Back before MTV really hit its stride with “Teen Mom,” “Pimp My Ride,” and the consistently hilarious “Ridiculousness” they were just a small cable channel finding their way while playing videos set to music. Some of them were actually bonkers too. Here are the top 15 of the 1990s.
Weezer “Buddy Holly”
Only ‘90s kids will remember the episode of “Happy Days” where Weezer performed in front of a sold-out Arnold’s Drive-In. Back before Weezer became the Weezer we know today, they were the Weezer we knew in the ‘90s when they made memorable music videos with Spike Jonze. They should consider bringing back that winning formula to regain some credibility.
Nine Inch Nails “Closer”
This is what a music video would look like if A24 produced it. The vid featured an array of unsettling imagery starting with what appeared to be a disembodied human heart pumping steam out of its fully functioning aorta. “Closer” may not be the greatest video, but it’ll certainly stick with you in the same way childhood trauma does.
Beastie Boys “Sabotage”
If you’re going to make a music video, you might as well make the best one of all time. Beastie Boys did just that by parodying 1970s cop shows. The Boys starred as Nathan Wind, Alasondro Alegré, and Vic Colfari as Bobby, “The Rookie.” Perhaps not surprisingly, the Beastie Boys actually did their own stunts too. Iconic.
Jamiroquai “Virtual Insanity”
The special effects in this one were off the charts. Specifically, Jamiroquoi’s outlandishly large hat. Like, was it a CGI hat? Did they use practical effects to make it fit his cranium? No one quite knew how they did it. I guess we’ll never know. Also, the floor moved independently for some reason.
Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
You know this one. It’s the video that brought music to the mainstream. The scene portrayed a high school pep rally gone haywire. Seemingly the only person of authority was the janitor played by a guy named Tony De La Rosa, who also reprised the role of Custodian #1 in Weird Al’s “Smells Like Nirvana” spoof. Typecasting was a real problem for ‘90s music video actors.
Björk “Human Behaviour”
Directed by Michel Gondry, this video featured a murderous Build-a-Bear that ended the life of a hunter just after consuming Björk herself. There were also a bunch of pupa Björks for some reason. It really showcased a more weird side to Björk, which she rarely displays publicly.
Snoop Dogg “Gin and Juice”
This one is just about having fun with a close group of 200 friends at your house party while the lame adults are away. And hey, Dr. Dre shows up two-thirds of the way through with booze and condoms. A true friend. In the ‘90s, you never knew when Dre was going to make an appearance in a video, like that time he surprised us all in that Lisa Loeb one.
Blind Melon “No Rain”
Lead singer Shannon Hoon sadly died far too early in his life, but his legacy lives on in the form of a 10-year-old girl dressed up as a bee. This music video also had a clear message: If you’re having trouble fitting in with the world because you want to wear a bumblebee costume in public, just find a random field of other people also dressed up as bumblebees and everything will be alright.
Busta Rhymes “Gimme Some More”
Director Hype Williams really knew the key to making a music video: Fisheye lens. And a lot of it. Not only does it look cool as hell, but it somehow draws you into a music video. In “Gimme Some More” it almost felt like Busta was rapping to you personally, which is exactly what you need to try to keep up with his nuclear rap speed.
Green Day “Basket Case”
This video was filmed in black and white, and color was added later. That’s why it looks so bright. It evidently makes several references to the film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Personally, I don’t remember the part of the movie where a band plays in front of a bunch of mental institution patients. Maybe it’s a deleted scene.
Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun”
Soundgarden was definitely trying to make a statement with this music video. It’s just unclear what that was supposed to be. Maybe something about the suburbs. Or maybe the people that were sucked into the sky were meant to be symbolic. Who knows. Either way, I think we can all agree the sunbathing woman with the reptilian tongue was pretty badass.
Green Jelly “Three Little Pigs”
This was probably the best fable-based song of the ’90s. The video featured stop-motion clay animation too. That shit rules. It was surprisingly pretty rare for a music video to use this style of animation. Tool did a bunch of them, but they were all creepy. And none of theirs were derived from nursery rhymes. Missed opportunity, Maynard James Keenan.
Tupac Shakur “California Love”
I think this is the video that inspired “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015). It’s sick as hell too. Never been to California but the way the state is portrayed in this one makes me wonder if it’s all just sand and steampunk outfits. And would you look at that, Dr. Dre is in this one too. That guy’s everywhere.
Radiohead “Karma Police”
Hard to pick one great Radiohead video from this decade, but we’re going with this one. It featured a mysterious car with Thom Yorke riding in the backseat while chasing a man down a street before the guy lights the vehicle on fire. It begs the question: Was Thom the karma police? Was the man? What is a karma police?!
Reel Big Fish “Sell Out”
While other videos just showed bands playing their instruments under cool lighting, this one also did that but included a distinct narrative warning us about the dangers of making a lot of money from your art. The message was surprisingly effective because no one tried selling out for a few years after that.
The story was exposed as a hoax when truthers proved such a radical color scheme was impossible in the vacuum of space.
“You’re telling me I learned how to wear sunglasses for nothing?!”
Cobain’s body was found in a house in Seattle home Friday morning, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot blast to the head. He was 27.
Some artists use words instead of brushes.
“Just keep your heads down and play that wacky jazz, or, whatever.”
And we still like him more than Dave Holmes.
What happens when 25% of a major conglomerate’s staff gets laid off and agrees to have their lives filmed?
