Grammy Award for Best Music Video: Winners List From 2000 To Today
It's not just about the music at the Grammys. Some of your favorite stars – from Kendrick Lamar to 'Weird Al' Yankovic to Taylor Swift – have taken home the award for Best Music Video.
KickT
It’s not just about the music at the Grammys. Some of your favorite stars – from Kendrick Lamar to ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic to Taylor Swift – have taken home the award for Best Music Video.
Video killed the radio star, and to the winner goes the spoils. Since 1984, the Recording Academy has celebrated the music video format with the Best Music Video Grammy Award. In the following decades, some of the biggest stars have taken home the gold for the videos that have become the bedrock for the artform. This year will be no different, as some of your favorite musical acts are up for the Grammy.
Initially, the award was called the “Best Video, Short Form.” The academy also debuted the Best Music Film Grammy in 1984, an accolade for longer visual projects and concert films. Duran Duran won the first Grammy for Best Music Video at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards. Their “Girls On Film/ Hungry Like The Wolf” claimed the prize, with their eponymous Duran Duran winning Best Music Film later that night.
In 1988, the Grammys changed the criteria for the award, switching it up for “Best Concept Music Video” and “Best Performance Music Video.” This hyper-specific, pedantic division didn’t last long. After Genesis (“Land of Confusion”) and “Weird Al” Yankovic (“Fat”) won the Concept Music Videos in 1988 and ’89 – with The Prince’s Trust All-Star Rock Concert and U2’s “Where The Streets Have No Name” winning Best Performance Music Video – the category reverted to its original criteria in 1990. It also changed its name to Best Short Form Music Video until 2012, when it was then just called Best Music Video.
David Bowie (“Jazzin’ For Blue Jean”), R.E.M (“Losing My Religion”), The Beatles (“Free As A Bird”), and Madonna (“Ray of Light”) have all won the award. Michael Jackson won the award twice (“Leave Me Alone,” “Scream”), as did his sister, Janet Jackson (“Got ’til It’s Gone,” “Scream”). U2 also won twice, taking the award for “Vertigo” in 2005. Beyoncé has a pair of Music Video Grammys (“Formation,” “Brown Skin Girl”). So does Kendrick Lamar (“Humble,” “Bad Blood”). Director Mark Romanek has the record for most wins – Johnny Cash’s “Hurt,” Janet’s “Got ’til It’s Gone,” and “Scream” – as a director.
This Year’s Nominees
The 2022 field for Best Music Video covers a range of genres and generations. AC/DC scored a nod for the “Shot In The Dark” visual, as did Tony Bennet and Lady Gaga for their “I Get a Kick Out Of You” video. Jon Batiste’s “Freedom” was nominated for the award, adding to his eleven total nominations.
The rest of the category reads like a “who’s who” of today’s biggest stars. Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u,” Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” and Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” (featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon) are all nominated (as were the videos’ respective directors and producers.)
