Director: Traktor
The second most expensive music video ever made (after Michael and Janet Jackson's "Scream"), "Die Another Day" casts Madonna in the role of a Bond-like super spy escaping a torture chamber in her turn at creating a theme song for the franchise. Elsewhere in the video, two Madonnas violently battle each other in a scene Sigmund Freud would definitely have things to say about.
029. "Girl Gone Wild" (2012)
Directors: Mert & Marcus
This one is arguably more style than substance, but we're okay with that when the style looks this good. Recalling the steaminess of videos like "Erotica" and "Justify My Love," "Girl Gone Wild" likely would've been banned by MTV once upon a time, but almost flew under the radar in 2012.
028. "Erotica" (1992)
Director: Fabien Baron
The filmic counterpart to her controversial 'Sex' book, the promo for "Erotica" was banned by a number of music video outlets. Which is almost precisely what Madonna wanted to happen, given her success with marketing her previous restricted video for home release. Cameo appearances by Naomi Campbell, Isabella Rossellini, Big Daddy Kane and more.
027. "Secret" (1994)
Director: Melodie McDaniel
Madonna as nightclub singer in a Harlem speakeasy.
026. "Cherish" (1989)
Director: Herb Ritts
Madonna persuaded one of her favourite photographers to work with, the late Herb Ritts, to direct a video for the third single from the Like A Prayer album. His vision saw Madonna cavorting with a group of mermen on a beach in Malibu.
025. "Bedtime Story" (1995)
Director: Mark Romanek
A truly surreal visual to go with Björk's surreal lyricism, the video for Madonna's "Bedtime Story" is a part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art.
024. "4 Minutes" [with Justin Timberlake] (2008)
Director: Jonas & François
In which "four minutes to save the world" is interpreted as outrunning an encroaching geometric pattern that threatens to turn our skin transparent. With dancing!
023. "I Want You" [with Massive Attack] (1995)
Director: Earle Sebastian
The video for Madonna's Marvin Gaye cover with Massive Attack, "I Want You" is based on a short story by Dorothy Parker.
022. "Bitch I'm Madonna" [with Nicki Minaj] (2015)
Director: Jonas Åkerlund
Madonna's most recent video (it's been too long!) is a flashy reminder that Madonna is Madonna. With cameos from Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Chris Rock, and more.
021. "Justify My Love" (1990)
Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Nipples have traditionally been a really hard thing for Americans to deal with. The amount of hype caused by MTV's refusal to play the video for "Justify My Love," the subsequent column inches dedicated to salaciously exaggerating what was in it, a god damned episode of Nightline to premiere the thing in primetime...you can't pay for that kind of publicity. It became the first retail video single and sold ridiculously well.
020. "Take A Bow" (1994)
Director: Michael Haussman
Winner of the 1995 VMA for Best Female Video, "Take A Bow" features Madonna as the overlooked darling of a heedless bullfighter companion.
019. "Rain" (1993)
Director: Mark Romanek
It's meta-video Madonna as we're with the singer on the set of another film shoot in the clip for "Rain." The faux director in the clip is musician Ryuichi Sakamoto. Winner of two VMAs for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.
018. "Music" (2000)
Director: Jonas Åkerlund
Don't be fooled by the champagne flute--that's apple juice in Madonna's glass in the video for "Music" 'cause she was quite pregnant with her son Rocco at the time. Much like in the clip for "You Must Love Me" (filmed when she was expecting daughter Lola), M spends most of this video strategically camouflaged by her surroundings, so as not to raise too many eyebrows given the booze-and-strippers-in-a-limo storyline.
017. "Open Your Heart" (1986)
Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Madonna plays a peep show performer in the promo for "Open Your Heart." Notable for increasing usage of the word "bustiere" by about 40000%. Nominated for the 1987 VMA for Best Female Video, it lost to "Papa Don't Preach."
016. "What It Feels Like For A Girl" (2001)
Director: Guy Ritchie
While rumour is, before details changed, the original director attached to the video for "Open Your Heart" was Madonna's then husband Sean Penn, the actual honour of first-husband-to-direct-Madonna-in-a-video went to then husband Guy Ritchie for "What It Feels Like For A Girl." Another one banned from MTV, the clip features M and an elderly woman on a violent, apparently anti-male rampage through the city that ends with the pair committing suicide.
015. "Borderline" (1984)
Director: Mary Lambert
The final of the five singles off her debut album, "Borderline" was released just as Madonna was starting to blow up. With a notably increased budget over her previous efforts, this is the video that got Madonna into heavy rotation on our TV screens.
014. "Drowned World/Substitute For Love" (1998)
Director: Walter Stern
Despite Ray Of Light's continued huge sales, the album's third international single, "Drowned World/Substitute For Love" wasn't given a North American release, and the video remains relatively rarely shown here. Curiously, it actually was given a wide release in England, in spite of the seemingly obvious echoes of a paparazzi chase in connection with Princess Diana's death just a year earlier. Portraying Madonna outrunning the trappings of her celebrity, the at-first subtly distorted visual effects grow more intense the closer she ventures into the thick of things.
013. "Human Nature" (1995)
Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
She may be looking tough as nails in head-to-toe S&M gear, but "Human Nature" is one of the rarer instances where Madonna shows off a more playful side. Trivia: The dog in the video was Madonna's chihuahua, Chiquita.
012. "Nothing Really Matters" (1999)
Director: Johan Renck
Japanese fetishism aside, the clip for "Nothing Really Matters" is a stunningly shot, dreamlike trip, in which Madonna coddles a waterbag baby inside a decommissioned nuclear reactor among a group of Japanese butoh dancers. Because of course she does.
011. "Hung Up" (2005)
Director: Johan Renck
Flashbacks of Jazzercise and 20 Minute Workout videotapes abound, the video for "Hung Up" is, in part, Madonna's tribute to the dance movies of John Travolta. As the first single from her beat-driven Confessions On A Dance Floor album, the clip appropriately features a lot of outstanding dancing.
010. "Deeper And Deeper" (1992)
Director: Bobby Woods
Mixing cultural references from Studio 54 to Italian cinema, the video for "Deeper And Deeper" specifically gives love to the work of both artist Andy Warhol and director Luchino Visconti. Includes appearances from Debi Mazar, Sofia Coppola, Udo Kier, and Chi Chi LaRue
009. "Ray Of Light" (1998)
Director: Jonas Åkerlund
The video that sold a billion denim jackets. Winner of five VMAs, including Best Direction, Best Female Video, and Video of the Year.
008. "Don't Tell Me" (2000)
Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
You had me at slow-motion, dancing, leather cowboy fantasy.
007. "Like A Prayer" (1989)
Director: Mary Lambert
Probably the most complex narrative of any of Madonna's videos, "Like A Prayer" manages to cram a lot of heavy topics (theft, murder, racism, bigotry, corruption, faith, power) into a four minute promo clip with no dialogue. The video caused such an uproar that the Vatican called for a boycott of Pepsi because Madonna had a sponsorship deal with them. The cola giant eventually canceled their campaign. Madonna laughed all the way to the bank. Winner of the Viewer's Choice VMA, coincidentally sponsored in 1989 by Pepsi.
006. "Papa Don't Preach" (1986)
Director: James Foley
Pretty much a visual representation of the song's lyrical theme, the video for "Papa Don't Preach" presents Madonna as the teenaged protagonist, fearful of her father's reaction to the news that she's pregnant. Stars Danny Aiello as Madonna's dad. Winner of the 1987 VMA for Best Female Video.
005. "Vogue" (1990)
Director: David Fincher
Golden age glamour meets Paris Is Burning. Winner of three VMAs, including the award for Best Direction.
004. "Oh Father" (1989)
Director: David Fincher
Famed film director David Fincher pays reverential respect to 'Citizen Kane' in the video for "Oh Father."
003. "Frozen" (1998)
Director: Chris Cunningham
The dawn of Madonna 2.0, the video for "Frozen," the lead single off 1998's Ray Of Light was a pivotal moment of reinvention for the singer. Spearheading what came to be regarded as a seismic comeback despite her not really having gone anywhere (she'd won a Golden Globe for 'Evita' just a year earlier), the video helped to convey Madonna's newfound sense of spiritual mysticism. Winner of the VMA for Best Special Effects.
002. "Bad Girl" (1993)
Director: David Fincher
Oscar winner Christopher Walken stars as guardian angel to Madonna's character of Louise Oriole in the video for "Bad Girl." A corporate executive tormented by an unrequited love, she finds solace in a number of vices that are slowly destroying her.
