Semi Off Topic: "MTV 25 Lame" (1999)

[Woops]

Here's the list, compiled in 1999, of the 25 worst videos. Ranked by MTV viewers in 1999.

The 10 "worst" were destroyed and banned... though the irony is that MTV doesn't, or very rarely, air music videos. Also they pretty much neglect anything from the 20th century besides selected artists like Madonna, U2, and some hardcore rappers. Also notice that most of the videos are from the later 1980's/early 1990's.

On the special, a mannequin of Deb was destroyed...

Hosted by 4 or 5 comedians, which Chris Kattan, Janeane Garofalo, and Jon Stewart were among the group.



25. Spin Doctors "Two Princes"
Average video and an OK song.

24. Hammer "2 Legit 2 Quit"

Not a good song and the video's cheesy. Though I actually like "U Can't Touch This" better and the video for it's camp value.

23. Wilson Phillips "Hold On"

Average video

22. Chumbawamba "Tubthumping"

Horrible song, though the video's quite average

21. Billy Squier "Rock Me Tonight"

From what I've heard, the video ruined his popularity.

20. 4 Non Blondes "What's Up"

Bad song, typical mid '90's video

19. Motley Crue "Without You"

Not their best, though the video's somewhat average. Different for hair metal and kinda reminds me of Tears For Fears' "Sowing The Seeds Of Love".

18. Snow "Informer"

Annoying song, though I don't think I've ever seen the video in it's entirity. Besides about a minute on the "25 Lame" special. Cheesy...

17. Paula Abdul "Rush Rush"


Actually an OK song and a decent video that's a homage to the 1950's movie "Rebel Without A Cause" and features Keanu Reeves of "Bill & Ted's Excellant Adventures" and later movies like "The Matrix".


16. Warrant "Heaven"

Good song, average hair band video with band performing, backstage, etc.

15. Crash Test Dummies "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm"

Average

14. Aqua "Barbie Girl"

Ugh, one of the worst music videos of the 1990's and pretty much describe most of the female pop acts from 1999 to the present...

13. Journey "Separate Ways"

I can't stand the band...

12. Winger "Seventeen"

A bad '80's hairband video with a very politically incorrect song. Catchy though

11. Wham! "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go"


Ahhh! one of the worst videos from the 1980's. It's an OK song, but the video contains too much Day Glo! They had better hits like "Careless Whisper" & "Last Christmas". George Michael later had a successful solo career.


10. Debbie Gibson "Electric Youth"  

Though it's not one of her best  nor worst songs, it's still a fun video to watch.  Strongly disagree since I find most videos from current rappers & pop acts awful and tasteless. Actually, this is the first time I've ever seen the music video. Though only for about two minutes with dumb commentary.

9. Vanilla Ice "Ice, Ice, Baby"

Just plain awful. He makes K Fed sound like The Beastie Boys. As for the video, it's boring and looks very amaturish. Vanilla Ice actually appeared on the special and trashed a copy of the video and also destroyed a mannequin of Deb.

8. Milli Vanilli "Girl You Know It's True"

'Nuff said.

7. Gerardo "Rico Suave"

...good with sound off since there's cute female dancers wearing spandex  

6. Hall & Oates "Maneater"
Good song, average video


5. Los Del Rio "Macarena"

Horrible and pretty much a bad fad.

4. Nelson "After The Rain"

Only seen the video on "25 Lame" special, though with commentary interrupting the song.. though aired it by it's entirity. The video's overly cheesy and Nelson are to hair metal as Vanilla Ice is to hip hop.

3. Eddie Murphy featuring Michael Jackson "Whazupwitu"

Also only seen video on the special. Really horrible and a looks cheap with the blue screen effect of MJ, Eddie Murphy, and a chior looking as if they're on clouds. Even for the early '90's.

2. Chunky A "Owww!"

See # 3 & #4. Overly cheesy, though it was meant to be  "Chunky A" was actually meant to be a joke from comedian/talkshow host Arsenio Hall. Agree that it's a bad video.

1. Don Johnson "Heartbeat"
Cheesy enough, though Vanilla Ice deserves the #1 spot, IMHO.

[Woops]

At the time, I was watching more VH1 (which Deb have actually appeared in several of the shows/specials at the time) and less MTV, only for a few animated shows and a few specials that are music related.

