Music Critic Fran Seabrook shares her five top music videos
Whilst music videos may not be as significant moments of pop culture as they used to be, they are still vital in shaping how we consume music. They allow us as listeners to gain a further insight into a track, providing an opportunity to tell a story which might not immediately be apparent in the lyrics. Artists can connect songs outside of the traditional album groupings by creating series’ of interlinked music videos, meaning fans are able to listen to tracks in new ways. Most importantly, they allow each artist to carefully construct an aesthetic of their work and shape specific images inherently connected to their identity as an artist. Music videos, I think, are my favourite part of consuming music, and whilst choosing only five was incredibly hard, I like to think that the list provides everything you want from a music video.
Lavish – Twenty One Pilots
Finding itself in the middle of Twenty One Pilot’s visual album Clancy, the ‘Lavish’ music video is a welcome change to the often intense subject matter the duo’s music videos often cover. ‘Lavish’ mocks the unnecessary luxury of the celebrity world, and the video is equally silly with members Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun readily making fun of themselves. They travel around their home city, Columbus, Ohio, wearing suits and standing underneath street and shop signs which match the lyrics of the song. Often the spelling is wrong, or either of the two have to stand in a way to hide particular words or letters to make it work. The complete chaos of it all makes it my favourite of Twenty One Pilots music videos.
“Whilst music videos may not be as significant moments of pop culture as they used to be, they are still vital in shaping how we consume music
British Bombs – Declan McKenna
Whilst McKenna has a wide range of great music videos, his best in my opinion is ‘British Bombs.’ Focusing on a family of wooden toy figures, the video focuses on the daughter slowly becoming more aware of Britain’s negative involvement in world conflict. Whilst the concept may sound complicated, the message is easy to receive through the change from the wooden toys to the 2D animation of the British figures she is watching on the TV, which only serve to disguise the coverage of planes and bombs also being shown. The bridge of the song is made more impactful by becoming the realisation for the daughter, with her wooden face turning to one of panic as she realises her family has known about Britain’s role the whole time, and has continued eating without caring. What really makes the video stand out is its mixed media approach. Not only does it utilise the comically changing expressions and quick movement of the wooden toys, but also paper, animation, and real food and humans.
Starburster – Fontaines D.C.
If you’re looking for a music video that provides a truly different listening experience, then Fontaines D.C’s ‘Starburster’ is the perfect example. Whilst many music videos opt to use the usual production of a track, Fontaines D.C. doesn’t, mixing the track with the audio from each shot. Forty seconds in, the songs intro restarts, leading into sounds of wind, chip fryers, and a shift from the pre-recorded track to frontman Grian Chatten singing acapella in a shot. The most prominent addition is the constant sound of an inhaler being used, which works with the video’s distorted narrative. The video bounces back and forth between the multiple identities Chatten takes on, varying from a complete black get up to skin falling off his face. It constantly revisits the same locations of his home and the CCTV of a shop, leading us to be constantly confused and works to emphasise the sense of panic which inspired the song.
“If you’re looking for a music video that provides a truly different listening experience, then Fontaines D.C’s ‘Starburster’ is the perfect example.
Sincerity is Scary – The 1975
For any The 1975 fan, I think it’s easy to agree that ‘Sincerity is Scary’ has earned its place as one of the band’s most iconic music videos, and is one of my personal favourites. Capturing the optimism present in the track, the video shows frontman Matty Healy walking down a brightly coloured street with headphones on. He interacts with many of the passersby; swapping hats with them, dancing, and saving the bassist Ross MacDonald from getting crushed by a falling piano. Along with this, he is also constantly escaping each shot, only to enter the next shot through a different unexpected door. Where the video shines, however, is in how it rewards long-time fans, and becomes an interactive experience. The video is full of references to the rest of the band’s music, with their commonly used phrase ‘La poesie est dans la rue’ on a billboard, and a girl dressed as a black and white clown referencing their ‘A Change of Heart’ music video. The band also brought the video to life during multiple tours, using a treadmill to mimic Healy’s journey down the street and throwing the hat he wears during the video into the audience every show.
Crush Culture – Conan Gray
Although Conan Gray’s ‘Crush Culture’ video is not one of the most well-known music videos, to me it remains one of the most iconic. Written, directed and edited by Gray, the music video perfectly demonstrates the song’s message of absolutely hating any kind of romantic love, unless he can have it. Walking around high school, he ruins and destroys any aspect of a romantic gesture to each couples’ dismay; throwing food from a picnic, smashing roses, and popping the heart shaped balloons he carries for the entire video. But as entertaining as this is to watch, I think most of the reason it continues to be iconic for me is its specific aesthetic. Watching the first few seconds, you can immediately tell the video was released in 2018. From the VSCO style colour filter, to the unessential borders of the video, to the bright oversized bomber jacket he sports, everything in the video screams 2018, as well as capturing the entire feel of Sunset Season, the EP the song features on.
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