Football euphoria. Horror dinner. Learning to fly. Fighting UFO. Love. Enjoy amazing music videos from around the world!
We’re glad you liked our global Best Albums of 2023 (it’s been visited by listeners from 125 countries!) and our playlists on Spotify and YouTube.
And now enjoy this collection of the best music videos we discovered in 2023. Anything we missed from your country?
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SPAIN: C. Tangana – “Oliveira Dos Cen Anos”
When a local radio station launched a poll among Celta fans asking them to choose the artist they would like to compose the anthem for the football team’s centenary, C. Tangana responded if they would let him try. At that moment, the Celtic board must have seen the sky open: they knew that this would mean a huge media reach, far beyond what they surely expected to obtain.
However, among a large part of the team’s fans the option was not convincing: he was not a local artist and, although he had shown his love for the colors on several occasions, many asked for someone more closely linked to the city.
The result, almost two years later, was “Oliveira dos cen anos”. A song (and a video clip) that convinced even the most suspicious. C. Tangana got it all here: lyrics close to the culture of the place, rooted, with collaborations ranging from the tradition of As Lagharteiras to the vocal prominence of Keltoi!, a Vigo rock group closely linked to the club. “Well, it doesn’t sound like a C. Tangana song”, was repeated ad infinitum in networks by those who initially doubted and then surrendered to the result of the composition of the Madrid native and his usual partner, Alizzz.
The video that accompanies the song became viral instantly, starting with an aerial sequence shot with the Vigo estuary and the ponte de Rande, surrounded by rafts as protagonists, and closing the same in the historic Illa de San Simón. Everyone was happy, there were only a handful of haters who doubted that it was an easy song to sing in a stadium, which was what it was all about. But those doubts have been dispelled for months by anyone who has been to Balaídos. (Chou)
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SWITZERLAND: To Athena – “Fäschtmol”
“Fäschtmol” is not just a song, it is a vision brought to life. In her track from the great album “The Movie“, Lucerne musician To Athena deals with mental health, which can get out of hand depending on the situation.
Inner thoughts become poison or, as in the video for “Fäschtmal”, personified characters. To Athena plays the extreme versions herself, a cake is eaten and the lyrics in dialect are perfectly translated into visual form. What a feast! (Michael Bohli, Phosphor Kultur)
Es Fäschtmol för mech elei
Elei muesch nie teile, s’heisst All you can eat
Es hed no vo allem drom griif nomol zue
Chli Trüebsenn zum Dessert, denn hesch weder Rueh
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NIGERIA: Kcee – “Ojapiano”
Oja instrument is the trademark sound of the music of Igbo people, an ethnic group form the south of Nigeria. Kcee’s hit song from last summer called “Ojapiano” is a celebration of his own heritage and the way his folks have fun, and believe me they’re experts.
If the song itself wasn’t energizing enough, Kcee joined forces with Director Mattmax studio to produce this amusing music video that will leave you wanting to join the dance, whether masked or not. (T. Mecha)
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ARGENTINA: Wos – “Descartable”
“Descartable”, a tale of transformation directed by Rafael Nir and Tomás Curland, was one of the greatest Argentinian video clips of the last year, and just a tip of what local visual creators are doing these days (you can check out this list of 5 of the new generation of Argentinian music video makers).
The song is the lead single from the next album by Wos, expected to be released this year. He’s the face of rap renovation in Argentina, combining his bars with rock sounds.
The clip was nominated for a Latin Grammy (“Best Short Form Music Video”) and won the “Video of the year” title at Prisma Awards, a local videoclip festival (Rodrigo Piedra).
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Iceland: Daði Freyr – “Moves To Make”
Daði Freyr, who represented Iceland in the Eurovision contest in 2021, last year finally finished releasing all chapters of his second album, titled “I Made an Album”. The reason he did it in parts is simple: he’s an impatient person.
What he looks into in this record are love and its limits, fame and desire to have more of it, or challenges of family life – which he delves into in “Moves To Make”. But in the video he tries a completely different challenge, and soon everything goes amok. Fortunately, “no fingers were injured during the shooting.”
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UKRAINE: СТАСІК (STASIK) — “Герої вмирають” (“Heroes die”)
Heroes don’t die – this message has been spread widely as the full-scale war has bursted out in Ukraine. Initially created to immortalise and glorify our heroes, it became a cognitive trap. Under different circumstances, no matter how brave they are, they do die and there’s nothing romantic about it.
