30. Jessie J - Price Tag
Jessie J brings a fun, yet relatively simple video to our eyes with Price Tag, her first real US hit. The song is catchy and fun and Jessie's personality drags the audience into her world.
29. Cher Lloyd - Swagger Jagger
Cher Lloyd busts onto the scene with her debut video that had people in a frenzy. Some loved it, some hated it. My mother thought she needed to get her sweatpants fitted. No matter where you stand, you have to give her props, even if the chorus follows the tune of "My Darling Clementine." Here's the visually creative video for Swagger Jagger.
28. Taylor Swift - Mean
Love her or hate her, you have to respect her. She's dominating no matter what she is doing and she manages to remain a good role model. In the video for Mean, she takes a clever approach to addressing bullies and even incorporates a gay kid. This is something completely out of the box for a country video.
27. Dev - In the Dark
Nothing says sexual like a bunch of hands grabbing all over your body and chanting "I've got a sex drive that's push to start." This video was far from what I expected yet incredibly cool. This is the song that landed Dev on the Hot 100 charts and in everyone's database of artists. Now, if she would stop pushing her album off, she might be the next big pop star!
26. Taylor Swift - Sparks Fly
It may seem like Taylor is dominating the chart thus far, but, sadly, she ends up playing the backfield. This is one of the few live videos that I have loved. This song is intense and amazing. Enjoy!
25. Lady GaGa - Judas
Potentially her most normal video of the Born this Way era, except The Edge of Glory, which was so relatively normal that it was boring. Judas finds a happy medium between normal and "dumping cheerios on yourself" insane (*cough* Marry the Night *cough*). Despite making the disciples a bike gang, this video is pretty good!
24. Selena Gomez & the Scene - Hit the Lights
This video starts of slow but then leads into exactly what I had imagined it to be! Selena is amazing and the visuals are stunning. Not to mention, this is a damn good song! If you have yet to listen to it, hit the play button!
23. Taylor Swift - Ours
Here is Taylor again with her cutest song as well as video. The video may not be fast paced, but it has a great ending and some comedy along the way. I love this song!
22. Kelly Clarkson - Mr. Know It All
Kelly's comeback single was aided with an exceptional video that may not move too fast or go anywhere spectacular, however Kelly looks absolutely stunning. The song is amazing and I love what they did with the video.
21. Jennifer Lopez - On the Floor (feat. Pitbull)
Jennifer Lopez came back hard with this single, however it wasn't enough to carry her album. The video is sexy and fun even with Pitbull in it. Barely Political on YouTube did a parody of the video which is probably better than the original but here's J Lo sitting pretty at #21.
20. Beyonce - Run the World (Girls)
I'll probably catch a lot of flack for placing this video so far back. It grabs you visually with the images it throws at you and some crazy dancing. However, despite being an incredible (and I guarantee expensive) video, it just wasn't something I kept watching over and over.
19. Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger (feat. Christina Aguilera)
This video was incredibly fun and sexy. Adam looks so in-shape that it made me want to scurry over to the gym and Christina is beautiful as always. Definitely worth a watch.
18. LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It
This video was TOO MUCH, sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. It's hysterical but, after so long, all the groin jiggling gets to be a bit too much. Overall, you love to hate it!
17. Beyonce - Countdown
Countdown is one of the most fun songs off of 4 and the video was a bit unexpected. It blew me away with the editing job and took the song to a whole new level. It's sad to see that it isn't tearing up the Hot 100. Check out the visually stunning video for Countdown:
16. Jennifer Lopez - Papi
Despite the product placement of that damn car that no one wants no matter how hard J Lo pushes it, this video was hysterical! I cracked up! The product placement is getting a little pathetic though, Jen.
15. Jessie J - Who You Are
This video is probably the most simplistic video of 2011. It puts the emphasis of Jessie's amazing vocals and the beauty of the song. Then, the storm starts and puts a whole metaphor to the video that makes it such a good video. I did not care for it at first, so if you didn't, give it another watch!
14. Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me
Before I got that the video symbolizes her life and career as a work of art, this video was cool, but I just shrugged it off. Now that I get that, it's amazing! The product placement is pathetic here as well though.
