2011 Videos of the Year

It is finally the end of the year, and I have studiously been compiling my year end lists. Today I will show my top videos of the year, next week will reveal my Top 100 songs of the year, and the week after I will show my Top Albums of the year. Without further ado here are the best videos of the year (in no particular order):



The Weeknd - "The Knowing"

Dystopian future videos seemed to be in vogue this year, and The Weeknd seemed to have the best of them. Fluid visuals complement this standout track from their debut mixtape.



Skrillex - "First of the Year"

Skrillex was everywhere this year and ended things with a spectacular video which starts out completely creepy, but then transforms into something empowering and killer. An almost perfect update to Aphex Twin's "Come to Daddy" video.



Shabazz Palaces - "Black Up"

This hypnotic, mesmerizing video will haunt you for days.



Canyons - "See Blind Through"

As if emerging from a lost 80s music video cocoon, Canyon's trippy video fits well with the loopy take on 80s house music.



Rihanna - "We Found Love"

One of Rihanna's best tracks gets the Requiem for a Dream treatment, UK rave style.



St. Vincent - "Cruel"

Creepy, funny clip from St. Vincent.



Wild Beasts - "Albatross"

Quirky first single from Wild Beasts' album Smother gets an evocative video treatment.



Alex Clare - "Up All Night"

Crash and burn video that goes perfectly with this track.



Radiohead - "Lotus Flower"

The indie rock "Single Ladies."

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Austra The Beat & The Pulse from The Glitoris on Vimeo.

Austra - "Beat and the Pulse"

NSFW video that matches this pulsating dance track perfectly.



Is Tropical - "The Greeks"

If any video could be my favorite of the year, it would be this one. Fantastically perverse.



Youth Lagoon - "Montana"

Remember when videos used to be mini-short films? This video really brought it back to me how amazing videos were and could be again.



M83 - "Midnight City"

The real X-Men babies.



Holy Ghost! - "Wait and See"

Fun video with the duo's fathers playing them.



No Age - "Fever Dreaming"

Just wait until the ending of this video. Wait for it. Yes!



Major Lazer - "Original Don"

Major Lazer take a viral video and expand on it. Perfection.



Falty DL - "Gospel of Opal (Ft. Anneka)"

One of my favorite singles of the year gets a mysterious video to accompany it, and it works so well, even up to the bizarre ending.



Real Estate - "It's Real"

Perfect pop songs don't need much. Dogs will do.


The Shrine / An Argument from Sean Pecknold on Vimeo.

Fleet Foxes - "The Shrine/An Argument"

I personally don't care for Fleet Foxes music all that much, however, this video is so damn gorgeous. I love the animation as well as the haunting storyline.