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The Best 80s Music Videos

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 11 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Ranked #290 in Music, #6516 overall

Rated G. (Control what you see)

The 80s saw the birth of the music video... and boy, was some of it strange!

 

It's a bit odd to think that the first true generation of music videos are only about 25-35 years old. In some ways, it's both not so long ago and also a very distant past. Time-wise, not so long. Technologically and broadcast-wise, you've come a long way, baby! Depending on your age, these 80s music videos will either be really funny "old" videos, or some great flashbacks!

Video of the Year 1984 - YOU MIGHT THINK 

by the Cars from their album "Heartbeat City"

MTV launched in 1981 and in 1984, the very first MTV Video Music Awards were held in New York's Radio City Music Hall. The winner of Video Of The Year that first year was the Cars, with the cutting-edge effects of "You Might Think" from their top album "Heartbeat City."

The Cars - You Might Think

The Cars - You Might Think Ok this Video so much reminds me of how Ray is kind of funny but cute also in many ways thank you for always makeing me smile and makeing me realize so many things I love you Ray

Runtime: 3:05
447662 views
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Get a Guide to the 80s 

Totally Awesome 80s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Stars, and Trends of that Decadent Decade

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DON'T LOSE MY NUMBER 

Phil Collins "No Jacket Required"

This video spoofed how you had to come up with a good concept for your video. The single storyline was about a musician trying to find a director for his video, with bits of the song done in the various concepts that each director pitched to Collins.

The various suggestions become even more video-referential, spoofing popular movies of the time as well as other popular music videos. The vignettes are a Western, a take on the Road Warrior, an imitation of the look of "Every Breath You Take," a demo of a potential dance number, a pitch for a castle seige, a send-up of David Lee Roth's "California Girls" video, a Shogun/ninja interpretation, and a spoof of the Cars' video "You Might Think." The video then ends with repeated takes of Collins saying "so, how does it end?"

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Video of the Year 1985 - BOYS OF SUMMER 

by Don Henly

The Boys of Summer - Don Henley

This is an awesome 80s video. Don Henley of the Eagles. Boys of Summer. Nobody on the road Nobody on the beach I feel it in the air The summer's out of reach Empty lake, empty streets The sun goes down alone I'm drivin' by your house Though I know you're not at home But I can see you- Your brown skin shinin' in the sun You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong After the boys of summer have gone I never will forget those nights I wonder if it was a dream Remember how you made me crazy? Remember how I made you scream Now I don't understand what happened to our love But babe, I'm gonna get you back I'm gonna show you what I'm made of I can see you- Your brown skin shinin' in the sun I see you walkin' real slow and you're smilin' at everyone I can tell you my love for you will still be strong After the boys of summer have gone Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac A little voice Inside my head said, "Don't look back. You can never look back." I thought I knew what love was What did I know? Those days are gone forever I should just let them go but- I can see you- Your brown skin shinin' in the sun You got that top pulled down and that radio on, baby And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong After the boys of summer have gone I can see you- Your brown skin shinin' in the sun You got that hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on, baby I can tell you my love for you will still be strong After the boys of summer have gone Lyrics courtesy of http://www.davemcnally.com/lyrics/DonHenley/TheBoysofSummer.asp

Runtime: 4:43
332479 views
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B & White Style 


The police - Every breath you take

Runtime: 3:57
931807 views
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Mr. Mister - Broken Wings

Runtime: 4:46
1482615 views
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U2 - Pride (In The Name Of Love): Sepia Version

Runtime: 4:02
21243 views
10 Comments:

Take Your Music Videos With You 

portable music video players

If there was one thing that really was missing from the 80s, it was a way to take your music videos with you. I'm glad to say, times have changed...

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Video of the Year 1986 - MONEY FOR NOTHING 

By Dire Straits w/Sting

DIRE STRAITS "Money for nothing"

Videoclip "Money For Nothing" Dire Straits. The very best of Dire Straits.

Runtime: 4:44
285498 views
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PAPA DON'T PREACH 

Madonna, "True Blue"

This was the Best Female Video of 1985. Madonna's song about unwed, teen pregnancy raised as much ire as it did praise. It was one of the first music videos that really took a dramatic movie tone for it's presentation, even co-starring Danny Aiello. These were also the Madonna/Sean Penn days.

Madonna - Papa Don't Preach

Madonna Papa Don't Preach Sire Records Directed by James Foley

Runtime: 5:07
16256 views
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TAKE ON ME 

a-ha

This is the song that reminds me of the boy I dated the summer before I left for college. ...sigh...

