Another WTF Were They Thinking Music Videos

Another WTF Were They Thinking Music Videos

We know music videos can take weeks to film, but we'd appreciate if someone told these directors they were allowed to sleep during that time. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we'll be counting down Another Top 10 What WereThey Thinking Music Videos.

For this list, we’re focusing on music videos that make no sense, make it hard to relate to the content of the song, or are just plain bizarre. For the record, we’re not necessarily saying the songs themselves are bad, only that the content of their accompanying musicvideos make it difficult for us to understand the song’s concept, message or story.  No comedian or parody videos here though, as these are usually intentionally bad and for comedic purposes. If you don’t see a video you think should be on this list, be sure to check out our first list of the Top 10 What Were They Thinking Music Videos!

#10: “Gimme More” (2007)
Britney Spears

If you need to watch a video where absolutely nothing happens for four minutes, then congratulations, you've found it. The video begins with a more innocent-looking Britney sitting down at the bar with her friends, before noticing her 'bad girl' alter ego begin to pole dance – well, if you can call that pole dancing. Bad Britney kind of bounces around for the entire video, but there aren’t any real pole dancing maneuvers. For a video that’s 96% centered on pole dancing, you’d expect that the pole would be used at some point. Perhaps the people behind it thought the location itself would be edgy enough, but all we could think while watching the video was: gimme more.

 #9: “Get Down” (2000)
b4-4

While this song sounded benign to most people when it was released, the lyrics are clearly talking about oral sex. So it was obviously a bad idea to have the accompanying music video centered on a child. What?! Yep, in it, we follow a young boy who is seemingly fulfilling his fantasies while looking into a View-Master he finds in the trash. In his dream, he attracts older women (older as in 20), by flexing his muscles on the beach, dunking a basketball, and showing off money, much to the chagrin of the b4-4 crew. But nobody wants to hear lyrics about making “you come tonight... over to my house,” while watching this. Why didn't they just cast an older person? Or, you know, make a video that makes… sense?

#8: “This I Promise You” (2000)
*NSYNC

What were they thinking with this one?! This ballad’s music video sees the boy band standing around in Redwood National and State Parks donning turtlenecks that have never really been considered stylish, despite being found everywhere in the early 2000s. On top of that, the members of NSYNC are surrounded by literal thought bubbles, which display the stereotypical slow motion action shots of actors awkwardly pretending to be in love. After a few too many minutes of this, the scene shifts to the band eating outside, during which we witness a boyfriend finally getting to the restaurant to see his girlfriend. The video was so baffling that MadTv parodied it soon after its release.

#7: “I Love You” (1990)
Vanilla Ice

This song itself may make you shake your head throughout, especially considering it’s a BALLAD by an artist known more for rapping, but its video adds many extra degrees to that headshake. Produced by Michael Bay, yes THAT Michael Bay, things start off weird when you notice there’s a guy sitting on top of a telephone booth. Then, after a few minutes of Vanilla Ice and others attempting dance moves, the video takes a turn for the creepy when the rapper stealthily jumps off a phone booth and lands right beside the girl - without her noticing - inside it. Those moves would have been probably better suited for his “Ninja Rap” song. With wardrobe that goes from jackets that could probably pass for bed cover patterns to what looks like a mix of various national flags, this video should only be viewed with the lowest of expectations. 

#6: “Do What U Like” (1991)
Take That

From the beginning of this low budget video, you get the feeling that anything can happen. Well, you would be wrong, because only one thing can happen, and it does. Gary Barlow, Robbie Williams, and the rest of Take That ultimately strip down, show their bare behinds and play with jelly, which gets all over their bodies. Robbie's face alone would have been worth the price of admission – if we had to pay to watch music videos, that is. If the video was made for attention,  it certainly worked, because group got just that after the video was banned from being played at certain times of the day. Juxtaposed with the boy band’s other videos, “Do What U Like” is likely the black sheep they want forgotten – but it somehow still made it onto their 2nd video compilation in 2005.

#5: “Hold You Down” (2014)
DJ Khaled feat. Chris Brown, August Alsina, Future & Jeremih

“You smart, you loyal, you’re grateful. I appreciate that.” Yes, this is the video that spawned that famous meme, and a full viewing of it makes it easy to see why. In what’s an already cringe worthy music video, we get to a part where DJ Khaled talks to his lady friend while giving her stacks upon stacks of money. It's hard to believe this was the best take of the moment they could use, as one of them is over acting and the other is barely acting. Add in more shameless product placement for the headphone brand that shows up regularly throughout the video, and the whole thing’s got us wondering why anyone would keep saying DJ Khaled’s name.

#4: “Break It Up” (1987)
Carl Lewis

Who didn't like flat top haircuts in the ‘80s? This video shows American Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis working out... kind of. He’s mainly just sitting at the machines and doing a few reps in a gym with an unrealistic male-to-female ratio. And then for seemingly no reason, the video is interspersed with actual footage of Carl Lewis participating and winning a track and field event. There’s also an equally random scene in which an older lady with comically large sunglasses starts blowing bubbles into Lewis' face, with an immediate cut to them flirting in a jacuzzi. He ultimately leads her into a sauna for privacy… Whatever floats your boat, Carl.

 #3: “BB Talk” (2015)
Miley Cyrus

This is one of those videos that you cannot unsee. It features Miley Cyrus dressed as an adult baby and trying to look as innocent as possible. Since the song itself is about Cyrus being unhappy with how her partner “baby talks” to her, its video just seems like an excuse for Miley and friends to roll around on the ground and dress up in bibs and bonnets. However, with the lyrical content in mind, we’re sure we’re not the only ones bewildered and slightly disturbed by the sights and sounds of a “baby” cursing and singing (or more like talking) about sex.

 #2: “M.I.L.F. $” (2016)
Fergie

This one's a doozy. In what was meant to be an empowering message to women, we get explicit sexualization and innuendo. In this song and video, the acronym MILF is meant to refer to Moms I'd Like To Follow, as in role models, instead of well – you know. So yes, while the celebrity moms that are crammed in along Fergie are rich and somewhat powerful, the video doesn't really portray them as the roles models they’re supposedly trying to promote here. Meanwhile, the use of milk throughout the video is an overused and maybe even misplaced innuendo, as there isn't a real milkman in tow. Instead, we get a milfman that doesn’t actually have much to do with the beverage. So in essence, there is really no reason for the video to ultimately turn into a Got Milk spoof either.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“Rock Me Tonite” (1984)
Billy Squier

“Anaconda” (2014)

Nicki Minaj

“Blurred Lines” (2013)
Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell

“Swagger Jagger” (2011)
Cher Lloyd

“Keep It Goin' Louder” (2009)
Major Lazer feat. Nina Sky & Ricky Blaze

#1: “Dangerous” (2015)
Def Leppard

This video states that it takes place in 2215. But if this is how things will look in the future, we might as well give up now. While Def Leppard has given us some iconic tunes, this video is just a disappointment. It feels as if a high school graphic artist compiled it together the night before his or her project was due, as it features animation that’s reminiscent of 3D art from the 1990s. Except that, well, the video was made in 2015. It ends with one of the many battling androids getting shot off the top of a dome and falling into water. When she resurfaces alive and well, the blank look on her face represents everything we also feel after watching this video.

Do you agree with our list? What other music videos made you question what the artists and directors were thinking? For more thoughtful Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.