The barriers of entry to become a music video director are lower than ever. Anyone with a camera phone can try their hand at the art form, but it takes a special kind of talent to have the artistic vision and skill set necessary to execute a memorable music video that stands out from all the noise. Of course, there are more than 25 directors making great music videos in 2017, but below is a rundown of some of the active directors who are pushing the envelope and creating our favorite videos of the modern era.
Dave Meyers & The Little Homies
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It's no secret. Kendrick Lamar is consistently putting out some of today's best music videos. And more often than not, the man behind the camera is Dave Meyers. For the last 20 years, Meyers has been making award-winning videos with artists from all genres, including Britney Spears, Missy Elliott, and Jay Z. But in recent memory, some of Meyers' finest work has come when he's collaborated with Kendrick and his manager Dave Free (who collectively refer to themselves as "The Lil Homies"). In 2017, their videos for DAMN highlights "HUMBLE" and "LOYALTY" somehow kept up with Kendrick's ambitious music and surpassed our impossibly high expectations, collecting VMA hardware along the way.
Romain Gavras
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Each time a new music video from Romain Gavras rolls around, it’s an event. Often violent and frequently beautiful—sometimes at the same time—the Greek-French filmmakers videos are one of a kind. His striking, controversial video for Justice’s “Stress,” for example, is one of the most uncomfortable and confrontational videos of the past decade, and it only hints at the sort of visuals he’s capable of.
Through astonishing collaborations with Kanye West and Jay-Z, M.I.A., and most recently Jamie xx, Gavras has built up a stunning portfolio that has proven why artists seek him out when they require something impactful. He doesn’t produce as many music videos as he used to, as he’s been busy working on feature-length projects, but what he does release is always special. An elephant in a riot, hundreds of kids circling one man, and ginger children lined up at gunpoint; every one of his videos has unbelievable imagery worth dissecting through countless rewatches.
Melina Matsoukas
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The visionary behind Beyoncé's stunning video for "Formation" is a 36-year-old from the Bronx named Melina Matsoukas. Specializing in videos starring powerful female pop stars like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, and Rihanna, Matsoukas has been making vibrant, triumphant videos for over a decade—picking up a couple of Grammys along the way. Embracing the dynamic essence of her subjects, she explains, "It's important for women to embrace their beauty and sexuality. Females are victimized and made to feel ashamed of their bodies, or they can't be smart and beautiful, and I try to work against that."
Eric Wareheim
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For those unfamiliar with the stylings of comedy duo Tim and Eric, most famous for their cult classic Adult Swim sketch show Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Eric Wareheim’s music videos can be a little off-putting. To call his work bizarre is putting it lightly, but there’s a lot to be said about just how unique his style really is. For all the absurdity, especially when paired against his comedy output with Tim Heidecker, Eric really knows how to shoot something wonderfully hypnotic.
His most recent, very NSFW, video for Blonde Redhead, which glamorously depicts women facesitting on scrawny men is but a brief example of what he concocts when he’s in the director's chair. He’s done everything from delightfully goofy videos for Beach House and Major Lazer, to an incredibly distressing and penis-filled video for Tobacco. His video for Health’s “We Are Water,” though, which holds little in common with his off-kilter, surreal work with Tim Heidecker, might be his defining moment as a director.
Nabil
Working with a diverse range of artists including Frank Ocean, Alt-J, Kanye West, Bon Iver, and Little Dragon, Nabil doesn't limit himself to a single style. Instead, his work is held together by a sense of perfectionism, stemming from his days as a photographer where he stressed over every frame. In command of each step of the process (including such details as coloring his own videos), the Chicago-born director has a knack for building unique, cohesive worlds around his subjects.
At this point in his career, Nabil has the luxury of turning down 90% of the opportunities sent his way and keeps his focus on music that moves him on a personal level—a quality that shines on stunning pieces like ANOHNI's emotionally-charged "Drone Bomb Me" and the epic "Pyramids" video for Frank Ocean.
Johan Renck
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Swedish director and musician Johan Renck has had an interesting career, directing episodes of Breaking Bad, entering the charts with his music as Stakk Bo in the ‘90s, and being trusted with David Bowie’s final gift to the world. He’s directed countless videos throughout the years, many of them fantastic, but none of them are quite as astounding as his two videos for David Bowie. His epic “Blackstar” video is grandiose and fits the song perfectly, but his personal, tender “Lazarus” video is like nothing else.
