This feature was originally published on November 16, 2009.
We might be getting close, but we're not done sifting through every conceivable facet of Complex culture from the last decade (2000 - 2009) in our Best of the 2000s series. Next up is that hallowed haven of all things comedic, thuggish, and surgically enhanced. No, not professional wrestling—music videos! Specifically, the best music videos of the 2000s.
Short films integrating a song dates back to the time when film itself was first invented, but skyrocketed in popularity in the 80s with the advent of MTV (Music Television), which originally made music videos its primary and only programming to watch. Some might argue that these were the golden years of the music video, but we beg to differ. While we don't dispute the star power of those putting out the videos in the '80s and '90s, the 2000s welcomed a cinematic renaissance that helped music videos for pop rock and burgeoning rap alike reach a new level of iconic. Pop stars like Britney Spears made the decade's biggest pop songs that much more iconic, while rappers like Kanye West created visuals that would be remembered as not only the best of the decade, but also as some of the best videos of all time, full stop.
Sure, the record industry may not be what it once was, but that doesn't mean that the past decade hasn't seen hundreds, nay, thousands of videos that deserved consideration in our countdown. But we only had room for a cool hundred, and the coolest hundred we found. So set aside a couple of hours, make yourselves comfortable somewhere where people won't judge you for your viewing habits, and vegetate your way through the best music videos of the 2000s.
100. Drake "Best I Ever Had"
99. Flight of the Conchords "Carol Brown"
98. E-40 f/ Keak Da Sneak "Tell Me When to Go"
97. Pittsburgh Slim "Girls Kiss Girls"
96. 50 Cent "Wanksta"
95. Busta Rhymes f/ Mary J. Blige, Rah Digga, Missy Elliott, Lloyd Banks, Papoose & DMX "Touch It (Remix)"
94. Elephant Man "Pon De River"
93. Elton John "I Want Love"
92. Kelis "Milkshake"
91. Gnarls Barkley "Who's Gonna Save My Soul?"
90. Fabolous f/ Nate Dogg "Can't Deny It"
89. Rich Boy f/ Polow Da Don "Throw Some D's"
88. Styles P "Good Times (I Get High)"
Flying Lotus "Parisian Goldfish" from Eric Wareheim on Vimeo.
Year: 2008
Director: Eric Wareheim
All the blog posts say this video is NSFW, as in "Not Safe For Work," but that really depends on where you work. If your boss has no sense of humor and you're not allowed to watch animated sex, than yeah, don't watch this. But, for most of us, it's all good. But you can't watch it here, so watch it here.
YOU AUGHTA KNOW:
Eric Wareheim is Eric from The Tim and Eric Awesome Show. If you've never seen it, do.