Billboard asked their readers to vote for the best music videos of all time from the past three decades – the 80′s, the 90′s and the 00′s and here is the what they came up with it. Instead of me posting 30 videos here I decided to pick the top three from each decade and post them. Follow the link below to see the full 30 top videos.
From the 80′s
3. Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (1983)
Cyndi herself wasn’t the only colorful thing in her 1983 video. The clip is an ’80s gem for its sitcom-y vibe, with wrestler Captain Lou Albano in a white wife-beater undershirt playing Cyndi’s dad.
2. Madonna “Like a Prayer” (1989)
The religious imagery in the 1989 hit quickly got Madge into hot water with Pepsi, whom she was doing commercials with at the time. But nevermind the fact that the Vatican condemned it, the scenes of crosses and Madonna getting cozy with a saintly character in a church have remained memorable for 20+ years.
1. Michael Jackson “Thriller” (1983)
If the Video Music Awards had existed in 1983, MTV would have had to practically create a category just for the culture-dominating ingeniousness of “Thriller.” It’s little wonder that the video was up for several VMAs even a year later when the awards show kicked off. And almost 30 years after the MJ’s epic horror-movie-style ghouls and zombies grooved and paraded into the hearts of music lovers, it’s still tops with Billboard.com’s voters, capturing a whopping 65% of the vote in our poll. He’s not just the King of Pop, he’s the king of music videos, too.
From the 90′s
3. Madonna “Vogue” (1990)
Madonna, like Jacksons Janet and Michael, knows that one way to make your video a must-watch is for it to couple a great song (check) with an irresistible dance routine (check). Add a black-and-white look that’s straight out of 1940s Hollywood’s glamorous silver screen era, and you’ve got “Vogue,” which continues to remind all just how well Madonna knows how to strike a pose.
2. Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson “Scream” (1995)
Black and white. Set in outer space. Directed by Mark Romanek on a budget of millions. Featuring not one but TWO superstar Jacksons: Michael and Janet. What’s not to love?
1. Britney Spears “…Baby One More Time” (1998)
Kicking off a fruitful career, the teenaged Britney won the fervent love of millions of fans with this instant pop classic set inside a high school and prominently featuring Ms. Spears dancing in her mini-skirted take on the school uniform. You loved it too: “Baby One More Time” took 40% of the vote for 1990s videos.
From the 00′s:
3. Panic! At The Disco “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” (2006)
A wedding, a circus, and a shit-ton of glitter and facepaint: It was a bold first look for Panic! At the Disco. Carnie infidelity led the Shane Drake-directed clip to win Video of the Year at the 2006 VMAs. Five years and personnel (and punctuation) changes later, Panic! At the Disco still have a flair for the super dramatic in their videos.
2. Britney Spears “Toxic” (2004)
In 2004′s Joseph Kahn-directed “Toxic” video, Britney Spears proved that she comes in every flavor: futuristic stewardess, fiery “Alias”-esque agent, and brunette super-heroine. But the one role that stays constant through the dance-heavy clip: Sultry man-eater.
1. Lady Gaga “Bad Romance” (2009)
Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” video, as elaborate a plotline as it had, was just the appetizer to her cinematic climax of 2009′s “Bad Romance,” which won Video of the Year at the 2010 VMAs. As an android queen with an evil streak in the Francis Lawrence-directed clip, Gaga struts around a Balkan bathhouse in Alexander McQueen couture, asserting her “free bitch”-ness in the end.
Pretty good list overall I think, what about you? To see the full top 10 from each decade then head on over to billboard.
Michael Jackson‘s famous red jacket that he wore in the music video for ‘Thriller’ was sold for $1.8 million at an auction on Sunday, the same weekend of the second anniversary of his death. I can’t believe that it’s been two years already since he passed away.
There is two versions of the jacket, this one that was sold has winged shoulders and was autographed by Jackson before he died and the other version is owned by the Michael Jackson estate. So who coughed up this amount of money for the jacket? Some Texas man called Milton Verret. Who said he is going to use the jacket for good use and send it on tour to be used for a fund-raising tool to help children’s charities make money.
