Here Are The Most Incredible Music Videos From The Last 10 YearsSkip To ContentHomepageSign InSearch BuzzFeedSearch BuzzFeedlol Badge Feedwin Badge Feedtrending Badge FeedCalifornia residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.Do Not Sell My Personal Information 2022 BuzzFeed, Inc PressRSSPrivacyConsent PreferencesUser TermsAd ChoicesHelpContactSitemap Posted on 6 Nov 2019 Here Are The Most Incredible Music Videos From The Last 10 YearsIncluding "Hotline Bling", "Sorry", and everything in between! by Sam ClealBuzzFeed StaffFacebookPinterestTwitterMailLink Let s face it the 2010s was a powerhouse decade of music video greatness So to recap all that good stuff here are 50 of the best standout videos from some of the music industry s most glittering alumni 1 Lady Gaga – Telephone ft Beyoncé Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Interscope Records / Via youtube.com Released: 11 March 2010 Director: Jonas Åkerlund Views: 335 million Why it slaps: The constant fashion from every single individual in this video will break your life. 2 Katy Perry – California Gurls ft Snoop Dogg Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Capitol Records / Via youtube.com Released: 14 June 2010 Director: Matthew Cullen Views: 494 million Why it slaps: This was the height of Katy's cotton candy princess aesthetic and the blue hair is just iconic. 3 Kanye West – POWER Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Roc-A-Fella Records / Via youtube.com Released: 5 August 2010 Director: Marco Brambilla Views: 115 million Why it slaps: Featuring models galore, the real draw of this video is the super cool way it pans backward to reveal more of the scene, which is cleverly akin to the crazy detailed master paintings of the High Renaissance and Baroque art periods. 4 Adele – Rolling in the Deep Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF XL Recordings / Via youtube.com Released: 30 November 2010 Director: Sam Brown Views: 1.6 billion Why it slaps: We stan a queen just sitting and looking gorgeous. 5 Katy Perry – Last Friday Night T G I F Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Capitol Records / Via youtube.com Released: 12 June 2011 Director: Marc Klasfeld Views: 1.1 billion Why it slaps: It's a fun OTT video featuring Katy as alter ego Kathy Beth Terry, and cameos from Hanson, Darren Criss, Corey Feldman, and Rebecca Black no less! 6 Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know feat Kimbra Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Eleven: A Music Company / Via youtube.com Released: 5 July 2011 Director: Natasha Pincus Views: 1.2 billion Why it slaps: It's super simple but totally captivating. The ultimate breakup song – change my mind. 7 Beyoncé – Countdown Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Columbia Records / Via youtube.com Released: 7 October 2011 Director: Adria Petty Views: 178 million Why it slaps: Moving a mile a minute, Beyoncé gives us costume changes, a stunning natural look, and banging '60s style with typical tight Beyoncé precision. 8 Rihanna – We Found Love ft Calvin Harris Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Def Jam Recordings / Via youtube.com Released: 19 October 2011 Director: Melina Matsoukas Views: 875 million Why it slaps: Condemned for its self-destructive themes and racy scenes when it premiered, this video mirrors Rihanna's real-life relationship with ex Chris Brown, which makes the whole thing all the more poignant and unsettling. 9 Lady Gaga – Marry The Night Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Interscope Records / Via youtube.com Released: 2 December 2011 Director: Lady Gaga Views: 83 million Why it slaps: Gaga proves she's a triple threat in this compelling video about suffering for your art. Her voiceover is totally magnetic, she wears some incredible outfits (THE HUGE HAT), and there's fire everywhere. What more could you want? "Bam!" 10 M I A – Bad Girls Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Interscope Records / Via youtube.com Released: 2 February 2012 Director: Romain Gavras Views: 120 million Why it slaps: Apart from being a baller video, the concept came together in support of the Women To Drive Movement in Saudi Arabia. 11 Of Monsters And Men – Little Talks Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Republic Records / Via youtube.com Released: 2 February 2012 Director: WeWereMonkeys Views: 277 million Why it slaps: This cute gothic animation about a ship flying through the sky on an adventure is just the right amount of twee we all need sometimes. 