This exact topic was explored in the song and music video “Герої вмирають” (“Heroes die”) by Stasik, where she depicts Ukrainian heroes who fought for their land and had to face their tragic end. In her work she emphasizes the importance of distinguishing the initial sentiment from harsh reality. (Dartsya Tarkovska)
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CHINA: WaChi 蛙池 – “郊游”
Dongguan’s WaChi have become one of China indie scene’s most sought after bands these past few years, and their debut LP “Outing 郊游” last year did not disappoint.
Carried deftly on its melodies, which flow gracefully on singer YiYi’s impassioned voice leading us through the emotional currents that sweep up each track, it’s potent stuff.
The title track gets a wonderfully aerobatic music video filmed on the lush green surroundings of Changzhou Island in Guangzhou with some stellar performances. (William Griffith)
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PERU: Toy Lakazo – “jomalón”
Jaze is a freestyle rapper who has decided to venture into the studio and recorded the album “Toy Locazo”. To give it greater conceptualization, he created a character called Toylo, who has become the visual representation of the album.
In the process, he worked together with Antonio Salinas and Franco Isa to create animation videos where they recreated different experiences and moods of the character.
In “jomalón” Toylo is lost in the nostalgia that surrounds him for his house, and to explore that feeling he invited the singer Susana Baca who accompanies him on vocals. (José Luis Mercado)
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PAKISTAN: Hasan Raheem – “Nautanki”
The Pakistani music industry changed on its head post 2020. This was a result of Covid and a number of other intersecting factors. From this transition hundreds of new artists have emerged, but a handful have reached the star power and reach comparable to generational stars of the past. Leading the charge in the RnB/pop-rap scene is Hasan Raheem.
Bringing together his roots in Gilgit and the urban speed of Karachi, Hasan’s music has a distinctly forward-looking tilt. He switches between languages fluidly. The melodies are simple, but effortless. After 2 years of climbing the charts, this song is the title track from his debut album “Nautanki”. Understandably, it is a statement of intent. The scale and daring nature of the production does not represent an upstart, but a star laying claim to an industry he has in some ways begun to conquer.
The video is conceptualized by FTWA Studio, a team of talented Karachi artists who frequently collaborate with Hasan on his music and his videos. Post production is conducted by Studio Rokhan, arguably the most notable special effects and post-production studio in the game at the moment. Together, they produce a video that sets the bar for this new era of Pakistani pop. (Zeerak Ahmed, Hamnawa)
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LITHUANIA: dj nevykele – “audi bmw”
dj nevykele is emerging as a dynamic new force in Lithuania’s music scene, skillfully blending hyper-pop with electronic elements and her youthful zest. She’s quickly becoming one of the most exciting young talents of the recent years.
Her music video “audi bmw” tells a gripping tale about a girl who was abducted and seduced in one of Vilnius night clubs and was inspired by her best friend’s true story. And there’s a twist: in the video, dj nevykele takes the wheel, transforming into the avenger.
This work sparks vital conversations about responsibility, exploitation, and how culture perceives addiction. Featuring pasta with cockroaches, striking blood visuals, cool outfits, sweet revenge and more, it’s a must-watch that leaves a lasting impression. (Rūta Giniūnaitė)
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INDIA: Anchit Magee – “This Is Our Life”
Anchit Magee’s video for “This Is Our Life” is just the kind of music video I enjoy watching, and perhaps making too. As a director myself, I find that the more we advance with crazy techniques and innovative storytelling, we forget to have fun in the process of making beautiful things.
What struck me most about Magee’s video is the simplicity with which there’s an executed storyline, but evidently had a tonne of fun while planning, shooting and editing this one.
What’s more rewarding than a fun time, creating something you like? I can barely think of a few better things. So, on that note, a hat tip to the entire team behind it. (Naman Sarayia)
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ITALY: Grimoon – “Cross the Wall”
Grimoon are a veteran band from North Eastern Italy and last year they came back after a long absence with a great album, as usual, and their unique way to make videos.
Since the very beginning, 20 years ago, Grimoon put a lot of effort into the visual aspect of their music, creating videos for every song, all made by themselves. After a while, they fully developed a stop motion animation technique of their own and kept going that way, hand making the characters and the landscape of their videos and assembling them frame by frame.
You can see how amazing their craftsmanship has become in the video for “Cross the Wall”, which encapsulates the whole concept of the album, that is telling the contemporary frama of migrations through the eyes of a child.
