16 Music Videos That Shattered Records
Music videos used to be simple affairs – band plays in front of camera, maybe some basic effects. Then MTV showed up and everything went crazy. Artists started throwing massive budgets at these three-minute clips, breaking records left and right. Now we’ve got videos that cost more than entire movies and rack up billions of views.
The competition got absolutely insane once YouTube entered the picture. Suddenly everyone could watch anything, anytime, and the numbers started climbing into territory nobody imagined possible. Here is a list of 16 music videos that completely demolished whatever records existed before them.
Thriller – Michael Jackson (1983)
Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ didn’t just break records – it invented new categories entirely. The 14-minute short film cost $500,000, which was absolutely unheard of in 1983.
John Landis directed it like an actual movie, complete with professional makeup, choreography, and a storyline that people still copy today. MTV played it constantly, turning music videos into must-see television instead of just promotional tools.
Gangnam Style – PSY (2012)
PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’ became the first YouTube video to hit one billion views, then kept climbing until it literally broke YouTube’s view counter. The platform had to upgrade their systems because they never expected any video to get that popular.
The horse-dance became a global phenomenon, proving that viral content could come from anywhere and language didn’t matter if the hook was catchy enough.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Despacito – Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee (2017)
‘Despacito’ obliterated every YouTube record imaginable, becoming the most-watched video in platform history with over 8 billion views. The song dominated charts in countries where most people don’t speak Spanish, showing how streaming completely changed the music landscape.
Justin Bieber’s remix version helped push it even further, but the original video did most of the heavy lifting.
Scream – Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson (1995)
The Jackson siblings created the most expensive music video ever made with ‘Scream,’ dropping $7 million on a futuristic spaceship set. The black and white aesthetic looked incredible, and the choreography between Michael and Janet was flawless.
Even adjusted for inflation, most videos today don’t come close to that budget, making it a record that’ll probably stand forever.
Baby Shark Dance – Pinkfong (2016)
‘Baby Shark’ became the most-viewed video on YouTube with over 13 billion views, dethroning ‘Despacito’ and probably causing millions of parents to lose their minds. The simple animation and repetitive lyrics created an earworm that conquered playgrounds worldwide.
Kids watch this thing on repeat, driving up numbers that serious musicians can only dream about.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
November Rain – Guns N’ Roses (1992)
Guns N’ Roses spent $1.5 million on ‘November Rain,’ making it the most expensive video of its time and one of the longest ever played on MTV. The nine-minute epic featured a full orchestra, elaborate church scenes, and Slash’s legendary guitar solo in the desert.
MTV actually played the whole thing regularly, which seems impossible by today’s attention spans.
Single Ladies – Beyoncé (2008)
Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’ broke the internet before that was even a common phrase, spawning countless imitations and parodies. The simple concept – three women dancing in leotards against a white background – became one of the most iconic visuals in music history.
The choreography was so memorable that everyone from talk show hosts to wedding parties started copying those moves.
Evolution of Dance – Judson Laipply (2006)
Judson Laipply’s ‘Evolution of Dance’ became YouTube’s most-viewed video for years, hitting over 300 million views when that seemed impossible. The six-minute performance showcased dance moves from different decades, proving that simple concepts could go viral without big budgets.
It stayed at number one for so long that people forgot YouTube had other videos.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Bad Romance – Lady Gaga (2009)
Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ became the first video by a female artist to hit one billion YouTube views, setting the standard for pop spectacle. The surreal visuals, costume changes, and choreography influenced countless artists who tried to match her weirdness.
Gaga proved that being strange wasn’t a liability – it was a superpower if you committed hard enough.
Gentleman – PSY (2013)
PSY followed up ‘Gangnam Style’ with ‘Gentleman,’ which set the record for most views in 24 hours with 38 million. Everyone expected it to be another global phenomenon, but lightning didn’t strike twice the same way.
Still, those opening day numbers showed how much anticipation one viral hit could generate.
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars (2014)
‘Uptown Funk’ dominated YouTube and became the platform’s most-liked video for years, collecting over 4 billion views. Bruno Mars’ retro performance style and the song’s throwback vibe proved that old-school funk could work in the streaming age.
The video’s simple concept let the music and choreography do all the talking.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & Pharrell (2013)
‘Blurred Lines’ set viewing records before getting banned from multiple platforms and facing lawsuit troubles. The controversial video racked up hundreds of millions of views while sparking debates about content standards and artistic boundaries.
Sometimes breaking records comes with breaking other things too.
Harlem Shake – Various Artists (2013)
The ‘Harlem Shake’ meme broke YouTube in a completely different way, with thousands of user-generated versions flooding the platform simultaneously. Baauer’s original track became the soundtrack for countless 30-second videos featuring groups of people dancing wildly.
The collective view count across all versions reached astronomical numbers, showing how participatory content could dominate.
Anaconda – Nicki Minaj (2014)
Nicki Minaj’s ‘Anaconda’ broke Vevo’s 24-hour record with 19.6 million views, beating out several major male artists in the process. The Sir Mix-a-Lot sample and provocative visuals generated massive discussion across social media platforms.
The video proved female rap artists could compete with anyone when it came to generating buzz.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Hello – Adele (2015)
Adele’s ‘Hello’ shattered multiple records, becoming the fastest video to reach one billion views on YouTube in just 88 days. The simple concept – Adele singing in an empty house and making phone calls – proved that emotional connection trumped elaborate production.
Her comeback generated so much anticipation that people watched anything she released.
Dynamite – BTS (2020)
BTS’ ‘Dynamite’ set the record for biggest 24-hour YouTube debut with 101.1 million views, showing how powerful dedicated fandoms had become in the streaming era. The colorful retro concept and English lyrics helped the K-pop group reach new audiences worldwide.
The numbers demonstrated how global music had truly become thanks to digital platforms.
Numbers That Keep Growing
These record-breaking videos changed how the music industry thinks about visual content and audience engagement. What started with MTV’s simple promotional clips became massive productions competing for attention in an oversaturated market.
Each broken record pushes artists to think bigger, spend more, or find completely new ways to capture eyeballs.
The streaming era made everything about numbers – views, likes, shares, comments. Artists now plan videos specifically to break records rather than just support songs.
Whether it’s through massive budgets, viral concepts, or pure controversy, the race for the next record-breaking video never stops. These 16 videos proved that sometimes the visual can become more important than the song itself.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
More from Go2Tutors!
- 16 Historical Figures Who Were Nothing Like You Think
- 12 Things Sold in the 80s That Are Now Illegal
- 15 VHS Tapes That Could Be Worth Thousands
- 17 Historical “What Ifs” That Would Have Changed Everything
- 18 TV Shows That Vanished Without a Finale
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
