Before the birth of streaming services and the arrival of Social Media, the most influential record companies and artists used video clips as their primary marketing and artistic tool. Creating a memorable video meant getting more airplay on television (remember MTV?!) and, therefore, more records sold.
In the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, spectacular sums were invested in creating legendary and unforgettable video clips, often far superior to the quality of the songs. Discover or rediscover these 10 songs through the 10 most expensive videos in history.
Source: Wikipedia
10. Victory – $ 2,700,000
This song by Puff Daddy (featuring The Notorious B.I.G. & Busta Rhymes) is from 1997 and can be found on their debut album No Way Out.
The video contains action scenes worthy of a film, spectacular aerial shots, and Hollywood special effects.
9. Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle) – $ 3,000,000
Rollin’ became popular worldwide, elevating Limp Bizkit as one of the most loved and listened-to crossover bands.
The video opens with a funny cameo from Ben Stiller, and the action mainly takes place in one of the twin towers in New York. The aerial shots of the Big Apple are breathtaking!
8. Cartoon Heroes – $ 3,500,000
Do you remember Aqua? The Danish-Norwegian pop band who became world famous for Barbie Girl? After the explosion of the single dedicated to the most famous doll in the world, Aqua came out with a video, sparing no expense! It is full of irony and special effects, in which they play heroes who save the Earth from space to the depths of the sea from futuristic monsters with a slightly vintage look!
6. Make Me Like You – $ 4,000,000
This jewel of video Gwen Stefani gave us came out in 106 and was made as a long shot. Everything you see in the video happens in the song’s tempo. The effect is spectacular; it’s not easy to make such scenes!
6. Black Or White – $ 4,000,000
This video marks the launch of Dangerous, Michael Jackson’s beautiful album. And since it is the King of Pop, there is no shortage of special effects and incredible situations. To raise the costs, also some futuristic (for the time) computer graphics effects and a cult scene in the final, in which Michael dances without music and then transforms into a black panther…
5. Estranged – $ 5,000,000
At the height of their dazzling success, Guns N’ Roses could afford anything artistically and promotionally. And so this song that lasts over 9 minutes gives us several piano solos, guitar solos, and incredible moments in the video. Action scenes alternate with live footage from the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany.
3. Bedtime Story – $ 5,000,000
The video draws inspiration from the surrealist period, in which Madonna appears in a mystical guise that recalls the great Frida Kahlo. The sets, Madonna’s looks, and special effects repeatedly follow each other in a hypnotic rhythm.
3. Express Yourself – $ 5,000,000
An equally mythical video accompanies this mythical song by Madonna! Made in 1985 by the great David Fincher, it recalls atmospheres worthy of Metropolis, one of the most iconic films in history. The video was released in 1989 on MTV and remained exclusively for three weeks.
2. Dye Another Day – $ 6,100,000
Another spectacular video of Madonna! The Queen of Pop has always known how to immortalize her videos and songs. The song is the soundtrack to a film in the James Bond saga. It can only retrace its canons, giving us a spectacular video in which Madonna is at the center of various action scenes in which every detail has been perfected.
1. Scream – $ 7,100,00
Scream was the launch single of Michael Jackson’s HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album-collection, in which we also find his sister, and superstar, Janet. The video is a futuristic jewel in which modern and essential atmospheres, special effects, and many avant-garde scenographic solutions merge. It is no coincidence that a Michael Jackson video leads this ranking, given its artistic and commercial importance.
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