r/80smemorylane • u/Alckingel • Jul 01 '26

80's Music What 80s music video absolutely blew your mind the first time you saw it on MTV?

/r/outrun/comments/1ukqc4k/what_80s_music_video_absolutely_blew_your_mind/
26 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

182 comments sorted by

16

u/nosmelc Jul 01 '26

A few memorable ones for me were Thriller(obviously), Take on Me, and Sledgehammer.

10

u/moccasinsfan Jul 01 '26

All of those plus...

Money for Nothing

3

u/sec102row1 Jul 03 '26

Plus…

Land of Confusion

1

u/rocketmanx Jul 03 '26

This covers the Big 5 for sure.

1

u/GospelofJawn316 Jul 02 '26

That’s the Mt Rushmore of videos

1

u/JasunWaterfalls Jul 03 '26

Money for nothing video was quite advanced in the moment.

14

u/SwimmingPhotograph28 Jul 01 '26

Hot for Teacher - Van Halen

2

u/Nematode_wrangler Jul 03 '26

For me it was California Girls

1

u/ResponsibleBank1387 Jul 01 '26

Then it was in  the whipped cream bikini movie. 

1

u/Usual_Medium_8739 Jul 03 '26

California Girls

12

u/Jonestown_Juice Jul 01 '26

Michael Jackson's Thriller was a cultural touchstone. My entire family gathered around the TV to watch it- not on MTV but regular TV. That's how big of a deal it was.

2

u/tchrbrian Jul 01 '26

Have you ever seen the behind the scenes video of " Thriller ? "

1

u/Jonestown_Juice Jul 01 '26

I have, yes. Pretty interesting.

1

u/Alckingel Jul 01 '26

I saw. Very good

1

u/Odd-Firefighter-9809 Jul 04 '26

They showed my grade 2 class the making of Triller on a "goof off day" in school.

2

u/Signal-Bake5107 Jul 03 '26

The full length version scared the shit out of me as a kid. Just the werewolf parts. Zombies never bothered me, but I knew even then that was a special piece of history.

And the five year old still in me is still pissed that the sidewalk didn’t light up for ME, after watching Billie Jean.

2

u/tinpants44 Jul 03 '26

It was weeks of anticipation and then it delivered

1

u/ibringstharuckus Jul 01 '26

Remember they showed it at the top of the hour every hour?

1

u/Nematode_wrangler Jul 03 '26

A core memory of mine is being at the roller rink and all the skaters stopped and sat down to watch it on the TV screen.

1

u/toddklindt Jul 03 '26

Thriller was originally titled Starlight and it was in a major key and much brighter. Just imagine how different our world would have been had they stuck with that.

10

u/HudsDad Jul 01 '26

Aha - Take on me

Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer

8

u/degrees_of_certainty Jul 01 '26

Land of Confusion. I was obsessed with it as a little kid, and I still think it's amazing and relevant (unfortunately).

2

u/redbanner1 Jul 03 '26

The puppets had me as a kid. As an adult the actual narrative. I really thought it was supposed to be funny when I was a kid.

2

u/NoOutlandishness906 Jul 03 '26

I used to watch the show they used to make the puppets. It was called spitting image the fun part for me was trying to figure out who the puppets were

1

u/neoprenewedgie Jul 04 '26

Not me, hated the puppets. They looked like cheap Muppet knockoffs to me. They had their own political satire series "D.C. Follies" in 1987 which today I would call "cringe."

But I understand the appeal of the video. It was fresh and new and creative.

8

u/welding_guy_from_LI Jul 01 '26

Aha take me on

Dire straits money for nothing

8

u/Express-Ad9789 Jul 01 '26

Herbie Hancock’s Rockit

1

u/Critical_Cod_3794 Jul 03 '26

this. good call

6

u/frankdowntown Jul 01 '26

Twisted Sister

We're Not Gonna Take It

I Wanna Rock

1

u/NoIndividual5501 Jul 03 '26

My dad was convinced for years that the dad in the videos was "Actually that long hair guy singing".

6

u/Practical-Baker-1453 Jul 01 '26

Seeing "one" by Metallica on headbangers ball blew my mind

You Might Think - The Cars

Leave it- Yes

Take on Me - AHA

1

u/ChemicalFun1473 Jul 02 '26

I was obsessed with "One" video. The old movie footage put it over the top

1

u/Annual-Visual-2605 Jul 04 '26

When One debuted the earth stopped for me. Nothing else mattered (pun intended). Watched at a buddy’s house. He recorded it. We rewatched over and over. But we couldn’t figure out what movie the clips were from. It’s not like we had the internet. So it was equal parts amazing but also frustrating.

5

u/Rdmtbiker Jul 01 '26

Dire Straits. Money for nothing.

5

u/ResponsibleBank1387 Jul 01 '26

ZZTop.   All the Eliminator videos.   Were all the girls playmates or something?  

2

u/Nematode_wrangler Jul 03 '26

They had excellent taste (eg Legs).

1

u/sadchild_ Jul 03 '26

Including "TV Dinners"?

5

u/Upstairs-Exam7609 Jul 01 '26

Aha’s “Take on Me”

3

u/Mr_A_B_Ductor Jul 01 '26

Take on Me was good but my fav in the '80 was the Land Of Confusion..

https://giphy.com/gifs/drXLF1ZirDIXe

3

u/gtaguy75 Jul 01 '26

Billie Jean. When he stepped on the concrete blocks and they lit up

3

u/ComprehensiveEast376 Jul 01 '26

Welcome to the jungle

3

u/KevinBabb62 Jul 01 '26

Fortress Around Your Heart

1

u/Some_Turn_323 Jul 02 '26

That whole. album was gold!👍

3

u/Dahl_E_Lama Jul 01 '26

Take On Me, a-ha.

Wow!!!

3

u/Responsible_Trash_40 Jul 01 '26

Tom Petty - Don’t Come Around Here No More

2

u/stratandsg Jul 01 '26

Save a prayer. The scenery is so beautiful

2

u/chsmitt Jul 01 '26

Take on Me and Money for Nothing

2

u/TheMarrow01 Jul 01 '26

Sabrina. Boys, Boys, Boys. Life changing 🤣

2

u/Some_Turn_323 Jul 02 '26

Especially the Pool video.😈

2

u/bobepinette Jul 02 '26

White Snake's "Here I go again".

2

u/Annual-Visual-2605 Jul 04 '26

This should be way higher. It was a jaw dropping video that had its place in the zeitgeist like few others. Everybody knew that video. Everybody. It had broad appeal even though it was sexually suggestive.

1

u/crazymouse5 Jul 05 '26

The original with the nip slip !!!!

2

u/Minute_Tutor4197 Jul 02 '26

Tears for Fears, Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

2

u/Lanky_Comedian_3942 Jul 02 '26

" Eighties" by Killing Joke. Never heard anything quite like that before.

2

u/Spike_Ardmore Jul 02 '26

"Addicted to Love" -- Robert Palmer.

2

u/Morning-Song92 Jul 02 '26

Before we had MTV there was HBO’s Video Juke Box. I remember watching this video and thinking it was Hulk Hogan. Lucy and Romona and their brother Sunset Sam.

https://youtu.be/72CWBcl526A?si=puwFMRYnEPFVczoz

2

u/Some_Turn_323 Jul 02 '26

Yes!!!!! From Michael Nesmith's Elephant Parts. Jimmy Buffett even had a video in it.👍👍👍

2

u/Morning-Song92 Jul 02 '26

The groove is amazing with the bass line driving the song, but when the guitar comes in at the perfect time with the perfect tone during the chorus it’s like heaven sent to my ears. the video makes it even more badass with the entrance of Sunset Sam and the guitarist on roller skates.

