Top 30 Most Ridiculous 90s Music Videos Ever

Top-30-Most-Ridiculous-90s-Music-Videos-Ever

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most over-the-top, of-their-time, or otherwise wild music videos from the 1990s! They aren’t necessarily bad – just unique.

#30: “The Sign” (1993)
Ace of Base
The music video medium is eternally shifting, and has undergone lots of stylistic changes over the years. Perhaps no video is more “of its time” than this one from Sweden’s Ace of Base. The vocal group always brought the vocal thunder and melodic hooks with their music, while this video attempts to incorporate the visual technology of the day. Floating GIF ankhs appear for…reasons, while the group is superimposed over other images of, well, mostly themselves. It’s not the worst offender on this list, but the tendency of “The Sign” to take itself one-hundred-percent seriously definitely earns it a spot.

#29: “No Diggity” (1996)
Blackstreet feat. Dr. Dre & Queen Pen
The R&B video tropes all seem to be in place upon an initial examination of “No Diggity” by Blackstreet. Limos? Check? Background dancers? Double Check. Blackstreet also remembered to bring their matching overalls, which is a nice touch. That said, can somebody explain to us why there’s a marionette performing on a piano? It’s an absurd element that’s never really explained, unless Dr. Dre thought it was a cool idea? Puppets appear throughout the video, playing guitar and generally hanging out. It’s probably the most memorable aspect of “No Diggity,” however, and one of the reasons why we’re still talking about the video today.

#28: “Nothin' My Love Can't Fix” (1993)
Joey Lawrence
It’s a classic scenario: actors singing, and musicians acting. Joey Lawrence was the latest in a long line of show business types that attempted to stretch their creative legs with his single, “Nothin' My Love Can't Fix.” Lawrence’s ties to the performing arts serve him well in selling the song, while the video itself is colorful in that gloriously gaudy ‘90s way. The opening spraypainting and paint splashes eventually shift to Joey in all of his glory, decked out in the… we’re gonna go with “best” fashion of the day. Lawrence is notably seen on the beach and walking the streets, running his hands through that perfectly coiffed hair. It’s all done without a shred of irony, and we are HERE for it.

#27: “Aeroplane” (1996)
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have always possessed a funky and unique visual style, and this also translated into their music videos. “Aeroplane” feels indebted to the variety show landscape of 1970s TV, with tons of sequined jumpsuits and backup dancers. The energy is kinetic, while the colors are saturated in a way that’s garish, but not entirely unpleasant. The group do their thing while the extras wave around paddles that seemingly simulate runaway landing gear at an airport. Oh, and there’s also trapeze artists for some reason, as well as a giant swimming pool, all while the Chili Peppers rock the house.


#26: “Rico Suave” (1991)
Gerardo
It’s a song and accompanying video that became a punchline for the decade, and probably for good reason. The overarching legacy of the nineties hadn’t yet been codified when “Rico Suave” by Gerardo was released back in ‘90. As a result, the video still feels very much indicative of the late ‘80s, with its gaze planted firmly upon selling sex. To be fair, both Gerardo and his backing dancers service the camera, to over-the-top effect. “Rico Suave” will forever be a time capsule piece, however. It’s a snapshot of aesthetic taste that’s either very bad or “so bad it’s good,” depending upon one’s point of view.

#25: “Sock It 2 Me” (1997)
Missy Elliott feat. Da Brat
Fans could always count upon the fertile creative imagination of Harold “Hype” Williams when it came to outside-the-box music video ideas. How else could one explain the pitch meeting behind “Sock It 2 Me,” a collaboration between Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott and Da Brat? The pair’s outfits apparently take cues from the “Mega Man” video game franchise, while their adventures in space have little, if anything, to do with the actual song. But who cares? Elliott and Da Brat totally sell the ridiculous concept. Even Lil’ Kim shows up to the party, making “Sock It 2 Me” an off-the-wall video, from first frame to finale.

#24: “No Limit” (1993)
2 Unlimited
The world of European dance music has, historically speaking, been an out there place in the wildest way. The genre’s stereotypically low sense of self-awareness has given us countless clips like “No Limit” from 2 Unlimited. We have to admit that the huge pinball set is imaginative, and 2 Unlimited make the most of it with their dancing and pantomimes. Their wardrobe is luscious and leathery, to boot, almost coming across like a proto-version of “The Matrix.” The end results are delivered straight-faced, and this lack of irony makes “No Limit” feel like something we dreamt up. But nope, it is very, very real.

