To finish off the quarter, we’re doing another top 10 list on Youtube for the best music videos in the Weekly Rotation. This list is sorted from most viewed video to least. Starting at #1…
- Lauv and Conan Gray – Fake: This music video shows behind the scenes of a studio shoot with different sets and lots of props. It’s fun, playful, and very colorful. Additionally, there’s obvious lip syncing because it’s “Fake”. Lauv and Conan seem to have so much fun filming, I wish I could climb in the screen and join them.
- One Republic – Wildlife: This music video cuts between a narrative short film, singing, and contemporary dance. I could feel myself getting goosebumps as the short story played. It’s a coming of age story and the characters seem to be overcoming some obstacles. The music video feels like a trailer for an actual film and this song would then be the theme song or played at the credits.
- ROLE MODEL – blind: Off the bat it’s really obvious that the POV character is in an unhealthy relationship; he’s in lala land as they always argue or when she abuses him. The song is so happy, yet the music video is upsetting; which works perfectly with the meaning of blind.
- Labrinth – No Ordinary: It starts with cyan colored lighting in a studio and gradually changes to multiple different projections with various bright colors as the song plays out. At the same time the music video starts to cut to a forest with glowing butterflies on the trees, making the atmosphere feel mystical. The whole experience is very surreal.
- Winona Oak – SHE: It begins kind of creepy, with a dark and hazy color scheme. Then suddenly she’s in a dress looking all nice and innocent. The dress is bright yellow and she’s standing powerfully against the blue sky, perfectly contrasting. Then it cuts back to the dark side, and the scene gets more tense, adding strobe lights into the mix. As “she’s nothing but trouble..” plays, she seemed to have someone held hostage. The audience doesn’t know what led up to that point but can only infer they were the cause for this evil side of Winona Oak to come out. Now she’s in a red bodysuit to contrast with the cyan background. There is a blurring effect happening to create commotion. As it wraps up, I take away two main aspects: 1) don’t mess with her because she’ll mess with you worse, and 2) the art director really thought all of the coloring out as clear complementaries were shown.
- Tayo Sound – Heartbreaker: Off the bat the audience can presume this is an amateur film, but Tayo Sound takes amateur film making to the next level. Tayo includes a drawn illustration of himself in order to create variety throughout the music video. The music video cuts back and further between Tayo in the field and the stop motion animation. Additionally, some of the transitions between the two are made with him holding up a canvas then zooming in on the drawing. The video is very creative in my opinion, and proves anyone can make a successful video.
- Nat & Alex Wolff – Glue: Starts with distorted, very grainy film. The whole video feels like an old home video. Nat Wolff is a known American actor, but this video gives him a much more casual presence. It’s just him and his brother making music and goofing off. The video showcases the process of making the song as well as some genuine brotherly love.
- Chaz Cardigan – Middle of the Road: This music video is very surreal. It’s an animation that takes the audience into another dimension; I want to presume it illustrates the inside of his brain if he were to describe how he thinks his mind works.
- Great Mountain Fire – What You Want Me To Be: A 2D animation, with a cat as the main character. It’s colorful, yet calming, simple, and repetitive. By the end there are funny characters dancing, a cat disco if you will, and a jam session.
- The Backfires – Anything: Start out with the same film framing technique as Nat & Alex Wolff did for their music video “Glue”. This setup is used to depict a memory of happy experiences in a past relationship. Now he is rewatching those moments on a projector at home. Frustrated, he ends up wrecking the house. Then he walks out of the door, and the next thing you know the door is alluded to be a portal to the street his past girlfriend happens to be walking on. He chases after her but realizes it’s not going to happen. The video cuts to him opening the door again and turning off the projector.
To go watch yourself, check out: Top 10 Music Videos – List #2 – fall 2020
Watch the first top 10 list here: Top 10 Music Videos – List #1 – fall 2020
To listen and/or watch the Weekly Rotation check out: WEEKLY PLAYLIST – fall 2020 (on YouTube) or WEEKLY ROTATION (on Spotify)
