10 Best Music Videos Ever

I've loved a lot of songs only to realise, when I heard the song on its own, it was the video I actually loved.
I love music videos almost as much as I Iove music.
Here are my favourite music videos of all time. It's probably no coincidence that they're also all among my favourite tracks; it works a bit both ways. I won't try to explain too much and you've probably seen them all before.
Please feel free to disagree or criticise because I left something out by leaving a comment below.
I would probably have a different ten if I did this next week.

[update: I realised I forgot my second favourite video ever, so now there is a 1.5!]

10. Clara Rockmore - Hebrew Melody

OK, I had to cheat with at least one and this may as well be no. 10. I know it's not a music video but it's a pice of video with music being performed and probably one of the greatest of all time. This is the definition of an artist 'in the zone'... She's in a trance; a person who was the greatest at what they did captured in the moment. It's moving. It's amazing.

9. Aphex Twin - Nannou

Another one where the video matches the music perfectly, rhythmically and emotionally. Beautiful. There's not much more to say.

8. Coldcut - Natural Rhythm

It may seem dated now given the the extreme pace of advances in VJing, however Coldcut were at the forefront. They created their own software to do this kind of stuff and led the way for everyone that followed including Ninja Tune's own Amon Tobin and his absolutely incredible Isam live show

7. Beck - Snoozer

I find it difficult to mention Beck these days without referring to his Scientology but this precedes that. This video is like a Jeff Koonz artwork minus the elitism. I'm sure the same video from Beck now wouldn't feel the same. Those 50-something women drinking cocktails in a dive bar feel like they're the unknowing inspiration for the hipster/hipstamatic visuals of something like Lana Del Ray's Video Games

6. Prince - Sign o' The Times

Apart from being subject to one of the best covers of all time by Kode9 +Space Ape, the original has a simple, great video which captures everything about the song. It's definitely a video that shows the time it was created and focusses on the great lyrics. I've always had a soft spot for Ken Done's famous artworks depicting Australian icons; they're great because they iconically represent an era. This track and video do the same. Better still, it feels like a bizarre reference to Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues.

5. Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues

Is this one of the earliest music videos ever? I'm sure if I could be bothered reading up on this I would know but I suspect the answer is yes. I also suspect it's the best from the period. Great track, great idea... And Ginsberg stands in the background.

4. Public Enemy - Don't Believe The Hype

OK, fair enough, this is one of the tracks that changed my life and people who always programme Rage always play Fight The power but I fell like this is an infinitely more powerful, original video... That whole Flavor Flav silhouette dancing across the typewriter, awesome stuff!

Public Enemy - Don't Believe The Hype by jpdc11

3. Pavement - Gold Sounds

This video always reminds me of that board game Mouse Trap in the sense that it's an ongoing number of events triggered by the previous event (in an abstract way that totally matches the lyrics). It was a tough choice to include a Pavement video because they have quite a few great videos, I also particularly like Cut your Hair

2. Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot

The story behind this video is that it cost $20 to make... and a lot of editing! How many great moments in counter-culture history can you instantly recognise? [My favourite is Lou Barlow being kicked off stage by J. Mascis.]

1.5 UNKLE - Rabbit In Your Headlights
I remember seeing this video and thinking: "wow, some music videos are better than most films being released these days. This is better than most films I have ever seen.






1. Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy

Apparently it was all done in one take. That sounds impressive; I'm just being facetious, it is impressive. One of the few best tracks ever to have an almost equally-as-good- music video.

What are your favourite Music videos?