I was inspired to inventory my favourite 100 music videos for two main reasons:
1) the epic nostalgia experienced while currently binging on The Goldbergs (Thanks to Patrick Carr for the heads-up), and 2) Lee Turner's and Richard Cross' top 10 music videos shared on Facebook this past fall.
Growing up in the suburbs of Nova Scotia, I was a hopeless music video junkie. Starting
in junior high during the early 80s, we watched Switchback with Stan the Man
and that cool ASN program on Saturday nights, Atlantic Canada's Choice. On high school weekdays before supper we
turned on CBC's Video Hits with
Samantha Taylor, and on weekends, Good
Rockin' Tonight hosted by Terry David Mulligan and eventually Stu Jeffries.
For the night owl, the U.S.-based Friday
Night Videos kept us entertained.
The best part was also the worst: having to wait
then hope your favourite song made the cut. Yet all those countless hours binging on video shows as a teen has prepared me for this moment. Now I am ready for a deep dive into the vast reservoir of memorable videos, many forever etched in my psyche.
This exercise will not only feature the usual suspects that you can easily find on a Rolling Stone webpage; I plan to sprinkle in a few cult faves, forgotten classics and hidden gems, too!
The selection process will be happening over the next couple of weeks, as I watch, mull and organize over 200+ videos into a top 100 format.
The assembly is a consolidation of many methods:
- Memory recall
- Online and magazine lists
- You Tube rabbit holes
- Previous lists including my own charts from the 80s
- My CD + MP3 collections
- Researching new bands
Once satisfied with my rankings, I will aim to post one daily, starting with #100. Each post will feature a YouTube link, along with some commentary explaining why it deserves to make the cut.
Although the 80s may have been the halcyon days of music videos, let's not forget about the passion and the polish from some of those shot during the 90s and 00s. Even a few more recent videos will also make the cut.
Hope you enjoy the ride!
