Submitted by WapplesAreDelish t3_127q2jv in Music

I remember when VH1 still made music countdowns, and they made the Top 100 Sexiest Music Videos, and they put Justify My Love by Madonna very high on the list.

And to my knowledge, that's the only reason why people went out of their way to listen to that song. Because every single radio/TV staion at the time would just talk about how sexy the music video was, and they wouldn't talk about the song itself... because the song is barely even a song.

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iamthunderthief t1_jefj644 wrote

This is America - Childish Gambino

He has amazing music and this song rules without the video, but i think the video took him to a whole new level

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Dvinc1_yt t1_jefi12t wrote

Thriller by Michael Jackson. It’s a great song but it wasn’t that popular and wasn’t really a single until after the video came out. If you were buying Thriller it was because of Billie Jean, Beat It, WBSS, etc. You could argue that the video is more popular than the song itself, so much so that they’ll overlook the lyrics and it’s place in MJ’s discography and creative evolution.

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Fox042 t1_jef9s7y wrote

Fountains of Wayne Stacy's Mom

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simmypom t1_jeg9h91 wrote

Any Whitesnake video with Tawny Kitaen

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GerritT t1_jefy48y wrote

AHA - Take on me

Music was excellent also, but memorable because of the video at the time.

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wAsh1967 t1_jegde2j wrote

It bombed in the uk when it was released originally in 84. Don't think it even made the top 40. Re-released in 85 to coincide with the video and the rest is history.

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BrazilianAtlantis t1_jegm66i wrote

Pretty much everything in the early MTV era was very video-driven.

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FullRollingBoil t1_jef9z22 wrote

I’m a jam band guy who loves Justify My Love.

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DTNSFN1 t1_jefm2hy wrote

One of the reasons had to do with Justify My Love being banned from MTV at the time for subject matter in the video. S&M, Voyuerism, and Bi-sexuality were very taboo back in 1990. It was released as a short video single and went platinum.

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Kind_Broker t1_jefsfvf wrote

I want your sex was huge

Like a prayer

i touch myself

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HarlanCedeno t1_jefdzjt wrote

Let Forever Be by The Chemical Brothers

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yeusk t1_jefjk3f wrote

Smack my bitch up

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UncontrolableUrge t1_jefxeee wrote

Getting their first two videos banned by the BBC helped Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

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Rub_Expensive t1_jeh2poq wrote

The one where Emily Ratajkowski was appearing for the first time

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MrStayPuft245 t1_jefdg1k wrote

Not video, but MIA and Paper Planes only got big due to the Pineapple Express trailer. The song didn’t even make it into the movie in any way shape or form.

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obik501 t1_jefecpp wrote

Motley Crue - Home Sweet Home ---- The music video made that song a hit. It would have been a widely panned, throw-away, waste of space if not for the MV.

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HeywoodPeace t1_jefd37m wrote

Pretty much everything on MTV in the early 80s. Tainted Love, She Blinded Me With Science, Take On Me, Whip It, Beat It, Madonna's entire catalog....particularly the new wave stuff would have never made any money if not for the videos. Like West End Girls. Has anyone ever listened to the 1st Pet Shop Boys album? It sounds like a poorly made demo. Drum machine, synth bass, vocal, and one keyboard that either plays chords or melodic lines, but never both, and never any overdubs. Very sparse. Very cheap. Most of this new wave stuff was garbage, but it sold because of the video

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