The Top 50 Music Videos of 2015
Music videos had another strong year in 2015 with no shortage of inventive concepts, striking imagery and poignant storytelling. There was an influx of videos dealing with social justice themes like race, war/violence, narcissism, immigration, and police brutality capturing the cultural zeitgeist this year, though certainly there was still plenty of escapist fun to be had as well. Groundbreaking directors like Carlos Lopez Estrada, Young Replicant, CANADA, Colin Tilley, David Wilson, Ian Pons Jewell and Ninian Doff continued to push the boundaries of the music video medium, which is as vital now as it's ever been.
The following (mostly arbitrary) list contains what I consider to be the best music videos of 2015 from some of the most diverse and talented visual artists working today. The videos are all embedded below or if you prefer, you can watch almost all of them as a playlist on Vimeo. Enjoy!
50. Neon Indian “Slumlord Rising” (dir. Tim Nackashi & Alan Palomo)
49. White Shadows “Give Up Give Out Give In” (dir. Melvin J. Montalban & Dylan Duclos)
48. Dan Deacon “When I Was Done Dying” (dir. Dave Hughes)
47. Joywave “Somebody New” (dir. Keith Schofield)
46. Azel Phara “Green” (dir. bif)
45. Jr. Jr. “Gone” (dir. Los Perez)
44. DJ Carnage ft. Tomas Barfod “November Skies” (dir. Saman Kesh)
43. Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment "Sunday Candy" (dir. Austin Vesely)
42. Grades “King” (dir. Taichi Kimura)
41. Lana Del Rey "High By The Beach" (dir. Jake Nava)
40. Flying Lotus "Coronus, The Terminator" (dir. Young Replicant)
39. Highly Suspect “Lydia” (dir. TS&R)
38. Clipping “Summertime” (dir. Carlos Lopez Estrada)
37. U2 “Every Breaking Wave” (dir. Aoife McArdle)
36. FIDLAR “40oz On Repeat” (dir. Ryan Baxley)
35. Jain “Come” (dir. Greg & Lio)
34. GENER8ION + M.I.A. “The New International Sound Pt. II” (dir. Inigo Westmeier)
33. Kelvin Jones “Call You Home” (dir. Joe Connor)
32. ALB “The Road” (dir. Julien Lassort)
31. Joanna Newsom “Divers” (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
30. Charli XCX “Famous” (dir. Eric Wareheim)
29. De Staat “Witch Doctor” (dir. Studio Smack, Floris Kaayk & Torre Florim)
28. Rihanna "Bitch Better Have My Money" (dir. Rihanna & Megaforce)
27. Stromae “Quand C'est” (dir. Xavier Reye)
26. Maestro “Darlin Celsa” (dir. Parachutes)
25. Tame Impala “Let It Happen” (dir. David Wilson)
24. FKA Twigs “M3LL155X” (dir. FKA Twigs)
23. Hinds “Garden” (dir. Pedro MartĂn-Calero)
22. Drake "Energy" (dir. Fleur & Manu)
21. Thundercat “Them Changes” (dir. Carlos Lopez Estrada)
20. Ralf Hildenbeutel “Spark” (dir. Boris Seewald)
19. Rag’N’Bone Man “Hell Yeah (ft. Vince Staples)” (dir. Truman & Cooper)
18. David Bowie "Blackstar" (dir. Johan Renck)
17. Gabrielle Aplin "Sweet Nothing" (dir. Joe Connor)
16. Cold Specks “Neuroplasticity” (dir. Young Replicant)
15. Battles “The Yabba” (dir. Roger Guà rdia)
14. The Shoes “Submarine ft. Blain Harrison” (dir. Karim Huu Do)
13. Stealing Sheep “Apparition” (dir. Dougal Wilson)
12. Royal Blood “Out of the Black” (dir. David Wilson)Â
11. Fur Voice “FantasĂa” (dir. Pablo Maestres)
10. Tame Impala "The Less I Know The Better" (dir. CANADA) [NSFW]
9. Childish Gambino “Sober” (dir. Hiro Murai)
8. Hook N Sling “Break Yourself” (dir. Nelson de Castro & Carlos Lopez Estrada)
7. M.I.A. "Borders" (dir. M.I.A.)
6. Lorn “Acid Rain” (dir. Julian Flores / Pavel Brenner / Sherif Alabede)
5. Run The Jewels “Close Your Eyes” (dir. AG Rojas)
4. Unconditional Rebel “Siska” (dir. Guillaume Panariello)
3. Kendrick Lamar “Alright” (dir. Colin Tilley)
2. Vince Staples “Señorita” (dir. Ian Pons Jewell)
1. Chemical Brothers “Sometimes I Feel So Deserted” (dir. Ninian Doff)
