The 7 most disturbing music videos of all time
As the 20th Century wore on and technological advancement set its sights on the millennium, music videos came to the fore in a big way. While the Beatles always viewed their music videos merely as promotional accompaniments to their singles, artists of the 1980s and 1990s began to view their music videos as a vital part of spreading their thematic vision.
This became especially prominent during the age of MTV and several other music TV channels that dominated the airwaves. The general public could happily whittle away a day in the latter part of the 20th Century watching the several visual explorations of a given song’s theme. Some videos were closely related in terms of plot and direction to the nature of the song.
For some groups, however, the opportunity to record and promote a music video was the chance to give their artistic license a stretch, and especially for the more sick-of-mind individuals, this meant making works of art that would terrify and disturb their audiences. In light of this, we’re going to run through some of the most disturbing music videos to ever come crawling onto our screens.
The 7 most disturbing music videos of all time:
Marilyn Manson – ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’
One of the self-admittedly sickest individuals in the industry announced his arrival on the scene with the video for ‘Sweet Dreams’. The God of Fuck traipses his way around a shit-covered nightmarish squat, with all manner of squeamish and freaky occurrences going on around him.
The camera work induces the feeling of a drug-fuelled binge, where you’ve woken up on the wrong side of town. The costume department pulled out all the stops here, and Manson very much foresaw the current fashion trend of ugly is beautiful.
Aphex Twin – ‘Come To Daddy’
Several of Aphex Twin’s music videos are, shall we say, rather effed-up. But one of the most terrifying and impactful was his short flick for ‘Come to Daddy’. The video opens on a traditional British council estate to the eerie sounds from the depths of your very worst dreams.
When the bass kicks in, a portable TV flicks on to reveal severely twisted creatures who emerge from the set and terrorise the several grannies on the estate. Richard James’ face then is transposed onto several of the figures in the video and is at once brilliant and truly unsettling.
Dir En Grey – ‘Obscure’
Japan has often been regarded for its disturbing art, and Dir En Grey didn’t disappoint with their video for ‘Obscure’. Any YouTube video that forces you to agree to watch its distressing contents ought to be worthy of a place on this list, and ‘Obscure’ certainly does.
Images flash onto the screen in quick succession, including a demonic penis, a barely knitted-together Frankenstein monster, and writhing maggots and tadpoles. This one ought to be watched with caution.
Tool – ‘Sober’
Let’s face it; Tool were always bound to end up on here somewhere. The iconic art-metal band have always had a penchant for the theatrically disturbing, and their stop motion video for ‘Sober’ does not let up in the slightest.
We’re transported immediately into a super spooky house covered in darkness. Then a strange hominid creature begins mucking about with a mysterious box before being sent on a mind-bending journey through the house. In addition to the aesthetics of the video, perhaps the slow, stop-motion animation makes it so unsettling.
Nine Inch Nails – ‘Closer’
Just like Tool, it’s unsurprising to find Trent Reznor’s band here. Another age-restricted video sees Reznor dressed up in bondage gear while a bloody heart beats to the sound of the song, enticing cockroaches to squirm around to the bassline.
The line “I want to fuck you like an animal” is particularly pertinent as we experience several instances of animal cruelty, including a pig’s head spinning around on BDSM equipment and a live monkey being crucified. Just normal stuff for Nine Inch Nails, then.
Pearl Jam – ‘Jeremy’
Pearl Jam are perhaps an intriguing entry on this list, yet their video for ‘Jeremy’ more than earns their place. It examines the vulnerable state of mind that young children can get themselves into. We are transported into the mind of young Jeremy, who is close to breaking point, having suffered at the hands of others.
Arguably the most politically important of the videos on this list, ‘Jeremy’ explores the violence that grows inside someone who is on the wrong end of bullying in school. The most shocking part of the video comes right at the climax in a truly unsettling moment, as Jeremy’s classmates look on in shock. As do we.
Prodigy – ‘Breathe’
While the Prodigy’s sound was mainly associated with the raves of the 1990s, they transported their flex for the ‘Breathe’ video to a rundown mucky apartment filled with all manner of disturbing visual aids, soon to be filled with crawling alligators.
Yet even with all the wild creatures, awesome costume design and ever-flashing lights, what is truly haunting about this video is the damn walls. They’re persistently moving, looking like they’re just about to grab the apartment’s inhabitants for them never to return.