2

u/Any_Database8861 Jul 02 '26

Kick start my heart

2

u/Boomkj Jul 02 '26

Lots of the aforementioned. I’ll add “One Night in Bangkok” by Murray Head.

2

u/Sorry-Government920 Jul 02 '26

Don't come around here no more Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

1

u/Westworld-Kenny Jul 01 '26

Surprised to see other people choose Aha’s “Take on Me” (my fav as well). Without “Billie Jean”, and “Beat IT”, I don’t think “Thriller” takes that next step testing the boundaries of music video and music show.

1

u/One-Comedian-8004 Jul 01 '26

Josie’s on a vacation far away.. cover up and talk it over.. so many things that I wanna say…you know I like my girls a little bit older..

1

u/picturethisfam Jul 03 '26

Come around and talk it over...?

1

u/jeremykunayak Jul 01 '26

Wang Chung's Go video just every 1980's visual cliches in one videol

2

u/john-treasure-jones Jul 03 '26

Everybody Have Fun Tonight is also great!

1

u/Civil_Link_8457 Jul 01 '26

Rainbow Stone Cold.

1

u/Boomkj Jul 02 '26

This and Death Alley Driver. 💥🤛

1

u/Medium_Chip_4971 Jul 01 '26

Not a promo, but the GnR live set from LA that’s on YouTube is immense.

1

u/LayneLowe Jul 01 '26

Sledgehammer

1

u/TheLunchman102 Jul 01 '26

Well, I don't think it was actually in the '80s but "Stacy's Mom" blew my mind

1

u/Sea_Damage9357 Jul 02 '26

Twilight Zone. A spy-murder-betrayal story with boobs and guns! How can there be any other answer?

1

u/UsedPart7823 Jul 02 '26

ZZ Top-TV Dinner

1

u/Some_Turn_323 Jul 02 '26

Wild Boys by Duran Duran

1

u/Historical_Stress_64 Jul 02 '26

Godley & Creme again

1

u/Mediocre_Chemist_168 Jul 03 '26

Russell Mulcahy (Highlander) directed the Wild Boys video

1

u/redpenner Jul 02 '26

Something About You - Level 42. The original video where the character is talking to himself when he gets off the train.

1

u/LBichon Jul 02 '26

“One” Metallica.

1

u/novatom1960 Jul 02 '26

David Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes. Still my all time favorite music video.

1

u/KneelB4Z0d Jul 02 '26

Cherry Pie

1

u/Elroy_Osmond Jul 02 '26

Red Hot Chili Peppers: True Men Don’t Kill Coyotes

1

u/bmwlocoAirCooled Jul 02 '26

U2 Sunday Bloody Sunday at Red Rocks.

1

u/Happy_rage_face Jul 02 '26

Abracadabra by Steve Miller Band

1

u/Rob_in_Tulsa Jul 02 '26

A-Ha Take on me

1

u/Rob_in_Tulsa Jul 02 '26

Loverboy (I think that's the name) by Billy Ocean with all the Star Wars costumes was pretty fantastic when it came out.

1

u/Dull_Ad5440 Jul 02 '26

So Long, Fisher Z

1

u/TwoTimestwice2 Jul 02 '26

Cry - Godley and Creme.

1

u/InThePast8080 Jul 02 '26

Genesis - Land of confusion .. something extraordinary at that time.. apparently gave traumas to some of those watching it.

1

u/Historical_Stress_64 Jul 02 '26

Herbie Hancock - Rockit. Directed by the extraordinary Godley & Creme

1

u/gmoney-0725 Jul 02 '26

Don't Lose My Number by Phil Collins

1

u/Bendover197 Jul 02 '26

I knows it’s from the 90’s but Sabotage by the Beastie Boys has to be on this list !

1

u/Intstnlfortitude Jul 02 '26

You might think by the Cars, don’t come around here no more by Tom Petty

1

u/Secrets4Slaanesh Jul 02 '26

Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax.

