Although the year is not over quite yet, it seems that around this time, people often reflect on the past year and what has come from it. 2015 has been an interesting year in a variety of areas such as politics, film, fashion, and music, music videos in particular. I'd like to share some of my favorite releases from over the past few months and which ones I believe were the most visually stunning. Maybe we even share a few, so let's take a look!

1. "Earned It" (from the "Fifty Shades of Grey" soundtrack) by The Weeknd

This stunning video accompanied by Abel Tesafeye's (The Weeknd) signature sensual lyrics and unparalleled vocals became quite a sensation when it was released. In the music video, we see the versatile Canadian singer tempted by sexual impulse as he observes an array of women dancing on a stage in a vacant theater decorated with diamond chandeliers and stage lights. As in the film, it includes hints of BSDM throughout the video, with Dakota Johnson (who plays Anastasia Steele in the film) dangling and twirling from the ceiling of the theater with rope wrapped strategically around her body. I can't speak for everybody, but I personally enjoyed the tone of the pigments in the video, which mainly seemed to be of a white-yellow balance and a navy blue medley, illustrating a starry night. Fun fact: the music video was directed by the film's director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, and displays her masterful filmmaking technique.

2. "Love Me Like You Do" (also released on the "Fifty Shades of Grey" soundtrack) by Ellie Goulding

As the theme song for the 2015 film "Fifty Shades of Grey," the music video for "Love Me Like You Do" features various clips and scenes in the order in which they appear in the film. International pop star Ellie Goulding, plays a similar role to Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) in the video as she appears nervous and seems to be unfamiliar with the environment she finds herself in, but then it looks like she finds who she was looking for, as in the subsequent scenes she embraces with a male dancer and they take part in a dance routine.

3. "I Bet" by Ciara

"I Bet" was featured on Ciara's sixth studio album titled "Jackie," which she named after her mother. The music video for the single has a ballerina theme, and it opens with someone (presumed to be Ciara) winding up a ballerina music treasure box before we see her name and the title of the song appear in writing. In the music video, the American R&B singer is dressed in dancer-like apparel colored in a mix of pink, and mainly neutral tones, where much of the dancing she does appears to be natural and second nature to her, but clearly must have taken some time to choreograph to look this way. Looking at her other music videos and comparing them to this one, it is a real treat to see her have fun and evolve into the singer and performer that she is today.

4. "Good Thing" by Sage the Gemini featuring Nick Jonas

On paper, this collaboration between Sage the Gemini (Dominic Wynn Woods) and Nick Jonas might seem random, but I dare you to listen to it because their voices really compliment one another. In fact, I would be interested in seeing them work on a track again together in the future. Although the music video for the song was filmed in Los Angeles (presumably on a set), it is evident that they took the time to consider what they wanted it to look like, as they look like they are in an exotic jungle with a rich and abundant tropical backdrop with plenty of women surrounding both Woods and Jonas, which they don't seem to mind!

5. "The Night is Still Young" by Nicki Minaj

Compared to her other songs, this one released on Nicki Minaj's third studio album, "The Pinkprint" (2014), features the most pop influence as opposed to mainly rap. Despite this, her fans will still enjoy this song as it is fun and encourages individuals to party and to soak in life's every moment. Also, the music video for the single features a lot of striking visuals and colors (especially pink!) that pop out and are visually pleasing to watch on the screen.

6. "Should've Been Us" by Tori Kelly

The release of Tori Kelly's first studio album and her performance in New York City for her Where I Belong tour both happened on the same date: July 22. She performed in New York City while she was on her first tour, and the music video for the single features many clips from that evening, which is very sweet to see as it demonstrates how close she is with her fans. If you thought she might have looked familiar, you may have seen some of her viral covers of popular songs on her YouTube channel. If you haven't seen her cover of Frank Ocean's "Thinkin' 'Bout You," I urge you to go check it out right away! The video has racked up an estimated 20 million views. Also, you may have seen her on the ninth season of American Idol when she was only a teen. While her audition blew many away (myself included), but unfortunately she didn't make it very far and was eliminated before she reached the top 24 round. Despite this, she has continued to work hard at her craft and it clearly shows. If the success of her most recent album is any indication, we will definitely be seeing more of her in the future!

7. "Good For You" by Selena Gomez

From her days on the Disney Channel playing Alex Russo, a teenage wizard, on the show "Wizards of Waverly Place" to today, she has visibly matured and seems to have found her foothold in the music industry with the release of her newest album, "Revival." In the music video for the single "Good for You," we get to see her in an intimate way as she appears in different environments, from a room, to lying on a wooden floor, and to being in a shower. Given the title of the song, some people took offense, and thought it gave teenage girls the impression that they need to always look good to please the person they might be dating, but in fact, the lyrics were apparently meant to communicate the opposite. Instead of looking good for other people, Gomez demands you should look good for yourself, first and always. A$AP Rocky adds his own flavor to the song with his rapping skills. Both artists contribute their own signature sounds and work very well together. In regard to Gomez, she is taking control of her femininity and inherent sexuality in this video.