#23: “Brain Stew” / “Jaded” (1996)
Green Day
These two tracks from Green Day may be separate on their fourth album, “Insomniac,” but their combination for this music video makes them feel forever linked. We’re never quite sure why the band takes a trip using a bulldozer, or why they’re chilling in a junkyard. The cutaways to an animal trying to get back up on its feet are disturbing, while the switch from sepia to color feels like something out of “The Wizard of Oz.” The latter occurs when “Brain Stew” shifts to “Jaded,” and the video steps on the gas. The rest is mainly chaotic angles and closeups, as the breakneck pace takes us to the end, leaving us breathless, winded…and still with a lot of questions.

#22: “Nothing Really Matters” (1999)
Madonna
The Material Girl has graced us with some of the best music videos, full stop. Is “Nothing Really Matters” one of those videos? Perhaps, if you’re into the image of Madonna rocking a kimono in a fashion that just might have garnered criticism for cultural appropriation in the modern day. Elsewhere, Madonna is also seen holding this weird, see-through plastic container that’s never really explained. The dancing is well-executed while simultaneously coming across as quirky and strange. The effect as a whole feels in line with the star’s electro-dance influenced “Ray of Light” era, so it succeeds in this sense. It’s still weird, though.

#21: “Hunter” (1997)
Björk
The inclusion of Björk on this list should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, since the Icelandic singer has basically made a career out of being indefinable. “Hunter” possesses the singular premise of giving its audience an eyeful of her, front-and-center against a stark, white backdrop. The music video’s director, Paul White, employed a team of digital effects artists to overlay all sorts of effects over Björk’s face. These effects haven’t really aged well, unfortunately, and their initial “newness” now feels more quaint than anything revolutionary. The song is still great, of course, but the video arguably pales in comparison to some of Björk’s older clips.

#20: “Give It Away” (1991)
Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Give It Away” proved the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ first major hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The concept of the bizarre music video stemmed from singer Anthony Kiedis, who wished to make a visually unique video that would stand apart from its contemporaries. A French fashion photographer named Stéphane Sednaoui was brought in, and he decided to paint the band members in silver acrylic paint and shoot the video in black and white. The video also contains a wide array of different cinematic techniques, including superimposition and reversed footage. Warner Bros. hated it and wished for a more traditional music video. Regardless, it was a huge success and helped catapult the Peppers to stardom.

#19: “U Can’t Touch This” (1990)
MC Hammer
“U Can’t Touch This” is one of the shining accomplishments of the ‘90s. It was the first rap song to get a Record of the Year nomination at the Grammys, and its music video is an undeniable icon of pop culture. It reeks of the ‘90s, with the fashion and super baggy pants being a particular standout. It also features Hammer performing some of his signature dance moves, including The Running Man and his famous Hammer Dance that sees him scuttling across the floor like a crab. ‘90s rap doesn’t get more memorable than this.

#18: “I Love You” (1990)
Vanilla Ice
Forget “Ice Ice Baby.” “I Love You” is where it’s at. Released six months after the unbelievable success of “Ice Ice Baby,” on Valentine’s Day 1991, “I Love You” is a sappy ballad that sees Ice trying his darndest to be serious and emotional. The video was actually directed by Michael Bay, who would later find fame through his bombastic action movies. And it’s like a parody you’d find in a movie. It’s full of slow-motion shots of Ice looking contemplative and morose, lots of sensual shots of dancing women, and even a cheesy green screen effect showing some rapidly-moving clouds. It looks like the video was made for $10, and it makes for some fantastically cheesy viewing.

#17: “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” (1996)
Celine Dion
Written by Jim Steinman, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” was inspired by Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights” and was originally performed by Pandora’s Box before it was covered by Canadian icon Celine Dion. The full music video is more of a short film, spanning seven and a half minutes and containing many cinematic elements, including exterior shots of a Gothic castle and a tragic motorcycle crash that results in a huge explosion. It’s also filled with many over-the-top elements, including slow-motion running down long hallways, lots of sensual kissing, ghostly apparitions, and dramatic lightning strikes. It’s all wonderfully campy, and you have to respect the craft.

#16: “Coffee & TV” (1999)
Blur
“Coffee & TV” is a different sort of song from British rock band Blur, as it was sung by guitarist Graham Coxon rather than Damon Albarn. Its music video, while a spectacular piece of filmmaking that won several industry awards, is like a fever dream of weirdness. The concept is that Coxon has gone missing and appears on the side of a milk carton. The milk carton then grows arms and becomes sentient, embarking on an epic adventure to find the missing Coxon. It’s amazing how Blur and the video’s filmmakers managed to make audiences cry over a freaking milk carton, but such is the genius of this bizarre, adorable, and touching music video.

