Martha, My Dear: ILM's All-Time Video-Poll Results Thread

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9. “Once in a Lifetime,” Talking Heads (1981)
114 points/12 votes
Director: Toni Basil & David Byrne

Nice eyesore...image 09, not image 9.

11 seems reasonable for sledgehammer.

“drop” is definitely the video i am most ashamed about leaving off, would’ve been a top 3 contender for me if i didn’t skim over it on the noms sheet.

the pharcyde didn’t learn to rap their lines backwards just to wind up outside the top ten smh

If Reet Petite places *I* will be like "come on, you guys."

Anyway, this one's objectively great, but not much of a fan in general.

I didn't know Toni Basil co-directed it, though, that was interesting.

So far we've seen three MTV Video of the Year Award winners: "Money for Nothing" (1986), "Sledgehammer" (1987), and "Nothing Compares 2U" (1990).

I assume Van Halen's "Right Now" (1992) and Aerosmith's "Cryin'" (1994) are coming up.

xp I didn't either, although I know about her choreography career and everything.

If there's a moderator around, maybe you could remove those two posts with the ugly broken links...thanks in advance.

xxp Which videos won in '88, '91, & '93?

(xxxpost) Rest easy.

"Teen Spirit" came out late in the year, otherwise I'd assume that won in '91.

come on, you guys

Well what jumped out at me was that The Cars' "You Might Think" won in 1984 (the debut awards) over "Rockit" and "Thriller"

Well what jumped out at me was that The Cars' "You Might Think" won in 1984 (the debut awards) over "Rockit" and "Thriller"

― Josefa, Friday, March 18, 2022 10:56 AM (twenty-one seconds ago) bookmarkflaglink

.... D:

There is a time-tested strategy for trying to get the results you want...

I didn't want to get in too deep because this is a subject I'm really passionate about

Didn't vote in this but gratified to see "Don't Come Around Here No More" and "Rockit," the two videos that really made young-teen me sit up and realize this was a THING, ranked high. Should be higher of course.

Best Video of the Year win was Neil Young's "This Note's for You" in '89, which they only gave to him because they were criticized for banning the video.

Can't think off-hand what else was around, but god, what a terrible choice.

The Chris Isaak video, for one, plus lots of great hip-hop videos, I'm sure.

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6. “Let Forever Be,” Chemical Brothers (1999)
127 points/8 votes/two #1 votes
Director: Michel Gondry

xp "Wicked Game" was one of the 1991 nominees

come on, you guys

American MTV didn't even give the Kate Bush videos with movie stars in them much play.

Interesting. In my possibly distorted memory, I feel like she was constantly on Canadian TV when I was a kid, between MuchMusic and other video programmes like Video Hits? I was definitely v familiar with "Cloudbusting", also "Babooshka" and "Army Dreamers".

We need a Stephen R. Johnson DVD so everyone's brains don't get warped by "we put this on at a party and smoked weed" in 2004

Let Forever Be is incredible, the mixing and mirroring of video and practical effects is sublime - is it a technique that's ever been used anywhere else? My #3.

The Chris Isaak single came out in July '89, and I assume the video was close behind (think I first heard the song via the video). I can see a one-year delay, but that's weird.

if you read the wiki it explains its status as a delayed hit

Wicked Game not get attention until Wild At Heart came out. And then he had an even more delayed hit with Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing (5 years!)

"This Note's For You" was kind of a cool choice considering MTV refused to actually play the video. Probably should have been "Express Yourself" though

"Right Now" is a garbage video imo

i think his love for mirroring probs was best for sugar water but this is a great video

"Express Yourself" won "Best Direction" which is usually a far, far better gauge of the Best Video of the Year anyway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Video_Music_Award_for_Best_Direction

I'm always seeing these things through the prism of Canada's MuchMusic, and my guess is--just a guess--they were a little more flexible in what they played and when they played it. I'm sure I would have seen the Isaak video, as an example, much closer to its release date.

"Drop" was my #5 because it's insane. I think I only voted for things that are "insane."

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5. “Take On Me,” A-ha (1984)
136 points/12 votes/one #1 vote
Director: Steve Barron

come on, you guys

Let Forever Be my number 1, a case where I love the video but the track not so much. My only regret is that it stopped me throwing Star Guitar a vote

Voted for two Chems videos, one I expect to place highly. Other probably not, though nothing would surprise me.

Also, you didn't post 7 or 8, I might have some more "come on, you guys" coming, you guys

I understand why people voted for this, I do. It's just another one that drew a "Wow--still?" response from me. (The song was used well in a recent TV show...Might have been The Handmaid's Tale.)

the absence of "smalltown boy" from this poll hurts my heart

I didn't rank my votes, but Let Forever Be was on my ballot for sure

Jesus, my mind's just not here right now...Let me put up 7 and 8.

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8. “Sugar Water,” Cibo Matto (1996)
120 points/9 votes
Director: Michel Gondry

come on, you guys

pretty good michel gondry poll

Which videos won in '88, '91, & '93?

Without checking wikipedia I know 2 of these are "Losing My Religion" and "Jeremy."

"Sugar Water" is dope but wow wtf #8 damn yo