The videos that should have won MTV's 'Video of The Year'

They got it wrong right out of the gate! Yes, The Cars video for “You Might Think” featured revolutionary computer graphics (for the time), but it wasn’t “Thriller.” That’s right: “Thriller,” often hailed as the greatest music video of all time, did not win Music Video of the Year. Rick Baker’s practical makeup f/x still look frighteningly un-lifelike today, while “You Might Think” looks primitive and silly.

Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” was the best of the five nominated videos (a weak field with the only real competition being Tom Petty’s “Alice in Wonderland”-influenced “Don’t Come Around Here No More”). The real shocker here was the snub of Duran Duran’s “Wild Boys,” a massively hyped $1 million video directed by Russell Mulcahy (of “Highlander” fame). Duran Duran had always been at the fore of innovation in this format, and this was the band's last great effort.

State-of-the-art computer graphics! The difference between Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” and other videos showing off new technology comes down to wit: This video is actually a very funny sendup of the music industry’s fervent embrace of MTV (which gets namechecked in the lyrics). Though “Money for Nothing” was the presumptive favorite for the award, it faced stiff competition from a-ha’s “Take on Me” — which no doubt pleased Steve Barron, who directed both videos. “Money for Nothing” deservedly won.

A no-brainer. Directed by Stephen R. Johnson, the brilliantly inventive video for Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” featured contributions from Aardman Animations (the Claymation geniuses behind Wallace & Gromit) and The Brothers Quay (best known for their stop-motion masterpiece, “The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer"). It’s a unique, inimitable achievement, often battling with “Thriller” for the title of “Greatest Music Video Ever." “Sledgehammer” easily beat out an underwhelming field that was led by Genesis’ “Land of Confusion,” which featured the puppets from “Spitting Image." 

George Harrison’s melancholy remembrance of his time in The Beatles got a lovely, visually eclectic music video from the pioneering duo of Godley & Creme. Had the song been a bigger hit, the video might’ve taken home the top prize. Instead, MTV chose to honor the stylish black-and-white video for Inxs’ “Need You Tonight/Mediate,” which is most memorable for its homage to Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” It was a small upset given that U2, the most popular band in the world at that point, snagged two nominations that year for “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “Where the Streets Have No Name."

Neil Young’s video for “This Note’s for You” (directed by the great Julien Temple) parodied his musician peers who’d sold out to major corporations for big commercial paydays. Michael Jackson, furious with the sendup of his Pepsi ad (hair immolation and all), sicced his lawyers on MTV, prompting the network to temporarily ban the video. It finally relented and ultimately atoned by giving Young its top award (over Jackson’s “Leave Me Alone” and Madonna’s controversial “Like a Prayer,” which caused her to lose her Pepsi sponsorship).

No one can quibble with Sinead O’Connor winning for “Nothing Compares 2 U.” It’s a classic song (written by Prince) with an anguished, heartbreaking video shot entirely in close-up. But in terms of craft, the winner should’ve been David Fincher’s elegantly styled black-and-white video for Madonna’s “Vogue.” It was a rough year for young Mr. Fincher: He directed all of the losing videos, which also included Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got a Gun” and Don Henley’s “The End of the Innocence.”

The Tarsem-directed video for R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” is a film school brat’s fever dream of Indian cinema blended with evocative imagery from Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. It’s derivative but beautifully executed, and it deservedly won Video of the Year over the eclectic likes of Queensryche’s “Silent Lucidity, C+C Music Factory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” and the Divinyls’ notorious ode to self-love, “I Touch Myself.”

MTV always prided itself for getting ahead of the curve on new music but blew it this year by honoring Van Halen’s “Right Now” over Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The former is pre-meme collection of “provocative” facts and boneheaded sentiment; the latter brilliantly captures the incendiary power of Nirvana’s music, which gave voice to a generation’s fury over the '80s-era status quo. This was a cultural sea change, and MTV completely missed it.

