the music video is an art form and these
are the musicians who made the most of
the media welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’re counting down our picks for
the top 10 long-form music videos for
this list we’re ranking the most
enduring and popular music videos which
possessed a lengthy narrative plot or
dramatic visual style
we will not be considering the 24-hour
version of happy from Pharrell Williams
as that video represented more of an
experiment than a video watchable by the
general public
number ten born free mi a
starting off with a music video dripping
with controversy amia is born free is as
brutal and harrowing as they come
while the true meaning of the video
still has viewers guessing many believe
the violence against the flame-haired
youth featured in the short film
highlights the absurdity of genocide
the music industry is no stranger to the
politically charged video but few
artists can do it as rebellious Lee as
m.i.a who produced the shocking film
without the knowledge of her label
clocking in at just over nine minutes in
length it’s a track and video you have
to experience to believe
yeah yeah number nine
run away Kanye West I fantasize about
this back in Chicago Mercy Mercy Me dat
mercy and lag though this video on our
list clocks in at just over 30 minutes
in length and serves as a promotional
film of sorts for Kanye West’s 2010
album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
the clip which was directed by West is
an Amash of sorts to the long-form
videos and films of all taking
inspiration from not only Michael
Jackson’s Thriller
but the cinematic works of Stanley
Kubrick and prints run away consists of
clips from each song off West’s album
held together by beautiful
cinematography and the narrative
involving Kanye’s romance with a
mysterious Phoenix woman
it’s a daunting work which nevertheless
remains remarkably impressive and easy
to watch from start to finish
number eight been around the world Puff
Daddy feed from the Tories Vig and mace
have you ever wondered what Sean Combs
aka P Diddy’s career might have looked
like had the artist formerly known as
Puff Daddy decided to go into
globe-trotting espionage rather than
hip-hop and the music industry well
Diddy’s video for been around the world
and dull jizz in this what-if scenario
serving up a long-form video which
features the Bad Boy Records and Sean
John entrepreneur as a debonair
in-demand super spy home even managed to
snag some super talent to appear in the
music video including Jennifer Lopez
vivica a Fox and Quincy Jones number 7
greedy fly bush
nearly three minutes longer than the
song it helped promote the video was
also notable for being one of the first
to be included with the single
directed by German filmmaker Marcus
knispel who was best known for helming
genre remakes including reboots of The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the
13th franchises this seven-minute epic
cost the band as much as half a million
pounds
greedy fly possesses a similarly dark
and gritty feel to what was present on
missiles productions taking a seedy
crime drama procedural vibe and running
with it for all the band was worth
number six wake me up when September
ends Green Day summers coming
the innocent can never last wake me up
when September
featured is the fourth single of Green
Day’s American idiot wake me up when
September ends was already a sad song by
itself but when it was accompanied by a
music video directed by the now
legendary Samuel Bayer with intense
performances by Evan Rachel Wood and
Jamie Bell as well as a very realistic
storyline revolving around a u.s. Marine
going off to war then we had ourselves a
real tearjerker
fans who wanted a video that had a
little more to do with the hit album’s
concept were disappointed but those same
fans ended up getting what they wanted
when Jesus of Suburbia eventually
dropped
number five from yesterday thirty
Seconds to Mars
thirty Seconds to Mars are no strangers
to referencing works of cinema with
their videos 2005 is the kill and it
semaj to Stanley Kubrick’s horror
classic The Shining for example
the band would tread similar ground a
year later with this lengthy video for
from yesterday which takes its
inspiration from the 1987 film The Last
Emperor
the clip features 30 Seconds to Mars
decked out in battle armor against four
other masked warriors in a fight to the
death
intercut with images of the band’s
performance footage and is notable for
being the first American music video to
be shot on location in China
number four fights for your rights
revisited Beastie Boys in a throwback to
their 1987 classic music video you gotta
fight for your right to party
the Beastie Boys went out with a bang
for this extended version of the music
video for their 2011 track make some
noise
directed by late Beastie Boy member MC a
fight for your right revisited features
an all-star cast including Elijah Wood
Seth Rogen and Danny McBride as the 80s
incarnation of the band this among a
plethora of other all-star cameos an
all-out debauchery make for a great
viewing experience that only gets better
