The crummiest music videos ever

[Flex]

This is a great pre-mtv music video:

[WestwayKid]

This is a great pre-mtv music video:

Is that creepy Allen Ginsberg in the background?

[Flex]

Is that creepy Allen Ginsberg in the background?

Yeah

[Marky Dread]

This is a great pre-mtv music video:

Is that creepy Allen Ginsberg in the background?

Yep.

[Heston]

I’m a member of a CD collector Facebook group (wow, typing that makes me feel old). People always post about their favorite bands, showing off their collections. There is one guy who posted his collection of something like 300 Bee Gees CDs. I just saw another member who is raving about Toto. It takes all kinds, I guess.

In one of the outtakes from the UK Office, Tim is talking to the camera about Gareth, trying to express his frustrations. He says that with all the music that has ever been made, all the varieties, the creativity and possibility, Gareth's favourite band is … Mike and the Mechanics. That scene has stayed with me and is recalled whenever I come across people who adore painfully mediocre music.

Yet you (many of us) recognize that band name. I couldn't name a song but I feel my knowledge of its existence is bad enough.

They were an 80s spin-off of Genesis—Phil Collins was being appalling by himself and the other two didn't want to get left behind in producing sonic poo. I can't remember the name of their hit, but it got a ton of play. It should be in consideration for worst song of the 80s (in the category of songs that were hits).

"The Living Years" a song sang from the point of view of a son who has regrets of not making better efforts while his father was still alive.

Simple don't be an asshole in the first place show more understanding and compassion and then we don't need your dumb mopey song.

I really despise that line where he says "when my father passed away." It is so clunky, literal and useless.

[Marky Dread]

In one of the outtakes from the UK Office, Tim is talking to the camera about Gareth, trying to express his frustrations. He says that with all the music that has ever been made, all the varieties, the creativity and possibility, Gareth's favourite band is … Mike and the Mechanics. That scene has stayed with me and is recalled whenever I come across people who adore painfully mediocre music.

Yet you (many of us) recognize that band name. I couldn't name a song but I feel my knowledge of its existence is bad enough.

They were an 80s spin-off of Genesis—Phil Collins was being appalling by himself and the other two didn't want to get left behind in producing sonic poo. I can't remember the name of their hit, but it got a ton of play. It should be in consideration for worst song of the 80s (in the category of songs that were hits).

"The Living Years" a song sang from the point of view of a son who has regrets of not making better efforts while his father was still alive.

Simple don't be an asshole in the first place show more understanding and compassion and then we don't need your dumb mopey song.

I really despise that line where he says "when my father passed away." It is so clunky, literal and useless.

Agree 100% mate.

[Heston]

Anyway...

[Dr. Medulla]

This is a great pre-mtv music video:

Shit, I'd still regard that as top-notch. I mean, you want to watch it? It demands attention. I'm kind of old-fashioned in that I'm wary of distracted viewing, that that isn't an asset. So a video that requires following along, concentrating, is a good thing.

[Dr. Medulla]

Anyway...

The 80s produced so much loathsome shit. So, so much.

[gkbill]

This is a great pre-mtv music video:

Shit, I'd still regard that as top-notch. I mean, you want to watch it? It demands attention. I'm kind of old-fashioned in that I'm wary of distracted viewing, that that isn't an asset. So a video that requires following along, concentrating, is a good thing.

Hello,

I've always liked the video and man, does Dylan look young!

[Low Down Low]

Anyway...

The 80s produced so much loathsome shit. So, so much.

Was that merely an inevitable consequence of the "video" age? When image and the right look on screen became as important or arguably more so than the songs and tunes you were banging out. Even the so called novelty hits took a sharp nose dive sometime around the early 80s. I mean, most of em were pretty lame before that too, but you got the odd one that hit some kind of mark at least.

[Dr. Medulla]

Anyway...

The 80s produced so much loathsome shit. So, so much.

Was that merely an inevitable consequence of the "video" age? When image and the right look on screen became as important or arguably more so than the songs and tunes you were banging out. Even the so called novelty hits took a sharp nose dive sometime around the early 80s. I mean, most of em were pretty lame before that too, but you got the odd one that hit some kind of mark at least.

I think part of it was the greater emphasis on image. It was always a part of rock, no matter how much the dinosaurs grumbled when MTV came along. But once MTV became more important than radio for promotion, the emphasis on the visual elevated and rewarded the slight. As Jello sang in "MTV Get Off the Air," "There's something I don't like about a band that always smiles."

[Low Down Low]

Anyway...

The 80s produced so much loathsome shit. So, so much.

Was that merely an inevitable consequence of the "video" age? When image and the right look on screen became as important or arguably more so than the songs and tunes you were banging out. Even the so called novelty hits took a sharp nose dive sometime around the early 80s. I mean, most of em were pretty lame before that too, but you got the odd one that hit some kind of mark at least.

I think part of it was the greater emphasis on image. It was always a part of rock, no matter how much the dinosaurs grumbled when MTV came along. But once MTV became more important than radio for promotion, the emphasis on the visual elevated and rewarded the slight. As Jello sang in "MTV Get Off the Air," "There's something I don't like about a band that always smiles."

In my mind and in my car
We can't rewind we've gone too far
Pictures came and broke your heart
Put the blame on VCR

If I'm not mistaken, the first video ever played on MTV. Not sure was it meant to be an act of irony or not.

[Dr. Medulla]

Anyway...

The 80s produced so much loathsome shit. So, so much.

Was that merely an inevitable consequence of the "video" age? When image and the right look on screen became as important or arguably more so than the songs and tunes you were banging out. Even the so called novelty hits took a sharp nose dive sometime around the early 80s. I mean, most of em were pretty lame before that too, but you got the odd one that hit some kind of mark at least.

I think part of it was the greater emphasis on image. It was always a part of rock, no matter how much the dinosaurs grumbled when MTV came along. But once MTV became more important than radio for promotion, the emphasis on the visual elevated and rewarded the slight. As Jello sang in "MTV Get Off the Air," "There's something I don't like about a band that always smiles."

In my mind and in my car
We can't rewind we've gone too far
Pictures came and broke your heart
Put the blame on VCR

If I'm not mistaken, the first video ever played on MTV. Not sure was it meant to be an act of irony or not.

Yup, the famous first video, meant to be a warning to radio that its time was over. Who pays attention to what the lyrics mean, tho (e.g., “Born in the USA”)?

[Marky Dread]

Anyway...

Proof that something can be hot and cold at the same time.

A steaming pile of shit and a stone cold turd.