Image: Atlantic/Young Money/Cash Money/Universal/Streamline/KonLive/Cherrytree/Interscope
About This Quiz
Music videos are meant to help make songs a lot more popular; whether or not they do what they're intended is another story. Sometimes music videos tell the story of the song, and other times they have nothing to do with the lyrics. While understanding the vision of the video is nice, it's not always necessary if the song is catchy.Â
In the start, music videos weren't called as they are now, mainly because they were very different from what we know today. There were talkies, visual jukeboxes, music clips and musical movies. Musical television didn't really begin until the mid '70s, and it really took off since then. Today, music videos are a big part of the entertainment world. Not only are they on TV, but they're also on websites like YouTube, which records the number of times each video has been watched - which could make or break the song.Â
While watching music videos isn't exactly a hobby, it is fun to do. So if you think you've watched enough MTV, VH1, BET and YouTube in your lifetime, and you think you've got what it takes to pass our quiz and prove your music video prowess, let's get started.Â
RCA
Which song is this video from?
Wrecking Ball
This video starts off with a close up of Cyrus' face; she sings about her love while she cries. She then has a sledgehammer and walks from a room that is immediately bulldozed. Miley then rides the bulldozer naked, and the bulldozer destroys the scene.
I Got You Babe
I Shot the Sheriff
No Woman, No Cry
Advertisement
Epic
Which song is this video from?
Ignition
Thriller
This 14-minute long horror-inspired music video was released in December of 1983. "Thriller" was MTV'S first world premiere video and was named the most successful music video in 2006 by Guinness World Records.
Young Americans
Since U Been Gone
Advertisement
Epic/Sony
Which song is this video from?
Buddy Holly
Hips Don't Lie
Smooth dancing and vocals play throughout this video while Wyclef and Shakira join in on the carnival antics that parade through the streets.
Since U Been Gone
I Shot the Sheriff
Advertisement
Jive Records
Which song is this video from?
...Baby One More Time
"...Baby One More Time" was the debut single that Britney Spears released in 1998. The video follows a daydreaming Catholic school girl who sings about her feelings after a break-up.
Super Freak
I Want to Know What Love Is
Get Ur Freak On
Advertisement
RCA
Which song is this video from?
Hound Dog
Get Ur Freak On
Cry Me a River
Genie in a Bottle
This video was shot in Malibu, and Christina Aguilera performs choreography with her male dancers, with scenes of the surrounding beach, a campfire and a wooden beach house.
Advertisement
LaFace‎; ‎Arista
Which song is this video from?
Thunder Road
Waterfalls
Two scenarios are played out in this video - one, of a mother losing her son to drug-related violence and the other about the risks of unprotected sex.
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
'Every Breath You Take
Advertisement
Jive Records
Which song is this video from?
Stairway to Heaven
Bye Bye Bye
The members of *NSYNC are being controlled by a nefarious female puppet handler in this video. She cuts the guys loose at various points in the video, and they all escape in different ways.
Get Ur Freak On
Blue Suede Shoes
Advertisement
Atlantic
Which song is this video from?
24K Magic
Highlights of this video include Mars along with his friends partying in Las Vegas, intertwining with shots of Bruno riding in a Cadillac Allanté.
Buddy Holly
Cry Me a River
Since U Been Gone
Advertisement
‎Young Money‎; ‎Cash Money‎; ‎Aspire‎; ‎Motown
Which song is this video from?
Find Your Love
Shot in Kingston, Jamaica, this video featured Jamaican dancehall singer Movado as a leader of a gang and Maliah Michel as the love interest of Drake and Movado. In the end, Maliah shoots Drake with no regrets.
Hotel California
Stairway to Heaven
Thunder Road
Advertisement
Goldmind‎/Atlantic
Which song is this video from?
'Every Breath You Take
Lose Control
Starting off in a black room with dancers, the video shows Missy Elliott buried in sand and emerging slowly, with her head being digitally edited onto various dancing bodies. "Lose Control" was the most played video on BET and MTV2 in 2005.
Hey Jude
Crazy
Advertisement
Universal/Columbia
Which song is this video from?
