Music videos have come a long, long way since Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody (considered the first) and the introduction of MTV in 1981. Music videos are mini movies with huge budgets, big creative teams and aim to be more than just something to show along with the song. With CGI and improved techniques, animated music videos can steal the show. Here are 10 of the best animated videos to date:

10. U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me


Written for the movie, Batman Forever, the video is not unsurprisingly set in Gotham City.

9. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Love Rollercoaster

The style is unmistakably Beavis and Butthead and is because the song appears on the soundtrack of the movie of the irreverent cartoon series.

8. Kanye West – Heartless

Not normally known for a liking of simplicity, the animated video for Heartless is quaint and simple, yet works very well.

7. Daft Punk – One More Time

The genre of animated music video would be incomplete without Japanese anime and courtesy of French electronic duo Daft Punk, we’re treated to 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar System.

6. Radiohead – Paranoid Android

Far removed from the usual dour, gloomy stuff from the Bristol band, Paranoid Android was one of the earliest animated videos and remains one of the most memorable.

5. Linkin Park – Breaking The Habit

Linkin Park turned to the amazing animations of Kazuto Nakazawa for this video. Nakazawa produced the animation scene in Kill Bill: Volume I.

4. A-ha – Take On Me

One of the most recognisable videos – animated or otherwise – of all time, the mix of real life and sketchbook animation is a classic.

3. Disturbed – Land Of Confusion

This politically loaded video for Disturbed’s cover of the Genesis song, is the work of superstar animator, Todd McFarlane.

2. Gorillaz – Feel Good Inc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Qp38qT-xI

Gorillaz are a virtual band so all their videos are animated. This particular one is inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s Castle In The Sky.

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication

Is it obvious that even though from 1999, this video is inspired by the Grand Theft Auto video games?