The jacket was expected to make between $200,000 and $400,000 but obviously it went way over what they were expecting to get for it. Part of the proceeds will go to actress Tippi Hedren‘s Roar Foundation. This isn’t the first time that Milton has bought famous items, back in 2009 he paid $120,000 at an auction for a motorcycle that was worth $20,000 and signed by Jay Leno. He then also spent another $120,000 on eight “Big Guitars” during the 2009 GuitarTown charitable auction in Austin.
Marilyn Monroe‘s infamous subway dress from ‘The Seven-Year Itch’ made $4.6 million at an auction last week so I’m kind of shocked that the jacket didn’t sell for more. Buying celebrity memorabilia doesn’t really appeal to me mainly because I can’t even imagine being in the position to pay so much for something.
These days music videos aren’t what they used to be because they are normally as cheap as possible, this is mainly because nobody really watches music channels anymore. But back in the day, I feel old saying that, people used to put effort and money into their videos. Here is the 10 most expensive music videos ever:
10. Celine Dion – It’s All Coming Back to Me Now ($2.3 million)
09. Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson - What’s It Gonna Be?! ($2.4 million)
Greg Corman is an incredible photographer and he has an exhibit at the Decorative Center in Houston up until June 3, because of this he picked out his 11 favorite photos that he has ever taken of celebrities for the Houston Culture Map. Here is his picks:
Michael Jackson, 1987
“Michael was a perfectionist beyond your wildest imagination. Every time we would shoot, he would call me and we’d have a two-hour conversation to discuss what it was we were going to do and how we were going to go about it. He had pet tarantulas; they actually shed their skin. This is the casing of the tarantula that he brought with him. He never traveled with a big entourage. He was very genuine and really loved photography. I dearly miss him. He was a tragic individual but an amazing human being.”
David Bowie, 1984
“I started working with him about the time of Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). We just tried a whole myriad of different things. David was very creative and we did a lot of pictures together in the late ’80s and early ’90s.”
Iman, 1988
“She and I were friends and it was during the late ’80s when I was shooting a lot of male and female nudes and I just asked her about it. She wasn’t hesitant at all. Nobody was hesitant about doing nudes in the ’80s and ’90s. It wasn’t until the onset of the Internet basically castrated the concept of shooting male and female nudes that really brought it to a shocking halt. There’s been lots of positive things about the Internet, but that’s certainly not one of them. Now people can steal your images and post them. It’s very difficult to get the kind of openness and candidness in a lot of photography being done today because of the Internet.”
Heath Ledger, 2004
“This picture was taken in Venice, Italy for the movie Casanova. Heath was the perfect example of a person not crazy about doing a lot of photography. It was put off until the third or fourth day that I was in Venice, the last day. We found out, through doing a little research, that he was a big fan of wine. So we got Heath a bunch of great wine. We shot a lot of pictures, but as soon as the wine was gone, he was gone. But we did get the pictures. And for the time that Heath was there he was certainly a beautiful man to photograph and great in front of the camera.”
Barbra Streisand, 1981
“This is a picture taken after work one day on the set of a little movie she did, All Night Long. Barbara was a total professional. She was very set in her ways and how she wanted to be photographed but never difficult in time and focus. It’s never the big stars that are difficult in any way. It’s the young, up-and-coming stars who have made one mediocre movie that have gotten great praise and think they’re the greatest thing since chopped liver. The big ones know what it’s taken to get to where they are and they’re never difficult. Barbara definitely favors the side you see in that picture. It was funny because when we were working on that movie we discussed shooting the other side of her face because she was getting ready to do Yentel as as the boy character. Bette Midler is also the same way; she also favors one side of her face.”
Sophia Loren, 1994
“Sophia was always one of my heroes. From when I was a little kid, the three people I always wanted to photograph were Sophia Loren, Bridget Bardot and Gina Lollobrigida. I shot Sophia in Rome for Detour magazine. She drove herself to the shoot. Did her own makeup and hair….She said to me one point at lunch. ‘You know Greg, I’m really not 60, I’m three times 20.’ ”
Leonardo Di Caprio, 1994
“Leo was one of the most relaxed, most comfortable human beings inside his skin of anyone I ever photographed. That makes for a great subject, when they’re really open and accessible and willing to go for it. Look at that contact sheet and you really can see so many different looks throughout the images. Leo always looked really young. When I shot that, he was probably 18 or 19.”
Djimon Hounsou, 1991
“He has perfect features, perfect teeth. Just a great specimen of a human being not to mention one of the nicest guys on the planet. When I was finishing my third book, Inside Life, which was a book on personality portraits, I didn’t want to put an actor on the cover, because it would put me in a bind, (other actors asking) ‘Why didn’t get on the cover?’ I thought I’ll put Djimon on the cover. He’s a great model and it’s an interesting picture. When we had a dinner after the very first book signing, he had just landed his first major film role. He went on, as you know, to become a great actor.”
Grace Jones, 1995
“Grace has been a lifetime very dear friend of mine. She’s probably one of the most misunderstood and fun people I know. Everybody thinks she’s this giant, but she’s not that tall. She’s extraordinary looking. She probably has one of the greatest senses of style and taste and design of anyone I know. At the same time, she’s one of the most down-to-earth, funny, candid, quirky individuals I have ever met. She’s one of the great dinner guests because she’s super-down-to-earth, very funny and doesn’t take herself too seriously. I can show you 1,000 great pictures of Grace Jones. She always has the best clothes, the best styling, just the greatest taste. She can pull it off.”
John Waters, 1994
“John Waters is so unmistakably recognizable for that pencil-thin mustache…..Some people think it kind of looks like a vagina, but that’s the flip side of John Waters.”
Andy Warhol, 1986
“If there was any magazine responsible for launching my career, it was Interview. I shot probably 20 covers for Andy in the early ’80s. I did a campaign with LA Eyeworks called ‘Every Face is like a Work of Art: It deserves a Great Frame.’ One day Andy called me up and, in his inimitable way, he always had kind of a stutter, he asked me in so many words did I think that LA Eyeworks would be interested in photographing him for their ad. I told him I thought that could probably be worked out. Andy came out and it just happened. That became one of my most famous images.”
I love every single one of them. What is your favorite?
In June 1984, Michael Jackson pressed his hands and feet into concrete for what was meant to become part of the Las Vegas Walk of Fame Project. Jackson then reached down and signed a huge stylized autograph into the cement.
Although the Las Vegas Walk of Fame project never materialized, the Riviera Hotel stored Jackson’s cement casting – along with those from countless other celebrities – in a storage unit where it remained hidden from the world for the next 21 years.
[The Walk of Fame cement casting of Michael Jackson’s handprints, footprints and autograph (left) and a photo of Jackson actually making the casting in 1984 (right). Photos courtesy of Nate D. Sanders]
Now, this one-of-a-kind Michael Jackson item will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders, Inc., one the world’s leading dealers of Hollywood memorabilia, autographs, rare books and gold coins.
When Jackson made his hand and footprints in this concrete slab, the “King of Pop” was literally entering the apex of his career. His landmark album “Thriller” would win eight Grammys that year. The entire event was photographed extensively, and the Nate D. Sanders auction includes a photo of a smiling Jackson with his shoes in the cement that was later made into a promotional poster. A certificate of authenticity (COA) from Riviera President and COO Mark Sterbens, who is standing beside Jackson in the photo and assisted him during the event, is also included in the lot. Almost exactly 25 years to the week later, the world lost Jackson forever with his tragic death on 25 June 2009.
The full-size, original 30″ x 30″ slab, weighing approximately 500 lbs. and dated “6/84″ in the lower left-hand corner, has been custom-encased creating an amazing display piece for Michael Jackson’s footprints, handprints and large autograph to be displayed and showcased at a business, casino, home, museum, restaurant or office. Professionally encased in an ornate and decorative frame, the overall piece is a stunning 46″ x 46″. An amazing and truly one-of-a-kind tribute to the most famous performer of his generation, Michael Jackson.
Currently, the Michael Jackson signed foot and handprints lot has bids nearing $16,000 – but the item is expected to go much higher before the auction ends next week.
