When MTV debuted in 1981, it ushered in a golden period of music movies.

The community’s launch was groundbreaking for artists in all places. All of a sudden, music was now not a purely audible medium. Visuals quickly meant as a lot – or maybe much more – than what the track appeared like.

Some bands jumped head first into the music video revolution, whereas others took just a little bit longer to embrace the pattern. Regardless, MTV’s affect resonated with generations of music lovers and helped launch many artists’ careers.

READ MORE: Rock’s 40 Largest MTV Moments

As the facility of music movies grew to become evident, bands and file labels started closely investing into creating memorable clips. ZZ High, Tom Petty, the Police, Peter Gabriel, and Prince are simply among the noteworthy acts who crafted timeless items. Beneath, we rank the High 30 music movies from the Nineteen Eighties.

30. Tornado Sister, “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
Rebel is a core basis of rock, and one of many style’s basic tropes is younger individuals pushing again towards parental authority figures. Twisted Sister captures this completely of their 1984 music video for “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” Mark Metcalf, finest often known as Douglas C. Niedermeyer from Animal Home, aggressively scolds his son. The teenager responds by saying he needs to rock, then strums a riff so highly effective it propels his dad straight out the window. The child then turns into Dee Snider in full Keep Hungry apparel, full with make-up and wild crimped hair. Is the entire thing tacky? Positive, nevertheless it was the ‘80s!

29. Motley Crue, “House Candy House”
Motley Crue provided up loads of gratuitous sexuality of their ‘80s movies (see “Ladies, Ladies, Grils” for instance), but it’s their heartfelt clip for “House Candy House” that makes our record. Other than the opening – wherein every band member solutions a cellphone name and responds with “I’m on my manner!” – the video is essentially made up of footage from the group’s touring. Live performance performances and backstage recordings present the band’s tireless work ethic and dedication to their followers – a facet of the Crue not often proven to the general public.

28. B-52s, “Love Shack”
The music video for 1989’s “Love Shack” completely fits the B-52’s, one of many ‘80s most colourful and ebullient teams. The band cruises of their basic convertible, pulling as much as “Shaque Damour.” Inside, they lead a wild dance social gathering, that includes fluorescent outfits, loads of cocktails and a pre-fame Ru Paul.

27. Billy Idol, “White Marriage ceremony”
For a lot of, the picture of Billy Idol in “White Marriage ceremony” – shirtless, bleach-blonde hair, carrying a rosary and leather-based gloves – is the very first thing that involves thoughts when the rocker’s title is talked about. Right here was Idol emphatically placing his stamp on the ‘80s, mixing punk and goth seems to create his personal distinctive fashion. An eerie wedding ceremony, leather-clad dancers and a bike crashing by a stained glass window added additional parts to the basic clip.

26. Eurythmics, “Candy Desires (Are Product of This)”
How did a cow get within the boardroom? Why is Dave Stewart enjoying the cello, on a track that clearly has none? Maybe the deeper symbolism of Eurythmics’ “Candy Desires (Are Product of This)” video is misplaced on us, however one factor is obvious: the highly effective presence of Annie Lennox. Wearing a swimsuit, together with her quick, brilliant pink hair, the singer instantly grew to become an androgynous icon upon the clip’s launch. “We needed our visible statements to be robust and highly effective, as a result of we knew they’d be there ceaselessly,” Lennox later recalled. “I used to be making an attempt to be the other of the cliché of the feminine singer. I needed to be as robust as a person, equal to Dave and perceived that manner.”

25. George Michael, “Religion”
For this memorable 1987 video, George Michael debuted a brand new, distinctive look. With stubble on his face, aviator sun shades, blue denims and a leather-based jacket, the singer embodied an up to date model of rock’s basic ’50s fashion. Likewise, his strikes within the “Religion” video echoed these of Elvis Presley, because the English vocalist danced and gyrated his manner by the tune. The only grew to become a No. 1 hit, whereas its video helped Michael transition from pop star to rock pressure.

24. Def Leppard, “Pour Some Sugar on Me”
There have been really two movies made for Def Leppard’s basic 1987 hit “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” however the U.S. model (coated right here)  is the one which was plastered throughout MTV. The efficiency piece captured the unbridled pleasure of Def Leppard’s concert events, whereas black and white backstage footage gave a glimpse into the band’s pre-show preparation.

23. Blondie, “Rapture”
Few ‘80s stars had the magnetism of Debbie Harry. Whether or not performing onstage or showing on display, the Blondie frontwoman had easy charisma. It’s no shock that the band opted to make her the main focus of their 1981 music video for “Rapture.” In it, Harry exhibits off her strikes on the dancefloor earlier than wandering by Manhattan’s East Village, the place she glides previous graffiti artists, a Native American, Uncle Sam and a baby ballet dancer. A determine in a white swimsuit and high hat — referred to within the lyrics because the “man from Mars” — seems at varied factors all through the clip, whereas viewers may also spot hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy and famed artist Jean-Michel Basquiat making cameo appearances – that’s, if they will take their eyes off Harry.

