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Image Credit: Kendrick Lamar /Vevo
Video killed the radio star, and to the winner goes the spoils. Since 1984, the Recording Academy has celebrated the music video format with the Best Music Video Grammy Award. In the following decades, some of the biggest stars have taken home the gold for the videos that have become the bedrock for the art form. This year will be no different, as some of your favorite musical acts are up for the Grammy.
Initially, the award was called the “Best Video, Short Form.” The academy also debuted the Best Music Film Grammy in 1984, an accolade for longer visual projects and concert films. Duran Duran won the first Grammy for Best Music Video at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards. Their “Girls On Film/ Hungry Like The Wolf” claimed the prize, with their eponymous Duran Duran winning Best Music Film later that night.
In 1988, the Grammys changed the criteria for the award, switching it up to “Best Concept Music Video” and “Best Performance Music Video.” This hyper-specific, pedantic division didn’t last long. After Genesis (“Land of Confusion”) and “Weird Al” Yankovic (“Fat”) won the Concept Music Videos in 1988 and ’89 – with The Prince’s Trust All-Star Rock Concert and U2’s “Where The Streets Have No Name” winning Best Performance Music Video – the category reverted to its original criteria in 1990. It also changed its name to Best Short Form Music Video until 2012, when it was then just called Best Music Video.
David Bowie (“Jazzin’ For Blue Jean”), R.E.M (“Losing My Religion”), The Beatles (“Free As A Bird”), and Madonna (“Ray of Light”) have all won the award. Michael Jackson won the award twice (“Leave Me Alone,” “Scream”), as did his sister, Janet Jackson (“Got ’til It’s Gone,” “Scream”). U2 also won twice, taking the award for “Vertigo” in 2005. Beyoncé has a pair of Music Video Grammys (“Formation,” “Brown Skin Girl”). So does Kendrick Lamar (“Humble,” “Bad Blood”). Director Mark Romanek has the record for most wins – Johnny Cash’s “Hurt,” Janet’s “Got ’til It’s Gone,” and “Scream” – as a director.
This Year’s Nominees
The 2023 field for Best Music Video features one of the more dynamic videos in recent memory, along with one that had every Swifties’ heart a’flutter.
Adele returned with “Easy On Me,” a video that has racked up 327 million views since its Oct. 2021 premiere. BTS dropped the video for “Yet To Come” in June 2021, and it’s amassed 176 million views. Doja Cat‘s sensual and sizzling “Woman” video arrived in Dec. 2021 and has put up 160 million views.
Ahead of Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers album, he released “The Heart Part Five,” a stunning video that saw his face change to that of Kanye West, Jussie Smollett, Will Smith, Kobe Bryant, and Nipsey Hussle. The deepfake marvel has amassed 41 million views since arriving in May 2022. Two months before “The Heart Part Five,” Harry Styles shared the video for “As It Was,” the lead single off of Harry’s House. In less than a year, it has received 425 million views.
Taylor Swift continued her career as a director with All Too Well: The Short Film, the visual accompanying the ten-minute version of her song, “All Too Well.” Since releasing the video online in Nov. 2021, it has been viewed over 82 million times.
- Adele, “Easy On Me” (Xavier Dolan, video director; Xavier Dolan & Nancy Grant, video producers)
- BTS, “Yet To Come” (Yong Seok Choi, video director; Tiffany Suh, video producer)
- Doja Cat, “Woman” (Child., video director; Missy Galanida, Sam Houston, Michelle Larkin & Isaac Rice, video producers)
- Kendrick Lamar, “The Heart Part 5” (Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar, video directors; Jason Baum & Jamie Rabineau, video producers)
- Harry Styles, “As It Was” (Tanu Muino, video director; Frank Borin, Ivanna Borin, Fred Bonham Carter & Alexa Haywood, video producers)
- Taylor Swift, All Too Well: The Short Film (Taylor Swift, video director; Saul Germaine, video producer)
Winners Of The Best Music Video Grammy Since 2000
2022: Jon Batiste, ‘Freedom’
Other Nominees:
- AC/DC, “Shot in the Dark” – AC/DC
- Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, “I Get a Kick Out of You”
- Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon, “Peaches”
- Billie Eilish, “Happier Than Ever” –
- Lil Nas X, “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”
- Olivia Rodrigo, “Good 4 U”
2021: Beyoncé & Wizkid Ft. Blue Ivy, “Brown Skin Girl”
Other nominees:
- Future featuring Drake, “Life Is Good”
- Anderson .Paak, “Lockdown”
- Harry Styles, “Adore You”
- Woodkid, “Goliath”
2020: Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
Other nominees:
- Chemical Brothers, “We’ve Got to Try” (Ninian Doff, video director; Ellie Fry, video producer)
- Gary Clark Jr., “This Land”
- FKA Twigs, “Cellophane”
- Tove Lo, “Glad He’s Gone”
2019: Childish Gambino, “This Is America”
Other nominees:
- The Carters, “Apeshit”
- Joyner Lucas, “I’m Not Racist”
- Janelle Monáe, “Pynk”
- Tierra Whack, “Mumbo Jumbo”
2018: Kendrick Lamar, “Humble”
Other nominees:
- Beck, “Up All Night”
- Jain, “Makeba”
- Jay Z, “The Story of O.J.”
