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Aerosmith, beyonce, Jamiroquai, Lady GaGa, Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliot, MTV Video Music Awards, MTV VMA, OutKast, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel, rihanna, VMA
The 2013 MTV Video Music Award nominations were announced yesterday. And since I don’t really watch videos, and I loathe one of the top nominees Macklemore & Ryan Lewis I didn’t even bother to look at the list. That, and the fact that a lot of times the MTV VMA’s just nominate and award the Popular acts of the year and not the best Videos (read this).
Sometimes though, they get it right. And this Top 10 is to celebrate those videos that in my opinion were worthy of the Top prize.
10. Missy Elliot “Work It”, winner in 2003
Missy became known for her crazy videos, and FINALLY the MTV Awards gave her the top prize. And this IS one of her craziest videos so it’s fitting.
9. Lady GaGa “Bad Romance”, winner in 2010
GaGa came on the Pop landscape and out-Britney’d Britney! This is the kind of video Britney’s handlers would NEVER allow her to make, with all the typical pop confections (killer choreography, sleek sets and images, and beauty shots gallore) but with an added edge. MTV was gonna give GaGa the top prize at some point, and this is the deserving video.
8. Pearl Jam “Jeremy”, winner in 1993
A really haunting, dark, intense video that spoke to the times. Pearl Jam was battling Anti-Bullying before it became the “In” thing to do. Great video and it matches the song perfectly.
7. Rihanna “We Found Love”, winner in 2012
I’ve said far too much about this video already, but let me just say it gives me chills every time I watch it. Such a heartbreaking story of Young Love.
6. Jamiroquai “Virtual Insanity”, winner in 1997
The year this video came out, EVERYBODY was hypnotized by it. Jay Kay is doing what he does best, he had canned heat in his heels and he had to dance it off. And the sort of “treadmill” effect added a whole new trippy element to make this a worthy Video of the Year.
5. Aerosmith “Cryin”, winner in 1994
This was the beginning of Aerosmith and Alicia Silverstone’s 90’s love affair. Like “We Found Love” it chronicles a sincere but dangerous love affair ending in one of the funniest “F You’s” in Music Video history.
4. Beyonce “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”, winner in 2009
Well, Kanye said it right “Beyonce had one of the best videos of ALL TIME”. The now iconic look, the much-copied choreography and the amazing editing and camera work make this a true Classic.
3. Outkast “Hey Ya!”, winner in 2004
Not much to say really, this is just one of THE most FUN videos ever.
2. Lauryn Hill “Doo Wop (That Thing)”, winner in 1999
Sometimes it feels like this video is underrated, but rest assured it’s Amazing. And so very detailed in the comparison of 90’s and 60’s Black youth, every shot is perfectly done and the song and video really say something important that not a lot of Video of the Year winners do.
1. Peter Gabriel “Sledgehammer”, winner in 1987
This remains one of the, if not THE, Best videos of the 1980’s. Gabriel blew peoples minds with this one. And even now with technology being greatly improved, it’s still so captivating and hypnotic.
