6 Underappreciated Music Videos To Watch

Morgan Goldsmith
Sep 26, 2021
3 min read

Music videos add a fun element to the listening experience by literally painting the picture for the listener. In recent years, the art of the music video has declined, and artists are less focused on creating visuals for their music. In the same way, listeners are less focused on viewing music videos as programs like MTV, VH1, and BET have decreased the exposure to music videos. However, there are still some artists out there who care about the visual element, and their work goes underappreciated. That ends today for 6 of my favorite underappreciated music videos.

RIP To My Youth by The Neighbourhood

California band The Neighbourhood continued their black and white aesthetic with their 2015 lead single “RIP To My Youth.” The song is all about embracing the inevitability and uncertainty of death and how we all strive to live full lives in hopes we make it to paradise. The video is woven with aggressive images as lead singer Jesse Rutherford lies in a coffin smoking a cigarette, a featured dancer throws powerful dance moves in a damp and smoky tunnel, and the band performs accompanied by an addictive bassline and pounding drums.

Too Fast by Sonder

“Too Fast” is a track from the group Sonder, lead by singer Brent Faiyaz. The music video features Brent Faiyaz and a young boy, assumed to be a young Faiyaz. “Too Fast” discusses the process of growing up and moving through life a little too fast and ignoring the red flags that we face as we mature. The video is truly symbolic and worth the watch!

Love$ick by Mura Masa ft. A$AP Rocky

British producer Mura Masa teamed up with rapper A$AP Rocky to create a summery track about a seasonal fling that ends as quickly as it starts. The video, however, takes a bit of a different approach. The video follows three teenage boys as they spend the day together getting into trouble like only teenagers know how to do. It’s lighthearted and fun, making it a video to lighten the mood.

Whack World by Tierra Whack

Tierra Whack’s 2018 debut album Whack World stunned the hip-hop community with Whack’s lyrical ability and undeniable flow. However, the accompanying music videos strung into a 15-minute movie take us on a journey into the whimsical mind of Tierra Whack. Seeing each song come to life adds a whole new perspective to the album and makes the project seem a lot more fun and experimental. From raps about her dead dog to keeping her cholesterol down, Tierra Whack nailed it with the Whack World movie.

Ryd/Dark Red by Steve Lacy

Steve Lacy, the bassist for R&B band The Internet, released his first self-produced solo project Steve Lacy’s Demo in 2017 and featured the singles “Ryd” and “Dark Red.” The bassist combines the two tracks to tell the story of a love that seemed to be harmless and spontaneous but quickly turned fatal.

Honey by Erykah Badu

“Honey” by Erykah Badu is a love song nonetheless, but the music video puts a spin on what love means for Badu. The video is shot in a watcher POV-style and takes us on a trip through a record store. Each record features Badu as she recreates the album covers of her contemporaries, her influences, and other artists she admires. The message behind the video: save local record stores. Definitely worthy of a round of applause.