Released three days before Bowie passed away, Renck contradicts a lively Bowie, working away and scribbling down ideas between dancing, with a Bowie reaching for the sky from bed. It’s a heartbreaking video that highlighted how Bowie knew his time on earth was drawing to a close, slowly retreating into the darkness right at the end of the video itself. Not to discredit the rest of Renck’s stellar work, but this is one of the greatest music videos of all-time and it needs to be highlighted just how beautifully he captured the closing moments of one of the most important musicians to ever live.
BRTHR
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Brooklyn film production duo BRTHR (Alex Lee and Kyle Wightman) hold on to a gritty, surreal style in every video they touch—even when they're working with polished megastars like The Weeknd, Travis Scott, and Miley Cyrus. Chopping up their shots with fast-paced cuts and disorienting visual effects, BRTHR's videos are appropriate for a post-MTV, ADHD audience, while maintaining an overall grainy, vintage aesthetic. Perhaps most impressively, they've managed to develop a unique style that's immediately recognizable within seconds of pressing play on anything they've been involved with.
Paul Thomas Anderson
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Perhaps more widely known for his feature-length films, Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the greatest modern filmmakers. Capable of making the most mundane of filmmaking techniques stunning, most notably with establishing shots and portraits, there’s a painterly patience to the way he crafts a scene. The images in his films tell a story more vividly than any words ever could, hinting at so much in such a short space of time. Movies like The Master and Magnolia speak volumes about his expertise and trademark approach to film, and he brings this to the music videos he’s directed, too.
Notably having directed five fantastic videos for Fiona Apple alone, he brings a great sense of grace and mystery to his videos. Either tightly-strung or leisurely-paced, each of his videos are as an integral part of his filmography as his feature-length work. His video for Radiohead’s “Daydreaming” last year is particularly affecting despite its relatively simple concept, but this could be said about most of his work (except Inherent Vice). That’s what makes his films and videos so great, ultimately, as execution triumphs over concept.
Tyler, the Creator
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Inspiring a legion of kids just like him to take things into their own hands, Tyler has remained in control of his vision from day one. That extends to his videos, which he helms under the guise of Wolf Haley. Capturing plenty of attention through his gruesome, goofy, and often hilarious videos, Tyler has matured as both a musician and a director since gaining infamy.
Far removed from the confrontational “Yonkers” video, his work has gotten increasingly vibrant and colorful, reflecting the sounds his music have taken on as of late. His early efforts definitely showed promise, creating something striking but also provocative, but he’s only getting better over time. His “Who Dat Boy” video, however, pays tribute to his early work with some more grotesque elements while remaining true to his progression. It’s the perfect combination of the artist who genuinely provoked listeners and the artist Tyler is now, continuing to challenge himself on all fronts.
Jake Schreier
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Less is more for Jake Schreier. Preferring to keep his shots long and clear of distractions, Schreier tends to keep his focus squarely on the movements of the artists in front of his lens. Cutting his teeth in the world of music videos while documenting the unique dance moves of friend and collaborator Francis and the Lights, Schreier has since brought his clean aesthetic to videos with artists like Cashmere Cat, HAIM, and Chance The Rapper. Avoiding the temptation to throw every trick in the book at his subjects, he wisely takes a step back and focuses in on one or two essential elements in each video—ending up with mesmerizing pieces that command complete attention.
Emily Kai Bock
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Emily Kai Bock has a degree in fine art and her work tends to lean in a carefully crafted, cinematic direction, but she isn't afraid to play things loose and open herself up to spontaneity. At her best, Bock is able to dream up scenarios that are both symbolically interesting and aesthetically pleasing (like placing her friend Grimes in front of a motorcross rally) and lets the magic of the moment take her from there. What she ends up with are videos that are visually stunning and come across like they're incredibly fun to make—a rare combo.
Canada
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Barcelona-based art collective Canada know what they’re good at. With bursts of vibrant color, the Lope Serrano and Nicolás Méndez-fronted Canada has quickly become a powerhouse. Directing videos for artists both small and huge, their videos are always stylish and easily identifiable. Just describing how colorful their videos are doesn’t do them service, as they really need to be seen to be believed.
