The Best Music Videos of the ’90s
The 1990s was a major decade for music videos. All through the ’90s, creative music videos from grunge acts, pop singers and more dominated. – Author: Anne Erickson, Beastie Boys photo via Phil Andelman
The 1990s were packed with fantastic music that spawned many ’90s-inspired bands and musicians for decades to come. The best music videos of the ’90s were plastered all over MTV, which launched on August 1, 1981. MTV really changed the music industry forever, as it went from an audio industry to a full-on entertainment industry with larger-than-life music videos to go with pretty much any single that dropped. Of course, while the 1980s were a popular decade for music videos, the 1990s certainly had its moments. We’re paying tribute to some of the greatest music videos of the ’90s, mainly rock but a little pop and metal, too.
Best Music Videos of the ’90s
2Pac featuring Dr. Dre, “California Love”
Rapper 2Pac achieved massive success with his 1995 hit “California Love,” featuring producer Dr. Dre. The song was 2Pac’s comeback single after getting out of prison and showed he was back and better than ever. The beat of “California Love” is simply iconic, and the song even got two music videos: one inspired by the 1985 movie “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” and the other following the remix version of the song from the record “All Eyez on Me.”
Beastie Boys, “Sabotage”
The Beastie Boys really broke out in the 1990s with chart-topping radio hits that made them one of the biggest acts of the decade. Their brand of rap-rock was very novel at the time and inspired many rap-rock acts, and pure rap acts such as Eminem, to follow. The Beastie Boys’ music video for their 1994 hit “Sabotage” is nothing less than epic. It’s a parody and pays tribute to 1970s crime drama programs such as “Hawaii Five-O” and “Starsky and Hutch.” Each member of the Beastie Boys is introed as a fictional actor. While the video got lots of airplay on MTV, some scenes were taken out that were deemed too violent, even though it was obvious that guys were using stunt dummies in the clip. The band also played “Sabotage” as their last song ever when they played their final show in 2009 at Bonnaroo.
Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
There is absolutely no way a best music videos of the ’90s tally could leave out Nirvana with “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Just like Nirvana changed the sound of the decade, and decades to come, with their “Nevermind” album in 1991, the music video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” changed the music video. It was the opposite of the flashy hair metal music video from the 1980s and instead showed Kurt Cobain and the band rocking out in a high school gymnasium with zombie cheerleaders.
Madonna, “Vogue”
It’s impossible to talk about the 1990s and leave out Madonna. Even though the decade was filled with the Seattle sound, as well as hip-hop, pop was still a thing. Pop music wasn’t as big as it was in the decade prior, but it was still big, and Madonna’s music video for “Vogue” was one of the most iconic music videos, and songs, of the decade. Released in 1991, the video was black and white and featured iconic images of the singer. It came off her soundtrack album, “I’m Breathless.”
Metallica, “Enter Sandman”
Hair metal was kicked to the curb when grunge took over in the early 1990s, but that didn’t mean all metal went by the wayside. Instead, Metallica enjoyed their biggest career jump with the release of “The Black Album” in 1991. The album’s dark, moody single “Enter Sandman” was coupled with an intense music video featuring a child having nightmares, pictures of an old man and clips of the band performing. It’s a creepy video that fits the song’s heavy riffing and dark lyrics.
Soundgarden, “Black Hole Sun”
So many grunge videos could have made this tally, from Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” to Alice in Chains’ “Would?” But, something about Soundgarden and “Black Hole Sun” stands above the others. It has to be the super creepy faces that everyone in the video eventually makes, giving a scary smile that could give almost anyone nightmares. Chris Cornell and Soundgarden ruled the airwaves in 1994 with “Black Hole Sun,” and the song’s music video is a landmark release.
Find Audio Ink Radio’s tally of the best grunge songs, which are largely from the 1990s. Also, check out Audio Ink Radio’s roster of the best alternative rock one-hit wonders of the 1990s.
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