by The Debate Over the Greatest Music Video Ever Made
When discussing the greatest music videos of all time, two titles consistently rise to the top of the conversation – Michael Jackson’s iconic “Billie Jean” and Beyoncé’s massively influential “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” Both videos broke new ground visually and helped propel their respective songs to unprecedented commercial success. But which one truly deserves the title of the greatest music video ever? Let’s take a deeper look at these two landmark videos and analyze why “Billie Jean” ultimately earns the top spot.
“Billie Jean” – A Groundbreaking Visual Masterpiece
Released in 1983, the “Billie Jean” music video was a true game changer. Up to that point, music videos had primarily just shown the artist lip syncing to their song. But Michael Jackson completely changed the formula with his innovative video for “Billie Jean.” Directed by Steve Barron, the video follows Jackson as he is stalked and confronted by the mysterious Billie Jean about the paternity of her child.
Through clever camerawork, lighting, and Jackson’s mesmerizing dance moves, the video brought the song’s narrative to vivid life. Scenes of Jackson dancing alone in an empty city street or in a dimly lit apartment helped immerse viewers in the song’s paranoia and intrigue. His iconic moonwalk move, debuted in this video, cemented his status as the greatest entertainer of all time. On a technical level, the video also broke new ground. It was one of the first to use complex tracking shots and Steadicam filming techniques.
The video had a massive cultural impact. It helped turn “Billie Jean” into one of the best-selling singles of all time and was a driving force in launching Michael Jackson into true global superstardom. The video’s visuals became so iconic that it has been referenced and parodied countless times in pop culture. It essentially established the template that all future narrative-driven music videos would follow. At the time, nothing like it had ever been seen before.
“Single Ladies” – A Dance Craze Inspiring Video
Released in 2008, Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” video was also massively influential in its own right. Directed by Jake Nava, the black-and-white video features Beyoncé and two backup dancers performing a highly choreographed routine in matching outfits. Through its precise synchronization and repetition, the dance soon caught on as a worldwide phenomenon.
The video helped propel “Single Ladies” to the top of the charts globally and its dance routine inspired countless covers and parodies online. It was a major factor in Beyoncé reaching a new level of global superstardom. On a technical level, the video showcased Beyoncé’s talents as a dancer and performer through complex choreography and camerawork that highlighted her control and skill. It also helped usher in a new golden era of dance-focused videos.
While hugely impactful, the “Single Ladies” video does have some limitations when compared to “Billie Jean.” Its concept is relatively simple – just three women dancing in a small space. There is no larger narrative element like in “Billie Jean.” The video also relies more on the catchy dance moves rather than truly innovative filmmaking techniques. It was also building upon foundations already established by prior videos like “Billie Jean.”
The Legacy and Lasting Impact of “Billie Jean”
Over 35 years since its release, the “Billie Jean” music video remains utterly spellbinding to watch. Its visuals have endured in a way few other videos can match. It set the benchmark for what a narrative music video could achieve and truly broke new ground in the medium. The video played a major role in cementing Michael Jackson as the biggest pop star who ever lived. Its influence can still be seen in countless modern videos today.
While “Single Ladies” sparked a global dance craze and helped elevate Beyoncé to icon status, it was working within an already established template of dance and choreography-driven videos. “Billie Jean” invented that template. It showed the potential of what a music video could be as an art form and storytelling device. For pushing creative boundaries further than any video before it and having an impact that still resonates so powerfully today, “Billie Jean” truly deserves recognition as the single greatest music video of all time. Few other videos can match its legacy of innovation and influence on pop culture.
In the end, both “Billie Jean” and “Single Ladies” are massively important entries in the history of music videos that changed the game in their own eras. But when directly comparing their impacts, “Billie Jean” stands out as the video that most radically transformed what the medium could achieve and its influence is still being felt today. For setting the gold standard that all future videos would be judged by, Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” earns the top spot as the greatest music video ever made.