with every rewatch
number three stand Eminem Jim Jim hello
– what you still ain’t calling I left my
cell my pager and my home phone at the
bottom this song and video from Eminem
garnered quite a bit of controversy when
it was originally released in 2000
thanks to the media criticism of the MCS
lyrical content and personal behavior
he’s telling my girls jealous because
I’ve talked about – 24/7 but she don’t
know you like I know you slim no one
does they don’t know what it was like
people like us
growin up Stan told the story of an
obsessed fan who writes Eminem
increasingly hostile letters culminating
in a murder-suicide with his pregnant
girlfriend the clip itself features
actor devon Sawa performing in
convincing fashion as Stan alongside
Dido who also sings the chorus as the
girlfriend
it’s a powerful clip which addresses the
issues of abuse obsession and tragedy in
a dark and realistic fashion the carnie
found a change but it didn’t say we
would soon come to think about it number
two telephone Lady Gaga and beyoncé sex
murder women in prison all this and more
are featured within this clip for Lady
Gaga’s telephone
the video features the singer alongside
Beyonce as bad girls who staged a
breakout from behind bars before driving
off in their pussy wagon a vehicle
inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s Kill
Bill films what do you mean in my sure
the duo then make a stop off at a dusty
desert diner and proceed to poison all
of the customers leaving a trail of
corpses in their wake
it’s a bizarre visually stunning video
that may not make total sense
but it’s one heck of a lot of fun
before we reveal our top long-form video
here are a few
honourably epic mentions
number one thriller Michael Jackson his
holy movies this one’s the granddaddy of
them all the music video to which all
others seek to aspire the mighty
thriller from Michael Jackson the King
of Pop outdid everyone when he
collaborated with an American Werewolf
in London director John Landis for this
amazing tribute to classic horror movies
Jackson himself starred as both werewolf
and zombie alongside a troupe of studied
and talented dancers all of whom assists
in creating a world of creepy fantastic
imagery
just as MJ’s video clip for bad would
smash records years later in 1987 so too
did thriller enter the public
consciousness with its classic
choreography and one-of-a-kind style
so do you agree with our list which long
form music video do you think deserves
top honours for more musical top 10 list
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com
are the musicians who made the most of
the media welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’re counting down our picks for
the top 10 long-form music videos for
this list we’re ranking the most
enduring and popular music videos which
possessed a lengthy narrative plot or
dramatic visual style
we will not be considering the 24-hour
version of happy from Pharrell Williams
as that video represented more of an
experiment than a video watchable by the
general public
number ten born free mi a
starting off with a music video dripping
with controversy amia is born free is as
brutal and harrowing as they come
while the true meaning of the video
still has viewers guessing many believe
the violence against the flame-haired
youth featured in the short film
highlights the absurdity of genocide
the music industry is no stranger to the
politically charged video but few
artists can do it as rebellious Lee as
m.i.a who produced the shocking film
without the knowledge of her label
clocking in at just over nine minutes in
length it’s a track and video you have
to experience to believe
yeah yeah number nine
run away Kanye West I fantasize about
this back in Chicago Mercy Mercy Me dat
mercy and lag though this video on our
list clocks in at just over 30 minutes
in length and serves as a promotional
film of sorts for Kanye West’s 2010
album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
the clip which was directed by West is
an Amash of sorts to the long-form
videos and films of all taking
inspiration from not only Michael
Jackson’s Thriller
but the cinematic works of Stanley
Kubrick and prints run away consists of
clips from each song off West’s album
held together by beautiful
cinematography and the narrative
involving Kanye’s romance with a
mysterious Phoenix woman
it’s a daunting work which nevertheless
remains remarkably impressive and easy
to watch from start to finish
number eight been around the world Puff
Daddy feed from the Tories Vig and mace
have you ever wondered what Sean Combs
aka P Diddy’s career might have looked
like had the artist formerly known as
Puff Daddy decided to go into
globe-trotting espionage rather than
hip-hop and the music industry well
Diddy’s video for been around the world
and dull jizz in this what-if scenario
serving up a long-form video which
features the Bad Boy Records and Sean
John entrepreneur as a debonair
in-demand super spy home even managed to
snag some super talent to appear in the
music video including Jennifer Lopez
vivica a Fox and Quincy Jones number 7
greedy fly bush
