100 Greatest Music Videos - Unique videos in the list

#11 in the list

The Scientist

Coldplay

Director: Jamie Thraves

What makes this video stand out from the myriad of others is the fact that the video is backwards ..but the singer (Christ Martin) is singing the correct way throughout.

This was not done via any sort of special effects, Martin had to learn to lipsync the words backwards.

The director claimed he got the idea for the video from just one line in the song, "Let's take it back to the start".

#10 in the list
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nirvana
Director: Samuel Bayer

Cobain wanted the video modelled on a movie, "Over the Edge", in which children burn a school down.

However the director, Samuel Bayer, had different ideas. The band and the director did not get on together, and Bayer believes this contributed to the performance given by the band.

At a certain point, the extras performing in the video grew tired and started destroying the set, which was not planned to be part of the video. However upon reviewing Bayer thought it would make an improvement.

This was the song/video that boosted their career and made them renowned.

#1 in the list
Thriller
Michael Jackson
Director: John Landis

At the time of the video's making, it was the most expensive one made so far, costing $700,000. It also spans 15 minutes in length, and it tells a story before getting to the music.

The video's success was such that it actually made the news. TV channels would clear their schedules just to show the video, and the documentary showing the making of the video.