A-ha - Take On Me

Copyrighted By W.M.G (Warner Music Group) www.wmg.com Lyrics; Talking away I don't know what I'm to say I'll say it anyway today's another day to find you Shying away I'll be coming for you love O.K. Take on me Take me on I'll be gone in a day or two So needless to say I'm odds and ends But that's me, stumbling away Slowly learning that life is O.K. Say after me It's no better to be safe than sorry. Take on me Take me on I'll be gone in a day or two. The things that you say Is it live or just to play My worries away You're all the things I've got to remember You shying away I'll be coming for you anyway Take on me Take me on I'll be gone in a day or two ad lib to end

Runtime: 3:46
5656498 views
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Video of the Year 1987 - SLEDGEHAMMER 

by Peter Gabriel from his album "So"

This video and the animation in it broke new and old special effects ground, winning a record nine Video Music Awards, and it put a little British animation house named Aardman on the map. You may know Aardman Animation as the home of Nick Park's creations Wallace & Gromit.

SledgeHammer by Peter Gabriel (Best one on YouTube!)

This is the BEST SledgeHammer music video that you will find on YouTube because it contains NO dumb graphics, introductions, watermarks or logos, just the pure unadulterated music video from beginning to end..

Runtime: 5:00
21949 views
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80s Music Video Links 

polls, lists, sites and more

AskMen.com - '80 music videos
The videos were chosen based on various factors including technological innovation, commercial success, resiliency, quality of the song, how strongly it impacted the video industry in later years, as well as how large of a role it played in the breakthrough of the band. While many individual videos met some of these criteria, the following ten scored the highest averages.
I've stared straight into the sun: 10 Best 80's Music Videos
Ahh the 80's, full of experimental synthesized music, power ballads, and shitty hair. Like Huey Lewis, I too wish I could bring back the 80's. Now we can revisit it for a bit with the top 10 80's music videos (based upon 80's movies which makes for great cameos).
Andrew Sullivan | The Daily Dish: Best '80s Video Nominee
If you were gay and young in the 1980s, the pop music was a form of emancipation and revelation.
MTV Video Music Awards, 1984-89
Listings of MTV Video Award winners by year and award for the 1980s. They don't list earlier than 1984, as that was the year the awards started.

Duran Duran and Russell Mulcahy 

Australian video director Russell Mulcahy wound up making eleven videos with British band Duran Duran. Shot in exotic locales with body painted-models, and taking inspiration from hit 80s movies, these videos were what really broke the band into the American market and made music video the hot art form of the day.

DURAN DURAN RIO

Runtime: 5:09
711222 views
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"Hungry Like The Wolf" Duran Duran

Runtime: 3:40
983385 views
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Duran Duran - Save A Prayer

Runtime: 6:11
2579 views
4 Comments:

Video of the Year 1988 - NEED YOU TONIGHT/MEDIATE 

by INXS

INXS - Need You Tonight & Mediate

Both video's back to back, Need you tonight right into Mediate.

Runtime: 5:39
1454829 views
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Music Movies 

001- Dreamgirls

Twenty-five years after its Broadway debut, the definitive girl-group musical, earning the most Osca...
002- Hairspray

Set in 1962, this colorful adaptation of the Tony-winning musical (spawned by director John Waters'...
003- Sweeney Todd

Johnny Depp (in an Oscar-nominated role) reteams with director Tim Burton for this adaptation of the...
004- The Phantom of the Opera: Special Edition

Andrew Lloyd Webber's stunning musical comes alive on-screen in this Joel Schumacher rendition. A ta...
005- Across the Universe

An American girl (Evan Rachel Wood) and a British lad (Jim Sturgess) fall in love amid the upheaval...
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THRILLER 

Michael Jackson "Thriller"

This was the first ever epic video. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was conceived of as a take-off of the movies "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" and "An American Werewolf In London." Movie director John Landis was hired to helm the 14 minute extended video, with a movie bumpers surrounding the song itself. It cost an unprecedented $800,000 at the time.

It's now 25 years old and still inspires others with its distinctive dance choreography. Check out the original thriller or a few fanciful recreations, such as in a Filipino prison or on the tube in London.

Michael Jackson - Thriller

Runtime: 13:41
24468274 views
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Filipino Prison Thriller Remake

Runtime: 4:28
635923 views
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Thriller dance on the tube - Michael Jackson thriller

Runtime: 2:04
1077933 views
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Video of the Year 1989 - THIS NOTE'S FOR YOU 

by Neil Young

Neil Young-This Notes For You

Long Live Loud Guitar

Runtime: 4:16
11895 views
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