nearly three minutes longer than the
song it helped promote the video was
also notable for being one of the first
to be included with the single
directed by German filmmaker Marcus
knispel who was best known for helming
genre remakes including reboots of The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the
13th franchises this seven-minute epic
cost the band as much as half a million
pounds
greedy fly possesses a similarly dark
and gritty feel to what was present on
missiles productions taking a seedy
crime drama procedural vibe and running
with it for all the band was worth
number six wake me up when September
ends Green Day summers coming
the innocent can never last wake me up
when September
featured is the fourth single of Green
Day’s American idiot wake me up when
September ends was already a sad song by
itself but when it was accompanied by a
music video directed by the now
legendary Samuel Bayer with intense
performances by Evan Rachel Wood and
Jamie Bell as well as a very realistic
storyline revolving around a u.s. Marine
going off to war then we had ourselves a
real tearjerker
fans who wanted a video that had a
little more to do with the hit album’s
concept were disappointed but those same
fans ended up getting what they wanted
when Jesus of Suburbia eventually
dropped
number five from yesterday thirty
Seconds to Mars
thirty Seconds to Mars are no strangers
to referencing works of cinema with
their videos 2005 is the kill and it
semaj to Stanley Kubrick’s horror
classic The Shining for example
the band would tread similar ground a
year later with this lengthy video for
from yesterday which takes its
inspiration from the 1987 film The Last
Emperor
the clip features 30 Seconds to Mars
decked out in battle armor against four
other masked warriors in a fight to the
death
intercut with images of the band’s
performance footage and is notable for
being the first American music video to
be shot on location in China
number four fights for your rights
revisited Beastie Boys in a throwback to
their 1987 classic music video you gotta
fight for your right to party
the Beastie Boys went out with a bang
for this extended version of the music
video for their 2011 track make some
noise
directed by late Beastie Boy member MC a
fight for your right revisited features
an all-star cast including Elijah Wood
Seth Rogen and Danny McBride as the 80s
incarnation of the band this among a
plethora of other all-star cameos an
all-out debauchery make for a great
viewing experience that only gets better
with every rewatch
number three stand Eminem Jim Jim hello
– what you still ain’t calling I left my
cell my pager and my home phone at the
bottom this song and video from Eminem
garnered quite a bit of controversy when
it was originally released in 2000
thanks to the media criticism of the MCS
lyrical content and personal behavior
he’s telling my girls jealous because
I’ve talked about – 24/7 but she don’t
know you like I know you slim no one
does they don’t know what it was like
people like us
growin up Stan told the story of an
obsessed fan who writes Eminem
increasingly hostile letters culminating
in a murder-suicide with his pregnant
girlfriend the clip itself features
actor devon Sawa performing in
convincing fashion as Stan alongside
Dido who also sings the chorus as the
girlfriend
it’s a powerful clip which addresses the
issues of abuse obsession and tragedy in
a dark and realistic fashion the carnie
found a change but it didn’t say we
would soon come to think about it number
two telephone Lady Gaga and beyoncé sex
murder women in prison all this and more
are featured within this clip for Lady
Gaga’s telephone
the video features the singer alongside
Beyonce as bad girls who staged a
breakout from behind bars before driving
off in their pussy wagon a vehicle
inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s Kill
Bill films what do you mean in my sure
the duo then make a stop off at a dusty
desert diner and proceed to poison all
of the customers leaving a trail of
corpses in their wake
it’s a bizarre visually stunning video
that may not make total sense
but it’s one heck of a lot of fun
before we reveal our top long-form video
here are a few
honourably epic mentions
number one thriller Michael Jackson his
holy movies this one’s the granddaddy of
them all the music video to which all
others seek to aspire the mighty
thriller from Michael Jackson the King
of Pop outdid everyone when he
collaborated with an American Werewolf
in London director John Landis for this
amazing tribute to classic horror movies
Jackson himself starred as both werewolf
and zombie alongside a troupe of studied
and talented dancers all of whom assists
in creating a world of creepy fantastic
imagery
just as MJ’s video clip for bad would
smash records years later in 1987 so too
did thriller enter the public
consciousness with its classic
choreography and one-of-a-kind style
so do you agree with our list which long
form music video do you think deserves
top honours for more musical top 10 list
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com
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