The Video Stars: DANCE Vids

I have been waiting and waiting for this.  I still have one more category to go after today, but I have been anticipating this particular group of ten videos more than any others.  Here are the top 10 dance music videos of all time:
 

10.  Runaway - Kanye West, 2010.  Directed by Fredrico Fellini & Stanley Kubrick.

Why yes, I am one of those who think Kanye will get the Grammy nod this year for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but that's not the point.  This video is strikingly beautiful in its juxtoposition of ballet dancers, warehouse setting, and Kanye's rap, yet everything works more than anything the rest of us could have imagined.  By far the most noteworthy excerpt from the full-length film.  If you do still want to watch the whole thing, you can watch it here.

9.  Like a Boy - Ciara, 2006.  Directed by Diane Martel.

The choreography is great, but that's not even why it's here.  Sure, Ciara isn't the only woman to ever try to use a music video to question gender roles, but here she plays both parts incredibly well, always looks super fly, and shows off her moves, which are as smooth as ever in this vid.  I think we also get a kick out of watching Ciara grab her crotch and kiss her biceps. 

8.  Vogue - Madonna, 1990.  Directed by David Fincher.

Perhaps I should have warned you, there is something about a black and white dance video, because this is clearly not the first and certainly won't be the last.  The dance in this video is subtle, because Vogue is all about the relationship between style, grace, and attitude.  But it is indeed a dance, and has inspired many partiers throughout the following decades to "strike a pose" whenever the moment deems it appropriate.

7.  Alright - Janet Jackson, 1990.  Directed by Julien Temple. 

In the style of a 50's musical, we get to watch Janet have fun dancing around an old-school New York in a pinstripe suit.  Madonna got to do Dick Tracy that year, and perhaps Janet got jealous and made this video?  I dunno, but "Alright" is proving to stand the test of time, and even being referenced by other younger dancers like Usher (at 1:35 in this Janet tribute) and Chris Brown in Yeah 3x.

6.  Tightrope - Janelle Monae, 2010.  Directed by Wendy Morgan.

Perhaps I should have also warned you of the number of women in suits that appear on this list!  Janelle Monae (if you don't know her, here's a blog I posted earlier this year) is a genius, and her feet are full of magic.  As for the video, it has a great story, the production is perfect, and it makes us want to dance just like Janelle Monae, although most of us can't because of my previous sentence. 

5.  Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO, 2011.  Directed by Mickey Finnegan.

I'm positive this is the only video from this year I'll have in any of my lists.  I've hummed and hawed over it; how can we possibly know if this will stand the test of time?  I guess we can't, and at the rate that many of us are watching it, there will likely come a time when we are so sick of shuffling.  However, I'm not there yet, and this video has a hilarious concept, and some truly great hipster dancing... which until PRA, I had thought was an oxymoron.

 4.  Lose Control - Missy Elliott feat. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop, 2005.  Directed by Dave Meyers.

This video reminds me of reminds me of a video game the way it finds itself in 5 distinct settings as if they are levels to achieve.  Each one is full of stark and surprising visuals that incorporate some truly phenomenal dancing.  Besides, even in real life the combination of Missy and Ciara is one of my faves to dance to!

3.  Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce, 2008.  Directed by Jake Nava.

This has become the "R.E.S.P.E.C.T." of music videos; it is one of the most parodied videos of late; although attempted by many the dance is actually really difficult; and the whole thing - although Beyonce and her dancers are scantily clad - comes off as incredibly classy.  It's because of this that "Single Ladies" has been elevated to legendary status.

 2.  Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson, 1986.  Directed by Colin Chilvers.

Although we don't understand what's going on (even in the context of Moonwalker - the film for which Smooth Criminal is the climax) we can't help but be sucked in to the general action of gangsters in a nightclub.  Not only is it full of drama and intrigue and costume and swagger, but the quintessential Jackson moves that, for most of us, define our pop King.

1.  Rhythm Nation - Janet Jackson, 1989.  Directed by Dominic Sena.

The only person in the world that could beat MJ in a music video contest is his sister.  Choreographed by Anthony Thomas (who also choreographed "Alright") this video uses a harsh militant routine that fits with the song and setting of an abandoned warehouse, and shows off Janet dancing unlike she ever has before (or after for that matter).  With the very short exception of some solo dance moments, the group is always dancing together in tight formation to a street style that seems as though it musically and physically demonstrates what a true rhythm nation could be.  Or perhaps it's just a lot of fun to dress up and look tough.  Either way, I'm sold.  Although it sounds crazy cheesy, and I know nostalgia is probably working against me, this video still has the power to inspire hope and desire for a better world.  If you could stomach more of me praising JJ's Rhythm Nation, here's my blog devoted to the whole album.

Happy Dancing!

PS. I can't not mention the runner up for this list, because it was so hard to leave out.  Another video by Wendy Morgan, this time for Gnarles Barkley's "Going On".  Check it out if you have time and space to move in your seat.  My other difficult choices in case you're interested, were MJ's Bad and Daft Punk's Around the World. 

The Video Stars: Science Fiction Music Videos

Sci-Fi tends to be a popular genre for music videos, possibly because it's far easier to draw attention in a short amount of time, focusing on using special effects rather than storyline to convey an idea.  I had the most difficult time yet in narrowing these down to only 10.  So don't judge me too much if a favorite isn't here.  Also, don't expect Thriller or anything else that appears in another list - I'm only considering any music video in one particular category.

10.  Can You Feel It - Jackson 5, 1980.  Directed by Bruce Gowers and Robert Abel.

I think in the end I couldn't not add this video, if for no other reason than it gives us historical context for MJ's relationship to music videos.  For 1980, the visuals here are over the top and in our face, setting the standard early for Michael, and giving him a strong sense of relationship between song and video before many others ever did. 

9.  Home - LCD Soundsystem, 2010.  Directed by Rick Darge.

Not so much the effects, but the plot in this one draws me in, as a robot tries to party all night with the local hipsters.  I am pleasantly surprised with how easily I sympathize with this wordless and  generally unimpressive robot.

8.  California Love - 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman, 1996.  Directed by Hype Williams.

A classic post-apocalyptic America set in 2095, where California
still knows how to party better than anyone.  I'm not sure why they bothered to make a second video, but they did, so make sure you click the pic and watch the right one. 

7.  In This World/In My Heart - Moby, 2002.  Directed by Stylewar.

Right up there next to E.T. and Wall-E, these are some of the most loveable aliens on film.  Beautiful, emotional, and importantly for this particular top 10 list, Sci-fi.

6.  Virtual Insanity - Jamiroquai, 1996.  Directed by Jonathan Glazer.

I suppose this is supposed to be on another planet, although this is never explicit.  Still, I would love to travel there one day.  Jamiroquai put themselves on the pop map with not only this song, but this powerful visual to conect it with. 

5.  Sock it to Me - Missy Elliott, 1997.  Directed by Hype Williams.

Missy is stylistically carving out an entire culture for herself in 1997 with this and Supa Dupa fly (with the help of Hype Williams' fisheye lens and Timbaland's beats).  Here she takes inspiration the Mega Man music videos and creates some visual fun to go along with her audio good times.  On another note, I wonder whatever happened to Da Brat's helmet... I would look boss in that thing.

 4.  Rockit - Herbie Hancock, 1983.  Directed by Godley & Creme.

A lot is going on, not only in this video, but in music history.  Here, Hancock is building a bridge between pop and jazz in an important way, and although it is moving towards the future, it still looks a little raw like the robotics in this vid. 

3.  Scream - Michael & Janet Jackson, 1995.  Directed by Mark Romanek.

When I first heard about this video I was 13 years old, and I remember thinking, "Finally Michael and Janet together".  And to this day when I watch it, although it's hard not to notice the amount of effort and money that went into this video, what gives it an unmatched charisma is the duo involved.  Janet looks as boss as ever, and both of them are bound by both love and anger.

2.  Intergallactic - Beastie Boys, 1998.  Directed by Nathaniel Hornblower (aka: MCA of the Beastie Boys).

Parodies bode well for these boys, while Sabotage worked off of Crime TV, Intergallactic bows to Japanese monster movies.  And what can I say, I am quickly acknowledging my soft spot for a dancing robot. 