Taking a look at their newest effort with their video for Beck’s “Up All Night,” which turns the simple tale of a drunk friend being rescued from a wild party into something noble, it's clear these guys can't do anything without significant flair. Regardless of whether they take an abstract approach or go for something a little more linear, each video is a visual feast. Their most popular, and best, is their incredible video for Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know the Better,” which quickly resulted in Canada becoming one of the most sought out music video directors around.
Matthew Dillon Cohen
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One of the greenest directors on this list, Matthew Dillon Cohen recently burst on the scene with a series of gorgeous videos for Gus Dapperton, Leaf, Lil Yachty, NoMBe, and Joji. Often playing with a faded color pallette, Cohen's videos are guided by a sense of nostalgia and humanity—even when he's dealing with dark subject matter like Joji's bloody "Will He" visuals. It's still early for the young New York City director, but he's batting a thousand so far.
Cole Bennett
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Making a video with Cole Bennett has become a rite of passage for rap's new underground. In the past three months alone, Lil Pump, Ski Mask The Slump God, Smokepurrp, Lil Xan, Famous Dex, and Trippie Redd have all released videos shot and edited by the Lyrical Lemonade founder. With an improvisational run-and-gun approach and a distinct editing style, he's perfectly equipped to document this era's fast-paced mentality. Explaining the benefits of his unique skill set, Bennett says, "We can shoot in a basement or a fuckin' alley or wherever it may be and we can turn it into something fun and make it pop with an extensive editing process."
Austin Vesely
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Austin Vesely and Chance The Rapper are the ultimate Chicago duo. Since meeting him back in 2011, Austin has directed the majority of Chance's music videos, growing alongside him as the two graduated from low budget DSLR-shot videos like "Fuck You Tahm Bout" in the early years to more ambitious affairs like the VMA-nominated "Angels" video. Vesely has also worked with other Chicago artists like Vic Mensa and Eryn Allen Kane, but Chance has always been his closest collaborator. Now, as they get ready to release their first full-length motion picture together, Vesely notes, "Beyond the scope and scale of what we're able to do together, our dynamic hasn't changed a bit. We get to have fun together, and now we just get to do that on a bigger stage.”
Grant Singer
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In the last two years, Grant Singer has directed videos for some of the biggest pop stars in the world, including Lorde, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, and Ariana Grande. His career began with a goal to make "transgressive music videos" with a punk aesthetic, however—a trait that he holds onto even when he's working with the most polished stars in the business. Balancing risk-taking artistry with mainstream accessibility, Singer's videos are often guided by an underlying darkness that pulls characteristics out of his subjects that we've never seen before. Oh, and he set The Weeknd on fire one time.
Petra Collins
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24-year-old Canadian artist Petra Collins doesn’t have a lot of music videos under her belt so far, but what she does have is remarkably strong. As a fashion designer, photographer, and director, she’s got a lot going despite her young age, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down having just recently directed the video for Selena Gomez and Gucci Mane’s “Fetish.”
Before being named one of the faces of Gucci, modeling for them a number of times, she directed videos for Blood Orange, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Lil Yachty. Each of these videos carry across the incredible eye that got her work as a photographer noticed, expanding upon the still images she made her name with. Her exhibitions are a little punchier and striking, but there’s a sense that within time she’ll really step-up and challenge the artists she works with to put out something genuinely groundbreaking.
Jesse Kanda
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Jesse Kanda makes some of the most unnerving videos on this list, through a combination of remarkable digital imagery and up-front portraits. The Japanese-born, Canadian visual artist toys with everything alien looking, with rubbery models contorting to rhythms. Through countless collaborations with Arca, and work for Björk and FKA Twigs among others, he’s defined a style that’s so idiosyncratic that it’s already seen imitators.
His creative kinship with Arca has proved particularly fruitful, especially as he’s gone from digital imagery to just as daring work removed from his CGI roots in the lead-up to Arca’s self-titled third album. There is almost no way to remove Arca’s sound from Kanda’s vivid art, and that speaks volumes about how they work together, complimenting each other's art.
Spike Jonze
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Defining a generation of music videos, Spike Jonze is always one of the first names that pop up when discussing the best directors of all time. The 48-year-old director does a little bit of everything, but look at any list of the best music videos ever made, and you’ll find numerous Spike Jonze efforts on there. Bringing a childlike sense of gleeful creativity to everything he creates, he hasn’t put out a single dud.
