As the summer comes to a close, it’s hard to look back when there have been both good and awful things that happened, making us stop to really think about things going on in the world. When there are things that are hard to face, we can often take a break from the world and listen to music that helps us to build strength through tough times.
This summer has seen many amazing hits that have reached the top of the charts, or ones that we enjoy watching on Youtube over and over. From Nicki Minaj to Calvin Harris, many artists have given us avenues to watch their work for recent song releases. While many songs that were popular this summer were released much earlier, they have been the most popular this summer.
While we say goodbye to summer, we will also look back at some of the top ten music videos that were released this summer by many of our favorite music artists. What music videos for the songs of summer 2014 did you enjoy?
Photo credit: Kristin Callahan/ACE/INFphoto.com
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10. Sam Smith
For his video “I’m Not The Only One,” actress Dianna Agron is featured as the wife of a man who is cheating on her. She is portrayed crying while in the car as her husband meets his mistress. The video is very well done, showing the different emotions that are going through the scorned wife’s heart and Agron does a great job in the video.
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9. Taylor Swift
For “Shake It Off,” the video portrays different types of dance as Swift sings about shaking off the hate that comes from things that are said about her. The video is fun, energetic, and shows Swift attempting various different dance routines.
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8. Iggy Azalea ft. Rita Ora
The video for Iggy Azalea’s song “Black Widow” pays homage to the film Kill Bill. For the video, it begins in a diner where Rita and her boyfriend order lunch, with Azalea as a waitress, but then he refuses to take the plate. The video then moves to show the credits for the video before they are surrounded by snow. Plus, special effects during a scene where Ora rides a motorcycle are very well done.
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7. Ariana Grande
The video for “Break Free,” which features music by Zedd, begins with a homage to Star Wars, with an introduction that eventually shows a dusty planet and Grande walking along to save a bunch of people who are stuck in cells. This is an interesting concept for the video and it is colorful and really cool.
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6. Demi Lovato
For “I Really Don’t Care,” Demi Lovato sings in the middle of a gay pride parade. The video for the song is really well done and energetic with the activity happening in the background.
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5. Pharrell Williams
The video for “Come Get It Bae” shows women dancing in an apartment, having fun and appearing to enjoy themselves. Pharrell sits in a director’s chair while it appears they are being filmed as they show off their moves. The video also features Miley Cyrus and it’s a fun video that came out this summer.
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4. Calvin Harris
While the song “Summer” was released in April of this year, the video is well done as it portrays a bunch of people getting ready for a drag race. The video is also intercut with a young woman at home in a beautiful house, as well as Calvin Harris walking on a dusty road. It’s a video that is very well done and fun to watch.
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3. Nicki Minaj
For her song “Anaconda,” her video takes place in a jungle setting. With sexy costumes and dance moves that go along with the song’s very risqué and racy lyrics. The video has also been made popular due to the lap dance Drake receives from Minaj. The video below does contain swearing.
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2. Coldplay
The video for “A Sky Full Of Stars” begins with brief title credits before we see Chris Martin walking down the street with a drum instrument on his back. The video then sees him join his band mates, who also have similar instruments they are wearing. It is an upbeat, colorful video that shows the band having fun surrounded by strangers.
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1. Michael Jackson
Even though the song was recorded before Michael Jackson’s death, the song was one that hadn’t been released yet. It is featured on a second posthumous album put out for Jackson, titled Xscape. The video features archived footage of Michael, as well as a male and female who dance with each other throughout the video. It is very beautiful and includes Jackson’s image perfectly.