2020’s Finest: Music Videos

This year might have been rough but our music faves served some serious eye candy.

This year our social calendar might have been kind of (*extremely) empty, but that’s not to say we weren’t finding ways to keep ourselves entertained. Namely, pop culture came to take on a new importance, with each of us eagerly lapping up albums from Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa and Ms Grande before bulldozing through our Netflix watchlist. Giving a much-needed dose of audio-visual stimulation, music videos became a particularly important source of escapism, allowing us to be transported to fantasy worlds without Covid where dating, parties and spontaneity are still very much on the menu.  

Below, relive some of our favourite music videos of 2020 from SZA, Haim, Christine & the Queens and more.

Don’t Wanna – Haim 

After clocking up a few Grammy nominations following the release of their critically acclaimed album Women in Music Pt. III, it’s fair to say that Haim have had quite the year. Another key moment was the release of their video for ‘Don’t Wanna’, which was one of our favourites this year. Simplistic yet beautiful, we see the sister trio walking, running and racing while the sun slowly sets behind them. It really is as easy as that. Bliss. 

Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles

Whether you’re a Styles stan or not, there’s no denying that the video for ‘Watermelon Sugar’ was nothing short of heavenly! Equipped with the juiciest fruit and the dreamiest coastline, the hazy hues offered some colourful relief during a bleak moment this year. As for the fashion? Totally sent us over the edge. Everything crochet for us, please.

Nonbinary – Arca 

No one does music videos like Arca. She has this ability to totally transport us to a whole other world, the one that exists inside her head. For “Non-Binary”, it was just as we’d expect: futuristic, dramatic and a little bit terrifying. Directed by Frederik Heyman, who was responsible for that Lady Gaga PAPER cover, this was a trip to the cybersphere like you’ve never seen before. A true music masterpiece. 

La vita nuova – Christine and the Queens 

Coming in at just short of 14 minutes, the short film for la vita nuova, shot at the iconic Palais Garnier opera house, was undoubtedly one of the more ambitious audio-visuals of the year. With perfect choreography from Ryan Heffington (who else?!), the video perfectly captured the essence of the EP and was some of Christine and the Queens’ finest work to date. Put it on repeat!

Hit Different – SZA ft. Ty Dolla $ign

SZA served in the field, the farm and the scrapyard! The video for ‘Hit Different’  was the first which was directed by SZA herself – an indicator that she’s more than just a musician, she’s a visionary. While the video was visually striking, both in terms of style and aesthetics, it also featured a few surprises. The second half of the video teases another unreleased song from her upcoming album, a more stripped back ballad which sees her bikini-clad singing and dancing on a pommel horse with hundreds of empty photo frames as her backdrop. If this is a sign of the new era of SZA, we’re already hooked.

Cover image
SZA "Hit Different" video
Words
Ryan Cahill