22. Poison, “Nothin’ However a Good Time”
We’ve all been there: You’re working a menial, minimal wage job. Your boss is available in and yells at you, so that you kick down a close-by door to disclose Poison rocking by one in all their largest hits. Very like the track itself, the music video for “Nothin’ However a Good Time” won’t ever be confused for top artwork, however its irrepressibly enjoyable nature made it massively in style on MTV.

21. Genesis, “Land of Confusion”
The 1986 music video for “Land of Confusion” may be thought of superb or nightmarish, relying in your perspective. Regardless, the clip was unquestionably memorable, touchdown it at No. 21 on our record. The track took purpose at world management within the shadow of the Chilly Conflict, and with such weighty subject material, Genesis naturally determined the music video wanted puppets. A lot of them. Greater than 60 had been reportedly created for the video, at a price ticket of $10,000 every. Whereas band members Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks had been become puppets, so too had been most of the period’s most well-known faces. There have been politicians (Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev), pop stars (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince), rock legends (Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger) and well-known actors (Meryl Streep, Marlon Brando, Clint Eastwood). All of it amounted to a video that was really unforgettable – whether or not you needed to or not.

20. Queen + David Bowie, “Below Stress”
For music followers, a collaboration between Queen and David Bowie, two of the most important acts in rock historical past, was already cause for pleasure. Then got here the music video for “Below Stress,” which surprisingly didn’t function any star energy in any respect. Not one of the musicians appeared within the clip, reportedly attributable to touring commitments on the time. As a substitute, director David Mallet constructed a video totally made out of inventory footage and items of basic movies. Constructing on the idea of stress, Mallet juxtaposed scenes of explosions, societal stress and political unrest with clips of exuberant concertgoers and quaint romance. The consequence was one of many ‘80s defining music movies.

19. Metallica, “One”
Up till 1989, Metallica had eschewed music movies fully. That modified with “One” and its hauntingly memorable clip. Selecting up on the track’s theme of conflict, Metallica opted to make use of scenes from the 1971 movie Johnny Get Your Gun. These clips had been spliced with black and white footage of the band performing in a warehouse, giving the video a powerful cinematic vibe. Administrators Invoice Pope and Michael Salomon opted to make use of many shut up pictures of the rockers, highlighting their spectacular musical dexterity. General, it marked an emphatic music video debut for Metallica.

18. Buggles, “Video Killed the Radio Star”
The Buggles will all the time maintain a particular place in pop-culture historical past, as their music video for “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the primary clip ever proven on MTV. Whereas the track’s title and topic had been excellent for the groundbreaking second, individuals typically overlook how quirky and offbeat the video itself is. The clip, which was really created two years previous to MTV’s launch, options the band performing in a futuristic laboratory, as a spandex clad, metallic-haired girl dances inside a transparent cylindrical case.

17. Whitesnake, “Right here I Go Once more”
Even in an period of video vixens, there have been none extra adored than Tawny Kitaen. Her look within the 1987 music video for Whitesnake’s “Right here I Go Once more” was so iconic that it really overshadowed the band. Ask anybody who watched MTV on the time they usually’ll undoubtedly bear in mind Kitaen, wearing white, writhing on the highest of two Jaguar vehicles. The opposite half of the video, which featured the band performing “Right here I Go Once more”? That was simply filler.

16. Aerosmith and Run DMC, “Stroll This Manner”
Aerosmith initially launched “Stroll This Manner” in 1975. Eleven years later, it grew to become a groundbreaking launch because of a brand new model that includes rap group Run-DMC. The collaboration helped carry hip-hop to mainstream audiences, whereas its music video was a mainstay on MTV. “Do you need to do that video of you guys enjoying, and you then break down a wall, and we’re facet by facet?’” guitarist Joe Perry recalled being requested. “We mentioned, ‘Yeah, let’s do it,’ that was fairly superb. It was superb as a result of it actually did break down partitions. On the time, I do not suppose that there have been any minority acts on MTV, apart from Michael Jackson, as much as that time. If there was, it wasn’t quite a bit, and I feel it positively opened some doorways, and I am actually pleased with that. I would wish to say we deliberate it and that we knew that it was going to occur, however we did not. I am simply glad it was Aerosmith and Run-DMC that did it.”

