A-ha's "Take Me On" took the world by storm when it was first played on MTV, starting a wave of animated music videos which has only grown in fervor. Today most, if not all, musicians incorporate animation into their videos on a frequent basis. Whether it be as simple as kinetic lyrics or computer generated scenery, or as complex as a fully animated cinematic story. Some artists however have managed to combine music and animation into an artform which proves to be far more than the sum of it's parts. So without further ado, here are the top ten music videos that went above and beyond in animation art.
1. "Feel Good Inc." - The Gorillaz
Billed as the world's first virtual band (though we all know that title goes to Alvin and The Chipmunks). The Gorillaz inject a dose of gritty, toon punk aesthetic into what mostly follows a traditional music video formula. Despite not venturing into any great action or unusual visuals, "Feel Good Inc." showcases much of what made the band so popular, from the off putting but intriguing character designs to the experimentation with the cartoon medium in order to perfect the tone and sync of visuals. Check out the video.
2. "Breaking The Habit" - Linkin Park
Evoking a mix of anime and film noir, "Breaking The Habit" has fluid motion and a sketchy style bring smoky, atmospheric life to a dystopian city night. Though the plot, if present, is hard to follow, the visuals match excellently with the music, fully immersing the viewer in the dark, exhilarating scene it presents. Listen to "Breaking the Habit."
3. "Peace On The Rise" - Chad VanGaalen
Highly surrealist and quietly disturbing, "Peace On The Rise" is in fact among the tamer of Chad VanGaalen's works. Mirroring the relaxed, hazy tone of it's music, the video presents it's strange scenes with an air of ease that makes it all the more unsettling. Odd colors and thick cartoon-y lines give this piece a distinct aesthetic which, along with it's unmatched imagery, will haunt your memory for some time afterward.
4. "Ghost" - Mystery Skulls
Though not officially commissioned by the band, this video went shockingly viral for it's energetic depiction of a Scooby Doo inspired love triangle. With sweetly modern character designs and color pallette, this video perfectly balances it's humor and bebopping music with surprisingly compelling atmosphere and pacing. Not to mention the ingenious usage of constant, vigorous head bouncing that syncs the visuals so well to the music. Listen to this tune.
5. "The Road" - ALB
Less is very much more in this (mostly) black and white minimalist video. Fittingly following a single straight path throughout the entire piece, the vector animation presents a plethora of perfectly timed elements that nearly lull one into a trance with their pacing. The clean lines and contrast lend a sense of serenity and elegance to the video that complements the soft, synthesized vocals.
6. "Jenny"- The Studio Killers
Like The Gorillaz's younger, more fashionable cousin, The Studio Killers are another virtual band that take cues from more reality than fantasy. They tend to vary the style from video to video, but "Jenny" is the most polished and distinct for it's neon watercolor-esque style, forgoing most outlines in favor of using contrasting colors for delineation. It suits the tropical club vibe perfectly. Motions are somewhat limited, which usually hinders a music video, but in this case allows a better focus on the narrative, giving the viewer a precise series of key images instead of a continuous stream of motion from which those images would need picked out.
7. "Let's Go" - Stuck In The Sound
With a superb, very human narrative, the music and animation take supporting roles in this video. An astronaut's journey is depicted in a unique, endearingly ugly style using brightly colored people against black and white photo backgrounds, a clever way of supporting the message of the value of human connection. Combined with some very well chosen imagery, this video goes farther than most to present an original, poignant story.
8. "Let Go" - The Japanese Popstars
Not to be confused with the aforementioned "Let's Go" (or the ear bleeding "Let It Go"). "Let Go" is a masterpiece of transitions. A fast paced barrage of motion and images in most sections, it makes excellent use of slower sections of the music to build tension and give the piece a more unpredictable tone. The choice of imagery and the way it is distorted is a mix of weird and graceful that sets it apart. Repeating motifs and a restrained color palette prevent the video from being difficult to follow, while the perfectly synchronized frame rate makes sure every motion counts.
9. "Do The Evolution" - Pearl Jam
It's violent, it's dark, it's fundamentally wrong in it's assertion that humans are inherently evil. But gosh darn it, it does it well. "Do The Evolution" is four minutes of full color, gritty animation, expertly paced and dramatically staged, showcasing the very worst of mankind. The light and shadows are especially dramatic against the mostly brown and grey color scheme, and though gratuitous in it's usage of fire and weapons, the video takes it's subject surprisingly seriously.
10. "SOURCE" - Fever The Ghost
Cute, weird, bouncy and polished, "SOURCE" is just perfectly fun. From a smoothly gliding pinata-dragon-thing to jumpy cheerleader-like masked figures, it's characters are both strange and adorable, and made to move in exactly the way that complements the music they're set to. The color scheme bounces from bright to black at a fast pace and the array of environments used provide welcome variety. But the real gem of this piece is it's synchronizing. For the most part flowing along seamlessly with the timing of the music, but when it wants to, (mainly for the masked figures) the animation can suddenly time each and every motion so perfectly to the beat that it can be felt physically.
So there you are, my top 10 most artfully executed music videos. I hope you enjoyed them and maybe found a new favorite or two. Did I miss any? Please let me know!
