The death of the pop star last June has prompted an emotional outpouring and special tributes in the media. However, when it came time to objectively name the best video of all time, the emotions were cast aside and the focus turned toward the intrinsic qualities of each video. According to a poll conducted by the Website muzu.tv, Michael Jackson’s Thriller video topped the list.
The criteria for judging was based on the impact that the video had during its release. Cable TV saw its glory days in the 1980s with the arrival of special channels. MTV aired its first video on August 1, 1981 with the era-appropriate piece Video Killed the Radio Star, by The Buggles, and the music industry changed forever.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller video, from his 1982 album of the same name, was co-written and filmed by John Landis, a prominent filmmaker who had just finished shooting the 1981 horror film An American Werewolf in London. Thriller lasted less than 6 minutes on the singer’s album, but spanned 14 minutes on video, making it a work of art in itself. The video was broadcast for the first time on December 2, 1983, which is 26 years ago to the day.
Here are the 10 most influential music videos according to music lovers: