16 Great Music Videos From 2015 That We'll Still Be Watching In 2016
2015 has been a great year for music, and with great music, comes great music videos.
Whether portraying a powerful, political message like in M.I.A.'s "Borders," or embracing being a badass female in 2015 like Lana Del Rey in "High by the Beach," here's a roundup of the best music videos of 2015. Let us know your favorite one!
Not only do we get to stare at a brooding Justin Bieber, but the video's graphics are the coolest thing ever. When the beat drops, there's a bunch of fan-made graffiti art that pop up in millisecond flashes. One of the highlights include an ode to his ex, Selena Gomez, with the words "Where r now Selena" popping up in the background.
Because Courtney Barnett as a miserable clown wandering around a carnival is downright hilarious. The video captures the angst of the song with Barnett's raw vocals and wailing guitar riffs.
There's something about Claire Boucher that's incredibly magnetic. Between her angel wings, smearing herself with blood and stabbing a doll, you can't keep your eyes off of her in this enchanting song.
It's impossible to watch this music video and not get an instant mood boost. The catchy, gospel-influenced song has a retro, high school play feel with cool costumes, choreography and set design. It was directed by Chance the Rapper himself, too, which is admirable when you can sing, act and direct!
"Alright" is beautifully, produced and edited but it also sends a heavy message about the power of salvation, by throwing in some elements of humor.
“It shows that, at the end of the day, we’re all human and that nobody’s untouchable…Whenever anyone’s life is being played with – whether it’s on camera or in real life – it’s a touchy subject,” director Colin Tilley said of the video.
Say what you will about Drake's dancing, but there's no denying that this video didn't have a huge impact on pop culture. From memes to gifs to Donald Trump reenacting his dancing, Drake absolutely killed it with this video - and anyone who doesn't agree is lying to themselves.
This video accurately captures infatuation, amidst all the beautiful yet trippy cinematography. The high school cheerleader is dating the quintessential jock but she can't help but fantasize about being with the gorilla mascot. It's weird, twisted and totally surreal, but SO incredibly captivating.
Maddie Ziegler was the breakout star of Sia's "Chandelier," and the Dance Moms star continued impressing us in Sia's "Elastic Heart" video, alongside Shia LaBeouf. Ziegler and LaBeouf essentially act out the conflicting parts of Sia's inner psyche. At first, Ziegler and LaBeouf attack each other, but slowly they warm up to each other. The dance is beautifully choreographed and the narrative is actually pretty tearjerking - especially when they can't escape together at the end.
Like most of Lana Del Rey's music video, "High By The Beach" is another tale of her brewing loneliness and boredom to the point where she goes mad. This time, she wanders around her glamorous, Malibu mansion wearing a silk nightdress while flipping through tabloids. It isn't until the end that we find out who the enemy is - there's a paparazzi helicopter hovering outside. Lana, being the badass she is, gets a gun and SHOOTS IT TO PIECES. Hell yeah.
FKA twigs is the queen of artsy videos, and "Glass & Patron" certainly does not disappoint. The risqué video shows the singer literally BIRTHING a rainbow ribbon. It's spooky, haunting, and totally well-made. It also shows off her fabulous dancing skills.
This totally NSFW video shocked many fans. It's gory, inexplicably sexy and completely badass. Like, Rihanna is legit a murderer in this video.
Adele captures so much emotion in her songs, but when she finally released the video for "Hello," we could actually experience things with her. As the singer said, 25 isn't a breakup album, but rather a "make up" album. "Hello" captures her genuine emotion and heartfelt apology in its purest form.
"Feeling Myself" is the definition of girl power - Nicki and Bey are the dream team! Don't you just want to hang out and eat burgers with them?! This video is beyond epic simply because it's these two Hollywood hot women, who are also the fiercest babes on the planet.
"Here" was such a refreshing song to so many introverts. It's scary relatable. Alessia Cara's video portrays exactly what she's feeling about not wanting to be somewhere with people you don't like. We've all been there.
"Only One" is probably the most vulnerable Kanye West song, and the video nails that vulnerability so much, we actually see Kanye as a human. The stunning video was directed by famed director Spike Jonze, who followed around the rapper and his daughter, North. There's tons of candid, genuine shots that you can't help but smile at.
M.I.A.'s self-directed video also serves as a political commentary on the global refugee crisis. The British rapper knows firsthand about the struggle facing refugees, which she parallels in this haunting music video with mind-blowing visuals. The compelling lyrics mixed with the visuals truly makes a chilling impression.