Winners Of The Best Music Video Grammy Since 2000
2021: Beyoncé & Wizkid Ft. Blue Ivy, “Brown Skin Girl”
Other nominees:
Future featuring Drake, “Life Is Good” Anderson .Paak, “Lockdown” Harry Styles, “Adore You” Woodkid, “Goliath”2020: Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
Other nominees:
Chemical Brothers, “We’ve Got to Try” (Ninian Doff, video director; Ellie Fry, video producer) Gary Clark Jr., “This Land” FKA Twigs, “Cellophane” Tove Lo, “Glad He’s Gone”2019: Childish Gambino, “This Is America”
Other nominees:
The Carters, “Apeshit” Joyner Lucas, “I’m Not Racist” Janelle Monáe, “Pynk” Tierra Whack, “Mumbo Jumbo”2018: Kendrick Lamar, “Humble”
Other nominees:
Beck, “Up All Night” Jain, “Makeba” Jay Z, “The Story of O.J.” Logic featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid, “1-800-273-8255”2017: Beyoncé, “Formation”
Other nominees:
Leon Bridges, “River” Coldplay, “Up & Up” Jamie xx, “Gosh” OK Go, “Upside Down & Inside Out”2016: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”
Other nominees:
A$AP Rocky, “LSD” The Dead Weather, “I Feel Love Kendrick Lamar, “Alright” Pharrell Williams, “Freedom”2015: Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Other nominees:
Arcade Fire, “We Exist DJ Snake and Lil’ Jon, “Turn Down for What” Sia, “Chandelier” Woodkid featuring Max Richter, “The Golden Age”2014: Justin Timberlake Ft. Jay-Z, “Suit & Tie”
Other nominees:
Capital Cities, “Safe and Sound” Jay Z, “Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film” Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us Jack White, “I’m Shakin'”2013: Rihanna & Calvin Harris, “We Found Love”
Other nominees:
Foster the People, “Houdini” Jay Z and Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean and The-Dream – “No Church in the Wild M.I.A., “Bad Girls” Woodkid, “Run Boy Run”2012: Adele, “Rolling in the Deep”
Other nominees:
Memory Tapes, “Yes I Know” OK Go, “All Is Not Lost Radiohead, “Lotus Flower” Skrillex, “First of the Year (Equinox)” “Weird Al” Yankovic, “Perform This Way”2011: Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance”
Other nominees:
Johnny Cash, “Ain’t No Grave / The Johnny Cash Project” Eminem and Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie” Gorillaz, Mos Def and Bobby Womack, “Stylo” Cee Lo Green, “Fuck You”2010: The Black Eyed Peas, “Boom Boom Pow”
Other nominees:
Beast, “Mr. Hurricane” Coldplay, “Life in Technicolor II” Depeche Mode, “Wrong” Oren Lavie, “Her Morning Elegance”2009: Weezer, “Pork and Beans:
Other nominees:
Erykah Badu, “Honey” Gnarls Barkley, “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul” Radiohead, “House of Cards” Jack White and Alicia Keys, “Another Way to Die”2008: Johnny Cash, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”
Other nominees:
Feist, “1234” Gnarls Barkley, “Gone Daddy Gone” Justice, “D.A.N.C.E.” Mutemath, “Typical”2007: OK Go, “Here It Goes Again”
Other nominees:
Big & Rich, “8th of November” Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Dani California” The Killers, “When You Were Young” Underoath, “Writing on the Walls”2006: Missy Elliott ft. Ciara & Fatman Scoop, “Lose Control”
Other nominees:
Gorillaz, “Feel Good Inc.” Jamiroquai, “Feels Just Like It Should” Martina McBride, “God’s Will” Sarah McLachlan, “World on Fire”2005: U2, “Vertigo”
Other nominees:
Franz Ferdinand, “Take Me Out” Green Day, “American Idiot” George Michael, “Flawless (Go to the City)” Steriogram, “Walkie Talkie Man”2004: Johnny Cash, “Hurt”
Other nominees:
Coldplay, “The Scientist” Madonna, “Die Another Day” Martina McBride, “Concrete Angel” OutKast, “Hey Ya!”2003: Eminem, “Without Me”
Other nominees:
1 Giant Leap featuring Robbie Williams and Maxi Jazz – “My Culture” Dirty Vegas, “Days Go By” Knoc-turn’al, Dr. Dre and Missy Elliott, “The Knoc” Nas, “One Mic”2002: Fatboy Slim ft. Bootsy Collins, “Weapon Of Choice”
Other nominees:
Aerosmith, “Fly Away from Here” Missy Elliott featuring Ludacris, “One Minute Man” Madonna, “Don’t Tell Me” OutKast, “Ms. Jackson”2001: Foo Fighters, “Learn To Fly”
Other nominees:
Busta Rhymes, “Fire” Reba McEntire, “What Do You Say” Papa Roach, “Broken Home” Will Smith, “Will 2K”2000: Korn, “Freak On A Leash”
Other nominees:
Björk, “All Is Full of Love” Lauryn Hill, “Everything Is Everything” Brian McKnight, “Back at One” TLC, “Unpretty”