15. Robert Palmer, “Hooked on Love”
Whereas English rocker Robert Palmer was the person behind “Hooked on Love,” the corresponding video grew to become well-known due to the different individuals on display. Within the clip, Palmer belts out the upbeat tune whereas backed by a band of 5 fashions. All of them are dressed the identical manner, in black outfits with pale make-up, darkish hair and brilliant pink lipstick. Regardless of transferring and swaying to the track, their faces stay stoic and impassive all through the piece. The video grew to become massively in style and has been routinely parodied within the years since, together with a memorable homage within the movie Love Truly.

14. Weapons N’ Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle”
Axl Rose opens the music video for “Welcome to the Jungle” as a bright-eyed dreamer arriving within the large metropolis. The concrete jungle sends him descending into darkness, and by the top of the video he’s a street-hardened punk. In fact, what you see on display is simply a part of the “Welcome to the Jungle” story. As rock historical past remembers, the video was rejected by MTV till label head David Geffen struck a deal to get it aired one time at 5AM on a Sunday morning. Regardless of the unusual time slot, response to the video was electrical. “Welcome to the Jungle” quickly moved into MTV’s common rotation, and Weapons N’ Roses had been immediately on their method to changing into the most important band on this planet.

13. Van Halen, “Scorching for Trainer”
The Van Halen crew embraced their interior youngster with this 1984 music video. The campy clip is about in an elementary faculty and follows Waldo, a basic, bowtie-wearing nerd who appears overwhelmed by the world round him. Little one variations of all 4 Van Halen members seem within the clip, frequently cheering on lecturers who pull off their homely clothes and change into bikini fashions. The true Van Halen seems as nicely, sometimes donning matching tuxedos and exhibiting off choreographed dance strikes.

12. Police, “Each Breath You Take”
The music video for “Each Breath You Take” was a serious presence on MTV in 1983. Shot in black and white, the clip’s minimalist fashion was very completely different from the intense and brash movies which dominated the community on the time. As a substitute, the Police largely let the track itself do the speaking, whereas the crisp cinematography of Daniel Pearl helped amplify the tune’s emotion. The video for “Each Breath You Take” was one in all MTV’s early mainstays and its recognition has barely waned within the many years since its launch. In 2022, it was acknowledged for greater than a billion streams on YouTube.

11. INXS, “Want You Tonight”
Dwell motion and animation had been mixed within the memorable video for “Want You Tonight.” The 1987 hit topped charts all over the world and helped elevate INXS into the higher stratosphere of fame. In the meantime, the music video – whose distinctive look was created by chopping up 35mm movie, photocopying the person frames, then re-layering the pictures over the unique footage – earned heavy rotation on MTV. It took dwelling 5 awards on the 1988 VMAs, together with Video of the Yr.

10. Duran Duran, Hungry Just like the Wolf”
“Indiana Jones is attractive and desires to get laid” – that’s how Andy Taylor summed up Duran Duran’s “Hungry Just like the Wolf” music video, and it’s truthfully the very best description we are able to consider. Shot in Sri Lanka, the clip finds the band navigating the nation’s bustling markets, earlier than journeying into the sprawling jungle. In the meantime, mannequin Sheila Ming seems as a mysterious girl, searching and finally sensually battling frontman Simon Le Bon. The unique video grabbed viewers’ consideration and helped develop Duran Duran’s recognition worldwide.

9. Prince, “When Doves Cry”
Contemplating Prince insisted on having management over all of his creative output, it’s no shock he dismissed the director employed by his label to helm the music video for “When Doves Cry.” As a substitute, the singer directed the clip himself, augmenting footage from the Purple Rain movie with a number of new scenes. The opening sequence, wherein white doves emerge from double doorways, then reveal Prince in a bath, ranks among the many most iconic photographs of the ‘80s.

8. Cyndi Lauper, “Ladies Simply Wanna Have Enjoyable”
Few ‘80s stars might match the attraction of Cyndi Lauper. From her distinctive style sense to her bubbly persona, the singer was one of many period’s most distinctive popular culture influencers. The music video for Lauper’s 1983 hit “Ladies Simply Wanna Have Enjoyable” was created with modest funds – it solely price $35,000 to make and a lot of the forged members had been volunteers. Nonetheless, its buoyant vitality captured viewers throughout the globe because it grew to become some of the recognizable movies of the ‘80s. Bonus level for the looks of Captain Lou Albano – knowledgeable wrestling legend and shut good friend of Lauper’s – who performed the singer’s father within the clip.

7. Dire Straits, “Cash for Nothing”
Positive, it’s humorous to have a look at Dire Straits’ 1985 music video for “Cash for Nothing” by a contemporary lens. Immediately, our senses are continually bombarded with pc animation and AI creations. Nevertheless, again within the Regan years, this clip was an instance of groundbreaking expertise, as crude 3D animation mirrored the story of transferring males pontificating about rock stars (as chronicled within the track’s lyrics). The video grew to become some of the in style in MTV historical past — the chorus of “I would like my MTV” definitely did not damage.

