10 Best Music Videos of 2011

The music video is becoming a lost art. MTV and VH1 seem to have strayed from having anything to do with music videos, let alone with music in general. Still, with YouTube and its popular counterpart, VEVO, music fans have the ability to watch their favorite artists put moving pictures to their song on demand.

Some videos are simple, boring and just plain strange, while others are a remarkable work of art—no matter how much or how little technology or choreography is used. We appreciate the art of music videos, be it the ridiculous or the ones with a serious message. Of course, while Lady Gaga ruled the airwaves with hits from Born This Way, we will not feature any of her clips in this list—especially that monstrosity that is “Marry the Night” (that thing is long!). She gets enough credit, after all. Instead, here is our list of what we’ve deemed to be the best—or at least most amazing, in some form or another—clips of 2011:

10. Rebecca Black, “Friday”

Admit it: you’ve watched “Friday.” More than once. The video had millions upon millions of YouTube views, and the then unknown, then 13-year-old singer shot to fame—for better or for worse, as many deemed “Friday” the worst video and song ever made. Well, we think it’s one of the best, if only because of the attention it grabbed. Plus, Black will be having “fun, fun, fun, fun” all the way to the bank—and who can argue with that?

9. The Lonely Island, “3-Way (The Golden Rule) (feat. Justin Timberlake & Lady Gaga)”

We said we wouldn’t feature a Gaga video, but we never said we wouldn’t feature Gaga. In this SNL/Lonely Island clip, Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake explain that “it’s not gay” when you’re in a three-way with two dudes and a chick. We also get to see a bit of Lady Gaga’s “normal” side show through, complete with a great sense of humor. If you’re a Gaga fan, you’ll appreciate it, and if not, maybe this clip will at least show you that she can be funny and look somewhat like a normal person once in a while…

8. Ke$ha, “Blow”

James Van Der Beek, unicorns, laser guns and rainbows—what more do you need? This is a Ke$ha video to beat all Ke$sha videos—because to be honest, we’ve never watched any other Ke$ha video. The only reason this video is on this list is because of our beloved Dawson, who has been stripped away from his Creek and placed in the middle of a unicorn club lazer fight with one of the trashiest ladies in music. And it’s oddly sexy. Ke$ha, you are a secret genius, aren’t you?

7. LMFAO, “Sexy and I Know It”

No words… other than perhaps, “Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle…

6. Nicki Minaj, “Super Bass”

Nicki Minaj isn’t quite our favorite female rapper of all time (we prefer Missy Elliott), but this video is so… pink. The song is catchy as hell, and Minaj is just plain weird—but it’s hard to not watch this video. It’s literally candy for your eyes—and I’m not even just talking about the hot, hunky dudes in the background…

5. Superchunk, “Crossed Wires”

KITTY! Kitty with a camera! Kitty getting wasted! Kitty with strippers! What does your cat do when you’re out? This one likes to rock.

4. Foo Fighters, “Walk”

90s nostalgia… we love the Foo Fighters. The band can literally cause earthquakes, and “Walk” is one of the best songs off of Wasting Light. The video itself just embodies “one of those days”—Dave Grohl is having quite possibly the worst day of his life, just as we all do. Everything he goes through feels like something we’ve probably experienced, and when he finally joins his band, we see that moment of happiness, and we’re right there with him, just “learning to walk again.”

3. Sara Bareilles, “Gonna Get Over You”

Sara Bareilles is just plain cute. Kaleidoscope Heart’s third single, “Gonna Get Over You,” directed by Jonah Hill, is such a fun and bubbly video. Why can’t we have a day where everybody joins us in a fun romp through a grocery store, singing and dancing and being goofy—even if it is all in our heads? Oh, wait…

2. Kimbra, “Cameo Lover”

Very few people know about this video and about Kimbra yet. This New Zealander is slowly bursting onto the American scene, and “Cameo Lover” is a great start. The video is full of bright colors, awesome choreography and cute boys. What more can you ask for?

1. Robyn, “Call Your Girlfriend”

Even though Body Talk was out in 2010, “Call Your Girlfriend” was released as a single in 2011, and it helped shoot Robyn into the spotlight once again—and even eventually helped land her a recent SNL gig. Finally, our girl is getting the recognition she deserves—and all she had to do was dance! The “Call Your Girlfriend” video is simple: one take of Robyn dancing in a warehouse to her song—no backup dancers, no gimmicks. Robyn, you will forever be one of the greatest pop stars out there, and hopefully the rest of the world is finally learning that.

This article was originally published on AllMediaNY.com