The 5 Most Expensive Music Videos Of All Time

[groovyguy 63,856]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2014/08/24/the-top-5-most-expensive-music-videos-of-all-time/

Of all the expensive music videos made over time (and there are quite a few), the top five are created by only two artists: Michael Jackson and Madonna. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as those two legends are some of the only ones who would have enough clout to rustle up millions for a four-minute movie. While other artists typically use music videos as a way of selling more copies of a certain song or album, these two turned the music video into an art form, attempting to top themselves with each new project.

 

While the details and stories surrounding these videos and songs could go on for pages, here’s a quick look at the top five most expensive music videos (adjusted for inflation to 2013 dollars) and what made them so unique, so special, and so costly.

 

5. Michael Jackson — “Black or White,†$6.9 million (originally $4 million)

The lead single from Jackson’s Dangerous needed a video that would be many things all at once—fun, meaningful, and above all else, memorable. The final product of course ended up as all of these and more, becoming a fan favorite and controversy at the same time. The 11-minute adventure premiered at the same time on all music channels (MTV , BET, and VH1), as well as on FOX in 27 countries, with an estimated 500 million people watching.

 

4. Madonna — “Bedtime Story,†$7.7 million (originally $5 million)“Bedtime Story†is the first of three Madonna music videos on this list, though the single it was made to promote is not one of the singer’s greatest successes. Directed by Mark Romanek, who would also direct the music video that ends up surpassing “Bedtime†as the single most expensive of all time. Not one to miss a publicity opportunity, Madonna premiered the video at movie theatres in New York City, Chicago, and Santa Monica. These days, it is housed permanently in a collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

 

3. Madonna — “Die Another Day,†$7.9 million (originally $6.1 million)While the song received mixed reviews from critics, Madonna’s Bond song went on to be the best-selling dance song of 2002 and 2003, and its video was nominated for a Grammy. The James Bond-inspired video has the legendary pop star fighting herself, which was a mixture of green screens and intricate and expensive special effects. A few years ago, Billboard ranked the song the #6 song from the Bond franchise.

 

2. Madonna — “Express Yourself,†$9.4 million (originally $5 million)Madonna’s “Express Yourself†video cost $5 million to make back in 1989, making it the most expensive video ever made at the time. The clip, which was inspired by 1927 German science fiction film Metropolis was directed by David Fincher, who would go on to be nominated for Academy Awards for also directing both The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Social Network. The video sees the singer dressing in a masculine fashion, yet being as sexual as ever.

 

1. Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson — “Scream,†$10.7 million (originally $7 million)

The video for “Scream,†the first single off Michael’sHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album is really one for the books, and one of the few videos that everybody remembers seeing for the first time. Taking place on an elaborately-built spaceship set, the mostly black and white treatment shows Michael and Janet having fun, while simultaneously being angry about how the media had been portraying them lately. The video got its big debut on ABC’s “Primetime Live,†as Jackson was being interviewed with new bride Lisa Marie Presley. An estimated 64 million people watched, and later that year it would go on to win a Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video.

[Fighter 28,798]

I like Madonna's videos way more than I like Michael's...

[xavier 4,774]

Micheals videos are so overrated!

[groovyguy 63,856]

http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2013-09-26/25-most-expensive-music-videos/

In 2013, the list of 25 Most Expensive Music Videos Ever Made:

 

22. “Give Me All Of Your Luvin†by Madonna featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. (2012)

Directed by Megaforce for $1,500,000 ($1,530,843 in 2013)

 

5. “Black Or White†by Michael Jackson (1991)

Directed by John Landis for $4,000,000 ($6,742,243 in 2013)

 

4. “Bedtime Story†by Madonna (1995)

Directed by Mark Romanek for $5,000,000 ($7,533,304 in 2013)

 

3. “Express Yourself†by Madonna (1989)

Directed by David Fincher for $5,000,000 ($9,260,403 in 2013)

 

2.†Die Another Day†by Madonna (2002)

Directed by Traktor for $6,100,000 ($7,786,105 in 2013)

 

1. “Scream†by Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson  (1995)

Directed by Mark Romanek for $7,000,000 ($10,546,626 in 2013)

 

Note that the 2013 list did not account for the inflation-adjusted production costs.

[Fighter 28,798]

That's great, I didn't know GMAYL had cost so much to make, it is a great video. My favourite from the MDNA era. 

[groovyguy 63,856]

^ My fav too from MDNA. But my all time favorite Madonna's video is Bedtime Story which is appropriately stored in the Museum of Modern Art.

[unapologeticheart 872]

I like Madonna's videos way more than I like Michael's...

 

Micheals videos are so overrated!

 

I agree, Madonna's 90s videos aged very well. MJ&Janet's scream can be done with less than 100$ today

[wtg1987 10,160]

Great videos but come on gmayl ?? Jesus that was terrible :(( i was always pissed she never did a video to one of my favourite tracks ever - Rescue Me :(((

[Fighter 28,798]

Great videos but come on gmayl ?? Jesus that was terrible :(( i was always pissed she never did a video to one of my favourite tracks ever - Rescue Me :(((

 

That would've been epic that japanese elephant commercial had great footage. Althought people would have more ammo to accuse her of copying Marilyn lol

[Halex 1,609]

What is so wrong with the GMAYL video ?

[groovyguy 63,856]

i luv the GMAYL video! It's an awesome and fun video.

[Fighter 28,798]

Nothing wrong with that video except maybe some of the Marilyn sequence. Those dresses they were wearing and the dancing weren't the best, but oh well, it was a super dorky video anyway.