Sanders’ current auction, which closes on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011, includes the Michael Jackson lot and many other historic celebrity items and memorabilia. Also in the extensive list of auction items is the actual jumpsuit Lindsay Lohan wore to the MTV Movie Awards in 2010, a Grateful Dead contract signed by six of the original band members (including Jerry Garcia), numerous handwritten letters by Ernest Hemingway, an original 1947 contract signed by Hank Williams, a signed Rosa Parks manuscript and countless signed presidential, music, sports, and literary documents. All of Nate Sanders’ auctions include rare books, autographs, sports collectibles and Hollywood memorabilia.
For more than 30 years, Nate D. Sanders has been one of the industry’s most respected autograph and rare book experts and dealers. A collector since the late 1970s, Sanders was already widely known in collectors’ circles when he opened his auction business in Los Angeles in 1990. Today, he conducts twelve major auctions every year drawing bidders, collectors and investors from around the world. In recent years, Sanders has also been increasingly viewed as an expert on sports and Hollywood memorabilia.
Sanders is always interested in buying unique items and collections. To learn more about Nate D. Sanders, Inc. and to see a complete listing of items from his current auction, go to www.NateDSanders.com or call (310) 440-2982.
Forbes have come up with their annual list of the top earning dead celebrities for the year 2010 and the 13 stars earned a combined total of $506 million. To calculate their earnings Forbes took things into account such as royalties and licensing of the persons image.
13. Aaron Spelling, $5 million
As one of the founding fathers of modern television, Aaron Spelling spent five decades producing long-running, widely syndicated shows such as Charlie’s Angels, Dynasty and 7th Heaven. Although Spelling Television’s contemporary update on Melrose Place was canceled earlier this year, his Beverly Hills 90210 revival just began its third season on the CW. Meanwhile, Spelling Entertainment owns the rights to Republic Pictures’ archives, including classic films like High Noon and It’s a Wonderful Life.
11 (tie). Steve McQueen, $6 million
Three decades after his passing, the onetime Bullitt star continues to personify cool. McQueen’s image and likeness have been licensed for a host of signature collections for high-end brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Persol sunglasses. More recently he became the face of Tommy Hilfiger’s fall “icon collection” and UBS’ global “We Will Not Rest” campaign.
11 (tie). Jimi Hendrix, $6 million
It’s been 40 years since Hendrix died, but his music is still influencing wannabe rockers. His 1967 debut Are You Experienced has been licensed to the third version of the “Rock Band” videogame, and his estate recently released a new batch of previously unheard recordings. Fender Guitars has signed on to present the 2010 Experience Hendrix tour, featuring one of the star’s former bandmates.
10. Richard Rodgers, $7 million
In 2009 the Netherlands’ Imagem Music Group bought the rights to the collaborative catalog of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein for a reported $200 million. Without those assets, Rogers still lands on our list, thanks to his earlier work with Lorenz Hart. That catalog boasts such standards as “My Funny Valentine” and “The Lady is a Tramp.”
09. George Steinbrenner, $8 million
Professional sports has never seen a more iconic franchise owner than George Steinbrenner. The New York Yankees boss carried the club back to its championship heritage, brought a new stadium to the Bronx and took the team’s famous interlocking NY logo global. Although Steinbrenner passed away during the team’s most recent season, he continues to earn as long as the Yankees continue to win.
08. Albert Einstein, $10 million
Associated with all things intelligent, Einstein’s name continues to be used to peddle Baby Einstein products, a majority Disney-owned venture designed to make infants smarter. Other lucrative tie-ins include Italy’s Banca Profilo’s “Face Value” campaign, Chrysler’s Ram brand truck ads and a collection of A.J. Morgan “geek chic” glasses. The scientist’s estate has also expanded into videogames with a Nintendo DS brain game that retails for about $50.
07. Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), $11 million
With his instantly recognizable rhyming scheme, Dr. Seuss is the best-selling children’s author in history. Horton, the Grinch and his other iconic characters are now reaching audiences through iPhone apps and an attraction at Orlando’s Universal Studios theme park. According to Nielsen, Seuss’ titles are on pace to sell 3 million copies this year.
06. Stieg Larsson, $15 million
Larsson died before The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was published, so he didn’t live to see the incredible success of his series of three books, known as The Millennium Trilogy. (A fourth book has reportedly been found.) More than 40 million copies of the books have been sold in 44 languages, and Sony is producing American films based on the books. They will star Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist.
05. John Lennon, $17 million
It’s been nearly 30 years since The Beatles’ John Lennon was killed in New York City. In what would have been his 70th year, EMI has launched the “Gimme Some Truth” campaign, re-releasing much of Lennon’s catalog, resulting in several Top 10 chart appearances. His estate still earns from the “Beatles Rock Band” videogame and licensing deals with the likes of Cisco and Mont Blanc.
04. Charles Schulz, $33 million
The Peanuts brand changed ownership again this year, with Iconix purchasing the cartoon and its characters for $175 million to form Peanuts Worldwide, LLC. With the acquisition, Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates will maintain a 20% stake in the new company. The late Schulz continues to earn from his comic strip, which appears in 2,200 newspapers across 75 countries.
03. J.R.R. Tolkien, $50 million
The last Lord of the Rings movie hit theaters eight years ago, but Tolkien is still a hot topic in Hollywood. A two-movie adaptation of his book The Hobbit is currently in preproduction in New Zealand. All that Hollywood attention has helped move his books. According to Nielsen, Tolkien sold just shy of 500,000 copies in the last year.
02. Elvis Presley, $60 million
The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s income ballooned to $60 million, up $5 million from last year, thanks to Graceland admissions and the Elvis Presley Cirque du Soleil spectacular launched in Las Vegas earlier this year. His portfolio of more than 200 licensing and merchandise deals got a nice boost from the late star’s 75th birthday celebration. Among the commemorative events: Graceland exhibits, touring tribute concerts and an Elvis-themed cruise to the Bahamas.
01. Michael Jackson, $275 million
The King of Pop passed away last summer, but he’s made more money over the past year than any musician, dead or alive. Jackson not only took the No.1 spot on our 10th annual ranking of the Top-Earning Dead Celebrities, with gross earnings of $275 million, he out-earned the other 12 deceased stars on the list combined. His $275 million total was greater than the earnings of the two most profitable living acts, U2 and AC/DC, combined. Jackson’s posthumous earnings have been bolstered by shrewd negotiations by his estate, including a merchandising deal and the rights to his name and likeness for the Sony film This Is It, which grossed over a quarter of a billion dollars.
Funny how not one of these celebrities is a woman, I guess Hollywood has and always will be sexist when it comes to wages.
2010 isn’t over yet so I don’t know exactly why Google are releasing their most searched celebrities for the year but they have. So here I present you with the people who were the most searched.
10. Brad Pitt – 5,000,000
9. Jennifer Aniston & Jessica Alba – 6,120,000
08. Kelly Clarkson & Lindsay Lohan – 9,140,000
07. Angelina Jolie & Adam Lambert & Paris Hilton – 11,100,000
06. Kanye West – 20,400,000
05. Madonna, Chris Brown – 30,400,000
04. Britney Spears – 37,200,000
03. Taylor Swift – 45,500,000
02. Beyonce & Miley Cyrus – 68,000,000
01. Michael Jackson & Lady Gaga – 151,000,000
Half of these celebrities were being searched for the wrong reasons, mostly because of scandals they were involved in.
source: Most Googled Celebrities Of 2010 [Radio Alice]
Why can’t celebrities just pick regular old names like John and Susan like the rest of us?
For whatever reason, they have to seemingly pluck the names of their newborns randomly from dictionaries or half-remembered nightmares. Perhaps they believe that their millions and celebrity status will protect their young ones from the inevitable schoolhouse teasing. Or perhaps they believe the adversity can only make their kids stronger.
Either way, we get to enjoy the feeling –that sometimes average Joes and Janes like us have made much better decisions in life than the stars of stage and screen.
Like rocker Frank Zappa (here with parents Rose Marie and Francis), who infamous dubbed his kids Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan, and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen.