1.  All is Full of Love - Bjork, 1999.  Directed by Chris Cunningham.

Slightly eerie, incredibly beautiful, and impossible not to watch.  An appropriate video of robotic love to a song composed entirely from "sounds inspired by machines" according to Bjork.  With both sound and film, Bjork shows us how sexy machines can be.  Who knew?     

Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989

If I were writing a top ten list of albums that shaped me as a kid, I might as well start by putting this record on top.  So forgive me if I wax nostalgic.  No matter what song is played from this album, my first mental image is of being in my older brother's basement room, using his double bed as a stage and a deoderant bottle as a microphone, trying my darndest to be Janet.  Before spending countless hours in front of the tv, trying to memorize her brother's "Thriller" dance, I was taking lessons from Rhythm Nation 1814.

I won't attempt to talk about this album with mentioning the videos associated with it because very few of us who have ever seen this, can listen to "Rhythm Nation" without being transported to the stark setting of the streets or the sparse warehouse where militant dancers are being trained to transform the world.  Janet has a long resume of impressive music videos with high production quality (and costs), however what I love about the videos connected with Rhythm Nation is that they are all very simple ideas and settings allowing the focus to remain on choreography and narrative.

As soon as the bell tolls, opening the album, I am there - one of Janet's army - and to be honest, I've never counted myself out of this number since first hearing this record.

The first three tracks set the foundational concern towards social injustice, calling for a new formation of people along the same line as George Clinton's One Nation Under a Groove.  Here, Janet reminds us that there is still a place for the protest/socially conscious song in R&B that was established in the 60's and 70's by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, ect, but had been missing for nearly a decade.  Janet is young here, but with the New Jack Swing fathers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis she is able to deliver a call to justice and equality that packs a punch, and keeps us dancing.

After reminding us of the "State of the World", and delivering her thesis that only "The Knowledge" can conquer the likes of prejudice, ignorance, bigotry and illiteracy, she moves the album along with:
"Get the point?  Good.  Let's dance..." and continues to encourage movement with two power dance tracks, "Miss You Much", and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)".  For someone with such a light wispy voice, she sure knows how to energize her listeners.  Still, she never let's us get too far away from the issues at hand, reminding us to think of the children in "Livin' In a World (They Didn't Make)".

I recently bought this on vinyl, and "Living in a World..." appropriatly concludes the chapter that is side A.  When I turn it over I'm thrust back into the action with the brilliant anthem, "Alright".  This song could alone define New Jack Swing with its street class swagger, and marriage of R&B melodies with heavy hip hop beats.  Not to mention it boasts one of my favorite music videos of the time.  I'm going to go ahead and imbed this one...

Together with "Escapade" these two tracks offer two attempts to hide from the harsh reality, the first with imagination and friendship, the second with flight.  "Black Cat" instead faces the danger of the streets as a warning to her lover.  Written by Janet herself, I'm not always sure how the harder rock-inspired track fits into this dance record, but it's an example of decent songwriting that sounds eerily like Michael. 

There is a very small part of me that wishes the album ended here.  However, the last three tracks prepare us all for Janet's sexual revolution that is to come.  We can't say she didn't warn us.  I read a review somewhere that said "Lonely" is the sexiest song about not getting any that ever existed.  That's probably true, at least as of 1989.  As in any new nation, love is never left out of the equation entirely.   Still, when she takes it all the way to the anticipatory "Someday is Tonight", I just feel dirty.  For some reason, this song is so much worse than her way more explicit stuff that comes in the 90's.  I don't know why, maybe her age, or how it fits on Rhythm Nation...  but however I might justify it, this is my favorite track to skip for sheer awkwardness. 

A brief Interlude followed by the same bell tolls that open the album asks us not to allow our eyes to deceive us, since it is only our "knowledge and wisdom that separate us".  If I were to critique her philosophy here, I might say we need more than darkness to be blind to our differences, but brighter light to see how deeply we are the same.  But that's not what I'm here to do.  The real point is that this unlikely young Jackson does exactly what she sets out to do: inspire us to dance in the darkness and invite everyone to join in, regardless of race or status.