The 50 Sexiest Music Videos of All Time

50 Greatest TV Comedy Sketches

30. Van Halen, "Hot for Teacher" (1984)

Geeky boy unwound by hot female authority figure? Check. High-school boredom alleviated by spontaneous mob mentality? Check. A classic, pure and simple, with a few surprisingly inventive scenes, like the long library-table strut, and the epilogue that tells us, in brilliant '80s-movie fashion, what everyone "went on" to do later.

29. She & Him, "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" (2008)

Why we're nerds: We find Zooey Deschanel's outfits — cowgirl, go-go-booted bride — way sexier than Britney Spears' Catholic schoolgirl.

28. Bruce Springsteen, "Dancing in the Dark" (1984)

Springsteen went from nerdy savior of rock-and-roll to full-blown megastar and hunky teen idol with this first video from 1984's Born In The USA. Of course, everyone remembers Courteney Cox's breakthrough performance as "extra #84,206" in this Brian De Palma-directed video, which manages to feel gargantuan and intimate at the same time.

27. Tom Waits, "The One That Got Away" (1976)

From 1976's Small Change album, video is also the only Academy Award winner on our list, thanks to its then-inventive use of rotoscoping, a process rarely seen again until the 2001 Richard Linklater film Waking Life. Tom Waits tangos with a stripper, smokes, improvises lyrics and mumbles, and is so caught up in himself that he loses her to a thug in a sleek new car, just after she takes off her top.

26. Shakira, "Hips Don't Lie" (2006)

Not since "Baby Got Back" has one particular part of the anatomy been so thoroughly, um, celebrated. This video makes us want to move to South America so we can be around people who dance like this, dress like this and party like this at all times.

25. Blondie, "Hangin' on the Telephone" (1978)

Our favorite Debbie Harry story was cruelly debunked, but Harry swore it happened at the time, so we'll relate it anyway: She was walking home through the Village one night after waitressing at Max's Kansas City. As usual, some guy offered her a ride. (The name Blondie came from guys cat-calling her from their cars.) She accepted, but got creeped out and vaulted out of the car at a red light. Later, she saw the man's mugshot on TV: it was Ted Bundy.

24. En Vogue, "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (1992)

En Vogue took the style of Motown and updated it with this cover of a song originally written and produced by Curtis Mayfield for the 1976 film, Sparkle. Aretha Franklin provided the vocals for that movie (inspired by the Supremes), and En Vogue transforms her giddy, sunshiny rendition into something sultry and feline.

23. Fiona Apple, "Criminal" (1996)

From the Tidal album, Apple has said this track is about "feeling bad for getting something so easily by using your sexuality." We're not going to lie: the line between sexy and creepy gets a little blurry here. Maybe it's the way Apple — who The New Yorker once described as "an underfed Calvin Klein model" — glares into the searchlight with those heroin-chic eyes.

22. Prince, "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold" (1999)

Mr. Sexy MF has videos that are more erotic than this one (almost all of which have been removed from the internet), but "Greatest Romance" is the one diehard devotes clamor after the most, if the rabid fandom on the Prince.org message boards is to be believed.

21. D'Angelo, "How Does It Feel" (2000)

D'Angelo has been called a modern-day Prince (a claim Prince fans no doubt consider the highest form of treason), mainly because of his unabashed habit of fucking the camera with his eyes. In this, he fucks it with his whole, enormous body, but it's the totally unchecked, frothy orgasm he whips himself into near the end that gets him a spot on this list.

Comments ( 69 )

I understand that it is hard to come up with a list that will please everyone but it is unforgivable not to have even one of these; "Love would never do" Janet Jackson, anything by Mariah Carey (especially "Loverboy"), "Promise of a new day" Paula Abdul, etc.

ss commented on Sep 08 08 at 9:04 am

A "video single" is a video released for the public to buy. Since Madonna wasn't getting airplay, just controversy, for the video it was released on VHS at the time and sold like crazy. I'm not understanding why a music critic doesn't know this and would even be prepared to write a 50 sexiest music videos list???

ATB commented on Sep 12 08 at 4:05 pm

B.O.N (Band Ohne Namen) from Germany - BOYS is the video. Look for the uncensored version...sure it's silly but LOVE SHACK!?!?!?! is just ridiculous.

Good call on Wicked Game, though. Should be number 1.

JBS commented on Sep 13 08 at 2:47 pm

Pound Cake by Van Halen

Nuff said.

JB commented on Nov 01 08 at 5:29 pm

I Don

commented on Dec 28 08 at 5:06 pm

Great presentation, but you forgot Milk Shake, I believe

NIL commented on Jan 18 09 at 6:00 am

Hmm, wheres Alex Gausinos "Destination Unknown"?

Dii commented on Mar 14 09 at 9:41 am

Where is ONJ "Let's get Physical"?

XX commented on Apr 23 09 at 8:25 am

Bilal "Soul Sista"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9fcNjqK5Pk

Maxwell "Pretty Wings"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mLfC2kkvPw

I used to be so angry about that D'Angelo "Untitled" joint...haha, though you really couldn't fight it, just talk to your girl again after it was over.

AJS commented on Aug 07 09 at 7:56 pm

How Do you overlook DIRRTY, C Aguilera......Totally ruins your list. Top five hands down

JL commented on Sep 21 09 at 12:02 pm

How did Staci's Mom not make this list?

rv commented on Nov 17 09 at 3:12 am

George Michael's "Father Figure" should certainly be in the Top 5!

Pepe commented on Mar 30 10 at 11:51 pm

What do you think?

sexw commented on Apr 03 10 at 4:14 pm

I think is more like a 40+y/o woman's choices

X13 commented on Apr 05 10 at 11:44 pm

class room commented on Apr 21 10 at 1:04 am

Christina Aguilera's Dirrty needs to be up here. But I think Justify My Love should be #1, that vid still makes me blush

MistressVanilla commented on Apr 21 10 at 6:33 pm

bejo commented on Apr 24 10 at 10:32 am

Comments ( 69 )

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