The Best Music Videos of the 1990s

If there’s one thing that brings together everyone who grew up in the 90s, it’s that we all experienced the flourishing music video industry take off, our eyes glued to MTV (maybe VH1 if your parents were in the room). The first music video actually aired in the early 80s (trivia bonus points if you remember what it was), but it wasn’t until the 1990s that MTV really shifted to promoting artists by giving their music videos constant airtime. This was a golden era when the release of a new video was an actual cultural event. Today we’re looking at the clips that played with the format and showed audiences the true power of music videos.

The funny thing is, you could actually smell this music video from across the screen. Set in a dimly lit gym, with a chaotic pep rally unfolding around Kurt Cobain and his bandmates, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” perfectly captures the angst and disillusionment of the grunge movement. Directed by Samuel Bayer, the video’s raw energy, and unpolished look are still as visceral today as they were in 1991.

Madonna was the queen of reinvention in the 90s, and “Vogue” is one of her most iconic (and perhaps best) moments. The black-and-white music video oozes old Hollywood glamour, showcasing Madonna and her dancers striking bold, angular poses. Directed by David Fincher (Se7en, The Social Network) “Vogue” brought ballroom culture to the mainstream, celebrating fashion, beauty, and empowerment. We can watch this music video for days.

It’s funny(?) to look back and think that we sang along to these lyrics as little kids, having no real clue about their heaviness. TLC’s “Waterfalls” became an instant classic with its socially conscious message and striking visuals. The video tackles serious issues like drug abuse and the scourge of HIV while blending cutting-edge CGI effects with emotional storytelling. The iconic choreography, set against a backdrop of shimmering water, made this video a defining moment for TLC.

Who didn’t squeal to see this sister-and-brother duo united? When two of the biggest pop stars in the world—Michael and Janet Jackson—collaborated on “Scream,” the result was a futuristic, high-budget visual masterpiece. Set in a sleek, monochromatic spaceship, the video’s gravity-defying choreography apparently made this into one of the most expensive music videos ever produced at the time. Looking at “Scream” today, we’d say it’s worth at least a couple of million bucks.

Few music videos are as immediately iconic as Britney Spears’ debut, “…Baby One More Time”. Clad in her now-famous schoolgirl outfit, Britney dances through the halls of a high school, sings during basketball practices, and sets the tone for the bubblegum pop explosion that followed in the late 90s. A cultural phenomenon from the jump, this video launched Britney into pop superstardom, solidifying her place as the face of 90s teen pop. Fun fact, the iconic phrase was actually a mistake by Swedish songwriters who believed “hit” meant “call” in American slang.

“Virtual Insanity” remains a visually stunning, mind-bending masterpiece, even if you don’t give a lick about the song. The video features frontman Jay Kay dancing across a moving floor as furniture and objects shifted unpredictably around him. The use of practical effects, paired with the slick choreography, make this video one of the most innovative of the decade.

“Sabotage” by the Beastie rules. A hilarious homage to 1970s cop shows, the video, directed by Spike Jonze, casts the band as gritty TV detectives complete with fake mustaches, car chases, and dramatic freeze frames. The DIY aesthetic, combined with the Beastie Boys’ goofy performances, make this video one of the most fun and memorable of the decade.

If you were around when “Criminal” hit MTV then you remember the controversy stirred up by this sexy clip. Although it was the fifth single from Fiona Apple’s debut album Tidal it was the breakout track of the record. Scenes of the extremely young singer shedding her clothing and laying in the laps of various men at a bummed out party sparked shaming against her in the media and accusations of promoting the gaunt heroin-chic body trend of the ’90s. Here’s the thing, watching “Criminal” today, it’s clear that director Mark Romanek is trying to say something about the way youth is both commodified and demonized.

Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden is a trippy, surreal music video that perfectly matches the haunting vibe of the song. How many kids did you know who were totally freaked out when the opening arpeggio riff played on the speakers? The upsetting things about the video is its use of distorted visuals of suburban life, where everything appears unsettlingly perfect—until it melts, warps, or explodes. This is about as in your face as it gets.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world reminiscent of Mad Max, 2Pac and Dr. Dre’s California Love is an epic vision of the future, complete with desert landscapes, futuristic trash cars, and high-energy performances inside of a kind of Terror-Dome. Directed by Hype Williams, the video’s cinematic quality and larger-than-life aesthetic make it a landmark of 90s hip-hop and a symbol of the West Coast rap scene’s dominance at the time. And with Pac’s passing not too long afterward, the video still holds a special place for all of us.