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Hound Dog
Dilemma
Set in the fictional middle-class town of Nellyville, this video features Kelly and her daughter. They are moving into a new house and get assistance from Nelly and his friends. Kelly has a boyfriend and this is what makes the situation a dilemma.
You Really Got Me
Advertisement
Young Money/Cash Money/Universal
Which song is this video from?
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Jailhouse Rock
Anaconda
"Anaconda" follows Nicki Minaj through a jungle scene where she and her dancers work out, dance and prepare food. This video also features Nicki crawling towards Drake and dancing for him.
Tik Tok
Advertisement
XL
Which song is this video from?
Tik Tok
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Hello
This video, which stars Adele and Tristan Wilds received 27.7 million views within the span of 24 hours. "Hello" received seven nominations for the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year.
Blue Suede Shoes
Advertisement
Island
Which song is this video from?
Hey Jude
Respect
Zombie
This protest song was written in by Irish rock band The Cranberries, in memory of two young victims of the 1993 IRA bombing in Warrington. A gold-painted Dolores O'Riordan delivers the chilling song while standing beneath a giant gold cross.
Buddy Holly
Advertisement
Def Jam/SRP
Which song is this video from?
Since U Been Gone
Tik Tok
Pon De Replay
Directed by Little X, this video starts off with Rihanna and her friends at a boring disco, due to the low volume of the music. Rihanna aims to turn up the vibes at the club by getting the DJ to turn up the music.
'Every Breath You Take
Advertisement
DGC
Which song is this video from?
I Will Survive
I Got You Babe
Smells Like Teen Spirit
This single gained major success in 1991 and propelled Nirvana and alternative rock into the mainstream music. "Smells like Teen Spirit" was the band's biggest hit and has been praised as one of rock history's greatest songs.
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Advertisement
Elektra‎; ‎Columbia‎; ‎Music World
Which song is this video from?
Hotel California
Survivor
Premiering on "Making the Video" in 2001, this Destiny's Child video is centered around three survivors who got shipwrecked and now live on an uninhabited island.
I Got You Babe
Stairway to Heaven
Advertisement
Streamline/KonLive/Cherrytree/Interscope
Which song is this video from?
Hey Jude
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Bad Romance
In this edgy video, Gaga gets kidnapped by supermodels that drug and sell her to the Russian mafia. Men bid for Gaga as she performs a lap dance, and towards the end she is lying next to a charred skeleton while smoking a cigarette with a pyrotechnic bra.
Tik Tok
Advertisement
Columbia‎, ‎Hollywood‎, ‎Epic
Which song is this video from?
Cry Me a River
Young Americans
I Will Survive
I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing
Shot in 1998 at the Minneapolis Armory, this video features scenes from the film "Armageddon," interlaced with the band performing the song.
Advertisement
Geffen
Which song is this video from?
Buddy Holly
Hound Dog
November Rain
Axl Rose gets married and has an epic concert while Slash plays a solo in front of a desert church; the beautiful wedding reception is ruined by rain, and the cake is destroyed. The wife dies, and the church service is now a funeral. It rains once more, and the bride throws her bouquet into her own grave, and it turns red.
Respect
Advertisement
LaFace/Sho'nuff
Which song is this video from?
Buddy Holly
1, 2 Step
Directed by Benny Boom, this video was shot in an Atlanta skating rink and on the streets. Ciara is seen dancing in the streets, and she teaches a group of girls the dance for one-two-step.
Ignition
I Will Survive
Advertisement
KIDinaKORNER‎; ‎Interscope
Which song is this video from?
Hound Dog
I Want to Know What Love Is
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Radioactive
This video is centered around a female drifter who is on an adventure to save her puppet friends from a sinister underground puppet fighting ring.
Advertisement
Arista
Which song is this video from?
Superstition
Blue Suede Shoes
California Girls
Yeah!
Filmed in a vacant art gallery, this music video highlighted Usher's dance moves as he is being tempted by two women.
Advertisement
Reprise‎; ‎WMG
Which song is this video from?
Hotel California
Helena
From the album "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge," the single "Helena" was released in 2005. The video's plot includes mourners at Helena's. Towards the end of the video, the dead body of Helena rises and walks into the afterlife.
