All Songs Considered

What are the greatest videos of MTV’s golden era?

January 20, 2026

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  • The hosts of *All Songs Considered* are compiling a personal, non-ranked list of their top 20 most influential or meaningful music videos from MTV's 'golden era' (roughly 1981 to 2000/2001), prompted by recent, though overstated, reports of MTV's demise. 
  • The discussion highlights the profound formative impact MTV had on listeners' youth, shaping their musical tastes and providing crucial visual context for artists they previously only heard on the radio. 
  • The selection process immediately identified five 'indisputable' videos—*Thriller*, *Take On Me*, *Sledgehammer*, *Money for Nothing*, and *Video Killed the Radio Star*—which serve as foundational benchmarks for the era. 

Segments

MTV’s Current Status Debated
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(00:00:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Reports of MTV’s complete demise regarding music videos are inaccurate; while some international music channels closed, US/Canada still feature videos on MTV Classic, though the flagship channel heavily features ‘Ridiculousness’.
  • Summary: Headlines claiming MTV was ‘officially dead’ after 44 years were overstated, stemming from the shutdown of about five music channels in the UK and Europe on December 31st. In the US and Canada, MTV Classic still broadcasts music videos, while the main MTV channel is dominated by shows like ‘Ridiculousness’. Paramount is currently reviewing its portfolio with no definitive plans to end music videos entirely or bring them back fully.
Establishing Top 20 Criteria
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(00:03:13)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘golden era’ for this list is defined as beginning with MTV’s launch in 1981 and concluding around 2000 or 2001, focusing on the time when MTV was the primary source for music video discovery.
  • Summary: The hosts decided to celebrate MTV’s impact by creating a list of their top 20 greatest, most influential, or groundbreaking videos from its early days. They established a time frame for the ‘golden era’ starting in 1981 and ending around 2000/2001, emphasizing the period when MTV was essential viewing for music discovery. The selection process is intentionally haphazard, with hosts taking turns adding videos until the list reaches 20.
The Five Indisputable Videos
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(00:05:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Five videos—Thriller, Take On Me, Sledgehammer, Money for Nothing, and Video Killed the Radio Star—are considered so foundational to MTV’s legacy that they are automatically included without ranking.
  • Summary: The hosts agreed on five videos that are indisputable classics of the MTV era, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller and A-ha’s Take On Me. Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer and Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing were also nominated for their groundbreaking visuals. The list must include The Buggles’ Video Killed the Radio Star as it was the very first video played on MTV.
Personal Favorite Selections Begin
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(00:06:01)
  • Key Takeaway: A-ha’s Take On Me is cited as a personal favorite due to its enduring visual quality, specifically the interaction between live-action and pencil-drawn animation, which influenced the host’s personal aesthetic.
  • Summary: Stephen Thompson selected A-ha’s Take On Me (00:07:19), praising its lasting visual appeal and the pencil-drawn animation style. He noted that the video made him want to emulate the lead singer, Morten Harket. Ann Powers countered with Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U (00:08:22), highlighting its radical simplicity and the power of the tight close-up on her face.
Dance and Visual Power
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(00:11:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation is nominated as the greatest dance video of all time, showcasing the critical intersection of music and dance that defined early MTV.
  • Summary: Robin Hilton added Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation (00:11:06), emphasizing its dystopian, black-and-white military aesthetic and its status as the masterclass in music video choreography. The segment noted that dance was a key component of early MTV’s cultural impact, contrasting with purely narrative or animated videos.
MTV’s Formative Youth Experience
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(00:14:34)
  • Key Takeaway: For many viewers, MTV served as a vital lifeline, introducing them to mainstream pop music and artist visuals in areas where local radio offered limited or non-pop programming.
  • Summary: The hosts shared personal origin stories of first encountering MTV, noting it was a formative moment of youth. One host first saw Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) in 1983, which immediately sparked an obsession with pop music and led to meticulously transcribing chart data. Another host’s first exposure was Tony Basil’s Mickey in a hotel, which felt like discovering another planet.
Masculinity and Suavity Portrayed
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(00:20:34)
  • Key Takeaway: MTV videos presented diverse, often unattainable, models of masculinity in the 1980s, ranging from the suave sophistication of Robert Palmer to the theatricality of David Lee Roth.
  • Summary: Stephen Thompson highlighted the variety of male archetypes presented on MTV, including the ‘fun-loving horndog’ (David Lee Roth) and the ’top-hatted mad scientist’ (Tom Petty). Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love (00:21:44) was specifically cited as the epitome of ‘suavity’ presented to young male viewers. George Michael’s Freedom! ‘90 (00:23:12), directed by David Fincher, was noted for signaling a new, post-80s era with its supermodel cast.
Innovation in Animation and Puppetry
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(00:25:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Björk’s video for Human Behaviour (00:25:56), directed by Michelle Gondry, exemplifies magical yet cautionary storytelling, reflecting the artist’s unique Icelandic perspective on nature.
  • Summary: Ann Powers selected Björk’s Human Behaviour, directed by future filmmaker Michelle Gondry, noting its inspiration from the Soviet animation Hedgehog in the Fog. The video features a puppet-like bear consuming Björk, serving as a beautiful yet cautionary tale about interacting with the wild. Gondry is one of many notable film directors who launched or honed their skills directing music videos.
Early Visual Effects and Hip-Hop Culture
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(00:30:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Herbie Hancock’s Rockit (1983) was crucial for introducing scratching and hip-hop beats to the mainstream while showcasing futuristic, uncanny robot visuals created by Godley and Creme.
  • Summary: Robin Hilton nominated Herbie Hancock’s Rockit (00:30:51), which won multiple VMAs for its concept and special effects, including dancing robots and partial automatons. The song was instrumental in bringing scratching and hip-hop rhythms to a wider audience. The segment also recognized Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang (00:32:13) for vividly immersing viewers in South Central LA subculture via lowriders and neighborhood scenes.
Director Pedigree and Cinematic Influence
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(00:34:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The music video era served as a crucial training ground for major film directors, exemplified by Spike Jonze’s early work on the Beastie Boys’ Sabotage and Jonathan Glazer’s Virtual Insanity.
  • Summary: Stephen Thompson championed the Beastie Boys’ Sabotage (00:34:45) for its perfect marriage of audio and visual, parodying 70s cop shows and showcasing Spike Jonze’s nascent talent. Ann Powers selected Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity (00:44:11), noting its complex optical illusion where the floor appeared to move while the singer stood still, a technique directed by Jonathan Glazer, who later directed films like Under the Skin.
The Power of a Single Video Moment
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(00:49:26)
  • Key Takeaway: R.E.M.’s Losing My Religion (00:49:30) marked the band’s leap to global superstardom, driven by Michael Stipe’s intense dancing and director Tarsem Singh’s unique visual style.
  • Summary: The final picks included R.E.M.’s Losing My Religion (00:49:30), which propelled the college rock band to massive mainstream success, featuring Michael Stipe’s memorable, frenetic dancing. Stephen chose Prince’s Kiss (00:51:09) for its revolutionary message that one does not need to be rich or cool to be desired, offering vital counter-programming to much of 80s MTV content.