In the 90s, R&B music videos became an integral part of mainstream pop culture. Boasting lavish production budgets and skyrocketing MTV viewership numbers, these captivating clips often went beyond simply providing catchy tunes.
Sisters With Voices’ hit single, “Weak”, established them as an iconic R&B group of the 90s. Additionally, its video featured Timbaland and an iconic hawk that epitomizes 90s cool.
Limp Bizkit – “Nookie”
For nu metal fans, “Nookie” may have come up at some point or another; its video version truly stands out though.
This R&B video was the first one to use the black-and-white “PARENTAL ADVISORY” stickers, and remains one of the most infamous examples. Though not particularly violent or offensive (with Durst promising to skin you raw as its most controversial element), this mix of rock riffs with rap rhymes shows complete disregard for civilisation.
Adina Howard donned a yellow satin bedsheet and ground her body against a table, giving a provocative glimpse into their audience perceptions. It was an overt and direct message.
Sisters With Voices, more commonly known as SWV, was one of the most successful R&B groups during the 90’s. Known for their beautiful harmonies and relatable lyrics about love and relationships, SWV quickly gained fans everywhere.
Missy Elliot – “Get Ur Freak On”
Missy Elliott, a four-time Grammy Award winner from Portsmouth, Virginia is an acclaimed rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer and producer. Beginning her career as part of all-woman group Sista in the early ’90s and then later joining forces with Tim “Timbaland” Mosley to form Swing Mob collective, Missy also wrote (and rapped on) Raven-Symone’s 1993 single “That’s What Little Girls Are Made Of”, co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Aaliyah’s 1996 No.1 R&B/hip hop hit One In A Million.
“Get Ur Freak On” became an international smash hit and was an instant radio and club hit, featuring Missy’s signature twerking as well as an unforgettable opening scene with Missy dancing among a sea of dolls–an obvious statement about mainstream beauty standards. Its video is equally iconic. It tapped into hip-hop culture to highlight that female rappers can compete at hip-hop culture with men rappers. Missy used cowbell accents, cowbell accents, a sample from Labelle’s 1974 classic, Lady Marmalade” as radio hits while its video with smooth animation, street scenes featuring Nelly Furtado made this hit a club hit as radio hitshrinker radio hitshrinkers club hitshrinkers; its iconic video opened with her dancing in front of dolls as an explicit reminder to mainstream beauty standards that female rappers were real deals in hip-hop culture versus male-rappers were real deals, which her signature twerking was put front and center stage during its radio run-out run-out made this radio hit both on radio and club hitshrinker video features its iconic video which featured Missy performing alongside Nelly Furtado cameo cameo made it club hitsh shrinker, making the latter into club hitsh shrinker status for clubs across clubs around America! Missy’s trademark twerking was also shown off when dancing before crowd of dolls to highlight mainstream beauty standards that mainstream standards in America!
The Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”
R&B in the 1990s experienced a sea change. Once known for romantic courtship themes, hip-hop’s influence brought with it more experimental production styles and new forms of raunchiness – hardcore crooning was on the rise alongside vocally deft girl groups; danceable percussion rhythms combined with harmonized ensembles took beg and plea to new levels of intensity.
The Beastie Boys first released “Sabotage” in 1994 and its music video immediately went viral. Already advocating against adult hypocrisy, The Brooklyn trio encouraged Gen Xers to fight back. Through this mustachioed take on 1970s cop show genre (with car chase scenes around Los Angeles and an amusing donut break), The band proved they could be playful while remaining powerful.
Director Spike Jonze’s video treatment of this song with its loud ties, aviator glasses and fake mustaches created a comical yet subversive vibe – but its deeper message was more subliminal; its lyrics alluded to the fact that we can’t always trust our partners and hinted that even well-laid plans may come awry.
Alannah Myles – “Black Velvet”
Black Velvet was released as the debut single from Canadian singer Alannah Myles’ 1989 eponymous debut album on Atlantic Records and proved an instant hit in her home country of Canada as well as becoming a top-10 hit on both Billboard Hot 100 chart and album rock tracks chart – as well as top #1 on both. Additionally, its music video featured Myles singing while wearing black hair products by Vidal Sassoon to enhance its lush texture, interspersed with live clips.
