Top 40 Worst '80's Music Videos

[Woops]

Top 40 Worst  Music Videos of the 1980's

From what I've seen on YouTube and tv...

Any omissions or any videos that should/shouldn't been ranked...



40. The Jets "Make It Real" (1988)

While it's a good song, the video looked as if made at one of those places at the mall that people would make their own music videos...

39. Stars on 45 "Stars on 45 Medley" (1981)

Like many early '80's videos, it featured random  black & white movie clips and also some corny scenes that appeared as if they were taken from some second rate sketch comedy show.


38. Don Henley "The Boys of Summer" (1985)

Video of the Year winner from the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards... honestly I find the video extremely boring. Tom Petty's "Don't Come Here No More" &   David Lee Roth "Just A Gigolo" (both were also  nominated Video of the Year) were more deserving for that award, IMHO.

37. Depeche Mode "Never Let Me Down Again" (1987)

Pretty much sums majority of their videos: boring abstract  art films with random imagery

36. Madonna "Express Yourself" (1989)

overrated

35. Bobby McFerrin "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (1988)
34. Pat Benatar "Love Is A Battlefield" (1983)
33. Buster Poindexter "Hot, Hot, Hot" (1987)

32. Def Leppard "Foolin" (1983)

...weird, even by '80's rock video standards
 

31. Van Halen "(Oh) Pretty Woman" (1982)
30. Kenny Loggins "Danger Zone" (1986)

Mainly Loggins trying to look tough while laying on  bed...

29. Latoya Jackson "Heart Don't Lie" (1984)
28. Helix "Heavy Metal Love" (1984)
27. David Bowie & Mick Jagger "Dancing In The Street" (1985)
26. Bon Jovi "Runaway" (1984)
25. Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (1983)
24. Cher "If I Could Turn Back Time" (1989)
23. Billy Ocean "Loverboy" (1984)
22. Madame X "High In Highschool" (1984)
21. The Jacksons "Torture" (1984)
Even Michael Jackson (RIP) didn't appear in the video, which is even more worse than "Bad"

20. Blotto "I Wanna Be A Lifeguard" (1980)
19. Journey "Separate Ways" (1983)
18. Yello "Oh Yeah" (1986)

Wasn't for the song, this would automatically be in the Top 10

17. Wham! "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" (1984)

ditto

16. Prince "Batdance" (1989)

...one of his worst, though "Alphabet St" would be second

15. Winger "Seventeen" (1988)
14. New Kids On The Block "Hangin' Tough" (1989)
13. Billy Squier "Rock Me Tonight" (1984)
12. Twisted Sister "Leader of the Pack" (1986)
11. Olivia Newton John "Physical" (1982)
10. Don Johnson "Heartbeat" (1986)
9. Starship "We Built This City" (1985)
8.. Adam & The Ants "Prince Charming" (1981)
7. Falco "Rock Me Amadeus" (1986)
6. Taco "Puttin' On The Ritz" (1982)
5. Milli Vanilli "Girl You Know It's True" (1989)
4. '85 Chicago Bears "The Super Bowl Shuffle" (1985)
3. Uli Roth "The Night The Master Comes" (1985)
2. The Weather Girls "It's Raining Men" (1983)
1. The Europeans "The Animal Song" (1982)

[Out of the Blue]

I still say "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls was the worst of the worst.  It was bad even for the time.

I did like "Make it Real" though.

[Woops]

"I Ran" was cheesy. Aside from their infamous hair, the reflection of the camera is shown.

 There's a similar scene with the mirrors in Dokken's "Just Got Lucky", which was done better, IMHO.

As for the song, I'm very much indifferent though was overplayed on those '80's flashback hours over a decade ago.




Forgot to mention: "Hip To Be Square" from Huey Lewis & The News with those unnecessary close-ups. Also probably more that I'm unware of or don't remember...


As for the worst of the worst, I ranked horrible music videos with equally bad songs among the Top 10. Also ranked videos that featured good  or semi-decent songs and/or artists from The Jets, Wham!, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Depeche Mode, to name a few.

The most of the  worst   I've seen are from early '80's new wave bands, which many tend to be weird, and artsy college rock groups shown on "VH1 Classic 120 Minutes" (also the original MTV show). 

Also from the early '80's, when music videos became popular with the debut of a certain network and programming like "Friday Night Videos" & "Night Tracks".

[Out of the Blue]

"Rock the Casbah" by The Clash.  I just couldn't stand that song and the video was equally bad.  That period was basically the first wave of alternative.

[Woops]

"Games Without Frontiers" Peter Gabriel... very much too weird with the visuals, Peter wearing tights, and the creepy baby doll heads.

Very much prefer the appealing claymation in "Sledgehammer" instead...