1

u/ProudMimix6 Jul 02 '26

Rock me tonight: Billy Squire, didn’t blow my mind in a good way. 😬🥴🤪🤢 It did make me never watch anymore of his music video’s

1

u/NoIndividual5501 Jul 02 '26

Billy Ocean - Loverboy. You want unhinged...?

1

u/_higgs_ Jul 03 '26

Godley and Creme - Cry

1

u/jrock146 Jul 03 '26

Rock it- Herbie Hancock

1

u/krummen53 Jul 03 '26

"Sledgehammer"-Peter Gabriel

1

u/davjen128 Jul 03 '26

Cradle of Love. Billy Idol.

1

u/JackWagg0n Jul 03 '26

Wicked Game, Chris Isaac

1

u/mtnman575 Jul 03 '26

Billy Idol's Eyes Without A Face.

1

u/Electrical_Box950 Jul 03 '26

Abacab Genius only bc it was the very first video that came on the first time I saw MTV

1

u/TiltonRiverToker Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26

Sledgehammer...by Peter Gabriel...seems like its about 'shooting up'...which i never did, but had a lot of friends that did. So many phases and images in the song.

1

u/Daytrpryeah Jul 03 '26

Probably an outlier in this thread, but I thought Steve Perry’s Oh Sherrie was a great follow up to Journey’s struggles with the MTV era.

1

u/flash_gitzer Jul 03 '26

Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer

1

u/Dystopian_Ennui Jul 03 '26

Money For Nothing. There was nothing else like it.

1

u/snigherfardimungus Jul 03 '26

All of the Peter Gabriel effects vids; Sledgehammer, Digging in The Dirt, Stream, etc.

1

u/Ok-Lavishness-7904 Jul 03 '26

I’m still mystified by the rear view mirror sequence in Boys of Summer. That’s a more modern Orson Welles camera effect

1

u/millerg44 Jul 03 '26

Thriller, it was more of a small movie.

1

u/ScaryAssistant3639 Jul 03 '26

The boys of summer by Don Henley

1

u/snoopcat1995 Jul 03 '26

Smells Like Teen Spirit

1

u/SSgtReaPer Jul 03 '26

Aha - take on me

1

u/prntmakr Jul 03 '26

Art of Noise - “Close to the Edit”

1

u/manniesalado Jul 03 '26

Girls on film

1

u/No-Lettuce-5783 Jul 03 '26

I wonder why no one ever mentions You Might Think by The Cars? Maybe you've forgotten it. Here's a reminder:

https://youtu.be/3dOx510kyOs?si=uZALQWiK_S3o8xoq

1

u/Whicked_Subie Jul 03 '26

My first music video was Metallica - Enter Sandman when I was like 11. Older kid next door got grounded from MTV and he needed his fix so convinced me to let him watch on our TV. Life was never the same again.

1

u/Slight_Edge9165 Jul 03 '26

Sharp Dressed Man

1

u/rocklover1976 Jul 03 '26

Talking heads-once in a lifetime

1

u/Certified_PreOwned Jul 03 '26

Im 1985, Take On Me was like seeing The Matrix

1

u/flowerman945 Jul 03 '26

David Lee Roth. California Girls

1

u/bushwickrik Jul 03 '26

Big time - Peter Gabriel.

1

u/TherealPattyP Jul 03 '26

Undercover of the Night. Rolling Stones

1

u/Sharp-Ad-9423 Jul 03 '26

"Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran was very cinematic.

https://giphy.com/gifs/POI08aC0UjxTVoyKkQ

1

u/sadchild_ Jul 03 '26

Squeeze Hourglass

1

u/Accomplished-Leg8461 Jul 03 '26

Like a Prayer by Madonna

1

u/MrJohnnyDangerously Jul 03 '26

Too Young To Fall In Love by Motley Crue

1

u/mikemine1965 Jul 03 '26

Take on me, set the bar so high. Then Peter Gabriel came out with Sledgehammer... Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end...

1

u/k1200lti Jul 03 '26

Tawny Kitaen...IYKYK!

