Popular Music Videos 2000s

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When it comes to the best music videos of the 2000s, there are plenty of worthy candidates to talk about. The 2000s brought us an incredible array of music videos across genres. They were creative, thought-provoking, and occasionally eccentric, truly representing the artistic spirit of the time. These videos were more than just accompaniments to the songs; they told stories, inspired fashion, and showcased groundbreaking production techniques. Let's take a stroll down memory lane and remember the 20 best music videos of the 2000s.

To kick off our list for the best music videos of the 2000s, we've got "Dance, Dance," a classic high school dance scene with a twist. Fall Out Boy added their signature brand of emo-punk rebellion to the mix, and the result was a fun, energetic video that resonated with the teenage angst of the time. The video's offbeat charm and the band's compelling performance make it a standout entry in their catalog and a quintessential video of the 2000s pop-punk era.

In "Beautiful," Snoop Dogg and Pharrell take us on a journey to the sunny beaches and vibrant streets of Rio de Janeiro. The video, featuring stunning panoramas of the city and the jovial, party-loving local culture, perfectly encapsulates the song's laid-back and joyous vibe. It's a charming celebration of beauty in all forms, making it one of the most uplifting music videos of the 2000s.

The theatrical, circus-themed video for this emo-pop anthem is as dramatic as the song itself. It captures the band's penchant for theatrics and grandeur, helping establish Panic! At The Disco as one of the leading bands in the mid-2000s emo scene.

Perhaps one of the most iconic dance routines of all time, Beyonc's "Single Ladies" music video is a masterclass in minimalism. The black-and-white video, featuring Beyonc and her two backup dancers in leotards, was a cultural phenomenon that sparked countless tributes and even parodies.

The "Fell in Love with a Girl" video is an impressive display of creativity, using Lego bricks to animate Jack and Meg White's blistering garage rock hit. Directed by Michel Gondry, it's a whirlwind of colors and shapes that perfectly mirrors the song's frenetic energy.

The music video for "My Band," D12's highest-charting song in the U.S., is as humorously self-deprecating as the lyrics themselves. With Eminem playing up his frontman status to comedic effect, the video presents scenarios of band members feeling overshadowed and unnoticed. The tongue-in-cheek approach and playful visuals capture the essence of the song, making it one of the most memorable music videos of the 2000s.

OK Go redefined what could be achieved in a music video with "Here It Goes Again". Filmed in one continuous take, the video features the band members performing an intricate routine on treadmills. It went viral before 'going viral' was a thing, and remains a testament to the band's innovation and creativity.

"Bad Romance" introduced the world to Gaga's avant-garde style and penchant for theatricality. The video, featuring a mix of futuristic fashion, twisted love narratives, and captivating dance sequences, took the music video genre to new artistic heights.

"Hollaback Girl" was a departure from Gwen Stefani's work with No Doubt and firmly established her as a solo artist. The video, set in a high school, features Stefani as a cheerleader leading a marching band, embodying the song's defiant, empowering message.

Green Day's post-apocalyptic video for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" perfectly captures the song's themes of loneliness and disillusionment. Its gritty, desolate visuals were a stark contrast to the band's pop-punk roots and showcased their evolution as artists.

The music video for 50 Cent's breakout hit, "In Da Club," is an impressive visual feast that features the rapper in various scenarios, ranging from a club to a gym. The video's aesthetics, with a blend of slick production and raw energy, helped establish 50 Cent as a major player in the hip-hop world. The video remains one of the most iconic of the era, symbolizing 50 Cent's triumphant entrance into the music industry.

A delightful tribute to the Beatles' "Ed Sullivan Show" performance, "Hey Ya!" by OutKast is full of energy and fun. It's impossible not to tap your foot along to the beat as Andr 3000, playing all eight band members, takes the stage.

Rihanna solidified her pop diva status with the "Umbrella" music video. The black-and-white aesthetics with interspersed color, Rihanna's dynamic dancing in silver body paint, and the intense rainfall scene created an impactful and memorable spectacle throughout the entire video.

This video's striking black-and-white imagery and intense narrative addressing social issues in America left a profound impression on audiences. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mark Romanek, it's no wonder this gritty video won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video.