Pearl Jam won for the Mark Pellington-directed video of “Jeremy,” which felt like a mea culpa for the previous year’s miscarriage of justice. That’s fine. It’s a good video for a great song. But Mark Romanek’s defiantly sexy video for En Vogue’s “Free Your Mind” would’ve been the better choice. The Funkadelic-inspired track is a swaggering, guitar-heavy change of pace for the R&B quartet, who were just about to hit their career peak. The fashion-show-on-steroids concept would be endlessly imitated in the years to come, but it would never feel as fresh or liberating as it did with En Vogue.

Aerosmith’s video for “Cryin' ” was notable for starring an up-and-coming young actress named Alicia Silverstone. After she catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she goes on a wild, rebellious spree that includes getting her navel pierced and, somewhat troubling, faking her suicide by jumping from an overpass with a rope tied around her waist. How MTV could go for this nonsense over the Beastie Boys’ gloriously rambunctious “ Sabotage” video — directed by Spike Jonze to look like the opening credits of the best/worst 1970s cop show ever — is anyone’s guess.

TLC’s “Waterfalls” is a wonderful song bolstered by wise, heartfelt lyrics. But this is an award for videos, and, as directed by F. Gary Gray, this effort is disappointingly reminiscent of a preachy after school special. Weezer’s video for “Buddy Holly ” (which places the band in the world of “Happy Days” at Arnold’s Drive-In) is far more memorable and flat-out fun. Also better than “Waterfalls” — Mark Romanek’s gorgeous black-and-white video for the long-awaited Michael and Janet Jackson duet, “ Scream.”

Long before they became indie film darlings with “Little Miss Sunshine,” Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris were two of the most sought-after music video directors in the industry. Together with The Smashing Pumpkins, they made magic . Their fantastical riff on George Melies’ silent film classic, “A Trip to the Moon,” is probably their best work. It was certainly far better than its meager competition, Alanis Morissette’s “ Ironic,” Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s “Crossroads” and the Foo Fighters’ “Big Me,” (which goofed on those cheesy Mentos commercials).

Jamiroquai’s breakthrough hit was backed up by a groundbreaking video from visionary director Jonathan Glazer, best known for the films “Sexy Beast” and “Under the Skin.”  It’s a dazzling feat of visual trickery: Front man Jay Kay dances around an all-white room in which the floors and furniture occasionally move (or appear to move). The blend of practical action and subtle CG effects is as seamless today as it was 20 years ago. “Virtual Insanity” deservedly won out over some tough competition from Beck (“The New Pollution”) and Nine Inch Nails (“The Perfect Drug”).

If you’re looking for the moment when the MTV Video Music Awards pivoted away from formal innovation, this is arguably the year. Madonna won for the time-lapse franticness of “Ray of Light,” which was at least more interesting than the empty glitz of Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It ” or Puff Daddy’s “ It’s All About the Benjamins (Rock Remix).” There was only one deserving winner this year, and it wasn’t even nominated: Aphex Twin’s “Come to Daddy,” a nightmarish concoction directed by Chris Cunningham. Shot in and around a decaying British industrial neighborhood, the video features a horrifying spirit (“the thin man”) terrorizing an old woman and protecting a group of spooky looking kids. It’s a video that’s seared into your brain after one viewing.

Chris Cunningham and Aphex Twin followed up “Come to Daddy” with "Windowlicker," a phenomenally garish parody of glam-crazed hip-hop videos. Given the unsettling imagery and rampant use of profanity, it’s a little easier to understand how MTV passed on honoring this one. Still, a nomination would’ve been nice? The award went to Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing) ,” which brings together old-school soul and modern R&B via split screen. It was the only deserving nominee in a group that included Backstreet Boys, Korn, Will Smith and Ricky Martin.

MTV continued to ignore the innovation of artists like Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry in favor of more conventional videos featuring mainstream-friendly artists. This year the dubious winner was Eminem for the mean-spirited parody of “The Real Slim Shady.” Of the videos nominated, the award should’ve gone to D’Angelo’s “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” which steamed up living rooms with its lingering shots of the singer’s bare, utterly ripped torso. Not nominated (again): Cunningham. He only filmed the construction of a cyborg Bjork in his masterful video for “All Is Full of Love.” No big deal.

