Top 20 Good Songs With Awful Music Videos

Daryl Hall & John Oates

In one of their big hits from the 1980s, Daryl Hall and John Oates perform with some oversized production design. The cheesy video finds them posing in face cutouts and making exaggerated expressions. Theres huge instruments, but theres not much point to whats happening. Hall and Oates almost look like theyre on a twisted childrens show, turning this into a much more goofy experience. Its a ridiculous concept that feels more at home with a more traditional pop act. In between art projects, the duo seem out of place throughout. Theyre ultimately much better musicians than they are dancers.

Kool & the Gang

This band is best known for their funky and danceable hits. Get Down on It is a classic, but the video is something of an eyesore. We mean that literally, because you might have to look away at several points during the experience. In what appears to be a glitch from the early PC era, the video has bandmates multiplying at an alarming rate. You might even think that theres a genuine error while watching. We assure you that you dont need to adjust your screen, but the visuals make you wonder whats going wrong. At a certain point, you could be inspired to get up, dance, and shut off your screen.

Charli XCX feat. Troye Sivan

Do you like jet skis? If you do, youll enjoy elements of this sunny travelogue. Charli XCX drives one alongside Troye Sivan. The only problem is there isnt much else to do from there. The singer sings and poses on the vehicle, but shes primarily stuck on the water. Once you start a video on a jet ski, you can only do so much before the audience checks their phones. By the time that you see one watercraft doing flips, it feels like the only highlight. The performers try to be cool even though they look like theyre just on vacation. It might feature the artist that coined the term brat, but this video doesnt live up to the label.

Drake

Its a video that has been the source of memes, discourse, and plenty of references online. Drakes Hotline Bling is full of images that may never leave your head. You get to watch a man dance, but its hard to say whether or not he should be dancing. There are some blank sets to observe with some interesting lighting, but theyre mostly desolate aside from a staircase. The Canadian rapper looks like he wandered onto the wrong sci-fi movie. He does get to try on different jackets and sweaters, but you wouldnt call this a dynamic idea.

Pixies

The Pixies are better known for their music, but some of their earlier videos feel like elaborate pranks. Velouria involves the band climbing and jumping around some rock formations. Its not the most exciting concept, with room for a few basic shots and setups. Theres even some slow-motion in there as well. Despite the limited premise, the four-piece look like theyre having fun. Anybody expecting a high concept might be disappointed, but you probably didnt come to the group for their visuals anyway. The only big change comes when they get closer to the camera. With a contrarian spirit, the quartet presses on without worrying about entertaining you.

Jack White & Alicia Keys

In the theme song for Quantum of Solace, Jack White and Alicia Keys join forces for a rock concoction. The video, much like the matchup, seems a bit strange. While the track has an exciting energy, the visuals dont serve the tune. There are desert landscapes and white voids, but nothing screams James Bond. It looks much cheaper and emptier than the high-flying budgets of a 007 adventure. White and Keys perform together, but theyre placed in boring sets and given CGI backgrounds. Youll be longing for the traditional Bond credit sequences before this is over.

Rush feat. Aimee Mann

Bringing Aimee Mann along with them, Rush appears in a trippy video for Time Stand Still. The central trio flies around the screen in some misplaced special effects. Mann operates a camera and tries to capture the action, but you cant help but wonder why. The choreography seems to be somewhat forced, with loads of awkward maneuvers and janky movements. Even Geddy Lee said he doesnt like his hair here, with the clothes and styles looking painfully 1980s. Its also full of wild choices that may cause motion sickness. If you can stand to watch the entire thing, youve got stronger stomachs than most.

Go West


In the video for Go Wests hit, the director seems to try everything. There is no stone left unturned in a chaotic premise. The two bandmates arrive on a soundstage where anything and everything happens. A tall set of legs almost trample them, a dance group appears, and then hockey players roll around. Many strange details pop out in this video, with each one being more random than the next. The singer uses a wrench like a microphone and then more people crowd the studio. Youll be more than confused once an elephant appears, but by that point so much has already happened. This production mightve been a case of too much money and nobody being able to say no.

Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard was successful in multiple decades with notable work in the 1970s. This disco hit is one of his most memorable singles, but the video feels lost in the shuffle. Richard appears on a smoky dancefloor that couldve been in Saturday Night Fever or even Xanadu. Copies of his head float in the background, with the special effects department working overtime. Its emotionally confusing to hear the lyrics and then see the glitz of a nightclub. This song might have a melancholic feel to it, but thats almost ruined by the images on screen.

Lionel Richie

Lionel Richies song Hello might be one of his best ballads, but it features a creepy music video. Hes an acting instructor that focuses his attention on a student. That could be controversial on its own, but then Richies character starts following the woman. The stalking claims are hard to shake after you see him watching her. If things arent confusing enough, viewers get to see a bust of the singers head. This one might be best enjoyed as an ironic viewing, but its also nothing short of dated. We like to think that the moving track tells a better story than any video could.

