Rolling Stone, long considered the crème de la crème of music magazines, celebrated MTVs’ 40th birthday by releasing its list of the 100 greatest videos of all time. The esteemed publication listed Beyoncé’s visually stunning and equally controversial video “Formation” as the best video that has ever been made.
Fans were jarred, however, by the fact that Michael Jackson’s legendary full-length video “Thriller,” the title track to the bestselling album of all time, was nowhere to be found in the top 100.
Rolling Stone calls the Melina Matsoukas-directed “Formation” as a “striking commentary on significant moments in Black American history” that debuted during Black History Month in 2016.
Director Matsoukas told the New Yorker in 2017 that Queen Bey wanted the video to show the “historical impact of slavery on black love, and what it has done to the black family.”
Other notable hip hop and R&B stars in the top 10 is Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” at No. 4. While “Thriller” is shockingly missing from the entire list, The King of Pop’s barrier-breaking video for his biggest career song, “Billie Jean,” rests at No. 10. Rolling Stone says the 1983 video “still defines music video at its peak of cultural and emotional impact.”
The Top 100 list also includes Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” at No. 12; Missy Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” at No. 16; Prince’s “Kiss” No. 18, Young Thug’s “Wyclef Jean” at No. 22, JAY-Z’s “99 Problems” at No. 23; 2Pac and Dr. Dre’s “California Love” at No. 27; Drake’s “Hotline Bling” No. 32; Kanye West’s “Bound 2” at No. 34; and Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” at No. 82.
Check out the top 20 for Rolling Stone’s list, followed by Queen Bey’s groundbreaking and majestic “Formation.”
1. Beyoncé – “Formation”
2. Johnny Cash – “Hurt”
3. Madonna – “Vogue”
4. Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
5. New Order – “The Perfect Kiss”
6. Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”
7. D’Angelo – “Untitled (How Does It Feel?)”
8. Peter Gabriel – “Sledgehammer”
9. Guns N’ Roses – “November Rain”
10. Michael Jackson – “Billie Jean”
11. George Michael – “Freedom ’90”
12. Beyoncé – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
13. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
14. A-ha – “Take on Me”
15. The White Stripes – “Fell in Love With a Girl”
16. Missy Elliott – “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”
17. Duran Duran – “Hungry Like the Wolf”
18. Prince – “Kiss”
19. Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”
20. DJ Shadow feat. Run the Jewels – “Nobody Speak”
Flip the page to view the “Formation” video:
