Oh boy, I had a great time going through all my saved music videos of 2025 in preparation for this post. It almost feels like revisiting some pictures you took throughout the year, because I can often place watching a music video in the context of what was going on at that moment in my life. The result is a sense of comfortable familiarity which is extremely uplifting in honestly quite depressing times. Therefore it’s a great feeling watching back all the videos that sparked joy, created by musicians and other artists that care a lot about their work. That feeling is amplified by the recent frustration and disgust walking around Malta and Frankfurt during peak Christmas-Consumerism, seeing AI generated slop ads everywhere. But that’s a rant for another time, let’s kick things off.

The list is in no particular order and I will try my best not to spoil, because the beauty of these videos obviously lies in watching them and not in describing them. The list is split in two parts. I urge you to take a little bit of time, grab a snack and a drink. As always, please share your own favorites from this year and let me know which videos I have missed.

Earl Sweatshirt – CRISCO
The recent years have seen a lot of fake disclaimer titles in the beginning of a music video, mostly stating how the artist’s lavish spending left the production with very limited funds. I guess it’s purpose is to create a behind-the-curtain documentary feel to it. Usually, I tend to dislike this “lol we went totally rogue with 40k” celebrity cult capitalist sentiment. But not in Earl Sweatshirt’s case. In CRISCO, he is looking for a double because he can’t be arsed to perform (deeply anti-capitalist motives). Obviously, Gary -see thumbnail- is chosen and following Earl and Gary around calls for their own sitcom.

Bakar – Lonyo!
This is my feel good banger of the year. Bakar already has a strong history of music video releases (I’m done for example) and he continues reliably. What I assume is his little brother, takes Bakar’s new single Lonyo! to school and the schoolyard is transformed into a dance choreography site for the whole student body. A lot of energy that brought a smile to my face.

Ninajirachi – Infohazard

A desktop documentary style video, it’s complexity and pacing left me speechless, especially after reading an interview with her in the RollingStone where she said: “I love my computer for a million reasons, but it’s also exposed me to some pretty dubious material when I was far too young to see it. Infohazard is about the first time I encountered a snuff film as a kid.” Being born 1993, I made similar unpleasant experiences browsing the world wide web in the mid 2000s. Infohazard captures the intoxicating spell of browsing back then.

Geese – Taxes
A fantastic example of using a natural break within the track and translate it into a visual idea. The contrast between very little and a lot of movement, energy and madness just works and I can only imagine how much fun it must have been in the crowd. Definitely less fun for the camera person, their arms were definitely jelly after the shoot, but at least no one complains when you push through to the first row.

GDJYB X WHIZZ – HEY DARLING DARLING + FILL MY EMPTY SOUL
I did a video about this one already (check it out here), because I am still so struck by the idea: Both bands came up with individual songs that when played synced up, create a third track and this idea is beautifully transposed into the visual language – a split screen featuring nearly identical shots of the separate bands. Never think you have seen it all… Incredible!

Rimon – Where Do We Go?
I’ve also talked about this video by Rimon before. It had to end up in my yearly roundup because it’s technically so well executed AND the technical complexity does not distract from the story: Rimon posted some beautiful context on her Instagram, stating that Malou, the co-star in the video, plays her childhood best friend Renata. Both of their families were refugees in a tiny village in the Netherlands. The panning camera is a simple but effective metaphor for the turning of the wheels of time and the desire to revisit certain memories.

BNYX®, Len – Where You Been
2025 was the year of creatives finessing their skill sets to manipulate footage look like 2000s again: low dynamic range, crunchy contrast, saturated colors, sharpening and so on. For BNYX® & Len’s video for Where you been they definitely succeeded. The setup is so minimal (couple people, a car and an old warehouse) but the edit, camera moves and performances don’t get boring – obviously BNYX® brings a mad energy to the track that is substantial. What are you doing if you’re not at least nodding your head in your chair??

HYUKOH(혁오), Sunset Rollercoaster – Aaaannnnteeeeennnaaaaaa
Make sure you sit comfortably for this one, because Hyukoh and Sunset Rollercoaster are redefining “trippy”. Outstanding visual concept, I don’t even know how someone conceptualizes something like this. Dreamlike is quite an overused attribute, but the constant morphing between locations, scale and perspective defeats any logic of time and space. Like in Rimon’s – Where do we go? the technical complexity doesn’t distract, its the perfect tool to pull you further in.

Hanumankind – Run It Up (Prod. By Kalmi)
Finishing up part 1 of my favorite music video releases 2025 with nothing short of a thunderstorm of energy, displaying a huge range of traditional rites and dances from all over India. Incredible edit and performances, must have been an unforgettable shoot across the country. Stay tuned for Part 2, and please comment your favorites from this year! I always love to see what slipped under the radar.