Top 10 Decade Defining Music Videos of the 2000s

One of the most influential alt rock bands of the decade, some of The White Stripes’ success was built upon their innovative music videos - with our first short film being the band's best example! Stop motion Lego! It doesn't get simpler, or more sensational than that! In a triumphant twist of fate, Jack White had originally sought an alternative director, Mark Romanek, for "Fell in Love With A Girl", but due to a mix-up ended up working with Michel Gondry. There were no hard feelings then, and there definitely isn't any regret now!

Justin Timberlake might've featured today for the super-slick accompaniment to "Cry Me A River", but instead we've headed back to JT's roots, and to 'N Sync's signature record! There ain't no strings about it, the video for "Bye Bye Bye" is a belter! From its puppeteer-ial beginning, to its high-speed finish, it's classic 2000s! Especially famous for the 'anti-gravity' dance scenes from inside a futuristic looking blue box, it showcased 'N Sync as a breakaway from boyband norm, as the 'next big thing' in pop music!

Just when we thought the 2000s had thrown all it could at us in terms of pop music, Lady Gaga turned up with the wonderfully wacky videos for "Just Dance" and, in particular, for "Bad Romance". The "Bad Romance" video drew upon almost every slither of twenty-first century vice, and twisted it together into one of the artiest short films probably ever produced! It's latex, and body tape, and a barely there beaded number... It's sexuality, it's decadence, it's Saturday night on steroids! "Bad Romance", brilliant video!

For many, the first years of the new millennium were typified by a cheeky brand of pop-punk music, brought to us by the likes of Blink-182... And though "What's My Age Again?" epitomises everything that that scene was about, it was released just before the year 2000! So, for this list, we’ve chosen the equally hilarious and unforgettable “All the Small Things,” which once again combines the band’s pop-punk sensibility with their sense of humor. Parodying boy bands and pop stars, the short film helped turn Blink-182 into music video stars themselves - with their coordinated outfits, dance moves and all that frolicking on the beach, what’s not to love?

When she wasn't getting us to "Get [our] Freak On", she wanted us to "Work It"... And the music video for "Work It" really did work! Missy Elliott made the hip hop genre her own with this clip, a showcase of impossible dance moves, street fashion, and an ensemble cast exploding with attitude! Timbaland, Tweet and Eve all appear in the video, while respects are also paid to the recently departed Aaliyah and Lisa Lopes. A worthy accompaniment to the song, it's overflowing-ly awesome!

In terms of animated music videos, the forward-thinking, virtual band, Gorillaz, are pioneers within the field! The short film for "Feel Good Inc." is a cinematic spectacular, heavily influenced by the work of Hayao Miyazaki, the legendary Japanese Animator. Set within a beautifully detailed dystopia, "Feel Good Inc." is a comparison of the lives of two characters; 2D's prison-like confinement, and Noodle's freedom on a windmill-fuelled floating island. The video's an awesome oxymoron - it's beautifully sad!

An anthem of the decade accompanied by an appropriately iconic video! This Beyoncé, leotard-laden clip actually received less immediate media attention than her video for "If I Were A Boy", which was released around the same time and more heavily produced. However, quite quickly "Single Ladies" was praised for its intimacy, realness and marketability. The video sparked a dance craze, and caused massive controversy at the 2009 VMAs; it was this video that caused Kanye West to infamously protest Taylor Swift's win!

Another animated classic, this time with more of a video game feel to it! In "Californication", there's a loading screen to start, and a closing message of 'Game Over'... What happens in between is weird, wonderful and so rock 'n' roll! The four Chili Peppers are transformed into game character avatars, and each sets out on his own virtual reality rollercoaster... Mountains are travelled, sharks are dodged, film studios are crashed and cities are destroyed. Anything and everything happens, and we're hooked from start to finish!

With so many iconic moments in its own right, it's amazing to think that the video for "Hey Ya!" was actually inspired by another milestone moment in music history. The film presents Outkast as they revel within an artificial 'American Invasion' of Great Britain... It's a parody of some famous footage of the Beatles, performing on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, amid their original 'British Invasion'. With hoards of screaming, fainting fans put before them, Andre 3000 and Big Boi had really hit it big with this record!

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

"Umbrella" (2007)

Rihanna feat. Jay-Z

"Oops!... I Did It Again" (2000)

Britney Spears

"Mr. Brightside" (2003)

The Killers

"One More Time" (2000)

Daft Punk feat. Romanthony

"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" (2003)

The Darkness

"Dirrty" (2002)

Christina Aguilera feat. Redman

Our winner came at the beginning of the decade, setting one helluva precedent for the years that followed! Eminem was fast establishing himself as one of the most influential artists of his era in 2000... With this song, these lyrics, and this video, it's not difficult to see why! The short film is a hectic, hell-raising mash-up of everything that's parentally advisory about this record! It's four and a half minutes of celeb-bashing, sex slaving, bleach-blonding brilliance! Slim Shady, we salute you!

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