They also had their "Top 100 Greatest Videos Ever Made", but only showed short 30 second clips with people talking over rather than showing the videos in their entirity. Kinda like in the same way as a VH1 special.

Music videos were getting rarely shown (ie about an hour or two of videos aired during the dusk) and mostly reality garbage, which still dominates Moronic Television to this day.

VH1 also went downhill for about a few years...

[Out of the Blue]

MTV is most lame now.  Vh1 too.  Notice that there's hardly anything on that list that's post 1995?  That reminds me of someone's blog that I saw once where they rated the greatest movies and songs of all time and they were all 1995 or later. 

[Woops]

VH1's "worst song" lists from a few years ago featured mostly songs from the 1980's and early 1990's. Strange for a network that once respected music from the past. Though it's now pretty much like Moronic TV.

Obiviosly, there's only been a very few memorable videos. Not enough to make a "Top 10" list, IMHO. Besides not being shown on tv, I don't think today's generation talks about them anymore or look at it as an art form.


 For the  worst...  majority of the current rap, emo, and sleazy pop videos would top the list.

[Out of the Blue]

It's mostly emos and hippies that run MTV and Vh1 now and they only respect a certain type of music (emo, hippie, and folk music).

[sweetsangria]

Folk music is played  24/7 where I live.

[Woops]

MTV2 mostly kiss up to rap music and emo. Along with reality junk from Moronic TV. They also air episodes of "Beavis & Butt-Head", but mostly the same  10 episodes from the later seasons and only from time to time.

[Out of the Blue]

Folk music is played  24/7 where I live.

Do you live in Berkely, California? 

[Woops]

Ugh, this is a prime example of something from  narrow minded music snobs... 

...

But the late '80s were an age of earnestness ( Tracy Chapman) and shiny, shallow pop (Debbie Gibson). Even the era's flagship alternative bands, such as R.E.M. and the Cure, embraced slicker production; Galaxie's lo-fi aesthetic didn't stand a chance. Still, after the band imploded, its reputation grew, and its drifting, druggy sound still influences American indie rock.

[Out of the Blue]

That person is an emo/alternative fan. 

[Woops]

I've seen "Rico Suave" (good with sound off) and that Don Johnson video on VH1 Classic... a good chance "Electric Youth" might air. Though probably without the intro, which I wouldn't mind since the only time I saw the video was on that Moronic TV special.

I know they're not officially banned from Viacom, but still...

And a few Deb videos been played and probably only her more popular hits from the '80's.

For those with the channel, there's going to be an "80's A to Z" marathon beginninh August 29th. Though they might only play about three videos from her...  "Lost In Your Eyes" is a possiblity.

[Erica]

I have seen vh1 skip deb totally before in the past.

Erica

[Out of the Blue]

Vh1 has become nothing more than another lame, reality show network like MTV.  I remember a time in my life that I would have had a cow if my cable company had dumped either one of them but now if they did I doubt I would even notice.

[Woops]

Don't think I've ever seen Deb in the VH1 "History of Music Videos A to Z", though only "Shake Your Love" on a video showcase of dance/pop videos, "Foolish Beat" on "Pop Up Video", and "Only In My Dreams" (on a countdown or something). Though she did appear in several  shows and specials in the later 1990's.

On the VH1 Classic promo it stated it's "80 Hours of '80's" that  featured clips of music videos and  letters scrambled around with "a-ha to ZZ Top" mentioned. On the site, it states "A to Z", (though according to the schedulle 13 is  in one hour, which normally would fit 8 or 9 music videos  ) Would be cool if they add rare tv performances (ie MTV & VH1 vault) and interviews, though doubt it.



Best to take advantage since it appears to be downhill already since the videos are only seen during the dusk to morning (or mid day) with specials and movies taking the regular viewing hours.

One good thing about it that it shows most of the videos by it's entirity, which I recall VH1 editing music videos for time and also only airing a few selection as if it's the only videos that exisit.


I'll admit that on a rare occasion I would check out a few minutes of  "I Love The '80's" on regular VH1, but the majority of the time it's unwatchable since around 2000.

[Out of the Blue]

If MTV and Vh1 were animals they would be shot and put out of their misery.  What's really messed up are the number of people under 20 that think they're awesome.  I don't know if I should laugh at that or cry.