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What is the greatest music video of all time?

Feb 15, 2014#1

Charlie Don't Surf

see poll topics

Feb 15, 2014#2

Krisken

You're wrong. A Perfect Drug. Not even worth voting in a flawed poll.

Feb 15, 2014#3

Bowielee

I'll be honest, Thriller was the first one to pop in my head as a response.

Feb 15, 2014#4

Tress

It really is Thriller. I can't think of anything else that comes close.

Feb 15, 2014#5

Charlie Don't Surf

Krisken said:
You're wrong. A Perfect Drug. Not even worth voting in a flawed poll.

*laughs for ten thousand years straight, then throws up in a pattern that spells out "YOU'RE WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING" *

Feb 15, 2014#6

Ravenpoe

Feb 15, 2014#7

WasabiPoptart

Feb 15, 2014#8

filmfanatic

I propose that Smooth Criminal is the best music video. Thriller showed the potential, Smooth Criminal refined it.

Feb 15, 2014#9

Bowielee

filmfanatic said:
I propose that Smooth Criminal is the best music video. Thriller showed the potential, Smooth Criminal refined it.

Smooth Criminal is a damn fine video, but to be fair, it's a section of an entire movie, so I kind of disqualify it.

That being said, the Vincent Price voiceover still pushes it ahead for me. Those zomibes rising from the grave over Vincent Price. Well, that's just to awesome. Plus, Rick Baker makeup effects were awesome. John Landis directing. It's kind of the perfect storm of creativity for that time.

Also, I defy you to name a more iconic dance routine.

Feb 15, 2014#10

WasabiPoptart

Bowielee said:
Also, I defy you to name a more iconic dance routine.

Feb 15, 2014#11

Bowielee

WasabiPoptart said:

Nope

Feb 15, 2014#12

Cheesy1

I think we're all forgetting the single most important, game-changing music video ever crafted by one of our finest visionaries to have existed:

Feb 15, 2014#13

PatrThom

I'm more inclined to belive it is this one.
I mean, it's got the view count.

--Patrick

Feb 15, 2014#14

Bowielee

PatrThom said:
I'm more inclined to belive it is this one.
I mean, it's got the view count.

--Patrick

You are the worst kind of person

Feb 15, 2014#15

PatrThom

Bowielee said:
You are the worst kind of person

Be nice to me. It's my first time posting it.

--Patrick

Feb 15, 2014#16

klew

[DOUBLEPOST=1392528178,1392528100][/DOUBLEPOST]NSFW?

Feb 15, 2014#17

WasabiPoptart

Bowielee said:
Also, I defy you to name a more iconic dance routine.

Ok not the routine in the video, but Voguing was big in clubs during the 80's and 90's.

Feb 15, 2014#18

evilmike

Am I being too predictable if I suggest "Fell in Love with a Girl" for consideration?

Feb 16, 2014#19

blotsfan

I'm not going to bother with comparing videos and getting into arguments, but this is a recent video that I really like.

Feb 16, 2014#20

checkeredhat

There are a lot of music videos I really enjoy, but nothing I can think of tops Thriller.

Feb 16, 2014#21

SpecialKO

Since we're pretty decided on Thriller, I'm throwing in my #2 favorite.

Feb 16, 2014#22

Dave

I know that's more than one, but I think any of them are technically or aesthetically better than Thriller. I mean, Thriller is good, but it's lazy, cliched storytelling adding in a bunch of dancing zombies. The only reason it's rated so high is that it was produced more like a movie than a music video. As an "event" it scores top notch, but as a music video it and the song are not #1.[DOUBLEPOST=1392564945,1392564906][/DOUBLEPOST]And one of my choices was put in at the SAME TIME by @SpecialKO!

Feb 16, 2014#23

SpecialKO

Actually there is one video that I think is greater than Thriller.

Feb 16, 2014#24

Dave

Or another REM video that has always struck me as technically magnificent.

They've always talked about how hard this was because the actual video shoot is not that long but people are mouthing the lyrics in so many different places. It's really an incredible achievement.

Feb 16, 2014#25

DarkAudit

The one that started the whole sorry mess...

Feb 16, 2014#26

Bowielee

SpecialKO said:
Actually there is one video that I think is greater than Thriller.

