Celebrating 40 Years of MTV: WIBC’S Top Iconic Music Videos
MTV celebrates its 40th anniversary this week (yes, you’re that old!) To celebrate when MTV was a music television station the WIBC family got together to share what’s in their mind the most ICONIC MTV music videos of all time.
The Morning Show
Tony Katz
Starting with our very own Tony Katz, of course he kicks off with a controversial list so he added a fair warning before we get started.
I couldn’t decide if these videos were iconic to MTV, or just most lodged in my memory. Catch me on any given day, and my Top 5 will be different. But these stick in my head, my memory. Thus, they are iconic to me.
NOTE – Thriller is not on my list. It’s a cultural shift, not a video. It was groundbreaking, certainly. But something about it doesn’t fit how I view the list.
Now we present, Tony’s Top 5 Iconic MTV music videos.
5. Hot For Teacher – Van Halen
Playing the sex angle WAS Van Halen’s angle. While others rooted for ‘California Girls’ by David Lee Roth, ‘Hot for Teacher’ is a better song, and the video was more connected to Gen X boys. Being a Gen Xer myself, it’s on the list.
4. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
Any video that stars wrestling icon Captain Lou Albano is on the list. Also, Cyndi Lauper is more of a music icon than she is publicly given credit for. She managed to do campy, bubble gum pop while showcasing a brilliant voice (‘Time After Time,’ case closed.) Her videos were colorful, off the wall and fully entertaining.
3. Simply Irresistible – Robert Palmer
You can make the argument that I could have gone with ‘Addicted to Love,’ and you would be right. But the dancing girls who couldn’t dance (or play instruments) was a mix of chic and hip and general cool….and in today’s world would be extremely sexist, or something. The song was infectious. The video kept your attention.
2. Don’t Come Around Here No More -Tom Petty
Not growing up in Florida, this was my real first introduction to Tom Petty. The whole ‘Alice in Wonderland’ theme had a very Tim Burton feel to it. It even features Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics (who co-wrote the song) as the Caterpillar.
1. Fight For Your Right (To Party) – Beastie Boys
It’s the anthem maybe more than the video, but so what! This is the song that led thousands of dorm parties and pissed off hundreds of thousands of parents when their kids turned it up in their rooms. The video is part of what I think of when I think, “MTV.” It deserves it’s place.
Honorable Mention:
- Missy Elliot – Get Your Freak On
- ZZ Top – Legs
- Madonna – Material Girl
- Devo – Whip It
- INXS – Need You Tonight
Matt Bair
Our traffic guru may have the most eclectic taste out of the whole bunch. He likes demolition, robots, navy ships, and girls.
5. Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus
Miley has since expressed regret for making “Wrecking Ball,” saying something like she’s now the Wrecking Ball girl or something. I thought the video was ACES. Never done? Check. Licking a sledgehammer? Check. Hardcore demo? You bet. This video makes the world a better place, like a double rainbow.
4. Robot Transformation Video – Michael Jackson
I can’t remember which video Michael Jackson turns into a robot…but it’s totally rad. The bad guy is like “yeah” and Michael is like “so what I’M NOW A ROBOT.” Badass. It was like the M. Night Shyamalan twist in Unbreakable or Signs, not the Happening, where OH MY GOD IT’S THE TREES RUN.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We found the video, it’s actually part of MJ’s film Moonwalker. The film is a collection of shorts and long-form music videos. If this isn’t the definition of iconic, we don’t know what is… Check out the robot transformation clip!
3. Freedom ’90 – George Michael
Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and a bunch of other supermodel like things sing in a bubble bath and dance naked in an old house. This video spawned the modern day influencer, which makes my mixed feelings very extreme. Still hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot . Christy Turlington created the ocean.
2. Turn Back Time – Cher
“Butt Tattoos on a Battleship” was conceptionally novel. Cher adds an element of mystery by wearing an outfit that would give me a hernia. Honestly, I just remembered that I tried to join the navy, but my dad wouldn’t let me. I was going to be a pilot. I hate this video and thanks for the memories…
1.Simply Irresistible – Robert Palmer
When I was a kid I thought this video was SEXY. Watching it as an adult, I notice all the women look like Anne Hathaway. That’s a whole lot of Catwoman, which isn’t awful. Everyone- including Robert- looks like they smoked mescaline before the shoot. Not judging, just saying.