Christopher Ward and David Tyson collaborated on writing a song that blended blues verses with rock chorus, an obvious tribute to Elvis Presley. Ward explained he found his inspiration from how Presley’s fans would come out in droves when performing live.
Myles never managed to replicate her initial success and, consequently, became something of a one-hit wonder in America despite earning four Juno awards and one Grammy between her debut album and Black Velvet – though this could have been worse!
Sinead O’Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Sinead O’Connor made her mark as an electrifying performer of the 1990s with her raw, uncompromising vocals and unflinching honesty. Her rendition of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” first recorded by Prince for his short-lived Paisley Park band The Family, transforms this lullaby-like track into an introspection on abandonment and loss.
Her music may never have been tailored toward mainstream success, yet her presence was undeniable. Even her most well-known work pushed boundaries: from her 1989 debut album Am I Not Your Girl? (an eclectic collection of covers across jazz, country, and pop) to her 1992 SNL performance during which she tore up a picture of Pope John Paul II to protest sexual abuse within Catholicism.
O’Connor was an intriguing figure – both an artist and activist, openly discussing both aspects of her spiritual journey and sociopolitical views throughout her career. From protesting child abuse, advocating for gay rights or refusing to sing the National Anthem in New Jersey (“I don’t have the right to play here”) she demanded our full attention.
R. Kelly – “Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)”
Adina Howard’s seductive vocals highlighted the explicit sexual overtones (or undertones) of G-funk beat, creating an irresistibly sensual melody. Director Hype Williams directed an incredible video experience which introduced Ronald Isley’s Mr. Biggs character, which in turn gave rise to several sequels with similar narratives.
En Vogue was an iconic R&B song of the 90s, beloved due to its powerful harmonies and relatable lyrics about finding one’s ideal woman. Additionally, its music video pioneered an aesthetic known as “artist singing in the rain”, later adopted in many of this decade’s top visuals.
Erykah Badu combined jazz, R&B and soul to craft this emotive track, which quickly became a classic both musically and aesthetically. Fans still appreciate its soulful vocals and thought-provoking lyrics; many consider this the pioneer of neo-soul genre.
TLC – “Waterfalls”
The 1990s was an amazing era for music videos. There were some standout videos that left lasting impressions with viewers; other more fleeting efforts might pop up briefly before quickly dissipating again. Here are some memorable ones.
“Waterfalls” was TLC’s video for their hit single of the same name and featured Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes as watery CGI mirages reminiscent of waterfalls. The clip won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video that year under director F. Gary Gray who later went on to direct Straight Outta Compton and The Fate of the Furious films.
Although the video appears lighthearted, Songfacts reports that its lyrics are very serious. According to Songfacts, in verse two it speaks about loving someone for sex instead of love, and then becoming sick because of it (three letters took him to his final resting place).
Gray’s visuals are bold and theatrical, yet they work beautifully within this context. He also assembled an amazing cast for each vignette – including Roc star Ella Joyce as mother, character actor Bokeem Woodbine as killer and Wu-Tang affiliate kid rapper Shyheim The Rugged Child as dying boy.
Beck – “Loser”
Beck’s 1994 song “Loser” transcended indie circuit to become one of the defining hits of the 90s, thanks to lyrics such as “butane in my veins / spray-paint the vegetables”, as well as references to weddings and burning down trailer parks – an expression of chaos and disaffection reflective of modern society.
Daniel Hanft directed an extremely successful music video for this single, which drew inspiration from 16 mm film promos of Black Sabbath as well as works of surrealist filmmakers such as Luis Bunuel and Maya Deren. Hanft even used footage from his 1991 Cal Arts MFA thesis film “Kill the Moonlight” about an underachieving stock car racer as part of his video.
Even though the video depicts dark imagery, its message remains upbeat and positive; telling of a woman finding love and acceptance unexpectedly. Furthermore, Beck’s innovative spirit and artistic talent is evident through its seamless melding of different genres into one experience.