While I think this is cool and all, I can't stand that guys singing voice.[DOUBLEPOST=1392570427,1392569950][/DOUBLEPOST]Just going by an aggregate Google search, Thriller is almost always the number one in this list, be it from Billboard to Rolling Stone, reader to editor. There's a reason for that.

Honestly, I love most of the videos listed here, some even more than Thriller, but the truth is, Thriller has had more of an impact on the artform, if you can call it that, of music videos than any other video ever produced.

It's like the Citizen Kane of music videos.

Feb 16, 2014#27

filmfanatic

Bowielee said:
While I think this is cool and all, I can't stand that guys singing voice.[DOUBLEPOST=1392570427,1392569950][/DOUBLEPOST]Just going by an aggregate Google search, Thriller is almost always the number one in this list, be it from Billboard to Rolling Stone, reader to editor. There's a reason for that.

Honestly, I love most of the videos listed here, some even more than Thriller, but the truth is, Thriller has had more of an impact on the artform, if you can call it that, of music videos than any other video ever produced.

It's like the Citizen Kane of music videos.

That's exactly it. I don't necessarily consider it the greatest because others (such as Smooth Criminal) have come along and refined it, but it was the first one to really show the potential of what a music video can do. It's like how I don't consider Citizen Kane the greatest film of all time, but it is one of the greats because of the impact it has made since it was released.

Feb 16, 2014#28

PatrThom

Thriller was the first one to really stretch the medium, and that is what makes it such a milestone.
I don't know as I would call it the "greatest," though.

--Patrick

Feb 16, 2014#29

jwhouk

I'm with DA on this one.

Feb 16, 2014#30

General Specific

Feb 17, 2014#31

Espy

You are all so very, very wrong:

Feb 17, 2014#32

Bubble181

My first thought was Thriller. My second thought was @PatrThom 's post. My third thought was Weapon of Choice.

Seriously guys, you're making me feel irrelevant

I agree with earlier posts, btw - while Thriller was definitely one of the iconic, medium-changing music videos, and as such, definitely deserves an honorable spot, I don't know if I'd call it the best ever.

Feb 17, 2014#33

Gilgamesh

Thriller tells a story? pfft

Now THAT'S a story!

Feb 17, 2014#34

SpecialKO

Gilgamesh said:
Now THAT'S a story!

Feb 17, 2014#35

Bubble181

I was going to link "Dirrty" or something similar and say it explores the boundaries between (soft) porn and the video clip, which is important and whatnot, but that got me thinking; who or where did that trend start? Not "girls wearing short skirts" but really, obviously and deliberately, making a video as close as possible to softcore porn? My mind goes straight to Madonna, of course, but I'm not sure. Anyone?

Feb 17, 2014#36

Bowielee

Bubble181 said:
I was going to link "Dirrty" or something similar and say it explores the boundaries between (soft) porn and the video clip, which is important and whatnot, but that got me thinking; who or where did that trend start? Not "girls wearing short skirts" but really, obviously and deliberately, making a video as close as possible to softcore porn? My mind goes straight to Madonna, of course, but I'm not sure. Anyone?

You could MAYBE point at Erotica as the first music video to really push the sexual content envelope.

Of course, now we have stuff like Rammstein's Pussy, which actually goes straight past soft-core and into hard-core. Money shots and all.

Feb 17, 2014#37

Dave

Feb 17, 2014#38

PatrThom

Gilgamesh said:
Now THAT'S a story!

No, THIS is a story.

(really, I'm surprised nobody has posted this yet in this thread)

--Patrick

Feb 17, 2014#39

Just Me

I am so not posting Ron Jeremy on the wrecking ball...

Feb 17, 2014#40

PatrThom

Just Me said:
I am so not posting Ron Jeremy on the wrecking ball...

...again.

--Patrick

Feb 18, 2014#41

Frank

I dunno if it's the best, but's a huge ass music video for an entire album.

Feb 18, 2014#42

bhamv3

I think this video may be the most widely-viewed music video in modern times.

Feb 18, 2014#43

Bowielee

bhamv3 said:
I think this video may be the most widely-viewed music video in modern times.

You're a page late

Feb 18, 2014#44

bhamv3

Bowielee said:
You're a page late

D'oh!

I shall hang my head in shame for a period no less than ten minutes.

Feb 18, 2014#45

sixpackshaker

Any Talking Heads video is greater than Thriller.

Of course I pretty much hate choreography music videos. To me 40 people with coordinated epilepsy is just plain silly.

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