Objects Musicians Love to Destroy (In GIFs)

Smash it up!

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Complex Original

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Smashing things has been a nihilistic trope of rock ‘n’ roll since the early days. We can thank an aggressive Pete Townshend for that, pioneering the guitar smash and creating the foundation for the rest of the music world to lay waste to whatever. The practice quickly spread into what many call a “ritual.” So by the time music videos came around as another ceremony of the music-making cycle, destruction became a great go-to. Making music videos is easy: just pick a thing, and destroy that thing. Here are Objects Musicians Love to Destroy (In GIFs).

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Televisions/Stereos/AV Equipment in General

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Televisions/Stereos/AV Equipment in General

Ever since Elvis Presley shot out his TV when Robert Goulet appeared on it, destroying the means of distribution has been a favored trope of musicians. It might be counter-productive to destroy the machines that broadcast the videos, but in the videos themselves, it always makes for great visuals.

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Bottles

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Bottles

Of course rockers love destroying bottles. Slamming booze has long been a stereotype of musicians of all stripes. But even stereotypes must be smashed. So smashing bottles against walls, or—as in this classic Smashing Pumpkins video—in part of a bowling game seems appropriate.

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The Corporeal Body

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The Corporeal Body

Musicians aren't exempt from putting themselves (or others really) on the line for the sake of their video art. Whether through displays of spiraling drug use, knock-downs, bang up fights, or bar brawls, there's no reason to think a music video can't garner a bump or bruise.

Discodeine feat. Jarvis Cocker - Synchronize from Pschent on Vimeo.

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Walls

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Walls

Whether it's breaking into a room with an axe or just smashing walls on the tarmac for the hell of it, the most basic of barriers are never safe when musicians produce their visuals. Isn't breaking down barriers what art and music is all about? We're for it.

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Cars

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Cars

Anytime there's a chance (or the budget) to destroy a car in a music video, you can almost guarantee a pop star will strip it, smash it, or soup it up. Why not? Who needs cars when you have legions of adoring fans willing to carry on your shoulders?

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Airplanes

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Airplanes

Though somewhat rarer than cars, airplanes are not safe from the wrath of Big Music's destruction budget. And why not? Bigger is better, and biggest is best, right? If that's the case, Puffy wins—this short video is called "Victory" after all.

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The Fourth Wall

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The Fourth Wall

Musicians never let the boundaries of their medium define them. That goes as far as jumping out of the restraints of their videos. This Aha clip is a classic example.

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Perceptions

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Perceptions

Not even the laws of physics, gravity, or reality hold musicians to any kind of video production standard. Music videos are where your perceptions go to die. Surrealism, dream sequences, the Kafkaesque—nothing is ever as it seems. As Fiona Apple said, "This world is bullshit." (Bonus watermelon smashing in the Sanitgold clip!)

Santigold - "L.E.S. Artistes" from Downtown Records on Vimeo.

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Hotel Rooms

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Hotel Rooms

This is just another installment in the annals of music tradition. There's just something about a hotel room that demands to be smashed. Is it the lack of personal agency? The anonymity? The abundance of sheet rock and mirrors? Whatever it is, it's a favorite space to smash for our video stars.

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Literally Anything

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Literally Anything

Let's be honest: there isn't really much rhyme or reason to what or why musicians blow shit up in their videos. So why limit the destruction to a single category of object? 

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