We may no longer consume music videos through MTV anymore, but the audiovisual legacy of that network’s revolution still lives on through YouTube and streaming. Music videos aren’t just for aesthetics, the best ones can add layers of visual meaning to help complement a musician’s artistic vision. Take a look at some of the most stunning music videos 2024 had to offer.

Picks by Hidzir Junaini (staff writer):

FKA twigs - ‘Eusexua’

"Eusexua is a practice. Eusexua is a state of being. Eusexua is the pinnacle of human experience," declares the title screen. Indeed. The music video for ‘Eusexua’ finds the art-pop polymath dropped into a corporate nightmare that she liberates herself from. Featuring stunning choreography and otherworldly visuals, FKA twigs’ transmogrification from the office to the dirt returns the artist to something more primal and powerful. This video affirms that no matter how uncomfortable or unsettling her art may be, it always leaves you wanting more. 

Armand Hammer (feat. Benjamin Booker) - ‘Doves’

Armand Hammer’s (the duo of pioneering rappers billy woods and ELUCID) meditative 9-minute collaboration with singer-songwriter Benjamin Booker was already a transcendent, poetic wonder. But ‘Doves’ becomes even more entrancing when paired with its wintry music video directed by Ryosuke Tanzawa. Shot in New York over three snowy days in January, it is composed entirely of Tanzawa's black-and-white photography for the first three minutes before motion is introduced at the beginning of woods' rap. The result is an observational short film that truly embodies the song’s grey, gloomy atmosphere.

Picks by Paolo Abad (contributing writer):

Hikaru Utada - 「何色でもない花」 (A Flower of No Colour) 

“But if I can’t believe in myself / I can’t believe in anything” (だけど自分を信じられなきゃ / 何も信じらんない), Hikaru Utada sings in the ballad 「何色でもない花」  (A Flower of No Colour; one of their co-productions with hyperpop pioneer A.G. Cook), somehow echoing their self-avowed fave, the drag legend RuPaul. In the same way, can we get an “amen” here?

Ostensibly filmed in one take under the direction of Tomokazu Yamada 山田智和 (「Gold -また逢う日まで-」), the song’s companion music video is equally expressive and riveting. A teary Utada, swathed in a long black coat, glides and reels across the pallid ice. Their lonesome lithe figure starkly contrasts with the bleak snowscape in Hokkaido, their grandmother's birthplace and mother's hometown. Each sweep of the camera bends time, poetically capturing the dance of Utada’s body and heart (choreographed by Aoi Yamada, First Love star and collaborator on the SCIENCE FICTION Yokohama K-Arena show). Deservingly so, it’s one more indelible masterpiece to put on the top tier of Utada’s wide-ranging catalogue.  

XG - ‘WOKE UP’ 

In the K-pop industry alone, Cho Gi-seok 조기석 is undoubtedly one of its most sought-after photographers. His stacked portfolio includes an iconic editorial with Billie Eilish, a scintillating Kali Uchis music video, and a fashion brand with his own name spelled in reverse. With South Korea-based Japanese superstars XG, I daresay the 30-something visionary is almost single-handedly responsible for their most arresting imagery. I simply can’t imagine XG’s distinctly surreal world without him among those at the helm of building it, with his deft hand and fantastical eye.

There’s the cyberpunk opus ‘GRL GVNG,’ and more recently, the primeval fable ‘HOWLING.’ But on the rap-focused ‘WOKE UP,’ the seven-piece group gets to awaken the wolves inside of them, like “the birth of a new XG.” This makes for Cinema™ with claws of steel to seize minds and pull them through a fevered trance — from the foot of a Lovecraft-esque colossus to the driver’s seat of a hyperspace convertible; an infernal football game to a brutalist courtroom; a noir Mardi Gras to Tokyo’s skies. Our jaws drop as Cocona takes clippers to her head, shaving her mane and later replacing it with a jagged crown of silver. ‘WOKE UP’ is an avatar for XG’s aspirations, and its visuals just get it.

Picks by Ginny Palma (contributing writer):

Tilly Birds - 'Retro-39'

I may be a little biased, but I seriously just love the pure pop vibe of this song, and the music video is just as equally fun. Every aspect of this single is so clearly well-produced and shows such an intricate level of skill, and the candidness with which its formation came about ultimately completes its charm. The MV’s storytelling in particular is so vibrant and clever, and I thoroughly enjoyed pointing out every reference I understood. Somehow it encapsulates what retro means for a millennial, or rather, what it means to be retro as a millennial, and I like thinking of it as nostalgia for us but a window of discovery for those who are younger. 

ena mori - 'Heartache Generation'

It would be easy to say this deserves its spot here because of its groundbreaking use of technology, but innovation for the sake of innovating means nothing, and thankfully, ena mori’s music video for ‘Heartache Generation’ isn’t just that. Shot live with Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses and streamed real-time on Instagram and Facebook, it managed to display an intimacy and rawness that spoke specifically to a generation that's been hyper-exposed to public scrutiny and constantly bridled with a cry for authenticity before they could even fully know themselves. Each moment came into frame with a striking precision and purpose that moves you in a way that I could only describe as signature ena mori. It's this sort of feat that - and, no, I never tire of saying this - continues to make her one of the most exciting Filipino acts today.

Picks by Rebecca Fullett (social media executive):

Kendrick Lamar - 'Not Like Us'

From celebrating the West Coast to throwing a couple of jabs at Drake, 'Not Like Us' is undoubtedly one of Kendrick Lamar's best music videos. The video doesn’t just illustrate the song—it expands its meaning and allows Kendrick to show his artistic vision. Like most of Kendrick's work, the music video is open to interpretation, allowing viewers to dissect both the visuals and lyrical aspect. Plus, it was really fun to find the multiple references and easter eggs!

Picks by Nash Farhan (editorial intern):

NewJeans- 'Bubble Gum'

All I can say is that every NewJeans' music video is a work of art. With NewJeans’ ‘Bubble Gum’ music video, to me, it exudes a playful, nostalgic charm, blending retro visuals like VHS tape aesthetics and camcorder-style filming with the carefree vibes of a beach day. This breezy backdrop perfectly complements the song's delicate, groovy sound, characterized by a flute-like melody that adds a whimsical touch which is pretty much your typical NewJeans aesthetic but I am definitely not complaining. While the video enhances the group’s approachable and relatable image, some viewers feel the track's lightness might not leave a lasting impact. Still, the combination of dreamy visuals and airy melodies makes for a delightful, feel-good experience and if they girls are having fun, I am sure the bunnies are having an even more fun watching the video.

Sabrina Carpenter - ‘Taste’

A$AP Rocky - ‘Tailor Swif’

A$AP Rocky’s ‘Tailor Swif’ music video, directed by Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia, is a whirlwind of surrealism and eccentricity, offering a vibrant visual feast. Shot in Kyiv, Ukraine, just two months before the Russian invasion, the video unfolds like a bizarre dream, featuring scenes of bathroom escapades, dogs as bodyguards, floating cars, and urban landscapes populated by pandas and dolphins. The juxtaposition of absurd elements with stunning cinematography creates a uniquely chaotic yet captivating experience. Although the track had leaked in 2022, its official release in August 2024 reignited discussions about Rocky’s innovative approach to blending art and music.