The album is called “Clair Obscur” and the whole set of videos is a short film called “Il viaggio di Alan” (“Alan’s journey”). This is the beginning of the said journey, and it’s just heart stopping. (Stefano Bartolotta)
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ESTONIA: Vera Vice – “Flowers on Sunday”
Estonian art-pop duo Vera Vice’s playfully off-kilter video single “Flowers on Sunday” teases to pull off the veil of dreamy sound with sly yet peculiarly carefree mode.
According to the group’s members Helen Västrik and Ave Vellesalu-Murd, it channels “a blazingly feverish summer dream in the midst of the pitch-dark Northern night”.
Directed by experimental filmmaker Ivar Murd (u.Q.), the video’s splashy colour palette and theatrics offer a mischievous twist to the group’s earlier, more subtle aesthetics. The girls trotting around in larger-than-life costumes like C21 Teletubbies styled by Salvador Dali serve as merely the setting up of bizarre encounters with The Man played by film star Rain Tolk.
Written by Vera Vice, the track is mixed by pop auteur Mart Avi and mastered by Martin Kikas at Ö Studio. It is the first release off Vera Vice’s upcoming EP, set to be released in spring 2024. (Ingrid Kohtla, Tallinn Music Week)
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PUERTO RICO: Residente & Ricky Martin – “Quiero Ser Baladista”
Before you hit play on the video above and watch Residente get riddled with bullets like an unsuspecting extra in a John Wick movie, let me catch you up to speed on the Puerto Rican rapper’s career.
After a wildly successful, decade-long run as half the braintrust of Calle 13, Residente (née René Pérez) had become one of the most acclaimed artists in Latin América, netting a record 22 Latin Grammys and 3 “regular” Grammys over the course of 5 albums. But by the time the rapper had transitioned into a solo career, his ambition, irreverent nature and political activism had also made him plenty of enemies throughout the music industry – as well as an entire continent’s ruling political class. You can bet your ass René suspects someone out there wants to shoot him.
But… Ricky Martin? What’s up with that?!? Bear with me, I’ll get us there.
In 2017, Residente released his first solo record, a heady and personal multimedia project that used the rapper’s own DNA as starting point for the development of a concept album and globetrotting documentary about its production – his version of the Foo Fighters’ “Sonic Highways” (2014). Considered by many an artistic triumph, one backed up by several more Grammy wins, the project nonetheless marked an end – at least for the time being – to the album cycles Calle 13 and Residente fans had long been used to. Since then we have been treated to some 20 individual song releases, that can be sorted into collaborations or “collabs”, “diss tracks”, and potential album tracks (I’m calling these “loosies”).
One of the most notable “collabs” out of the bunch – historically, if not artistically speaking – is 2019’s “Cántalo”, which features both national sex symbol Ricky Martin and Latin trap superstar Bad Bunny (do any of them need an introduction?). Released during the Verano del ’19, the song helped consolidate the artistic coalition that would spearhead a series of national protests against disgraced governor Ricardo Roselló, ultimately resulting in his ousting from office. It also marks the first time we heard Martin and Pérez on the same track.
Those following Residente’s Albumless Era closely also know he’s been out for blood for a while now, releasing lengthy “diss tracks” – technical, late stage Eminem-like affairs – aimed at developing and maintaining his cred as one of the best Spanish language rappers alive. The most recent of these (“Bajo y batería”) targeted Puerto Rican reggeatonero Cosculluela; and in it, Residente teased he’d grown bored of writing “diss tracks” and would rather become a balladeer like Ricky Martin.
Which leads us – finally – to “Quiero Ser Baladista”, in which he gets his wish fulfilled… and hilarity ensues. This “loosie” was supposed to be (and maybe still is) the lead single off of Residente’s sophomore record (an impending album announcement was put on hold by René himself, a staunch supporter of Palestinian liberation, after all hell broke loose in Gaza late last year). What we have here is proof of a return to form. A reinvigorated Residente getting weird and having fun both in front and behind the camera, pushing the envelope while joking around, shocking us and probably himself a little bit, while taking the piss out of the music industry with his industry pals (quite literally).
If it feels like a midlife crisis also, you are probably right on track. That he sets up Ricky Martin to deliver the ultimate punchline, hooking us with his expert delivery of the most ridiculous lyrics committed to paper, shows us what a class act Residente can be closing in on 20 years of his career, and how he can still surprise us – yes, even in 2023. (Alfredo Richner)
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AUSTRALIA: Maple Glider – “Dinah”
Australia is currently spoiled for choice when it comes to fine singer-songwriters, but Maple Glider might be the most exciting of them all.
As Maple Glider, Tori Zietsch explores love and friendship, growing up, and her former religion in her beautiful songs.
