The Best Free Videos Online

It was a good year for music and it was a bad year for music.  All the cross pollination led to a sort of homogeneity that reflects the effects of globalization on the distinct cultures of the world.  Bad because musicians weren’t making nearly as much money as they should due in part to the glut of material released, the economy sucking, and people not having to really pay for anything in order to get the goods.

Good because there was so much of it that was fresh and alive and emerging from the obscurity of the shadows cast by the long-standing mega-labels that essentially toppled over at long last this year.  Good because the videos were audacious, colorful, innovative and edgy as ever.

Here are the five videos that, IMNSHO, rocked screens hardest  in 2008.

MGMT: Time To Pretend

This song/video restored my faith in pretty much everything, let alone indie music and making art and playing with mom’s video camera by pointing it right at the screen and freaking out on the feedback trails.

Metallica: All Nightmare Long

It just doesn’t really matter what you think of Metal, Metallica, Lars Ulrich or any of it.  Your opinion doesn’t matter, because this Godzilla / Anime / Grindhouse tribute rocks too hard for any opinion.

Justice: DVNO

Where the hell did these guys come from?  Al of a sudden Justice rules the roost.  Watch this amazafreaking video and you’ll have a better understanding why this is.

Radiohead: House of Cards

It is Radiohead’s world; we are all just living in it.  More innovation from the good old boys of Alternative.

Feist: I Feel It All

Just a beautiful, in-camera choreography that underlines how great the song is to begin with, which is what any self-respecting video should ever hope to do.

Honorable mentions:

Kanye West: Flashing Lights

Britney Spears: Break the Ice