Top 10 Music Videos That Make Us Miss the '90s

The debut single from former Fugee Lauryn Hill was essentially two videos in one. Featuring different version of the “Sister Act 2” star side-by-side, one in modern New York City and the other in the 1960s, “Doo Wop” was a testament to the decade’s smorgasbord of genres and eras. From Hill’s funky beehive hairdo to the song’s neo soul vibes, the clip acts as a kind of musical bridge from old school R&B to modern hip hop, which had a massive renaissance in the 90’s. The song and video helped make “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” a landmark release and cement Hill as a creative force to be reckoned with.

Another solo debut that defined the world of hip hop, “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” was a sleek launching point for Missy Elliott’s career. Many shots in the video use a fisheye lens, an ubiquitous tool for music videos in the 90’s. The clip is a virtual who’s who of hip hop giants, including Timbaland, Lil' Kim, Tamara Johnson-George of SWV, Lil' Cease, Sean Combs, Yo-Yo, Total, 702, and Da Brat. And, of course, who can forget that billowy black blow-up suit and those futuristic shades, both of which came to be part of Elliott’s signature style.

Some people might forget that the boy band craze of the early 2000’s actually kicked off in the 90’s. When the video for “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” hit airwaves, the world went positively crazy for the Backstreet Boys. The haunted house concept, which was inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, was initially based on a treatment director Joseph Kahn had put together for rapper Ice Cube. The Backstreet Boys were excited by the idea, but Jive Records, their label at the time, was not. The band ended up putting up their own money to meet the one million dollar budget for the video. “Everybody” ended up becoming a smash hit and the rest, as they say, is history.

Those three opening notes are unmistakable. Initially, the video was to be partially animated, harkening back to Spears’ time on “The Mickey Mouse Club.” Eager to have the song’s visual interpretation reflect her generation, Spears shifted the concept to be set in a school. The song was an instant hit and the video received heavy rotation on MTV. Kids around the world memorized the dance routine. Girls copied Spears’ hairstyle much in the way that Madonna’s style had revolutionized fashion in the 80’s. This was no longer the grungy, angsty 90's, but rather the beginning of a revolution that would go on to dominate pop culture.

Strike a pose. Madonna contributed a bevy of influential music videos in the 90’s, but none more so than the stylishly sublime “Vogue.” Academy Award nominated director David Fincher helmed the production, using imagery based on the Golden Age of Hollywood. The black and white footage features many of the stars name-dropped by Madonna in the song, including Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn and Jean Harlow. Several scenes are tableaus recreating photographs by German-American fashion photographer, Horst P. Horst. Never one to shy away from controversy, Madonna also sported the now famous sheer lace top that sent censors into a frenzy. She’s utilized the black and white motif many other times, with the videos for “Secret” and the wildly controversial “Justify My Love.”

At one of the many pinnacles of Michael Jackson's success, “Scream” was perhaps the most expensive video of its day. The super sleek imagery, which went on to influence videos for many artists in his wake, came with a price tag of $7 million. The track and the accompanying video were made as a direct response to the frenzied media blitzkrieg Michael Jackson experienced in 1993. Its futuristic visuals, complete with a fierce dance break for the Jackson siblings, also ushered in what could be seen as a precursor for the boyband/pop princess explosion of the early 2000's.

The award-winning clip for “Waterfalls” addressed controversial subjects, including illegal drugs and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Clive Davis, the head of TLC’s label, rejected the video’s concept at first. Looking back, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins said: “When we had finished recording it, we played it for Clive Davis, the big kahuna at the label. He didn’t like it. He said it was too deep.” Always determined, the group then appealed to L.A. Reid, who put up the money to produce the clip. “Waterfalls” went on to win four trophies at MTV Music Awards in 1995, including Video Of The Year.

A crowning visual achievement, “Tonight, Tonight” is an example of how the notion of storytelling was still a relatively new thing for music videos. The Smashing Pumpkins megahit was like a miniature movie, straddling the world of self-reflection and glamor. Following a zeppelin launch to the moon that’s ambushed by aliens, the entire affair is essentially “Titanic” meets “Avatar”. As pop culture was moving away from grunge and toward the glitzy pop of the early 2000's, “Tonight, Tonight” arrived right on schedule to hold a mirror up to the decade. It reminded audiences that old world glamour has a place in the modern world.

Yes, we know that technically it’s not filled with ironies. We don’t care and frankly, neither does Alanis Morissette. “Jagged Little Pill” was and is a cultural phenomenon and “Ironic” was one of its many hugely successful singles. The video, directed Stéphane Sednaoui, features four versions of Morissette on the road trip. The free-spirited energy and devil-may-care quality of her performance made every 90's kid want to throw caution to the wind and hit the road. The concept of Morissette appearing in her videos as different versions of herself was so impactful that it ended up becoming a recurring theme throughout her career. The red-beanie-clad driving version of Alanis from the “Ironic” video even makes an appearance in the video for “Reasons I Drink.”

THE banner song for the grunge movement and arguably the entirety of Gen X, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” perfectly captured Kurt Cobain's genius. Depicting the angst of the 90s in an unparalleled way, it was inspired by Jonathan Kaplan's 1979 film “Over the Edge” and the Ramones' film “Rock 'n' Roll High School”. The dark, moody imagery champions the anti-establishment spirit that made grunge so popular. To watch it is to feel the overwhelming urge to tie a flannel shirt around your waist and headbang! The video has gone on to have over 1.3 billion views on YouTube. Additionally, the clip went on to be parodied by Weird Al with his hilariously spot-on video for “Smells Like Nirvana.”