001. "Express Yourself" (1989)
Director: David Fincher
Yup, all four David Fincher-directed videos made our Top Five. He and Madonna did some amazing work together, but nothing more exquisite than the 'Metropolis'-inspired production of "Express Yourself." Do the visuals actually correspond with the song's lyrical themes in any meaningful way? We're not sure, but when we're given dazzling eye candy like this, we don't really care--we just love what we see. Winner of three VMAs, including Best Direction.
***** text-only version of the list *****
###. "Video Title" (Release Year) Director
060. "This Used To Be My Playground" (1992) Director: Alek Keshishian
059. "I'll Remember" (1994) Director: Alek Keshishian
058. "Everybody" (1982) Director: Ed Steinberg
057. "You Must Love Me" (1996) Director: Alan Parker
056. "Miles Away" (2009) Director: Nathan Rissman
055. "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (1996) Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
054. "Live To Tell" (1986) Director: James Foley
053. "Lucky Star" (1984) Director: Arthur Pierson
052. "True Blue" (1986) Director: James Foley
051. "Who's That Girl?" (1987) Director: Peter Rosenthal
050. "Burning Up" (1983) Director: Steve Barron
049. "Give It 2 Me" [with Pharrell] (2008) Directors: Tom Munro & Nathan Rissman
048. "Jump" (2006) Director: Jonas Åkerlund
047. "Love Profusion" (2003) Director: Luc Besson
046. "Living For Love" (2015) Director: J.A.C.K.
045. "You'll See" (1995) Director: Michael Haussman
044. "Material Girl" (1985) Director: Mary Lambert
043. "Beautiful Stranger" (1999) Director: Brett Ratner
042. "Give Me All Your Luvin'" [with M.I.A. & Nicki Minaj] (2012) Director: Megaforce
041. "Fever" (1993) Director: Stéphane Sednaoui
040. "Me Against The Music" [with Britney Spears] (2003) Director: Paul Hunter
039. "Hollywood" (2003) Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
038. "Turn Up The Radio" (2012) Director: Tom Munro
037. "Celebration" (2009) Director: Jonas Åkerlund
036. "Like A Virgin" (1984) Director: Mary Lambert
035. "Ghosttown" (2015) Director: Jonas Åkerlund
034. "The Power Of Good-Bye" (1998) Director: Matthew Rolston
033. "La Isla Bonita" (1987) Director: Mary Lambert
032. "American Pie" (2000) Director: Philipp Stölzl
031. "Sorry" (2006) Director: Jamie King
030. "Die Another Day" (2002) Director: Traktor
029. "Girl Gone Wild" (2012) Directors: Mert & Marcus
028. "Erotica" (1992) Director: Fabien Baron
027. "Secret" (1994) Director: Melodie McDaniel
026. "Cherish" (1989) Director: Herb Ritts
025. "Bedtime Story" (1995) Director: Mark Romanek
024. "4 Minutes" [with Justin Timberlake] (2008) Director: Jonas & François
023. "I Want You" [with Massive Attack] (1995) Director: Earle Sebastian
022. "Bitch I'm Madonna" [with Nicki Minaj] (2015) Director: Jonas Åkerlund
021. "Justify My Love" (1990) Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
020. "Take A Bow" (1994) Director: Michael Haussman
019. "Rain" (1993) Director: Mark Romanek
018. "Music" (2000) Director: Jonas Åkerlund
017. "Open Your Heart" (1986) Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
016. "What It Feels Like For A Girl" (2001) Director: Guy Ritchie
015. "Borderline" (1984) Director: Mary Lambert
014. "Drowned World/Substitute For Love" (1998) Director: Walter Stern
013. "Human Nature" (1995) Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
012. "Nothing Really Matters" (1999) Director: Johan Renck
011. "Hung Up" (2005) Director: Johan Renck
010. "Deeper And Deeper" (1992) Director: Bobby Woods
009. "Ray Of Light" (1998) Director: Jonas Åkerlund
008. "Don't Tell Me" (2000) Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
007. "Like A Prayer" (1989) Director: Mary Lambert
006. "Papa Don't Preach" (1986) Director: James Foley
005. "Vogue" (1990) Director: David Fincher
004. "Oh Father" (1989) Director: David Fincher
003. "Frozen" (1998) Director: Chris Cunningham
002. "Bad Girl" (1993) Director: David Fincher
001. "Express Yourself" (1989) Director: David Fincher
Check back tomorrow for the final day of our celebration of Madonna's birthday, when we publish the results of our fan poll, revealing the Top 60 Madonna Songs, as chosen by the readers of Wet Thud.
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