8. "Dance Like Were Making Love" by Ciara

In this music video, Ciara plays a seductress who tries to lure and romanticize a potential suitor with her beauty into a mansion overlooking Los Angeles. The parts of the music video that really stand out are the intricate choreography, the bright pigments of the clothing she wears, and the overall cinematography. Ciara is a power force in this video, and truly demands attention from the viewer throughout the entirety of the video. In a sense, we are the male counterpart in this scenario as we can't seem to take our eyes off of all aspects of the music video, including the original choreography, the beautiful garments and the style of the video.

9. "Omen" by Disclosure featuring Sam Smith

"Omen" marks the second time English singer-songwriter Sam Smith has collaborated with electronic disc-jockey brother duo Disclosure, the last time being on "Latch" in 2013. Even though both singles were released during the summer period, they are as still as addicting to listen to as when they first came out. And the music videos that accompany them are just as interesting to watch as well. Both projects seem to place an emphasis on the people within them, but close with an ambiguous ending that is open to more than one interpretation.

10. "Body On Me" by Rita Ora featuring Chris Brown

In this music video, Rita Ora and Chris Brown play neighbors that live in an apartment complex that awkwardly find themselves sharing the elevator in the building one evening. There is clearly an undeniable attraction towards one another, that is reflected in the lyrics of the song and especially in the music video. Once they say goodbye and head to their respective rooms, their attraction transcends the space between them and they develop a brief fling. Unfortunately, the ending can be left to different interpretations because the story concludes with the video rewinding to when Ora was on the elevator, leaving the impression that their whole interaction might have all been a fantasy created in her mind after he exited the elevator. One thing I really like is how they act reserved on the elevator, but secretly they both harbor an attraction towards one another, which is reflected in how they act once they are separated.

11. "Drag Me Down" by One Direction

The release of this music video in late August marks the first time the British boy band appeared together sans Zayn Malik after he left the band in search of other personal creative pursuits just this past March. Although this departure made a lot of fans upset, it seems that despite the loss, the remaining members have returned as a foursome to continue making great music. When this single was released over the summer, given the title, there were rumors that it was meant to be a personal dig at Zayn. Whether this is true or not, the consensus is that the group has matured over the years especially as exemplified in their overall sound and appearance. There is one thing they care about mutually, which is creating great hits, and this one definitely produced those results. In the music video for the single, the members are seen at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and Niall Horan of the band is reportedly a fan of the space program and of the study of space travel, which may have served as inspiration behind the video.

12. "Wildest Dreams" by Taylor Swift

Joseph Khan returned to direct the music video for "Wildest Dreams" after collaborating with Taylor on the filming of two other singles that were released off of her album "1989." The music video for the single first premiered during the pre-show at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards in August. The video has drawn comparisons to old Hollywood, as it takes place during the 50s at the pinnacle point in cinema history and features an actress, played by Swift, and an actor, played by Scott Eastwood, who are filming an adventure film together. They both have an attraction towards one another but different factors throughout the video unfortunately hold them back from being together in the end. Set in the beautiful landscape of Africa, it shows scenes of different animals interacting on the set of the film and within their own environment. Following the public outcry after the brutal killing of Cecil the Lion, it was nice to see that at the end of the video it said that all of her proceeds from the video would be donated to the African Parks Foundation of America in order to preserve wildlife. Throughout the video, there were reoccurring shots of lions, which in many ways reinforced her efforts in trying to make an impact and also to raise money and awareness for this particularly special cause.

13. "Perfect" by One Direction

This music video shot in the space of the Intercontinental Hotel captures how the band lives while on tour, and what they do to have fun and pass the time in between shows. In addition, it features striking shots of the Manhattan skyline, which have an added sense of beauty due to the music video being in black and white. Compared to the band's other music videos, due to it being shot intimately, we get to see their own special personalities shine through the camera lens.

14. "Hello" by Adele

"Hello" marks Adele's successful comeback into music after four years. Compared to other music videos, or at least to the ones on this list, a select amount of scenes within the video were shot with IMAX cameras by director, Xavier Dolan. This allows the viewer to see the whole picture and creates visually stunning imagery, that is magnificent in and of itself. The sepia tone of the video and the infamous inclusion of the flip phone, displaces the viewer in the larger context and serves to draw them into the world of the story.

15. "I'll Show You" by Justin Bieber

One thing I love most about this music video is that it highlights Justin Bieber's personal growth as an artist and also as a person with a newfound purpose. With this song, we get to see him in a new light, adapting his sound to better reflect his reality. From what I have been hearing, the general consensus is that people are reacting positively to this new sound. The video for the single was reportedly shot in Norway, and features breathtaking shots of scenery, including a cascading waterfall, icebergs floating in transparent water, and plenty of bright green foliage. For me, I believe the best scenes are when Justin is interacting with the surrounding environment, especially at the end of the video when he is seen coming out of freezing cold water, but it was filmed in rewind to make it look like he is heading back into the water.