Iconic music videos from 25 years ago still watched today

We take a look at some of the top music videos still watched despite being released decades ago.

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By

Heather Greenaway

Graham Lister

19:09, 17 SEP 2023

It’s been 25 years since Britney Spears pulled on a school uniform and danced her way along a corridor creating music video history.

While the teenage singer’s debut single Baby One More Time was a huge pop hit with 25 million sales, it was the song’s super-slick video that went stratospheric with 821 million views to date.

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Today, music videos continue to push boundaries and innovate. So what makes an iconic music video that will still be watched in decades to come? Here we take a look at some of the best video hits.

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Britney Spears - Hit Me Baby One More Time video
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WANNABE Spice Girls, 1996

The debut video of Scary, Baby, Sporty, Ginger and Posh. When the record label tried to pull the video over Geri’s showgirl outfit and Mel B’s skin-tight top, the group refused. It won Best Dance Video at the 1997 MTV video awards.
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Like a Prayer - Madonna 1989

With burning crosses and saintly seduction, it was condemned by the Vatican, banned from Italian TV and led to Pepsi axing an ad campaign. But it won multiple video awards.
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Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen 1975

With all four faces in single shots and trick photography, it’s seen as a visual masterpiece. Brian May revealed it was only made to avoid them having to appear live on Top Of The Pops.
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Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel 1986

With animation by Wallace And Gromit creator Nick Park, this video required Gabriel to lie under a sheet of glass for 16 hours. It went on to win nine prizes at the 1987 MTV Music Video Awards and
is still one of the most played songs in the station’s history.
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