Image Group LA/ABCMusic videos were an edgy new medium in the ’80s, but today, they’re still a major part of an artist’s image and a huge conversation starter, not to mention a key factor in a song’s chart success. Billboard has compiled a list of the 100 Best Music Videos of the 21st Century so far, and coming it at #1 is Lady Gaga‘s “Bad Romance.”
As Billboard notes, the video was responsible for numerous iconic Gaga moments, such as the “monster claw” dance move, the Alexander McQueen “alien” high heeled shoes and the razor-blade sunglasses. The video’s kidnapping/slavery plot aside, Billboard says “Bad Romance” is “a supernova reminder that there was still so much room to push the art form.”
The top 10 on Billboard’s list also includes such classics as Britney Spears‘ “Toxic,” Beyonce‘s “Single Ladies,” Rihanna‘s “We Found Love” and the Beatles-inspired video Outkast made for “Hey Ya.”
Others on the list include Taylor Swift‘s “Blank Space,” Sia‘s “Chandelier,” Katy Perry‘s “California Girls,” Justin Timberlake‘s “Cry Me a River,” and Christina Aguilera‘s “Dirrty.”
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