Katy Perry feat. Kanye West


Its no secret that sexuality has been a key ingredient to Katy Perrys success, but this time around, she silenced all raging hormones with a slightly insane music video featuring Yeezy himself. With the film Avatar playing as the videos inspiration, director Floria Sigismondi capitalized on the otherworldly trend with a combination of visuals that lacked cohesiveness and innovation, but did include Kanye West floating around, aimlessly. Maybe Kanye was just trying to live up to Beyoncés best music video of all time? If you want another lackluster party, you could also try Birthday .

Davie Bowie & Mick Jagger


When two legends get together, history is made for better or worse. This version of the Motown song inspired these artists to throw caution to the wind. With big moves and reactions, David Bowie and Mick Jagger deliver something between campy and unwatchable. Neither man is afraid of looking silly, but they both look like theyre making up the choreography as they go. Bowie and Jagger bounce and spin around like cartoon characters. Over the years, this video drew the ire of viewers that considered it almost beyond the pale. Its impressive to see them collaborate, but the end result makes you wonder what they were thinking.

Miley Cyrus

During one of her most controversial eras, Miley Cyrus put out a video that could be considered famous or infamous. She seemed to be going all-in on style with debatable substance. In the end, it all feels over the top. The imagery is also literal and basic considering the message. Drawing even more attention, Cyrus appears to be naked during a portion of the proceedings. Some might call it sensational, while others link this to her larger bad-girl phase. Her emotional performance doesnt mesh as well with the absurd visuals. Its a piece of pop culture history, but Wrecking Ball doesnt quite stick the landing.

Survivor

Its one of the most famous songs to help people build confidence and exercise. The tune feels at home with the Rocky series, but the video doesnt feel anywhere near as successful. Walking down the street, the band members march to the beat. The musicians cant hold a candle to the toughness of Sylvester Stallone. Shifting to a makeshift venue, the video focuses on a bland performance. With a flowing sheet behind them, the group starts to lose momentum. Is this the best they could come up with? We love the vibe of this track, but this one features a build-up to nothing. Survivor couldve at least tried to do some kind of training montage to pump people up.

Dio

While Ronnie James Dio scans the London rooftops, he performs one of his best songs. The only discernible plot we can find is a creep following a woman around. Thanks to band members like Vivian Campbell, the man reconsiders his ways after witnessing a killer solo. Unfortunately, Dio looks disconnected from the action. The video feels too segmented, failing to create any kind of compelling drama. Is this a cautionary tale or an odd excuse to go sightseeing? Were not sure if this story means anything, but its almost saying that heavy metal can save lives. They probably couldve done that in a much cooler and less dopey way.

Kiss

When they took off the makeup, Kiss planned to go in a new direction. A band known for its pyrotechnics and wardrobe seems boring in this context. Their video for Lick It Up features them stomping around some kind of post-apocalypse. Its a rough and tumble setting for a song thats not exactly Shakespeare. A number of women huddle around fires with limited clothing. You could argue over the symbolism, but then you have to endure the musicians eating a messy meal. Gene Simmons death glare provides enough terror for any viewer, rivaling the disturbing images on Psycho Circus. Even if this doesnt haunt your dreams, youll probably want to stick with the music next time.

Journey


With the arrival of MTV in the early 80s, rock bands could typically earn a larger following through dynamic music videos, but in this case, a beloved 80s band took an ill-advised journey in the form of a visual trainwreck. Pick your poison it might be the fashion or perhaps the outlandish posturing of Steve Perry, but while these errors can be forgiven over time, nobody can forgive the devastating display of air instruments. Ultimately, the synchronized head shot sums it all up, as the faces of Journey convey their inner turmoil and realization of the lasting effects.

Glass Animals


You know how some people dont like the word moist? Well, the Oxford band Glass Animals expanded on this concept with their video for Gooey, in which a sexed-up group of individuals exchange fluids, seemingly for the sake of art. The song alone can put one into a beautiful trance, however the Caravaggio-like music video could put one into a deep state of shock thanks to a saliva torture scene. Featuring two men grappling around with ill-fitting leotards, a grown up Velma from Scooby Doo and a Rubenesque red-head, the message seems to be: Taste the Goo. We'll pass.

Bonnie Tyler


Directed by Russell Mulcahy the man responsible for Elton Johns Im Still Standing - this music video featured Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler in a room full of candles and dovesamong other things, you know, like a creepy kid and male swimmers, for some reason. Its probably best if we all agree to forget this video, as the five minutes of imagery will surely ruin anyones day and certainly their memories of the song.

Billy Squier


Back in the early 80s, Billy Squier conceived the premise of his infamous hit while swimming the waters of Greece, which makes us wonder if there was something in the water at the time given the unfortunate sequence of events that followed. Its not necessarily the pole dancing or the plethora of pink of Rock Me Tonite, its the fact that Billy Squier seems at odds with the concept of dancing itself, which is made abundantly clear throughout the five brutal minutes. Just as the sun rises with each morning, this experience will always sit atop the mountain of miserable music videos.


Did we forget any videos that couldnt live up to their song? Let us know in the comments below.