MTV again went with the glitziest choice: the all-star burlesque of “Lady Marmalade ” featuring Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya and Pink. It’s good, sassy fun, but is it better than Christopher Walken dancing and flying all over the L.A. Hotel in Spike Jonze’s video for Fatboy Slim’s “ Weapon of Choice ?” Surely not. Missy Elliott’s exuberant “ Get Ur Freak On” also would’ve been an acceptable alternative.

Eminem returned with another cartoon parody of the world around him in “Without Me," and he once again took home the award for Video of the Year. How anyone could prefer that witless satire over Michel Gondry’s tactile Lego wizardry in his video for The White Stripes’ “Fell in Love with a Girl” is completely baffling. Gondry was producing spectacular videos throughout this period, but MTV was evidently unimpressed.

Normally, there’d be no shame in Missy Elliott winning for a video as wildly exciting as “Work It,” but the award absolutely should’ve gone to Johnny Cash’s “Hurt.” The Mark Romanek-directed video captures Cash at the end of the line, his physical decrepitude mirrored by the dilapidated state of his home (aka the “House of Cash”). It’s the frank testimony of an outlaw artist who — via the music of Nine Inch Nails — can’t help but acknowledge what’s coming. Indeed, Cash was gone the year later.

OutKast took home the trophy this year for the spectacle of eight Andre 3000s performing “Hey Ya” on a fictional 1960s British variety show. It’s a fun homage to the live television of the time, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. Far more stirring was Jay-Z’s “99 Problems ,” which found director Mark Romanek hitting the rapper’s old Brooklyn haunts to give us a vibrant sense of where his style and attitude originated. If that was too rough for MTV, it should’ve opted for Britney Spears’s “ Toxic,” which combines “John Woo” movies, anime and “Kill Bill” to, um, intoxicating effect.

Green Day beat out a ho-hum collection of nominees with its Samuel Bayer-directed “Boulevard of Broken Dreams .” It’s a sad, socially conscious work that finds the band ditching its broken-down car in the desert, while Bayer cuts back to Los Angeles for images of homeless people. It’s obvious, but fine. Kanye West’s “ Jesus Walks” was the most interesting video nominated, but the award should’ve gone to Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” for perfectly capturing the infectious cheerleader-driven vibe of the song.

The MTV Video Music Awards were always more about the ceremony than the actual awards, but with the channel’s video-centric programming way in its past, it finally stopped caring about artistry and more about getting the hottest names in the industry to attend the show. Panic! at the Disco won this year for “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” which might’ve been marginally better than the offerings from Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Shakira. Not nominated (and the best of the bunch): Prince’s “Black Sweat,” a sultry black-and-white come-on directed by Sanaa Hamri.

You can’t go wrong with the impossibly beautiful duo of Justin Timberlake and Scarlett Johansson falling madly in love…you’d think. MTV, however, wasn’t terribly impressed with Timberlake’s video, so it went with Rihanna’s breakout hit “Umbrella,” which is hardly an outrage. Nomination-wise, it was another weak year. Kanye West’s “Stronger” might’ve been a better choice, but none of these videos is particularly memorable. At least Justin went home with Male Artist of the Year. 

Erykah Badu’s video for “Honey ” is a playful tribute to all the classic albums that helped to shape her creative identity. It’s a wild mix of music: She turns up in everything from Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” to Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical.” The song didn’t really chart though, so MTV snubbed it in favor of the latest insipid videos from Chris Brown, The Jonas Brothers and The Pussycat Dolls. Britney Spears won for “ Piece of Me,” which was the correct call given the competition.

Contrary to the haze of history, Beyonce actually won Video of the Year for “Single Ladies .” And yet all anyone remembers is Kanye West buffoonishly storming the stage after Best Female Video went to to Taylor Swift’s “ You Belong With Me.” Had Kanye cooled his jets (and understood that these awards shows like to spread the love around), he would’ve seen justice done at the end of the ceremony. But his enthusiasm was understandable: Beyonce’s Bob Fosse-influenced video is a classic.