- Logic featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid, “1-800-273-8255”
2017: Beyoncé, “Formation”
Other nominees:
- Leon Bridges, “River”
- Coldplay, “Up & Up”
- Jamie xx, “Gosh”
- OK Go, “Upside Down & Inside Out”
2016: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”
Other nominees:
- A$AP Rocky, “LSD”
- The Dead Weather, “I Feel Love
- Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”
- Pharrell Williams, “Freedom”
2015: Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Other nominees:
- Arcade Fire, “We Exist
- DJ Snake and Lil’ Jon, “Turn Down for What”
- Sia, “Chandelier”
- Woodkid featuring Max Richter, “The Golden Age”
2014: Justin Timberlake Ft. Jay-Z, “Suit & Tie”
Other nominees:
- Capital Cities, “Safe and Sound”
- Jay Z, “Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film”
- Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us
- Jack White, “I’m Shakin’”
2013: Rihanna & Calvin Harris, “We Found Love”
Other nominees:
- Foster the People, “Houdini”
- Jay Z and Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean and The-Dream – “No Church in the Wild
- M.I.A., “Bad Girls”
- Woodkid, “Run Boy Run”
2012: Adele, “Rolling in the Deep”
Other nominees:
- Memory Tapes, “Yes I Know”
- OK Go, “All Is Not Lost
- Radiohead, “Lotus Flower”
- Skrillex, “First of the Year (Equinox)”
- “Weird Al” Yankovic, “Perform This Way”
2011: Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance”
Other nominees:
- Johnny Cash, “Ain’t No Grave / The Johnny Cash Project”
- Eminem and Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”
- Gorillaz, Mos Def and Bobby Womack, “Stylo”
- Cee Lo Green, “Fuck You”
2010: The Black Eyed Peas, “Boom Boom Pow”
Other nominees:
- Beast, “Mr. Hurricane”
- Coldplay, “Life in Technicolor II”
- Depeche Mode, “Wrong”
- Oren Lavie, “Her Morning Elegance”
2009: Weezer, “Pork and Beans:
Other nominees:
- Erykah Badu, “Honey”
- Gnarls Barkley, “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul”
- Radiohead, “House of Cards”
- Jack White and Alicia Keys, “Another Way to Die”
2008: Johnny Cash, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”
Other nominees:
- Feist, “1234”
- Gnarls Barkley, “Gone Daddy Gone”
- Justice, “D.A.N.C.E.”
- Mutemath, “Typical”
2007: OK Go, “Here It Goes Again”
Other nominees:
- Big & Rich, “8th of November”
- Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Dani California”
- The Killers, “When You Were Young”
- Underoath, “Writing on the Walls”
2006: Missy Elliott ft. Ciara & Fatman Scoop, “Lose Control”
Other nominees:
- Gorillaz, “Feel Good Inc.”
- Jamiroquai, “Feels Just Like It Should”
- Martina McBride, “God’s Will”
- Sarah McLachlan, “World on Fire”
2005: U2, “Vertigo”
Other nominees:
- Franz Ferdinand, “Take Me Out”
- Green Day, “American Idiot”
- George Michael, “Flawless (Go to the City)”
- Steriogram, “Walkie Talkie Man”
2004: Johnny Cash, “Hurt”
Other nominees:
- Coldplay, “The Scientist”
- Madonna, “Die Another Day”
- Martina McBride, “Concrete Angel”
- OutKast, “Hey Ya!”
2003: Eminem, “Without Me”
Other nominees:
- 1 Giant Leap featuring Robbie Williams and Maxi Jazz – “My Culture”
- Dirty Vegas, “Days Go By”
- Knoc-turn’al, Dr. Dre and Missy Elliott, “The Knoc”
- Nas, “One Mic”
2002: Fatboy Slim ft. Bootsy Collins, “Weapon Of Choice”
Other nominees:
- Aerosmith, “Fly Away from Here”
- Missy Elliott featuring Ludacris, “One Minute Man”
- Madonna, “Don’t Tell Me”
- OutKast, “Ms. Jackson”
2001: Foo Fighters, “Learn To Fly”
Other nominees:
- Busta Rhymes, “Fire”
- Reba McEntire, “What Do You Say”
- Papa Roach, “Broken Home”
- Will Smith, “Will 2K”
2000: Korn, “Freak On A Leash”
Other nominees:
- Björk, “All Is Full of Love”
- Lauryn Hill, “Everything Is Everything”
- Brian McKnight, “Back at One”
- TLC, “Unpretty”
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Editorial use only. ATTENTION EDITORS: IMAGE TO BE USED ONLY IN RELATION TO THE STATED EVENT HANDOUT /NO SALES Mandatory Credit: Photo by Kevin Mazur/The Recording Academy/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (11799836c) A handout photo shows Maren Morris arriving for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony at the Los Angeles Convention Center, in Los Angeles, California, USA, 14 March 2021. Arrivals – 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Los Angeles, USA – 14 Mar 2021
Taylor Swift poses in the press room at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center on March 14 with both live and prerecorded segments 63rd Annual Grammy Awards – Press Room, Los Angeles, United States – 14 Mar 2021
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