6. Van Halen, “Bounce”
Not like different movies on this record, which dazzled with artistry, results or storytelling, Van Halen’s 1985 clip for “Bounce” resonated with viewers because of easy chemistry. The video is a simple efficiency piece, with the group rocking by their catchy hit, however each band member is at their charismatic finest. David Lee Roth emotes easy swagger as he dances and sings, Eddie Van Halen is all smiles each on guitar and keyboard, Alex Van Halen kilos out the backbeat with ease, whereas bassist Michael Anthony seems like he’s having extra enjoyable than anybody else. “‘Bounce’ actually was nearly persona, actually,” the video’s director, Pete Angelus, defined within the e book MTV Dominated the World. “The preliminary idea was simply to movie them in a quite simple stay setting, and let the personalities present by. We did it in a short time. Significantly, I feel that we in all probability spent more cash on pizza supply than we did on the video itself. However that was the intention — make it a really intimate, private feeling, with a really large band.”

5. ZZ High, “Sharp Dressed Man”
Maybe no act did a greater job of embracing the music video revolution than ZZ High. Although the little ol’ band from Texas was already in style, their MTV explosion introduced fame and fortune past something the band had beforehand skilled. Three main parts helped ZZ High construct their MTV mystique (which coincided with their 1983 album Eliminator): First, the band’s iconic beards, which helped make the trio immediately recognizable. Second, their sizzling rod, which appeared of their movies and famously graced the Eliminator cowl. Third, the Eliminator women, a trio of ladies who appeared in three of the band’s most profitable movies. We might have simply made an argument for “Gimme All Your Lovin’” or “Legs” on this spot, however we opted to go along with “Sharp Dressed Man” and its story of a humble valet become super-stud because of the facility of ZZ High.

4. Tom Petty, “Don’t Come Round Right here No Extra”
The daybreak of the music video age turned Tom Petty into an unlikely MTV star. Rock followers already knew Petty was an unmatched songwriting expertise, however his willingness to embrace the medium – and even stretch the artistic boundaries of music movies – earned him a brand new technology of followers. The clip for “Don’t Come Round Right here No Extra” was Petty’s most memorable video, a trippy, Allison in Wonderland-inspired piece wherein the rocker performed the Mad Hatter. Whereas massively in style, it additionally prompted controversy, particularly the ending when Alice turns right into a cake which Petty eats. Tipper Gore – the second woman who notoriously began the Mother and father Music Useful resource Heart – was shocked by the second. “Apparently, Tipper’s daughter noticed that scene and freaked out — after which Mother began taking discover of what was happening, on MTV. And I am not kidding: I used to be cited for selling cannibalism by a dad and mom/lecturers group,” Jeff Stein, the video’s director, recalled many years later. “I believed, ‘Properly, this must be a profession excessive, for those who can carry again cannibalism as a fad!’”

3. Speaking Heads, “As soon as in a Lifetime”
You could bear in mind Toni Basil because the singer who scored a large hit with the cheerleader-esque tune “Mickey,” however she was additionally a profitable choreographer and music video director. Along with Speaking Heads frontman David Byrne, Basil helped create the group’s iconic 1981 clip for “As soon as in a Lifetime.” In it, Byrne spasmodically dances and gyrates in entrance of a blue display, which – at varied factors – exhibits footage of tribal dancers or a number of variations of himself. The picture high quality was purposefully low, even by ‘80s requirements, giving the clip an additional DIY feeling.

2. Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer”
Some of the celebrated music movies of all time, Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” clip sits in rarified air. Created with a mixture of cease movement, claymation and pixilation, the video took a painstakingly very long time to be made. Gabriel spent 16 hours mendacity below a sheet of glass as every body was shot. Whether or not your favourite half is the prepare that circles round the singer’s head, the sequence when painted clouds transfer throughout his face, or when a pair of raw chickens perform a little dance, the video is chock filled with memorable moments (Enjoyable reality: Future Academy Award winner and Wallace & Grommet creator Nick Park dealt with among the clip’s claymation). “Sledgehammer” gained 9 MTV Video Music Awards, which stays a file for any single video. So what might presumably rank greater on our record?

1. A-Ha, “Tackle Me”
By way of popular culture affect, no music video left a deeper impression than A-ha’s 1985 basic “Tackle Me.” With its distinctive visible parts, which mixed pencil-sketches with actual life, the clip seemed and felt like nothing else on MTV. The endeavor to create it was tedious, as live-action footage was traced frame-by-frame through a course of known as rotoscoping. It took 16 weeks to finish the video, however the consequence was greater than well worth the time. Thanks largely to the clip’s recognition, “Tackle Me” grew to become one of many ‘80s most recognizable hits. In the meantime, the music video stays a landmark piece of popular culture historical past, copied in commercials, on TV exhibits like Household Man and even in different artists’ movies.