![Check out our picks of the artists that refuse to give up on the music video and channel it into something fresh every time.]()
Check out our picks of the artists that refuse to give up on the music video and channel it into something fresh every time.
![M.I.A - 'Bad Girls': Mathangi Arulpragasm is known for her vibrant videos that match the ferocious purpose of her musical anthems, but 'Bad Girls' is nothing short of jaw-dropping. It couples beautiful shots of Arabian culture with thrilling drag racing and mass dancing in four minutes that feels like the action movie every studio should be striving to make.]()
M.I.A - 'Bad Girls': Mathangi Arulpragasm is known for her vibrant videos that match the ferocious purpose of her musical anthems, but 'Bad Girls' is nothing short of jaw-dropping. It couples beautiful shots of Arabian culture with thrilling drag racing and mass dancing in four minutes that feels like the action movie every studio should be striving to make.
![Arcade Fire - 'Reflektor': Arcade Fire seem to pay careful attention to their video output and it shows. Having worked with a number of impressive directors and even produced interactive films, 'Reflektor' takes top spot because it's the blistering manner in which the band decided to introduce us to their eagerly-anticipated fourth album. And how could you forget the big heads?]()
Arcade Fire - 'Reflektor': Arcade Fire seem to pay careful attention to their video output and it shows. Having worked with a number of impressive directors and even produced interactive films, 'Reflektor' takes top spot because it's the blistering manner in which the band decided to introduce us to their eagerly-anticipated fourth album. And how could you forget the big heads?
![Sia - 'Chandelier': Sia Furler is a music video director herself, so it makes sense for her output to be so strong. All videos from recent album 1000 Forms Of Fear followed the same idea of the singer taking control of her image, shown in the form of a small girl - Maddie Ziegler - in the same blonde wig Sia hides behind. It's an intense four minutes of dancing abandon.]()
Sia - 'Chandelier': Sia Furler is a music video director herself, so it makes sense for her output to be so strong. All videos from recent album 1000 Forms Of Fear followed the same idea of the singer taking control of her image, shown in the form of a small girl - Maddie Ziegler - in the same blonde wig Sia hides behind. It's an intense four minutes of dancing abandon.
![iamamiwhoami - 'Hunting For Pearls': iamamiwhoami is billed as an electronic music and audiovisual project so it comes as no surprise that the films the band produce are pretty remarkable. Prior to 2010, videos were even made for non musical releases - it is 'Hunting For Pearls', however, that presents the dreamy, underwater visuals that you simply can't tear your eyes away from.]()
iamamiwhoami - 'Hunting For Pearls': iamamiwhoami is billed as an electronic music and audiovisual project so it comes as no surprise that the films the band produce are pretty remarkable. Prior to 2010, videos were even made for non musical releases - it is 'Hunting For Pearls', however, that presents the dreamy, underwater visuals that you simply can't tear your eyes away from.
![Lady Gaga - 'Bad Romance': While her outfit choices tend to rule the headlines, Lady Gaga is clearly an artist in control of all aspects of her identity, including her music videos. 'Bad Romance' is an explosive pop song requiring a film that is equally arresting and it's delivered in spades - there are flames, merciless dance routines, crazy costumes and general Gaga weirdness. Bizarre but brilliant.]()
Lady Gaga - 'Bad Romance': While her outfit choices tend to rule the headlines, Lady Gaga is clearly an artist in control of all aspects of her identity, including her music videos. 'Bad Romance' is an explosive pop song requiring a film that is equally arresting and it's delivered in spades - there are flames, merciless dance routines, crazy costumes and general Gaga weirdness. Bizarre but brilliant.
![Sigur Ros - 'Leaning Towards Solace': Every video Sigur Ros produce is nothing short of breathtaking, in keeping with their soaring recorded output, but it was a collection of 16 films produced for Valtari that cemented the band's reputation as pioneers of the genre. Any one of these short films could have been picked, yet it is the tenderness of the father/daughter relationship in 'Leaning Towards Solace' that proves most powerful. It's worth watching till the end, too.]()
Sigur Ros - 'Leaning Towards Solace': Every video Sigur Ros produce is nothing short of breathtaking, in keeping with their soaring recorded output, but it was a collection of 16 films produced for Valtari that cemented the band's reputation as pioneers of the genre. Any one of these short films could have been picked, yet it is the tenderness of the father/daughter relationship in 'Leaning Towards Solace' that proves most powerful. It's worth watching till the end, too.
![FKA Twigs - 'Glass & Patron': Is there anything FKA Twigs can't do? Having last year performed a theatrical rendition of]()
FKA Twigs - 'Glass & Patron': Is there anything FKA Twigs can't do? Having last year performed a theatrical rendition of "the story of my life while making this album" and directed most of her own videos, Tahliah Debrett Barnett revealed the utterly intoxicating 'Glass & Patron' earlier this year. Some of the imagery is disturbing (the never ending ribbons, anyone?), but Barnett is adept at making your eyes never leave the screen and pushing the boundaries of what we've seen before.
![Kanye West - 'Runaway': Love him or loathe him, there's no denying that Kanye West has changed modern culture in a multitude of ways. Aside from his revolutionary strain of hip hop and forays into the fashion industry, Kanye is a master of the moving image without much subtlety, as proved with the towering 'Runaway'. It's like watching a full-blown movie - but would we expect anything less?]()
Kanye West - 'Runaway': Love him or loathe him, there's no denying that Kanye West has changed modern culture in a multitude of ways. Aside from his revolutionary strain of hip hop and forays into the fashion industry, Kanye is a master of the moving image without much subtlety, as proved with the towering 'Runaway'. It's like watching a full-blown movie - but would we expect anything less?
![Bjork - 'All Is Full Of Love': Bjork is, quite rightly, an artist notorious for pushing boundaries and the video for 'All Is Full Of Love' did just that. Directed by Chris Cunningham, its futuristic visuals and comment on technology have prompted many to express disbelief that it was made in 1999 and argue that it reinvigorated the music video landscape. As you would expect from Bjork, this one was hard to pick but, when it comes to making your jaw drop, it simply can't be bettered.]()
Bjork - 'All Is Full Of Love': Bjork is, quite rightly, an artist notorious for pushing boundaries and the video for 'All Is Full Of Love' did just that. Directed by Chris Cunningham, its futuristic visuals and comment on technology have prompted many to express disbelief that it was made in 1999 and argue that it reinvigorated the music video landscape. As you would expect from Bjork, this one was hard to pick but, when it comes to making your jaw drop, it simply can't be bettered.
![David Bowie - 'Ashes To Ashes': There are plenty of legendary figures we could have picked, but who is still producing strong visual content today like David Bowie in 2015? Returning in secret with most recent album The Next Day, the videos that accompanied it were suitably daring ('The Next Day' single garnered an 18 certificate online), but nothing could beat 'Ashes To Ashes' for utter madness. Okay, so the visuals may appear slightly dated now, but they came from a different planet in 1980.]()
David Bowie - 'Ashes To Ashes': There are plenty of legendary figures we could have picked, but who is still producing strong visual content today like David Bowie in 2015? Returning in secret with most recent album The Next Day, the videos that accompanied it were suitably daring ('The Next Day' single garnered an 18 certificate online), but nothing could beat 'Ashes To Ashes' for utter madness. Okay, so the visuals may appear slightly dated now, but they came from a different planet in 1980.