The video for "The Scientist" by Coldplay features a reverse narrative that adds an additional layer of intrigue to the already poignant song. The effect of watching Chris Martin's journey rewind is beautiful, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who watches it.

Eminem's "Stan" video, like the song, tells a chilling narrative that is both powerful and disturbing. With each verse corresponding to a different scene in the video, it amplifies the haunting story of obsession and mental decline, making it one of the decade's most influential videos.

In this visually stunning and style-forward video, Kanye West brought together elements of futuristic fashion, Japanese culture, and even references to the film "Akira." The result is a vibrant spectacle that matches the song's innovative sampling of Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger." The video, with its quick-cut editing and flashy neon lights, captured the dynamism of the song and cemented Kanye's place as a creative force in music.

Missy Elliott's "Work It" was a game-changer in terms of music video creativity. The video, directed by Dave Meyers, was filled with bizarre scenes, from a bumblebee Missy to an upside-down dance floor, proving Elliott's exceptional vision and status as a trendsetter.

Embracing her immigrant background and punk spirit, M.I.A.'s video for "Paper Planes" was a rebellious statement about globalization and stereotypes. The video's raw style, mixed with urban street culture aesthetics, resonated with viewers, making it a standout of the decade.

The virtual band Gorillaz brought animation into the music video realm in an innovative way. The video for "Feel Good Inc" is a stunning animated spectacle filled with surreal imagery, which fits the song's vibe perfectly.

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Short films integrating a song dates back to the time when film itself was first invented, but skyrocketed in popularity in the 80s with the advent of MTV (Music Television), which originally made music videos its primary and only programming to watch. Some might argue that these were the golden years of the music video, but we beg to differ. While we don't dispute the star power of those putting out the videos in the '80s and '90s, the 2000s welcomed a cinematic renaissance that helped music videos for pop rock and burgeoning rap alike reach a new level of iconic. Pop stars like Britney Spears made the decade's biggest pop songs that much more iconic, while rappers like Kanye West created visuals that would be remembered as not only the best of the decade, but also as some of the best videos of all time, full stop.

Sure, the record industry may not be what it once was, but that doesn't mean that the past decade hasn't seen hundreds, nay, thousands of videos that deserved consideration in our countdown. But we only had room for a cool hundred, and the coolest hundred we found. So set aside a couple of hours, make yourselves comfortable somewhere where people won't judge you for your viewing habits, and vegetate your way through the best music videos of the 2000s.

Fuck a keytar, them New Zealand boys know how to shred on the video-editingtar. Or so we're led to believe when Michel Gondry combines with Flight of the Conchords for a synergistic shit-white-people-love-splosion.

Hmmm, hot chick undresses and does all sorts of freaky stuff through her webcam. Hot chick is Penthouse's 2007 Pet of the Year, Krista Ayne. What part of that makes this video anything less than an enduring testament to the visual medium?

YOU AUGHTA KNOW:
According to the director Jessy Terrero, the models for "Wanksta" had to be begged to participate in the video, and were not paid their full rates. This was before 50 Cent sold a gazillion-jillion copies of his debut album, of course.

Year: 2006
Director: Benny Boom / Busta Rhymes

Watching Busta and Spliff get schooled by a group of pint-sized steppers is quality enough, never mind the star-power punch this video is spilling over with. They even color coded the video so we'd be able to tell the artists apart. Awww, how considerate.

Year: 2001
Director: Sam Taylor-Wood

How does a fiftysomething pop star get a video on TRL? By hiring someone else to lip-sync his song, dummy. And it would help if it was brilliant actor Robert Downey Jr., in his very first appearance after a high-profile trip to rehab. RDJ's straight-faced, contemplative walk around the house gave a whole new meaning to Elton's sad and hopeful song.

The throwback king's debut single was an instant hit, thanks largely to this simple, flag-covered video that made good use of Little X's rhythmic editing technique. And in the sensitive weeks following 9/11, its patriotic colors made it one of the only rap videos that MTV would play. True story!

All the blog posts say this video is NSFW, as in "Not Safe For Work," but that really depends on where you work. If your boss has no sense of humor and you're not allowed to watch animated sex, than yeah, don't watch this. But, for most of us, it's all good. But you can't watch it here, so watch it here.

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