When Cartoons Steal The Show
Animated music videos have always been the secret weapon of the industry—wild, surreal, and limitless. While live-action clips rely on budgets and schedules, animation lets artists stretch their imaginations as far as they can go. From dancing cats to Lego stop-motion and cosmic anime, these videos prove that sometimes cartoons tell the story better than reality ever could.
Daft Punk–One More Time
Few bands understood the power of animation like Daft Punk. Their clip for One More Time is pure neon escapism, introducing fans to the animated universe that would blossom into Interstella 5555. It’s more than a music video—it’s a doorway into a disco-fueled galaxy.
Daft Punk - One More Time (Official Video), Daft Punk
Pearl Jam–Do the Evolution
After a long video hiatus, Pearl Jam came roaring back with Todd McFarlane’s brutal, apocalyptic animation. Do the Evolution races through centuries of human greed, war, and destruction with grim comic book flair. The result is one of the most politically charged videos in rock history.war, and destruction with grim comic book flair. The r
Pearl Jam - Do the Evolution (Official HD Video), Pearl Jam
Gorillaz–19-2000
Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s animated supergroup were made for this medium. In 19-2000, Murdoc, 2-D, Noodle, and Russel cruise in a jeep across a trippy landscape that feels equal parts music video and Saturday morning cartoon. It’s goofy, stylish, and unforgettable.
Gorillaz - 19-2000 (Official Video), Gorillaz
Radiohead–Paranoid Android
Radiohead ditched glossy visuals for Magnus Carlsson’s surreal cartoon world. Paranoid Android unfolds like a fever dream, filled with bizarre characters, unsettling imagery, and absurd danger. It perfectly mirrors the song’s strange brilliance.
Radiohead - Paranoid Android, Radiohead
Tool–Sober
Tool’s reputation for eerie visuals began here. Fred Stuhr’s stop-motion work in Sober introduced fans to shadowy figures, decaying sets, and a lingering sense of dread. It’s less a video and more a nightmare rendered in clay.
TOOL - Sober (Official Video), TOOL
Kanye West–Heartless
Directed by Hype Williams, Heartless pays tribute to Ralph Bakshi’s rotoscoped animation. Kanye wanders through a painted cityscape, dripping heartbreak and ego in equal measure. It’s slick, stylish, and unlike anything else in his catalog.
Kanye West - Heartless, Kanye West
Wilco–Dawned on Me
Wilco scored a pop culture coup when Popeye returned after 25 years of cartoon retirement to appear in Dawned on Me. The playful hand-drawn video pairs Jeff Tweedy’s indie rock charm with spinach-powered nostalgia. Sometimes the strangest mashups are the most delightful.
Wilco & Popeye - Dawned On Me (Official Video), wilco
A-Ha–Take On Me
No list would be complete without this MTV-defining clip. Take On Me merges live-action with rotoscope pencil sketches, creating a love story that leaps from page to reality. Decades later, it still feels magical every time Morten Harket pulls us into the comic book world.
a-ha - Take On Me (Official Video) [4K], a-ha
U2–Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Made for Batman Forever, U2’s animated romp turns Bono into a caped caricature. His alter ego, Mr. Macphisto, looks right at home in Gotham’s shadowy neon. It’s part superhero spectacle, part rock star fever dream.
U2 - Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me (Official Music Video) [HD Upgrade], Upgraded Music Videos
Björk–I Miss You
Who else could team up with the creator of Ren & Stimpy? Björk’s I Miss You is a bizarre, hyperactive cartoon courtesy of John Kricfalusi. The video is weird, colorful, and brilliantly chaotic—just like Björk herself.
Matthew Sweet–Girlfriend
Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend lifts its visuals straight from the Japanese anime Space Adventure Cobra. The intergalactic action perfectly complements the crunchy guitars and power-pop longing. It’s a love song with an anime twist.
Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend, MatthewSweetVEVO
Portishead–The Rip
Minimalist yet hypnotic, Nick Uff’s animation for The Rip captures Portishead’s bleak beauty. Shapes morph, unravel, and fracture in rhythm with Beth Gibbons’ haunting voice. It’s proof that sometimes less really is more.
Portishead - The Rip, Portishead
Spoon–Everything Hits at Once
Spoon’s understated visuals match their melancholic groove. Everything Hits at Once pairs bold, simple images with Divya Srinivasan’s moody flair. The video’s restraint makes it quietly devastating.
Everything Hits At Once, Spoon
Paula Abdul–Opposites Attract
Paula Abdul dancing with MC Skat Kat remains a pop culture relic of the late ’80s. Opposites Attract is cheesy, colorful, and irresistible—exactly what made it iconic. MC Skat Kat deserves his own Hall of Fame plaqu.
Paula Abdul, The Wild Pair - Opposites Attract, Paula Abdul
The White Stripes–Fell in Love with a Girl
Michel Gondry immortalized Jack and Meg White in Lego bricks, and the result was pure genius. Fell in Love with a Girl is fast, chaotic, and impossibly fun to watch. It’s one of the most creative low-tech videos ever made.
The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl (Official Music Video), The White Stripes
R.E.M.–Man-Sized Wreath
Late in their career, REM experimented with striking animation. Man-Sized Wreath is bold, abstract, and visually restless, mirroring the anxious tone of the song. Even after decades, the band still found new ways to surprise fans.
R.E.M. - Man-Sized Wreath (Official Music Video), remhq
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande–Save Your Tears
Turning heartbreak into a glossy cartoon spectacle, Save Your Tears transforms The Weeknd and Ariana Grande into animated avatars. The video’s colorful visuals make the duet feel like a fairytale unfolding in real time.
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande - Save Your Tears (Remix) (Official Video), The Weeknd
Dua Lipa–Levitating
Retro disco vibes get a cosmic cartoon spin in Levitating. Dua Lipa glides through neon galaxies, grooving alongside glowing characters. It’s the kind of animated escapism that makes you want to dance until sunrise.
Dua Lipa - Levitating (Official Animated Music Video), Dua Lipa
Imagine Dragons–Birds
Tender and bittersweet, Birds uses hand-drawn animation to tell a story of love, loss, and transformation. The visuals soar with the band’s anthem, reminding viewers that animated videos can still hit deep emotional notes.
Imagine Dragons - Birds (Animated Video), ImagineDragons
Sia–Hey Boy (feat. Burna Boy)
Bold colors, surreal landscapes, and playful character design make Hey Boy a visual feast. The video brims with energy, perfectly matching Sia’s powerhouse vocals and Burna Boy’s swagger. It’s as eye-popping as it is catchy.
Sia - Hey Boy feat. Burna Boy (Official Video), Sia
Gorillaz–Clint Eastwood
We’ll close with the animated band that made the medium cool again. Clint Eastwood introduced the world to Gorillaz in all their illustrated glory, with Murdoc and 2-D standing alongside a ghostly Del the Funky Homosapien. Two decades later, they’re still the kings of cartoon cool.
Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood (Official Video), Gorillaz
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