12 Sigur Rós – Fjögur píanó Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Parlophone Records / Via youtube.com Released: 18 June 2012 Director: Alma Har'el Views: 4.7 million Why it slaps: This no holds barred video portrays a folie à deux couple with obvious chemistry who are stuck in a cycle of violence and unhappiness. The video moves poetically but is ultimately tragic and, FYI, a little NSFW! 13 P nk – Try Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF RCA Records / Via youtube.com Released: 10 October 2012 Director: Floria Sigismondi Views: 404 million Why it slaps: P!nk proves once again that, among many other accolades, she has the strongest core in music. 14 Lana Del Rey – Ride Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Polydor Records / Via youtube.com Released: 12 October 2012 Director: Anthony Mandler Views: 106 million Why it slaps: Lana cracks out the poetry and goes hard on her Beatnik aesthetic and it's really quite sensational. 15 Massive Attack Young Fathers – Voodoo In My Blood Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Virgin Records / Via youtube.com Released: 23 February 2013 Director: Ringan Ledwidge Views: 17 million Why it slaps: Inspired by a horror film banned in the UK until 1999, Rosamund Pike acts her ass off in this surrealist video set in a London subway with some serious dystopian vibes. 16 Lorde – Royals Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Universal Music NZ / Via youtube.com Released: 12 May 2013 Director: Joel Kefali Views: 784 million Why it slaps: This was the video which exploded Lorde onto the music scene, cementing her unique aesthetic as a sort of white RnB witch. This concept is moreishly simple and totally relatable. 17 Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Domino Recording Co. / Via youtube.com Released: 18 June 2013 Director: David Wilson/Blinkink Views: 923 million Why it slaps: Totally hypnotising to watch, this video really suits the song and the aesthetic is sick. 18 Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF RCA Records / Via youtube.com Released: 9 September 2013 Director: Terry Richardson Views: 1 billion Why it slaps: Back in 2013, Miley was on a crusade of confusing and shocking fans and critics alike, and swinging nude on a wrecking ball really felt like the apex of that journey. Also, the ALL the memes, amiright?! 19 Kanye West – Bound 2 Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Def Jam Recordings / Via youtube.com Released: 19 November 2013 Director: Nick Knight Views: 73.5 million Why it slaps: Because it's just too random and memeable to not be a hit! Also, see the version James Franco and Seth Rogen did, which was... something. 20 Iggy Azalea – Fancy ft Charli XCX Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Virgin EMI Records / Via youtube.com Released: 4 March 2014 Director: Director X Views: 944 million Why it slaps: It reminded us that Clueless really is an indomitable piece of culture. 21 Hozier – Take Me To Church Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Rubyworks Limited / Via youtube.com Released: 24 March 2014 Director: Brendan Canty and Conal Thomson Views: 328 million Why it slaps: Shot on a budget of just 500 euros, the creators of this video wanted to give a snapshot of the disgusting violent attacks against LGBT people that occur to this day in Russia. 22 Sia – Chandelier Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Inertia Records / Via youtube.com Released: 6 May 2014 Director: Sia and Daniel Askill Views: 2.1 billion Why it slaps: This is probably the best example of Sia's incredible songwriting teaming up with Maddie Ziegler's brilliant dance ability. 23 Arcade Fire – We Exist Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Merge Records / Via youtube.com Released: 16 May 2014 Director: David Wilson Views: 9.4 million Why it slaps: This video is a heartwarming call-to-arms to all allies of the LGBT+ community. Andrew Garfield plays the character with a lot of depth, and the whole concept provides a lovely message of self-empowerment and equality. Also, the ending was an actual live performance at Coachella! 24 Nicki Minaj – Anaconda Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Cash Money Records / Via youtube.com Released: 19 August 2014 Director: Colin Tilley Views: 895 million Why it slaps: Because it's literally slap bang in the centre of the sexy and stupid venn diagram. 