13. Kelly Clarkson - What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)
My favorite track off of Kelly's new album and hopefully her next smash single. This video showcases the beautiful Kelly and some random flash mob ideology. It all works out to be Kelly's best video of her 2 this year. I love her. All I have to say is get itttt, Kelly!
12. Britney Spears - Criminal
The song sucks. Let me just put that out there. However, this video is funny at the beginning then sultry and incredibly sexy as it progresses. It gets to certain points where parents may have to even cover their children's eyes. Dang, Brit. :)
11. Ke$ha - Blow
The first Ke$ha video that did not bore me. In fact, this video was sexy and downright hysterical. The video is what actually sold me on Ke$ha and actually prompted me to go to her concert when she came to town! Now, I love her!
10. Big Sean - Dance (A$$) Remix (with Nicki Minaj)
This strikes me as a ghetto 80's style rap video. It's also a video that could potentially teaching you a hundred different languages to say "ass" in. If it wasn't for Nicki, this video wouldn't even have made the list. Just for the record.
9. Beyonce - 1+1
I love this song. I want it to be my wedding song and I think this video is an amazing edit job and Beyonce is smoldering. Definitely the most sensual video of the year. I absolutely love it.
8. Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
I love the dance. Much like Ke$ha's Blow, this was the first Nicki video that didn't totally bore me. I thought it was sexy and funny. I hope Nicki brings back some fun tracks like this on Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded because I haven't been getting into Roman in Moscow or Stupid Hoe the way I dig the tracks on Pink Friday
7. Demi Lovato - Skyscraper
One of the most emotionally charged videos of the year. The meaning behind the song reeled me in and never let go. I live by this song and the video just grabs me. Demi is beautiful and making a statement. Skyscraper also made me fall in love with Demi and to order Unbroken.
6. Britney Spears - I Wanna Go
Easily Britney's funniest video to date! The intro had me rolling on the floor because some days I feel like acting that way! I enjoy the fact that Britney doesn't take the rumors and crap surrounding her seriously and can poke fun at it. You can tell she's gotten stronger since her Blackout breakdown. Check out this kick-ass video!
5. Pink - F**kin' Perfect
Pink will always be my number one with a bullet and I adore the fact that she took the chance to make this song, make it a single, and call attention to an issue that many people sweep under the rug. As she says, "you can't move mountains by whispering at them." Here's the video for Perfect:
4. Katy Perry - The One That Got Away
Second to only Firework off of the Teenage Dream album, this single amazes me. I was not completely sold on it, though I want her to crush MJ's record by having six consecutive number one singles off one album. The video did me in. It's a unique take on the song that is heart wrenching and intriguing. It also touches on my fear of doing something that I won't be able to make up for or apologize for before it's too late. Well played, Katy.
3. Rise Against - Make It Stop (September's Children)
I have not really been in a rock mood this year, but I saw an interview with Rise Against on Fuse at the gym one day where they said "I want everyone to feel like a family at a Rise Against show. If you discriminate against someone, then you're the one who doesn't belong there." This was during their time of releasing Help Is On the Way. Not long after, they released this video and stole my heart. Gay bullying is one thing I stress as an educator, well really bullying in any form. This video will play a key role in one of my lessons this spring. Please check out this video about the gay suicides of September 2010 in Rise Against's video for Make It Stop (September's Children)
2. Rihanna - We Found Love
This song and this woman have just dominated this year. Really, the top two spots were a toss up for me and I had a terrible time deciding. This video is full of imagery that an English major can feast on, such as the imploding building that has a banner reading "controlled chaos" on it. Plus, the video has a great message and Rihanna rules.
1. Rihanna - S&M
Besides being rivaled by We Found Love, no other video even comes close to comparing. This is an English majors dream with elements of allusion and metaphor in abundance. People were entirely outraged by this video, when honestly it's not dirty at all. The song is about how the media crucified her for her Rated R era material. Basically, the song is her way of sticking her tongue out and saying "If you thought Rude Boy was bad, watch this!" It completely flew over her target audience's head and they freaked out more about it. One thing I love about Rihanna is that she isn't scared of a little controversy and won't back down! If you didn't understand S&M's video before, check it out now and see if it makes more sense now that I have explained.
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