Nialler9’s Music Videos of 2015

Best of 2015: Albums | Songs | Videos | Readers’ Albums | Readers’ Songs Readers’ Gigs, Clubs & DJs | Your Intl. albums & songs | Top 10 Lists | Nialler’s Irish choices

Despite the rise of Spotify and streaming services, The music video continues to dominate in terms of artist marketing due to the domination of Youtube,  the major label’s push of Vevo and the independent artists making cracking videos on small budgets released through Vimeo. Music videos are still hugely effective for establishing an artist’s brand. For this list, I kept that in mind, while also representing the videos for songs that either I loved or liked previously, or videos that lifted or introduced a song to me. The power of a good idea and great execution is what is celebrated here.

A Youtube playlist of the videos.

Live TV performance of the year

Kendrick Lamar performing on Late Show with Stpehen Colbert

Lamar and his band played a To Pimp A Butterfly medley (or “The Very Horny Caterpillar” as Colbert called it) on the second episode of Stephen Colbert’s tenure at Late Show filling in permanently the big boots of Dave Letterman. It was a powerhouse of a performance, featuring the tracks ‘Wesley’s Theory’, ‘Momma’, ‘King Kunta’ and ‘u’ and performed with a tight band that includes Anna Wise, Bilal and Thundercat. Proof that Kendrick pushed his music and himself as much as possible this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujtsj9n34PI

Best use of video to promote an album

Anderson tries door to door sales

Video by: Colm Russell

20. Missy Elliott – ‘WTF (Where They From)’

Directed by: Dave Meyers & Missy Elliott

What better way for Missy to return that with a kickass dance video?

19. Sleep Thieves – ‘You Want The Night’

Directed by Mike P. Nelson

A brilliant collection of horror-mongering imagery to suit a foreboding song.

18. Major Lazer & DJ Snake – ‘Lean On’ (feat. MØ)

Video by: Tim Erem

MØ’s limber dance moves and the lads attempt at doing what the professionals do is a right laugh. More than anything though, the video and the dancing suited the song down to the ground.

17. Charli XCX – ‘Famous’

Video by: Eric Wareheim

Charli XCX’s saccharine bright pop is counteracted by Eric Wareheim’s warped mind which infects the neon space of the music video with ideas about the negativity of our reliance on our social media feeds, mobile devices and vanity.

16. Le Galaxie – ‘Love System’

Video by: Feel Good Lost

The song endures as a recent Irish classic but Brendan Canty gives its 2015 sax-version a new dimension that explores an unhinged couple’s escapade.

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