The year of Gaga. It was a toss-up between “Telephone” and “Bad Romance,” and the latter won out. It’s a pretty standard video on the surface (directed by Francis Lawrence, who would later helm all of the “Hunger Games” sequels), but it’s distinctively Lady Gaga right down to those razor blade sunglasses. It was just nice to see one-time VMA darling Eminem lose for the second year in a row.

This star-studded video was a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Beastie Boys’ breakout hit, “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” Seth Rogen, Danny McBride and Elijah Wood play a version of the trio as they bop around New York City, while an older version portrayed by Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Jack Black turns up later. It’s a fun and affectionate tribute to the legendary hip-hop group, and it was especially poignant given Adam Yauch’s (aka MCA) ongoing battle with cancer. (He passed away the following year.) Katy Perry won for “ Firework,” which had the advantage of being a bigger hit.

Rihanna won her second Video of the Year award for “We Found Love,” and this time it was well-deserved. The video is a disturbingly intense dramatization of an abusive romance — one that might mirror Rihanna’s relationship with Chris Brown. Directed by Melina Matsoukas, it’s an unflinching portrayal of a life spinning out of control. There’s sex, there’s drugs and there’s the unsettling sight of Rihanna puking up pink and white streamers. There wasn’t another video this year that could match “We Found Love” for sheer power.

Another deserving winner. There was some concern that Robin Thicke would win for his obnoxious “Blurred Lines” video, which had gained notoriety for having a version where three fashion models dance topless. Thank goodness MTV went with Justin Timberlake’s tender “Mirrors.” It’s the opposite of “Blurred Lines,” as it's a deeply moving journey through the lives of a couple from their first date to their later years. It’s a beautiful piece of filmmaking from director Floria Sigismondi.

There was little doubt that Miley Cyrus had Video of the Year locked down for “ Wrecking Ball,” but that’s only because the two most deserving videos weren’t even nominated for the top prize. Melina Matsoukas’ video for Beyonce’s “Pretty Hurts” was far superior, but the best of the bunch was DJ Snake and Lil John’s “Turn Down for What.” It’s pretty simple: The jacked-up energy of the song causes a young man’s libido to rage out of control, and the mood is contagious. Directed by Daniels (the team behind “Swiss Army Man”), there’s a lot of humping and property damage. It’s wonderful.

Tay-Tay’s feud with Katy Perry spun out of control with Joseph Khan’s video for “Bad Blood .” Swift assembles a badass girl crew to take down her friend-turned-archenemy (played by Selena Gomez), and…that’s about it. But it’s fun to see young stars like Hailee Steinfeld and Zendaya appearing alongside legends like Cindy Crawford and Mariska Hargitay. That said, this wasn’t a great year for videos.

No contest. Beyonce’s powerful video for “Formation” was the right song at the right time. Teaming once again with Melina Matsoukas, the video signals its supreme lack of you-know-whats by opening with an image of Bey lying on top of a cop car on a flooded street in New Orleans. The video references both Hurricane Katrina and the shootings of unarmed black men by cops. It’s an incendiary protest video, and as expected, it won Video of the Year.

For these politically charged VMAs, only Kendrick Lamar's "Humble." would do. Directed by Dave Meyers and the Little Homies, the video is a serrated satire of wretched excess. We get to see K-Dot parody the famously snobbish Grey Poupon commercial, recreate Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" and self-deprecatingly sermonize to the camera with his hair literally on fire. Aside from Alessia Cara's body-positive "Scars to Your Beautiful," it was the only nominated video that felt like it was about something.

Childish Gambino's politically supercharged "This Is America," The Carters' Louvre-shot "Apeshit" and Ariana Grande's urban dreamscape "No More Tears to Cry" were the talk of the VMAs in 2018, but Camila Cabello's romantic, telenovela-tinged fantasy stole voters hearts and scored a major upset. Sometimes being the catchiest song of the group is all that matters.