As one of the creators of Jackass, Jonze often channels his skateboarding roots when it comes to his music videos. With a keen eye for what looks cool and the ability to do a lot with very little, videos like The Pharcyde's “Drop” exemplify just how much mileage he gets from playing around with different techniques. Influencing countless directors that followed, his music videos have had an immeasurable, lasting impact.
Floria Sigismondi
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Floria Sigismondi is one of the most trusted music video directors around. The Italian-Canadian photographer and director goes from helming big budget efforts for huge popstars, to intimate efforts for the likes of Alice Glass and Interpol. Maintaining the balance appears effortless upon seeing any of her works, but she manages this by pushing the pop artists she works with, and reigning herself in when it’s required of her.
Having directed episodes of a number of Emmy Award-winning and nominated TV shows, she’s proved herself to be remarkably malleable. When she gets a little closer to her subjects, like she does with her recent “Die 4 You” video for Perfume Genius, she’s at her absolute best. Either way, you can’t really go wrong when you sign up for Floria Sigismondi video, and she proves this time and time again. Whether she’s doing something over-the-top for Rihanna, or something beautifully solemn for Sigur Rós, she’s always doing something memorable.
Michel Gondry
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Despite slowing down in recent years, French director Michel Gondry is a certified legend. His greatest achievement throughout his long career, which started with short films and music videos in the late ‘80s, is likely the impeccable 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but his contributions to the canon of music video history should not be understated. With some remarkable videos for Björk and The White Stripes among others, Gondry brings along surreal set design peculiar composition whenever he sits behind the camera.
Often manipulating the surroundings of scenes in his work to resemble that of dreams, Gondry blends countless techniques to dizzying effect. The way he shoots a scene makes it easy to identify his work, especially as random aspects change size, including props and sometimes even characters. One of the best examples of this besides the aforementioned Eternal Sunshine comes with his video for the Foo Fighters song “Everlong.”
Hannah Lux-Davis
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A director fully immersed in the internet age, Hannah Lux-Davis is a former makeup artist who turns to Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram mood boards for inspiration as fast as her predecessors would have referenced classic films. Frequently working with pop artists like Ariana Grande, Tinashe, and Nicki Minaj, Lux-Davis' bright, eye-popping aesthetic has a futuristic edge that takes full advantage of the powerful tools available to today's directors.
Kevin Abstract
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Brockhampton’s Ian Simpson, better known as Kevin Abstract, likes to wear his influences on his sleeve. Sitting in the director’s chair for all of Brockhampton’s videos since the announcement of their debut album Saturation, he’s made it his mission statement to be as ambitious as possible. He does this, however, with very few resources, and the resulting videos are tributes to the power of friendship and raw creativity.
Alongside his Jackass-inspired Brockhampton videos, he’s also shown an interest in taking things a step further. His videos for his solo music, most notably the “Empty” video, shift his focus to a more narrative-driven approach, looking like a million dollars but costing considerably less. Following in the footsteps of some of his favorite artists, most notably Tyler, The Creator, he has maintained control of the visuals that accompany his and Brockhampton’s music. And that’s a good thing, too, because no one else would be able to channel the energy and originality his directorial efforts exhibit.
Mark Romanek
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Winning his first Grammy for Michael Jackson's collaborative "Scream" video with Janet Jackson back in 1996, Mark Romanek is an established director with an impressive resume that ranges from Johnny Cash's emotional, no-frills "Hurt" video to U2's grand "Invisible" video shot in an airport hangar. Known for his striking minimalist style, he's still in-demand by artists like Jay Z ("The Story of O.J.") and Taylor Swift, who recently sought him out because: "There are those very iconic videos where you can just picture one setup and it sticks out in your mind, and almost all of my favorite videos like that were directed by Mark."
Director X
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Toronto native Director X, real name Julien Christian Lutz, might not produce as much groundbreaking work as many of the other directors on this list, but what he does do is produce some of the sleekest pop videos around. Having directed countless videos for legends, he’s remained incredibly prolific, directing a high number of videos year after year. His shining moment, without a doubt, though, is his “Hotline Bling” video.
With its technicolor set design and iconic (but also terrible) dancing, Drake couldn’t have picked a better director for his huge single. There’s a reason this video became as memed as it did, and there’s no doubt Director X knew exactly what he was doing when he put this one together. His signature style, often featuring a tight aspect ratio, also defined an era of pop videos, for better or for worse. Regardless, it’s easy to tell when you’re watching an authentic Director X joint or some ripoff.