Jailhouse Rock
Tik Tok
Advertisement
Wind-up
Which song is this video from?
I Got You Babe
Young Americans
Get Ur Freak On
Lithium
This Evanescence video is shot in snowy scenes with the lead singer playing the piano; the band rocks out in the snow.
Advertisement
Epic
Which song is this video from?
Whine Up
This video premiered on Kat's Myspace page; it opens with Kat DeLuna singing when she is interrupted by her own song. She then performs and dances to her song.
Cry Me a River
I Shot the Sheriff
Respect
Advertisement
Young Money/Cash Money/Universal
Which song is this video from?
Buddy Holly
Jailhouse Rock
Starships
After a starship is summoned by local tribesmen, it turns into a green haired, pink bikini- wearing Nicki Minaj. She is carried away by the locals as a goddess and performs her song throughout different scenes on the island.
Ignition
Advertisement
Def Jam/Virgin EMI
Which song is this video from?
Crazy
Fancy
Utilizing remade scenes from the movie "Clueless," this video was shot at Grant High School in Los Angles and released in 2014.
Hey Jude
'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Advertisement
Interscope
Which song is this video from?
No Woman, No Cry
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
I Will Survive
Summertime Sadness
This video features Jaime King who acts as Lana Del Rey's girlfriend. "Summertime Sadness" portrays the suicide of both women.
Advertisement
Fueled by Ramen‎; ‎Nettwerk‎; ‎Atlantic
Which song is this video from?
Jailhouse Rock
We Are Young
Filmed at the David Sukonick Concert Hall in Los Angeles, this music video shows an intense slow-motion bar fight while Fun. performs on stage.
Ignition
I Will Survive
Advertisement
Columbia/Music World
Which song is this video from?
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Big Pimpin
No Woman, No Cry
Crazy in Love
Speeding along Mission Road in Los Angles, Jay Z comes upon Beyoncé standing in the middle of the road; she performs various dance sequences by herself and with her dancers. Jay Z ignites a line of gas which ignites a car and performs in front of the burning vehicle with Beyoncé dancing by his side.
Advertisement
OVO Sound/Cash Money/Young Money/Republic
Which song is this video from?
Blue Suede Shoes
Big Pimpin
Hey Jude
Hotline Bling
In a call center filled with women, Drake is seen in a color-changing box dancing and singing by himself, with girls dancing around. Drake gets a one-on-one with one of the dancers, then dances with all the ladies.
Advertisement
RCA
Which song is this video from?
Turn Up the Music
Centered around electrifying dance covers, this video features Chris Brown, along with his backup dancers, impressing patrons at a costume party.
Super Freak
Big Pimpin
Get Ur Freak On
Advertisement
Ruffhouse/Columbia
Which song is this video from?
Cry Me a River
Ignition
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Doo Wop
This split screen video showcased two versions of Lauryn; one with her natural hair, singing at a 90's style party called 33 block party, the other, a Lauryn who had a perm, whose party was set in the late 1960s.
Advertisement
Epic
Which song is this video from?
Ignition
Remember the Time
Released in 1992, the video for this single from Jackson's eighth studio album, "Dangerous," features Michael as a hooded wizard who attempts to entertain the Pharaoh's Queen by singing to her and asking if she remembers the time they were together.
Buddy Holly
I Want to Know What Love Is
Advertisement
Roc Nation/Westbury Road
Which song is this video from?
Work
Drake and Rihanna walk into The Real Jerk dancehall; they spend the night dancing and singing in the crowded club. The second half of the video starts with the pair in a room with pink light, where Rihanna is wearing a see-through crop top while she sings and dances.
Young Americans
'Every Breath You Take
You Really Got Me
Advertisement
Capitol
Which song is this video from?
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Titanium
This video for "Titanium" follows a young man who is destroying things with his superpowers. The young man has telekinetic abilities and uses it to defend himself against a SWAT team trying to capture him.
Tik Tok
I Want to Know What Love Is
Advertisement
Atlantic
Which song is this video from?
