Favorite Michael Jackson videos

[Barbados Slim]

BET Jazz had all of Michael's videos on a loop, which was a perfect way to memorialize him. Some of them are still amazing, some still embarrassing (You Are Not Alone... ) Here's my favorites:

1. Smooth Criminal - The full-on 16 minute version from Moonwalker. Amazing. This video by far has the strongest dancing of all his videos. The 30s speakeasy setting, the cast of hundreds and his gangster outfit just all works together. Then there's the lean, which Blew. My. Mind. when I first saw it.

2. The Way You Make Me Feel - This is just Michael, hanging out in what appears to be a warn-torn alley in mid 90s Sarajevo, with who looks to be Fab Five Freddy, Eazy E and the CRIPS. He then sees a hot girl, who is still hot, not just 80s hot, and proceeds to sexually harrass her and then stalk her. But he does it with such panache and with great dance moves that it's all good, as she eventually is charmed by his silhouette dance in front of a fire hydrant. I still think screaming, "HEEEEY!!! YOU KNOCK ME OFF OF MY FEET, NOW BABY! HEEE!" is still the best way to get a girl's attention, though I still haven't tried it to success.

3. Thriller - Still great makeup effects and though it was the longest video ever it moves quickly. And it's strange how my body has muscle memory for the dance.

4. Scream - Great song and a neat future-design video that keeps it simple. It's also great seeing Janet and Michael, two icons who were always similar yet separate, together.

5. Billie Jean - It's the most dated of his videos but also the first time he brought a magic trick to the game.

6. Remember the Time
7. Bad
8. Beat It
9. Black or White
10. Dirty Diana

 

[Agent Richard07]

Black or White was pretty lavish and cutting edge for its time. I'm gonna go with that.

 

[USS Triumphant]

I still think screaming, "HEEEEY!!! YOU KNOCK ME OFF OF MY FEET, NOW BABY! HEEE!" is still the best way to get a girl's attention, though I still haven't tried it to success.

I have.

My wife and I met in our high school chorus class, and shortly after we had our first date, the town we lived in had its Golden Leaf Festival - a tobacco harvest festival that involves music and food all over town, but particularly in the park and the parking lot of one of the shopping centers. I was told that she was near the stage at the parking lot, so I went over to see her. The band that was going to play hadn't started yet, and they had radio playing through the speakers. She hadn't noticed me approaching her yet, and I recognised the very beginning of "The Way You Make Me Feel" (I had the CD, and played the hell out of it). So I yelled out "HEEEEY!!! YOU KNOCK ME OFF OF MY FEET, NOW BABY! HEEE!"

From there, we basically re-enacted the video all over the parking lot, with some of our friends kinda following and watching, and some of the other gathered people watching, too.

That was almost 18 years ago, now. Still together, and happily so.

But she and I both kinda feel like yesterday was the day the 80s died.

 

[Trekker4747]

Smooth Criminal is just simple perfection awesomeness.

Thriller is right up there. Tied for first.

Followed by Bad.

Those are the only three that stick out in my mind but for the most part MJ -or his producers/directors, whatever- knew how to put together some damn good videos. They BUILT MTV and videos today are nothing like MJ's were.

 

[cooleddie74]

1. "Thriller"

2. "Black or White"

3. "Beat It"

4. "You Are Not Alone"

5. "Man in the Mirror"

 

[Holdfast]

Smooth Criminal is my favourite - The Lean is awesome, as is the choreography but the set & especially costume design is even better. Perfect.

Bad & Thriller are probably take the Silver & Bronze in the top 3 videos.

The precision of the choreography in some of these videos is truly spectacular; I don't think that aspect's been bettered in any video since. I wonder how many takes they needed... and the practice must have been insane.

 

[Barbados Slim]

I still think screaming, "HEEEEY!!! YOU KNOCK ME OFF OF MY FEET, NOW BABY! HEEE!" is still the best way to get a girl's attention, though I still haven't tried it to success.

I have.

My wife and I met in our high school chorus class, and shortly after we had our first date, the town we lived in had its Golden Leaf Festival - a tobacco harvest festival that involves music and food all over town, but particularly in the park and the parking lot of one of the shopping centers. I was told that she was near the stage at the parking lot, so I went over to see her. The band that was going to play hadn't started yet, and they had radio playing through the speakers. She hadn't noticed me approaching her yet, and I recognised the very beginning of "The Way You Make Me Feel" (I had the CD, and played the hell out of it). So I yelled out "HEEEEY!!! YOU KNOCK ME OFF OF MY FEET, NOW BABY! HEEE!"