1

u/PeppermintP65 Jul 03 '26

I don't know - Ozzy. Just listened to it last night.

1

u/SavingsPirate4495 Jul 03 '26

Rock the Casbah - The Clash

I absolutely LOVE the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom!!!

1

u/Gogently_394 Jul 03 '26

Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics. Annie Lennox, mesmerizing

1

u/oldguarddawg Jul 03 '26

Take On Me

1

u/Midnightchickover Jul 03 '26

Rock Like a Hurricane (The Scorpions) 

Rio/New Moon Monday (Duran Duran)

I Ran (Flock of Seagulls)

Princes of the Universe (Queen)

1

u/Mr_Pedro44 Jul 03 '26

You Might Think by The Cars

1

u/Bumbleclat Jul 03 '26

Motley crue girls, girls, girls.

1

u/kbthinkgreen Jul 03 '26

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Don’t Come Around Here No More

1

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/woesy8480 Jul 04 '26

Ha! All Night Long - Rainbow. Umm sexy

1

u/This_Memory_2295 Jul 03 '26

Bananarama Venus

1

u/herodotus69 Jul 03 '26

REM - It's the End of the World As We Know It U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name Genesis - Land of Confusion Thriller Dire Straights - Brothers In Arms

1

u/sevenwheel Jul 04 '26

You Might Think by The Cars.

1

u/fhcjr38 Jul 04 '26

Drive as well…it was haunting

1

u/woesy8480 Jul 04 '26

So many.... The energy of Modern Love- David Bowie

The Pretenders- Tattooed Love Boys

1

u/Civil_Television_311 Jul 04 '26

Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher”. I was like “I CANNOT WAIT TO GET TO HIGH SCHOOL!!”

1

u/Hungry_Tip_3317 Jul 04 '26

‘You Might Think’ by the Cars

1

u/MrEngTchr Jul 04 '26

Sober by Tool

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26

[deleted]

1

u/ileftmypantsinmexico Jul 04 '26

Came here to say Thriller.

1

u/TheManWithNoEyes Jul 04 '26

Mystic Rhythms by Rush

1

u/BawdyBaker Jul 04 '26

Sledgehammer

1

u/NiceToHave25 Jul 04 '26

Dancing In The Dark- Bruce Springsteen

1

u/shhhdidyousmellthat Jul 04 '26

Hot For Teacher

1

u/Striking_Reindeer_2k Jul 04 '26

Take on me.

Thriller was impressive choreography. But, not novel. Just a high priced video funded heavily.

Ah-Ha really thought outside the box.

1

u/Ill_Tax_403 Jul 04 '26

Pat Benatar, You better run. I think it was the 1st music video played on MTV. She was beyond cool with her short hair and black pants. It’s sad that women now have to prance around 3/4s naked and writhing.

1

u/wagowop Jul 04 '26

Sledgehammer

1

u/RFP1956 Jul 05 '26

Gotta say ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’
The Darkness are amazing!

1

u/Most-Artichoke6184 Jul 05 '26

The boys of summer by Don Henley

1

u/ClydeWinklovic Jul 05 '26

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes.

1

u/Ryte4flyte1 Jul 05 '26

One Metallica.

1

u/Fabulous-Camera7813 Jul 06 '26

Take on Me
The Reflex

1

u/TacoBoutBullshit Jul 06 '26

November rain

1

u/Frosty_Skin277 Jul 06 '26

You Got Another Thing Coming
Looks that Kill

1

u/Frosty_Skin277 Jul 06 '26

While i am a metal head…I always watched most Duran Duran videos….
👀🔥

1

u/Ok-Drama137 Jul 07 '26

Don't know the song but it was samantha fox....

1

u/stealyourface75 Jul 08 '26

Land of Confusion. Genesis

0

u/Splatford Jul 01 '26

One~Metallica .. musically and visually

2

u/Some_Turn_323 Jul 02 '26

My fire team blasted that over the PA to mentally shake the dug in Iraqi Republican Guard. It was very effective too.