#15: “Into Your Arms” (1993)
The Lemonheads
Serving as The Lemonheads’ biggest hit, “Into Your Arms” spent a then-record nine straight weeks atop the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Released in 1993, the song came to epitomize the alternative rock craze of the time. The video sees the band singing the song in the middle of the woods, and the camera literally never stops moving. It spins around the band members, it spins around people dancing in a square, and it spins around frontman Evan Dando as he sings into the camera. The video also serves as a physical representation of the early ‘90s alt-rock movement, complete with Dando’s long hair and the drummer’s red plaid shirt. What a great time capsule.

#14: “I Want You Back” (1996)
*NSYNC
Serving as the debut single of one of the biggest boy bands in history, “I Want You Back” was actually made into two videos. The second version was made for the British and American releases, and it’s far more boring and traditional than the vastly superior original. This one was released in Germany, as NSYNC had signed with a German label. It sees the group dancing in a horribly green-screened space station, complete with laughably cheap mid-90s CGI and glorious ‘90s fashion. We don’t know what’s trippier - the green screen work, the sub-par CGI, or seeing Justin Timberlake as a 15-year-old kid.

#13: “Thank U” (1998)
Alanis Morissette
Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette ruled the ‘90s, and “Thank U” proved both her fifth number one in Canada and her highest-charting single in the UK, peaking at #5. The success was likely aided by its unconventional music video, which featured a completely nude Morissette. She walks through various crowded areas and is continuously approached and embraced by strangers. Like “Give It Away”, the video was directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, with the concept credited to Morissette herself. She told The Miami Herald that the video was “less about overt sexuality and more about the symbolism of being really raw and naked and intimate in all these environments where you’d seemingly need protection.”

#12: “Barbie Girl” (1997)
Aqua
Few songs and music videos represent the ‘90s better than Aqua’s “Barbie Girl.” This was pure, unashamed bubblegum pop, and it may be one of the catchiest songs ever written. The video is hilariously tongue-in-cheek, complete with an opening declaration that it was filmed in “AquaScope”. If this was a legitimate piece of work, it could very well be the worst music video ever made. It looks cheap, it’s filled with corny transitions and bright, gaudy colors, and the band members (particularly René) give numerous meme-worthy glances to the camera. But the intentional corniness is part of the charm. It’s goofy, it’s silly, and above all else, it’s a ton of fun.

#11: “The Bad Touch” (1999)
Bloodhound Gang
Another glorious bit of dance-pop, “The Bad Touch” proved an enormous hit in Europe, peaking at #1 in eight different countries. And the music video, while very famous, also attracted some controversy. It sees the band dressed in “MonkeyRat” suits, running around Paris kidnapping and otherwise mistreating various people. The video was deemed insensitive by various groups, and in fact MTV was called out for airing it at all by GLAAD. An edited version was then released, but even it’s still ridiculous… not as ridiculous as the lyrics, though.

#10: “Cotton Eye Joe” (1994)
Rednex
In 1994, a Swedish Eurodance group by the name of Rednex covered the traditional folk song “Cotton-Eyed Joe,” matching southern twang and instruments like banjos and fiddles with their brand of techno. The unique concoction proved infectious, and the novelty of both the song and accompanying music video helped “Cotton Eye Joe” reach #1 in numerous countries around Europe. The video sees the band members performing at a raging barn rave. The video mirrors the song’s unique blending of genres and styles, and it proved just as fun as a real barn dance.

#9: “Groove Is in the Heart” (1990)
Deee-Lite
Serving as this dance group’s debut single, “Groove Is in the Heart” is widely considered to be one of the best songs of the ‘90s, and it made Deee-Lite one of the world’s most popular one-hit wonders. The accompanying music video harkens back to the psychedelia of the 1960s, depicting the band superimposed over shifting shapes and popping bright colors. Some may ask why. We ask why not? The unique style and theme made the music video stand out among its contemporaries, and it somehow manages to generate nostalgia for both the ‘60s and the ‘90s at the same time.

#8: “Baby Got Back” (1992)
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Along with “U Can’t Touch This,” “Baby Got Back” serves as the quintessential representation of early ‘90s mainstream hip hop. Both songs were huge hits, both were wondrously corny, and both came equipped with silly music videos. This one sees Sir Mix-a-Lot standing atop a giant butt and features many gratuitous shots of dancing women and their shaking behinds. Even the turntable has a little butt on it! While somewhat tame by today’s “WAP” and “Anaconda” standards, this music video generated some controversy for its overt sexuality and was shortly banned by MTV in the early ‘90s. Today, it’s rightfully seen as a classic.