25 Rihanna Kanye West and Paul McCartney – FourFiveSeconds Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Roc Nation Records / Via youtube.com Released: 3 February 2015 Director: Inez and Vinoodh Views: 430 million Why it slaps: It couldn't be more stripped back and Rihanna looks amazing in it. 26 Florence The Machine – What Kind Of Man Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Island Records / Via youtube.com Released: 12 February 2015 Director: Vincent Haycock Views: 24 million Why it slaps: The first instalment in a music video series that accompanies the band's third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, this video is a powerful and artistic depiction of a doomed relationship typical of Florence's chaotic, romantic energy. 27 Taylor Swift – Bad Blood ft Kendrick Lamar Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Big Machine Records / Via youtube.com Released: 17 May 2015 Director: Joseph Kahn Views: 1.3 billion Why it slaps: As well as all the drama that surrounded Taylor at this point, this video is iconic for pretty much inventing the term "squad goals". 28 Rihanna – Bitch Better Have My Money Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Roc Nation Records / Via youtube.com Released: 1 July 2015 Director: Rihanna and Megaforce Views: 146 million Why it slaps: Based on a true story (the vaguer details, at least) this video features some incredible fashion, casual all-out nudity, and gratuitous slasher scenes, proving RiRi would be incredible in an arthouse horror film. 29 Drake – Hotline Bling Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Cash Money Records / Via youtube.com Released: 19 October 2015 Director: Director X Views: 1.5 billion Why it slaps: Drake proves that it's really the most simplistic and memeable music videos that slap hardest. 30 Justin Bieber – Sorry Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Def Jam Recordings / Via youtube.com Released: 22 October 2015 Director: Parris Goebel Views: 3.2 billion Why it slaps: The video features an epic routine by dancers and Beliebers from ReQuest and The Royal Family Dance Crews out of The Palace Dance Studio in New Zealand, which is EVERYTHING. 31 David Bowie – Lazarus Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Columbia Records / Via youtube.com Released: 7 January 2016 Director: Johan Renck Views: 52 million Why it slaps: Because it was his final goodbye! A music legend and towering influence on pretty much every corner of the industry, Bowie released this video just three days before he died after a long and private battle with cancer. 32 Beyoncé – Formation Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Melina Matsoukas / Via youtube.com Released: 6 February 2016 Director: Melina Matsoukas Views: 188 million Why it slaps: A crucial part of the visual album Lemonade, this whole video is a stunning love letter from Queen Bey to African American culture that we can all appreciate and learn from. 33 Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft Daddy Yankee Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Universal Music Latino / Via youtube.com Released: 12 January 2017 Director: Carlos Pérez Views: 6.5 billion Why it slaps: I mean, it's the most viewed video on YouTube ever. 34 Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Aftermath/Interscope Records / Via youtube.com Released: 30 March 2017 Director: Dave Meyers and The Little Homies. Views: 676 million Why it slaps: This song makes me want to include the music video in a Buzzfeed round-up. 35 Harry Styles – Sign of the Times Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Columbia Records / Via youtube.com Released: 8 May 2017 Director: Yoann Lemoine Views: 560 million Why it slaps: Shot on location in the rural Isle of Skye in Scotland, Harry demonstrates the messianic powers we all knew he had including flying, walking on water, and creating whirlpools! 36 Selena Gomez – Bad Liar Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Interscope Records / Via youtube.com Released: 14 June 2017 Director: Jesse Peretz Views: 296 million Why it slaps: Selena plays every part and there's a gay reveal! 37 Charli XCX – Boys Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Asylum Records/Atlantic Records / Via youtube.com Released: 26 July 2017 Director: Charli XCX and Sarah McColgan Views: 114 million Why it slaps: It's more thirst-quenching than an ice cold water in the scorching desert. 