From there, we basically re-enacted the video all over the parking lot, with some of our friends kinda following and watching, and some of the other gathered people watching, too.

That was almost 18 years ago, now. Still together, and happily so.

But she and I both kinda feel like yesterday was the day the 80s died.

Great story! It's rare when life can become a musical number.

 

[Loupjo]

Remember the time is not my favourite song but I loved the video. Ít's probably my favorite.

Earth Song video was very powerful as wel.

Most of his videos were excellent and always very innovating.

 

[melancholymecha]

I liked Just leave me Alone, very artsy...

also anyone remember Ghosts? that was a weird one...

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Watching some of his videos now. "Scream" (with Janet Jackson) is quite notable as its direction and cinematography seems to set the tone for RnB music videos for the next 15 years.

Still got to love "Thriller" though.

 

[Daneel]

A lot of the ones mentioned here are very memorable -- MJ was a pioneering force during the early video music era. My favourite, however, is Thriller. Great song, great choreography, great look (it was directed by John Landis, IIRC, and it clearly had a higher budget than most music videos)... and it has dancing zombies. Music videos don't get much better than that!

The song and video are played very frequently in October -- honestly, to me it never feels quite like Halloween until I've heard/watched Thriller a few times. It's going to feel very bittersweet listening to the song come Halloween time this year.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

A lot of the ones mentioned here are very memorable -- MJ was a pioneering force during the early video music era. My favourite, however, is Thriller. Great song, great choreography, great look (it was directed by John Landis, IIRC, and it clearly had a higher budget than most music videos)... and it has dancing zombies. Music videos don't get much better than that!

Don't forget Vincent Price's voiceover.

 

[Kirk's_Tights]

Beat It, Billie Jean, Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal <3

 

[Daneel]

A lot of the ones mentioned here are very memorable -- MJ was a pioneering force during the early video music era. My favourite, however, is Thriller. Great song, great choreography, great look (it was directed by John Landis, IIRC, and it clearly had a higher budget than most music videos)... and it has dancing zombies. Music videos don't get much better than that!

Don't forget Vincent Price's voiceover.

Ah yes, how could I overlook that?

And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver,
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[stoneroses]

None

 

[USS Triumphant]

None

In my opinion, you don't have to be a fan of Michael Jackson to have one.

Do you like any videos from any of the people on this list?:

Mariah Carey
Usher
Britney Spears
Backstreet Boys
Justin Timberlake
R. Kelly
Ne-Yo
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alien Ant Farm

...Because all of them, and a slew of others, owe the style of their videos, or their entire music video careers, to Michael Jackson.

 

[MyCylon]

Probably "Smooth Criminal". I think the setting and the choreography are both pretty amazing. And the song is one of my favorites.

Other ones I think are great include "Thriller", "Scream" and "Black and White".

 

[RAMA]

I was a huge fan of the Jackson 5 when I was a kid. I thought Off the Wall was awesome, but I was sad he left his brothers. I remember my sister calling me over to see this video on MTV...it was Michael Jackson in "Billie Jean" and we'd never seen anything like it...it was just cool. Beat It quickly replaced it as my favorite video and MJ song. That was pretty much the pinnacle of my Jackson fan era. The Thriller album is still the best selling single album ever worldwide, with 50 million copies. Most well known artists don't sell that much in a lifetime.

RAMA

 

[Winged Victory]

Earth Song video was very powerful as wel.

Most of his videos were excellent and always very innovating.

I'd never seen the Earth Song video, and I was shedding a tear through it when it was on VH1 tonight. It was very emotional and powerful.

Have to say my favorite video is "Beat It"--love the guitar solo, the West Side Story look, the dancing, and especially MJ!

 

[Trekker4747]

I just watched the "Smooth Criminal" video. That thing is pure awesome. Back in Michael's prime when he could entertain like no one else. "The lean", the style, the choreography, I mean that video is just pure awesome.

Smooth Criminal

I mean that is just fucking entertainment and style nirvana. Fuck the fact that not a single lyric is legible, (Annie are you Wookie???") That video is just... OMG. Fuck "Thriller."