It’s difficult to pinpoint Michael Jackson’s biggest contribution to popular culture. Was it his ability to seamlessly combine soul, R&B and pop? Or the way he spread urban culture to every conceivable corner of the globe? Or was it his mastery of spectacle, which transformed concerts into high tech extravaganzas that defined the entertainment revolution?
But for us, the magic of MJ was always about his music videos. No artist, before or since, could turn music videos into a global event. We’ll always have memories of crowding around the living room television waiting for his clips to debut on MTV. Over-the-top, big budget affairs, a Michael Jackson video felt more like a mini-feature; perfectly executed rock operas that could ignite the imaginations of millions of people all over the world.
It’s pretty difficult to nail down his best video. The obvious choice is, of course, “Thriller,” a 13 minute, fastidiously choreographed masterpiece that remains seared into the cultural memory. But Thriller is only part of the story. Another perfect pop cultural gem is “Bad,” a Martini Scorsese foray, which featured a then unknown Wesley Snipes. From there he went from the high concept (the groundbreaking morphing effects in “Black or White”), to the zeitgeisty (Herb Ritts’ sepia toned video for “In the Closet” which featured Naomi Campbell) to the bombastic (the “Scream” video with Janet Jackson, which remains the most expensive clip ever made). We could go on…
But for now, hats off. glitter gloves on. Let’s salute the best music video artist of all time with HubsTV’s fave MJ clip.
Michael Jackson ‘Scream’
