyrics. The acrobatics show the flip-flopping between grandeur and depressive states. The video sets the scene for a party girl who is about to hit rock bottom. 

Fatboy Slim’s video stars film legend Christopher Walken and depicts the struggles of life. Starting with the first frame, Walken appears despondent and unhappy. As the music starts, he becomes animated and dances in his office. The video progresses to a full-scale dance-off and in-air acrobatics. It shows us all that our choices can empower us and set us free. 

My Chemical Romance understood the assignment when concocting this music video. The Black Parade is a metaphor for death. We see those who have passed walking in the parade. The gothic imagery takes us through this journey with Lukas Haas’ character. Resilience in the face of insurmountable grief is the video’s message. 

This Serge Gainsbourg video was a total scandal magnet. Viewers absolutely lost it because his daughter, Charlotte, was only 13 at the time. Here, she is wearing an oversized button-down and underwear, lying on a mattress next to her dad. Charlotte Gainsbourg stated in a 2010 interview the song isn’t about what the video or its title suggests. You be the judge. 

This Britney Spears video starts with depictions of domestic violence and assault. It perpetuates the cycle of dating bad-boy criminals instead of healing from abuse. Today, we teach our daughters how to escape a life of violence. This video aged poorly due to its glamorization of continuing abuse cycles. 

This U2 song is a loving testimony of Bono’s love for his mother, Iris. The music video falls short of portraying her unconditional love for her children. On the contrary, the background and “Boy” album cover images have been a point of contention for the band. Iris died of a brain hemorrhage when Bono was 14. 

Holy eyeliner and Aqua Net, Batman! It’s Europe! Generation X remembers this and other hair-metal bands with a sense of nostalgia. It reminds us of the days of parachute pants and leather and watching our favorite bands on MTV. With that amount of aerosol and pyrotechnics, what could go wrong? We never did find out what the final countdown was for. 

Do you want to see how truly silly we were in the ’80s? Here you go. We loved bright neon colors. We loved our all-girl bands. Toto Coelo took these fashion and music standards to new heights. The band wears fluorescent trash bag dresses and hosiery with a neon background. If you eat cannibals, however, doesn’t that make you a cannibal, too?

We know our feisty women’s empowerment ambassador was once extra-spicy. We understand the underlying messages of the song. The music video, however, is on a whole other trajectory. Today, we know that our girl, Alecia Moore, would never tell anyone another woman’s crown is crooked. We also know that Willow would never see her mama’s video at that age. 

Let’s say it for all the parents who saw 16-year-old Britney Spears in this video: Britney, you’re grounded! The video portrays her as a teen, because she was, in high school. She’s out of compliance with the dress code and asking a boy to hit her again? Nope!