7 of the most talked about music videos of 2017 so far
As far as music goes, 2017 has provided a glorious smorgasbord upon which to feast on. From the much-anticipated comebacks (we're looking at you Jay-Z, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift), to the albums the world has been hitting 'repeat' on (oh hey Stormzy, Kendrick Lamar and SZA), it's safe to say that we've been spoiled for choice this year. As for music videos? Yup, we've been indulged on that front, too.
From French Montana to Kesha, these are the most talked about music videos of 2K17...
Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do
(Warning: Third party video may contain adverts)
Why is everyone talking about it?
Taylor Swift's return has been pretty well-documented and analysed. After feuding with Kanye, Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry, the hype around Taylor's comeback has revolved around the likelihood that her next record would add fuel to the drama-filled fire.
Opening with the lines 'I don't like your little games, Don't like your tilted stage, The role you made me play, Of the fool, no, I don't like you', the internet pretty quickly deduced that Swifty was taking aim at Kanye - a man known for his penchant for a titled stage. But, lyrics aside, the music video alone is a shade-throwing fest.
With 50 million views in two days, we can safely assume that we're not the only ones frantically re-watching looking for more hidden messages and meanings. The shade! The shade of it all! Over to you, Ye...
Charli XCX - Boys
(Warning: Third party video may contain adverts)
Why is everyone talking about it?
Joe Jonas. Charlie Puth. Brendon Urie. Riz Ahmed. Cameron Dallas. MNEK. Dan Smith. Wiz Khalifa. Stormzy. Tom Daley. Oli Sykes. Joey Bada$$. G-Eazy. Ezra Koenig. Rostam Batmanglij. Fai Khadra. Diplo. Jack Antonoff. Jay Park. Khalid. Vance Joy. Need we say more?
Chatting about directing the video to , Charli XCX revealed the inspiration behind the all-male line-up: "They're basically doing all the sexy things that girls usually do in videos. I turned it round! So basically it started with me listening to the song in the car and I was thinking about Joe Jonas being really sexy, eating food - which is kind of a weird combo - but I was like 'wait, this could be an idea!'
So then I started thinking about all the guys I've worked with or met over my years in the industry and... basically started sending them all of these ideas like 'y'know, I wanna make this video - I'm directing it, I'm not in it - I just want to flip the male gaze on its head and have you guys do the sexy stuff' and they were all super down."
Kendrick Lamar - HUMBLE.
Why is everyone talking about it?
Kendrick Lamar's HUMBLE. is a little too verbally explicit to feature in all its visual glory on this list but, should you wish to uncover the hype, you can watch it .
Bagging him the MTV VMA award for Best Hip-Hip Video, Kendrick's three minute masterpiece is chockablock with contradictions (decadence by the bucket load, anyone?) and camera wizardry. Directed by Dave Meyers (the man responsible for videos like Missy Elliott's Lose Control, OutKast's B.O.B. and Jay-Z's Dirt Off Your Shoulder), the video sees Kendrick being the antithesis of humble: chowing down on fine foods in the back of a fancy car, orchestrating a decadent Last Supper and clad in what can only be described as Pope regalia. As you do.
Dua Lipa - New Rules
(Warning: Third party video may contain adverts)
Why is everyone talking about it?
Dua Lipa has new rules and, so far, 147 million people have watched her count them.
Clad in a rainbow of pastel-hued robes, Dua Lipa and her brunette squad school each other in the rules of getting over their loves, once and for all. While New Rules was always set to be a winner, the accompanying video may have helped push it from pop bop to summer smash territory, and even garnered attention from music juggernaut Lorde...
But where exactly did the inspiration behind the candy-coloured Miami sleepover of the century come from? Dua Lipa dished to The Cut:
"I had saved pictures on my phone to use as reference points for the video. There was an image I’d saved of Naomi Campbell in the ‘80s — I think it was a Versace campaign — where she is basically holding another girl on her back. I loved the idea of girls looking after each other like that, holding each other, that sense of humility, that sense of strength.”
Proof if ever we needed it that all those screen grabs will prove useful one day.
SZA - Drew Barrymore
(Warning: Third party video may contain adverts)
Why is everyone talking about it?
Well, firstly, Drew Barrymore makes a cameo (yes, actual Drew Barrymore); a fleeting cameo, but a cameo all the same. Talking about her favourite actress and the impact her films had on a young SZA (real name: Solána Imani Rowe), the singer told Vulture: “When I was watching Never Been Kissed, that’s my experience. I was hella outcast in school. I was watching it like, ‘Yes! Win for all of us!’”
So, that explains the cameo. As for the rest of the video? It's another one directed by Dave Meyers and follows the hazy post-party happenings of SZA and her squad in New York City. Pizza joints, laundry spots and snowy hill hangs all provide the backdrop for SZA's soulful tones to bring you to life after your own post-party haze.
French Montana - Unforgettable ft. Swae Lee
Why is everyone talking about it?
With 298 million views and counting, French Montana's video - released back in April of this year - is, by YouTube standards, pretty damn popular. Much like Kendrick's HUMBLE., it's a bit too sweary for us to feature but you can
Shot in Uganda, part of the videos success can be attributed to the viral dance element. Prior to filming the Kampala locals for his own video, World Star Hip Hop released a vid that went viral - showcasing the locals dancing to French's track - inspiring the rapper to emulate the footage for himself.
But before you think that this is another case of a wealthy star drawing inspiration from impoverished countries for the purpose of a music video, think again. French flew the dancers out for the BET Awards and donated money to foundations in the area after being touched by his visit.
Kesha - Praying
(Warning: Third party video may contain adverts)
Why is everyone talking about it?
"'Praying' was written about that moment when the sun starts peeking through the darkest storm clouds, creating the most beautiful rainbow," Kesha wrote in Lenny Letter. "Once you realize that you will in fact be OK, you want to spread love and healing. If you feel like someone has wronged you, get rid of that hate, because it will just create more negativity. One thing that has brought me great relief is praying for those people. Being angry and resentful will do nothing but increase your own stress and anxiety — and hate is the fuel that grows the viruses. Don't let anyone steal your happiness!"
It's been almost four years since we've had new music from Kesha and, given all that's happened in that time, it's no surprise that her music video for Praying was much-anticipated. Featuring a feathered-up Kesha dealing with, and ultimately shedding, her demons in the desert, the video has so far been viewed 37 million times and racked up 64,000 comments (among them 'SONG OF THE YEAR!')... In other words: it's a big deal.