Mock ‘n Rob
Mock
Continuing down memory lane, Mock takes us to her top five. Her list not only includes some of the greats, but also we find when exactly her love of Robbie Williams comes to be.
5. Here It Goes Again – OK Go
The treadmill synchronizing was completely captivating!
4. Take on Me – a-ha
The super cool with the cartoon-to-life technology, enough said.
3. Learn to Fly – Foo Fighters
Dave Grohl playing a bunch of characters was absolutely hysterical (and it’s a kickass song!)
2. Rock DJ – Robbie Williams
This is the song/video that started my never-ending infatuation with Robbie Williams. He’s so super hot and he does a strip tease in it, but then the super hot strip tease turns into a complete horror show and the video becomes completely disgusting (but also totally captivating at the same time.) Loved the song so much I bought the album, and then fast forward several years to him giving me a lap dance in Vegas.
1. Thriller – Michael Jackson
Whoever says this isn’t their number one is a communist. The end.
Up next, we have Rob Kendall.
We did limit Rob to only ONLY Bruce Springsteen song, we think he did good. Plus, he adds a more current pick for all those youths out there!
5. Stacy’s Mom- Fountains of Wayne
I think it speaks for itself.
4. Take On Me- a-ha
When I was in high school, I used to stare endlessly at magazines with artists’ renditions of hot chicks, trying to recreate that video. Sadly, it never worked.
3. Amish Paradise – Weird Al
…because Weird Al is awesome. That’s his Hotel California. And all his videos are hilarious and incredibly well produced.
2. Teenage Dream- Katy Perry
Not only is it one of the 10 greatest songs ever written, it’s 3:50 of in her prime, complete smoke Katy Perry.
1. Dancing in the Dark- Bruce Springsteen (there it is!)
That video is so amazing, and Bruce’s dancing is so bad ass, it even made someone with talent as limited as Courtney Cox famous. Unless you were married by 23, every dude, at some point, has become that character in Dancing in the Dark.
Hammer and Nigel
Hammer
Hammer kicks off his list with a song about butts. Of course you’re not suprised, but the man has good taste! His list features not necessarily his favorite songs, but the defining videos of the MTV era Jason grew up with.
5. Baby Got Back- Sir Mix-A-Lot
FINALLY, an anthem for those with thick, juicy butts! FINALLY! Still a wedding favorite. For a wedding crowd, “Baby Got Back” is in the same category as “Sweet Caroline” and “Shout.” Must plays!
4. Cradle of Love- Billy Idol
Who doesn’t like hot, young ass crawling all over the floor? TRUE STORY: I would later work a concert with Billy Idol and right when he walked off the stage he looks at me and says
“OY! Where are the HARD drugs at?!”
3. We’re Not Gonna Take It- Twisted Sister
A “Niedermyer” sighting AND the first time I ever saw Dee Snider. Shocked that Dee looked like my female PE teacher in 4th grade.
2. Take on Me- a-ha
The cartoon guy and the catchy music made this thing a monster!
1. Thriller- Michael Jackson
The GOAT of all music videos.
Nigel
Nigel takes the rock route with his top picks! We learn a lot about Nigel, especially his taste in women…
5. Thriller – Michael Jackson
The extended version scared me to death as a kid when Mike turned into the wolf!
(See above)
4. Land of Confusion – Genesis
The puppets were awesome! And those lyrics still hold up with everything going on today.
3. Cradle of Love – Billy Idol
I was in love with the dancing chick going nuts in the dude’s house.
2. Tease Me, Please Me – Scorpions
I was in love with the chick in the blue bathing suit.
1. Welcome To The Jungle – Guns N Roses
I thought Axl was some crazy street freak and the video made L.A. look like some raging hell hole….. so it was pretty accurate!)
Now before you grab your pitchforks for forgetting your favorite, let us know what we missed! What’s the most iconic video in your mind? Dire Straits Money for Nothing, Madonna’s Material Girls, Run DMC and Aerosmith’s Walk This Way? Giving the hosts a limit of five may have been unfair…
Tweet us at @93wibc and @tonykatz!