They add up over time!
He’s just like us, the young people.
All music fans really need to know is that Sylvester Stallone is loyal but dangerous.
It’s time to take this whole YouTube thing down a peg.
From the legend of Orpheus to “Fat Lip,” it’s been one hell of a run, music.
Until such a time that the Loderforce is recharged and he may rule again.
Okay he pretty much looks the same. Older though! And still more appealing than Dave Holmes.
There can be only one.
If you cared enough to click on this and have read this far you are at least 35.
I wanted to wait until after “Darkadelic” came out before writing this review so I could include it in this ranking. But then I listened to it last Friday and I was like… “Whoa.” Bottom line, it’s just too soon to make a definitive placement for it – but go check it out anyways.
Is that a rhetorical question? Because not me. I have seen through the bullshit. If you wanna take this album’s title as a sincere query then I would guess it was whoever produced this bland, monotonous slog, who was likely afraid that any hint of excitement might alert an unseen secret police to their presence. Who was this mystery producer? What was their imagined crime? Suppose we’ll never know, ‘cause there’s no way I’m going to listen to this drag again looking for clues.
The Damned kinda have a habit of reinventing their sound about once every three years. In one way it’s very impressive to have that kind of musical elasticity – in another way, you end up with “Anything” and are forced to listen to low-rent ABBA for forty minutes. I suppose you could make an argument for it if that’s your thing, but if you’re mostly a fan of Triple D era Damned then it’s safe to give this one a miss.
Personally, I enjoy this record. It is fun and in a way reminds me of the Groovie Ghoulies if they were Britpop. But held up to a lot of other Damned albums it just can’t hold its own with that style. So, yeah, I’m not sure what that leaves “Grave Disorder” as. “Unfortunately enjoyable,” maybe?
I genuinely forgot that this record exists. So I listened to it again before writing this and my consensus is: pretty good. Yeah, dude. A lot of the songs still preserve that original lineup edge (despite being like nineteen Damned lineups down the road) and the songs don’t feel as samey as their more pop-oriented albums. Still, the fact that I didn’t even remember it until bringing up Wikipedia to check release dates means I can’t really go higher than here in the ranking. Sorry, that’s my bad.
Anyone else get the feeling like Dave Vanian might really be a Dracula? I mean, that would be fucking cool if he was, but, like that’s true of a lot of people. I’m saying he’s the guy who might legit just be a goddamn vampire. Also, don’t ever spill holy water on this album or it will burst into flames and a part of your soul is forever lost. Pretty cool how they worked that into the production.
“Music For Pleasure” was released roughly nine months after the band’s previous album and oh boy does it show. We’ll just let this one be an example of “strike while the iron is hot” not always being the best career advice. That being said, there’s nothing sonically wrong when compared with triple D – this is just more of the same, albeit feeling a bit less inspired. But particularly when put up against “Black Album” or “MGE,” this one just doesn’t have the stuff.
Here we have the later-era dark horse inclusion high in the list. “Evil Spirits” feels like it came out of nowhere, much in a way a spooky ghost will suddenly appear before whispering something to you like “fear the alleycat” before disappearing into a nearby aviary. I’ll call this a well-deserved comeback for the band after a few so-so offerings, and if you gave up on the Damned years ago, this album certainly demands your appreciation.
I wanted to make this entry just a picture of Dave Vanian singing while wearing the pirate shirt from “Seinfeld” with his hair done up exactly like Bride of Frankenstein but I was told “no, James, you actually have to write something.” So anyways there it is – now stop reading and go look up that picture immediately.
“The Black Album” rests on that perfect liaison between the sneering punk rock of the early Damned and the ethereal goth rock the band later consumed like the heart of an undead concubine. And they did it phenomenally. Most bands are lucky if they ever even get one truly great album out of a lifetime of struggle and dedication in the fickle and thoughtless music industry. The Damned have three, and this is the third.
This is the second. Also, it’s the only truly great record that had the classic lineup. And if you really still don’t see what set the Damned apart from other early UK punk bands, then compare this album’s cover to The Clash and see how it’s like fucking night and day. Triple D is punk without ego. It’s the true embrace of the weird and the rebellious, and above all, it’s just fucking fun. As any true Damned fan knows this was the first full-length punk record from any UK punk band and the cover art is a goddamn pie fight. Suck on that with all your seriousness and political shit, Joe Strummer.
And here’s the first. This is everything that was great about the early Damned except that, without Brian James serving as musical director, everyone finally got to do their own thing. Captain got to play guitar, Dave went full nosferatu, and Rat Scabies successfully lobbied to change his name to Hamster Healthy-Skin. Truly it was a golden age of the Damned.
“I don’t think the verdict went far enough. The only form of punishment I accept is complete castration.”
“There was always something about Trump I didn’t like, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I guess it was his pattern of abusive behavior that he openly admitted to multiple times.”
“Finally, the Mueller Report worked.”
“I bet the liberal media is going to spin this to make Trump somehow look bad.”
“I prefer Presidents who don’t sexually abuse people. One day I hope to get a president who doesn’t.”
“This is only going to make his base angrier and worse to be around at Thanksgiving. Something I didn’t think was possible.”
“This makes me wonder how many other powerful rich white men are total shitheads.”
“I’ve been saying this for a long time, we need to believe women. Unless it’s my ex-girlfriend, please don’t listen to anything she has to say.”