But these weighty subjects are counterbalanced by the lightness of her accompanying music videos: working with a close friend and longtime collaborator Bridgette Winten, Zietsch’s videos bring her songs to life with comical scenes and wry humour. (Conor Lochrie)
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VIETNAM: Quyếch – “Câu Trả Lời”
Currently, Quyếch only has one member left. “Câu trả lời” is the final music video of Quyển Trời project released at the end of 2020, the last time all three members of this group gathered.
But in this beautiful music video, a collection of still frames as beautiful as a painting and this series of iconic images, only Tien Duc is still diligently searching for the meaning of creativity, searching for the beauty of art, as well as the desire to continue making music.
At the end, only Duc remains alone, but everyone can see that he will always be steadfast on his own creative journey. (Nam Tran)
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SAUDI ARABIA: Ayado – “عيدوا”
The unstoppable Saudi Arabian film studio 8iess, which you might already know from such music clips as “Samry King” or “Eidayn“, last year gave us yet another spectacular video, but also a controversial one.
In the video for “عيدوا” (“Eid”), Ayado and his filmmakers together take us to the eponymous feast of zombies. The video was released on the of Eid al-Fitr holy day in Islam, hence the association was immediate. And that’s exactly why the comment section under the video on YouTube is so busy. (Lina Rim)
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SLOVAKIA: Lash&Grey – “Come And Get It”
Fan of a minimalist video set in a studio based on the power of artists’ charm, look, interaction and outfits? Great, cause Lash&Grey found themselves in the centre of the aesthetics in a video for “Come and Get It”. So feel free to get a hold of their tune and the space of a reconstructed Slovak National Gallery.
The couple included some more friends and their musical colleagues to be a part of the video, so it’s a parade of Slovak performers with an obvious chemistry. Hopefully the feeling of magic is transferable towards the audience. (Viera Ráczová)
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Other recommended videos:
• P.S.PMS – “Saisti” (Norway)
• Ana Lua Caiano – “Deixem O Morto Morrer” (Portugal)
• Apsilon – “Baba” (Germany)
• Belmondawg, Expo 2000, Michal Urbaniak – “Fresh Air” (Poland)
• blal bloch – “BAAP” (Pakistan)
• Bnxn — “Gwagalada” (Nigeria)
• Carson Coma – “Feldobom a követ” (Hungary)
• Chinese Football – “四月物語 April Story” (China)
• Dillom – “Ola de suicidios” (Argentina)
• Dirty Sound Magnet – “Lonely Bird” (Switzerland)
• Domiziana feat. Blümchen – “SOS” (Germany)
• Erik Urano – “Radioactividad” (Spain)
• Erny Belle – “Stay Golden” (New Zealand)
• Free Finga – “Tūžis” (Lithuania)
• Gabrielė Vilkickytė – “Patalai” (Lithuania)
• Genesis Owusu – “Survivor” (Australia)
• Glints – “All In” (Belgium)
• Hualun – “Scorch Off towards the Utopia” (China)
• Hanumankind – “Go To Sleep” (India)
• Jen Cloher – “My Witch” (Australia)
• Kapitán Demo – “Botox” (Czechia)
• Katarzia – “Dosť” (Slovakia)
• Kroi – “Hyper” (Japan)
• Lenin – “Kutimuni” (Peru)
• Miranda!, Lali – “Yo Te Diré” (Argentina)
• Mujer Cebra – “Fantasma” (Argentina)
• naked relaxing – “My Devils” (Poland)
• Nina Utashiro – “better” (Japan)
• OGRE YOU ASSHOLE – “家の外” (Japan)
• P.S.PMS – “Saisti” (Latvia)
• Pitou – “Knife” (Netherlands)
• Ralphie Choo & Mura Masa – “Máquina culona” (Spain)
• Ryoto and The Franchise Owner – “Bad Boy” (Japan)
• Seedhe Maut – “Khatta Flow” (India)
• Sen Senra, Sky Rompiendo – “Uno De Eses Gatos” (Colombia/Spain)
• Sevdaliza – “Nothing Lasts Forever” (Iran/Netherlands)
• Tamino & Angèle – “Sunflower” (Belgium)
• Tation 天聲 – “The Waking of Insects 惊蛰” (China)
• tlinh – “nếu lúc đó” (Vietnam)
• Thea Grant – “A Night of a Dream” (Norway)
• Wizard Chan – “Moses” (Nigeria)
• XEWIN – “Lullaby For Robots” (Switzerland)
• Zlokot – “Doják” (Slovakia)
Wanna see more? Check out our Best Videos of 2022.
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