38 Logic – 1-800-273-8255 ft Alessia Cara Khalid Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Def Jam Recordings / Via youtube.com Released: 17 August 2017 Director: Andy Hines Views: 357 million Why it slaps: It's powerful and practical – 1-800-273-8255 is the number for the American National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 39 Taylor Swift – Look What You Made Me Do Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Big Machine Records / Via youtube.com Released: 27 August 2017 Director: Joseph Kahn Views: 1.1 billion Why it slaps: Taylor capitalised on all the swirling drama around her in this campy anthology video full of fun easter eggs for all the Swifties! 40 Björk – The Gate Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF One Little Indian Records / Via youtube.com Released: 20 September 2017 Director: Andrew Thomas Huang Views: 3.2 million Why it slaps: The creativity behind this video is next-level! Possibly filmed on her home planet, Björk is seen twisting and turning into some alien origami goddess. It's such a sleek video my wig about flew into another dimension! 41 Camila Cabello – Havana ft Young Thug Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Epic Records / Via youtube.com Released: 24 October 2017 Director: Dave Meyers Views: 835 million Why it slaps: We were all rooting for Camila and she absolutely brought it home with a sexy story including the "internet's ex-boyf", Noah Centineo! 42 BTS 방탄소년단 – MIC Drop Steve Aoki Remix Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF BigHit Entertainment / Via youtube.com Released: 24 November 2017 Director: Woogie Kim Views: 580 million Why it slaps: Just... the boys ALL TOGETHER and the DANCING. 43 Drake – God s Plan Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Cash Money Records / Via youtube.com Released: 16 February 2018 Director: Karena Evans Views: 1 billion Why it slaps: Because Drake and his team gave away the entire budget of the video ($996, 631.90) to random Florida residents who needed it. 44 Céline Dion – Ashes Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Columbia Records / Via youtube.com Released: 3 May 2018 Director: David Leitch Views: 73 million Why it slaps: It's as absurdly exquisite as it is exquisitely absurd. 45 Childish Gambino – This Is America Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF RCA Records / Via youtube.com Released: 5 May 2018 Director: Hiro Murai Views: 612 million Why it slaps: Not only is this video infused with a multitude of important cultural and historical references, it goes in on America's race problem and its relationship with guns in what is surely one of the arresting music video sequences ever. 46 Ariana Grande – God is a Woman Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Republic Records / Via youtube.com Released: 13 July 2018 Director: Dave Meyers Views: 252 million Why it slaps: Heresy suits Ariana in this awesome video that blends frankly bizarre imagery with pretty cool religious symbolism. 47 Marshmello ft Bastille – Happier Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Astralwerks / Via youtube.com Released: 24 September 2018 Director: Mercedes Bryce Morgan Views: 425 million Why it slaps: This one's for all the dog lovers out there! 48 Billie Eilish – when the party s over Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Darkroom/Interscope Records / Via youtube.com Released: 25 October 2018 Director: Carlos López Estrada Views: 396 million Why it slaps: This simple and minimalist video says so much without Billie even needing to get out of her seat! Perhaps a visual metaphor for fame and excess, the enduring image of Billie's black tears has already become iconic. 49 Ariana Grande – thank u next Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Republic Records / Via youtube.com Released: 30 November 2018 Director: Hannah Lux Davis Views: 443 million Why it slaps: Ariana pays tribute to some of the best chick flicks in the game. Also, Kris Jenner saying "thank you next, bitch!" 50 Jonas Brothers – Sucker Tap to play GIF Tap to play GIF Republic Records / Via youtube.com Released: 1 March 2019 Director: Anthony Mandler Views: 227 million Why it slaps: There's nothing like combining your clout with that of all of your wives to form one super group! Also, everything Sophie Turner does in the video. Are there any I missed Let me know in the comments Share This ArticleFacebookPinterestTwitterMailLink