#7: “Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)” (1996)
Backstreet Boys
Serving as NSYNC’s biggest rivals, Backstreet Boys were the quintessential boy band of the ‘90s, and this served as their most successful single in America, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The concept behind the music video is simple - the Backstreet Boys dance around in the rain and eventually take their shirts off (an idea that nearly got the video banned from MTV, who were feeling particularly prudish that day). Along the way, viewers are treated to many corny fade transitions, close-ups of emotional and sexy faces, and the Backstreet Boys dragging their hands through their wet hair. It’s perhaps the most overdramatic music video in history, and it tells you all you need to know about the mid-’90s boy band boom.

#6: “Black Hole Sun” (1994)
Soundgarden
“Black Hole Sun” was released at the height of the grunge movement, and it is very evident. Aside from the sludgy production and dark lyrics, the song is accompanied by a creepy music video with tons of surreal imagery and a horrifying concept. Everyone has chilling and exaggerated smiles plastered on their distorted faces, people sit on all fours watching a static TV, and little girls watch Barbies burn on the barbecue. And that’s all before the sky turns red and a literal black hole sun destroys everyone. It’s brilliantly imaginative, but man is it ever creepy and weird. This is mid-’90s rock personified, and it serves as both a cultural icon and a fantastic piece of nostalgia.

#5: “Whatzupwitu” (1993)
Eddie Murphy & Michael Jackson
Bear with us, because we swear we aren’t making this up. Released in 1993, “Whatzupwitu” is sung by both Eddie Murphy and Michael Jackson, and it was included on Murphy’s third studio album. Oh yeah, Murphy had a brief music career spanning the mid-’80s to the early ‘90s. Like “Black Hole Sun,” “Whatzupwitu” personifies the ‘90s. Just in a very different way. For one thing, it’s sung by Eddie Murphy and Michael Jackson! For another, there’s that weird spelling of the title, which just screams early ‘90s. Finally, there’s Murphy’s stellar 90s fashion and cheesy green screen work. Everything about this is ridiculous. Very memorable and entertaining, yes, but ridiculous.

#4: “I’m Too Sexy” (1991)
Right Said Fred
A glorious bit of tongue-in-cheek, “I’m Too Sexy” is a dance-pop masterpiece that parodies narcissism and self-aggrandizement. Right Said Fred is composed of brothers Fred and Richard Fairbrass, and the idea for the song reportedly came from the brothers’ experience running a gym and witnessing the narcissism on display. The music video is exactly what you’d expect. It contains ridiculous outfits, shirt ripping, lots of bare chests, popping muscles, and even a runway with bikini-clad women snapping photos of the strutting and gyrating Fairbrass brothers. The video ends with a knowing and somewhat self-deprecating smile - a smile that says everything about the three minutes of goofiness that came before it.

#3: “Hooked on a Feeling” (1997)
David Hasselhoff
Beloved actor David Hasselhoff has toyed with music throughout the decades, and in 1997, he released his ninth (yes, ninth) studio album, titled “Hooked on a Feeling.” Included on said album is the title track, a cover of the B.J. Thomas and Blue Swede classic. It was accompanied by what is either the best or worst music video ever made. The video is filled with some truly hilarious green screen work, multiple shots of the Hoff flying through the air, and even Hasselhoff interacting with computer-generated cubes of the music video itself. It’s probably a joke, but we honestly can’t tell. Either way, it could very well be the silliest thing we’ve ever seen.

#2: “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” (1998)
Eiffel 65
One of the most popular Eurodance songs of the ‘90s, “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” is a confounding yet incredibly entertaining song. Such adjectives could also be used to describe its music video. Reportedly made by five people in a garage, the music video is almost entirely computer-generated and tells a story of blue aliens abducting lead singer Jeffrey Jey and taking them to their planet. He is forced to put on a concert for the alien residents, and the other members eventually rescue him using cheesy martial arts and fancy superpowers. It’s a complete fever dream of a music video, and it’s made all the more memorable owing to its cheap CGI. It’s silly, but it’s also a masterpiece of late ‘90s music.

#1: “Numb” (1993)
U2
It’s amazing to consider that such a popular band can produce such experimental material. “Numb” is a weird bit of industrial rock, complete with sound effects, a grating guitar note, and a droning vocal performance by the Edge. The music video consists of the Edge sitting in a black room and staring into the camera while a strobing light plays across his face. He is then forced to suffer feet and fingers prodding his face, getting repeatedly slapped by a child, and even having his face be crudely tied up with a thin rope before being pushed over by Larry Mullen Jr. The combination of grating music and violent visuals is both disturbing and off-putting. It’s easily the most bizarre thing that U2 ever did.

Do you remember watching these videos when they originally dropped? Let us know in the comments!