Woody Allen and Mia Farrow: Satchel and Moses Amadeaus
Early odd-name adopters Woody Allen and Mia Farrow made a splash when they named their son Satchel, after Satchel Paige. Satchel later changed his name to Ronan Seamus Farrow.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin: Apple
“It sounded so sweet and it conjured such a lovely picture for me – you know, apples are so sweet and they’re wholesome and it’s biblical – and I just thought it sounded so lovely and … clean! And I just thought, ‘Perfect!’ ” Paltrow told Oprah Winfrey. But it’s hard not to imagine that the actress and musician’s daughter got her name from what her parents had for lunch that day.
Bruce Willis and Demi Moore: Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah
Odd choices, but now Rumer Willis has a burgeoning acting career.
Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf: Pilot Inspektor
Yes, you read that right: Pilot Inspektor. With a “k.”
Michael Jackson and ?: Prince Michael, Prince Michael II (aka Blanket), and Paris
Funny how “Paris” doesn’t seem at all unusual anymore, huh?
Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Jackson: Jermajesty
Maybe a royalty fixation runs in the family.
The Edge and Morleigh Steinberg: Blue Angel
It’s probably safe to assume they’re Marlene Dietrich fans, and it could’ve been worse — like “Blade” or “Pinpoint.”
David Duchovny and Tea Leoni: Kyd
Ingenious twist, or just plain laziness?
Bob Geldof and Paula Yates: Peaches Honeyblossom, Fifi Trixibelle, and Little Pixie Geldof
The late Paula Yates had a definite attachment to unusual names.
Nicolas Cage and Alice Kim: Kal-El
Cage, who once almost played Superman, named his son after the Kryptonian name for the Man of Steel.
Michael Jackson‘s three children and mother, Katherine, are suing concert promoter AEG Live for allegedly strong-arming the singer into poor medical care and imposing a grueling rehearsal schedule that led to his death.
By Jackson’s final rehearsal in June 2009 for a big comeback concert series, the entertainer was shivering and disoriented in the warm Staples Center, the lawsuit alleges, and would soon be dead from an acute level of the powerful anesthesia Propofol.
“AEG had legal duties to Michael Jackson to treat him safely and to not put him in harm’s way,” says the lawsuit. “But AEG, despite its knowledge of Michael Jackson’s physical condition, breached those duties by putting its desire for massive profits from the tour over the health and safety of Michael Jackson.”
The lawsuit adds: “Due AEG’s actions and inactions, three loving children lost their father, a loving mother and father lost their son, the Jackson siblings lost their brother, and the world lost its most celebrated entertainer.”
The Jackson family alleges AEG Live breached their agreement to provide physical care for the King of Pop and that the concert promoters were negligent in hiring Dr. Conrad Murray as Jackson’s physician. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Murray allegedly gave the singer lethal levels of an anesthetic while treating Jackson, whose death was ruled a homicide, for insomnia. He has since been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Director Kenny Ortega, who produced Jackson’s “This Is It” tour, is also named as a defendant in the suit.
AEG had no comment and said company officials had not yet seen the complaint.
A woman who claims to be Michael Jackson’s illegitimate love child — conceived when MJ was a minor — has filed legal documents claiming there was a diabolical plot to cover up her existence … involving murder, abduction and Diana Ross’ sister.
The alleged Michael Jackson spawn, Mocienne Petit Jackson, has filed documents with L.A. County Superior Court claiming she will surely be in line for a serious inheritance check … if a judge will give the go-ahead on a DNA test.
Mocienne claims back in 1975, 17-year-old Michael Jackson secretly impregnated her mother Barbara … who happens to be Diana Ross’ sister.
She also claims when she was 9 years old, Katherine Jackson hatched a plan to “abduct” her and send her to Belgium to protect Michael’s “reputation.” She claims all 7 of her abductors were later murdered.
Mocienne, who currently lives in the Netherlands, has decided to come forward with her story … so she can “formally claim my part of my father’s inheritance.” She also wants custody of Michael Jackson’s kids so she can give them a “more normal life.”
She also claims she was diagnosed with Vitiligo — how ironic!
Calls to Diana Ross, Barbara Ross and Michael Jackson’s camp were not returned.
That’s because they can’t stop laughing.
source: Alleged MJ Love Child Surfaces — Wants Money [TMZ]