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
I Got You Babe
Get Ur Freak On
Temperature
Released in 2005, this was Sean Paul's third worldwide single. It follows Sean Paul as he sings and dances through the seasons. Autumn, Winter, Spring, then Summer are highlighted in this vibrant video filled with exciting dancing.
Advertisement
Capitol
Which song is this video from?
Big Pimpin
Jailhouse Rock
Chandelier
Featuring 11-year old dancer Maddie Ziegler, this video highlights the Sia's range in interpretive dance as she goes through a dirty apartment while wearing a blonde wig.
Super Freak
Advertisement
Interscope
Which song is this video from?
Sweet Dreams
This video highlights Marilyn Manson performing in an old asylum while wearing weird costumes. The song is a Eurythmics cover.
Young Americans
Thunder Road
Respect
Advertisement
Jive Records
Which song is this video from?
Everybody
The video for "Everybody" is a parody of a horror film; it was financed by the members of the band themselves because the label did not believe in the concept. Backstreet Boys won a Moonman for the Best Group Video in 1998.
Hotel California
Jailhouse Rock
Big Pimpin
Advertisement
Elektra
Which song is this video from?
Hound Dog
Super Freak
Stairway to Heaven
Bohemian Rhapsody
Written by Freddie Mercury, "Bohemian Rhapsody" was a 6-minute song for Queen's 1975 album, "A Night at the Opera." The video that accompanied the song has been hailed as launching the age of MTV.
Advertisement
Owsla ‎
Which song is this video from?
I Shot the Sheriff
Jailhouse Rock
Burial
Masked men destroy a barber shop while Pusha T gets his hair braided. They then perform a break dance sequence, destroying everything in their path. Pusha T removes his face and turns into Dennis Rodman, who sets one of the dancers on fire.
Big Pimpin
Advertisement
Erskine/Columbia
Which song is this video from?
Ignition
Sign of the Times
From his self-titled debut studio album, Harry Styles' first solo single features him in a meadow, walking on water and soaring through the sky.
Cry Me a River
I Want to Know What Love Is
Advertisement
Parkwood/Columbia
Which song is this video from?
Crazy
Formation
This is the lead single from Beyoncé's sixth studio album titled "Lemonade"; she performed "Formation" at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, one day after the song premiered.
Get Ur Freak On
No Woman, No Cry
Advertisement
Epic
Which song is this video from?
Hotel California
Super Freak
I Got You Babe
Brave
The video for Brave was directed by "Parks and Recreation" actress Rashida Jones, and it features Sara Bareilles singing with various clips of people dancing in public places. The video was released in 2013 and gained over 72 million views by 2017.
Advertisement
Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation/Def Jam
Which song is this video from?
Hotel California
Otis
This video was directed by Spike Jonze and stars comedian and actor Aziz Ansari, as well as Jay Z and Kanye West. The concept of the video is centered around Jay Z and Kanye destroying then customizing a Maybach 57.
Crazy
Every Breath You Take
Advertisement
Phonogenic, Epic
Which song is this video from?
I Bruise Easily
This video begins with Bedingfield entering an elevator; she is dressed as a geisha. While seated in front a mirror she removes her makeup, revealing that she was hiding a massive amount of sadness and pain.
Super Freak
Since U Been Gone
Stairway to Heaven
Advertisement
Polydor
Which song is this video from?
Anything Could Happen
Debuted on Goulding's YouTube page, this video shows her in a car with her boyfriend watching waves crashing on a beach. She then floats around with a cloud above her, and it is revealed that they were in an accident. She then observes her boyfriend covered in blood and her body floats away from the crash.
No Woman, No Cry
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
You Really Got Me
Advertisement
Capitol
Which song is this video from?
The Scientist
Played out in a reverse video style, Chris Martin had to sing the lyrics to "The Scientist" backward; this effort took him months. The narrative of the video reveals that a female passenger removed her seat belt to put on her jacket right before a car accident, causing her death.
Mystery Train
Whole Lotta Love
Superstition
Advertisement
You Got:
/50
Atlantic/Young Money/Cash Money/Universal/Streamline/KonLive/Cherrytree/Interscope