Blog Marco

Here is a few of many controversial music videos. What makes a music video controversial? As oppposed to the sexy music videos? It's when the artist pushes the boundaries of what is accepted in society and what is taboo. For example, Björk, the Icelandic artist that she is displays an original and unique form of expression in both her vocal and visual representation of her music. Some may say its plain nudity and therefore its bad. And others may say its a beautiful expression of art. Then you throw in The Enright House's female masturbation into the mix and now do you question - is it a marketing ploy or art? One truth that strings all these controversial music videos is that sex sells. Then you have some that has a political statment like System of a Down's - Boom. Don't even get me started on the videos about drugs, violence, suicide and religion. More after the jump.

"Cocoon" was the third and final single from singer Björk's album Vespertine. The song is a low-key musing about a girl basking in the glow of a romance that has taken her by surprise. The music video was controversial because it shows an apparently naked Björk (actually wearing a very close fitting body suit) with red thread coming out of her nipples.

"Pagan Poetry" was the second single from singer Björk's album Vespertine. The music video for "Pagan Poetry", directed by Nick Knight, was also one of Björk's most controversial. It featured Björk in a dress designed by Alexander McQueen, covering only the lower portion of her body. The upper portion of the dress seems to be pearls laced through her skin. The controversy from video is created from the inclusion of the distorted, close-up images of sexual intercourse, fellatio, and a graphic display of body piercing, including a corset piercing on her back. The video was banned by MTV in the United States.

"Solitaire" by The Enright House, music video directed by Ed Lust. Controversial for its sexuality and female masturbation in the video.

Controversial Music Videos List

• "A.D.I.D.A.S." by Korn (disturbing images)
• "Afrika Shox" by Leftfield featuring Afrika Bambaataa (disturbing images)
• "American Life" by Madonna (accusation of Anti-Americanism; a new, non-controversial video was made in replacement)
• "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot (Graphic sexual content)
• "Be Thankful for What You've Got" by Massive Attack (explicit nudity)
• "Bitch" by dope (explicit nudity and sex)
• "Boom!" by System of a Down (accusation of Anti-Americanism)
• "Black or White" by Michael Jackson (The original version featured Jackson jumping on and destroying a car with a baseball bat, while alternately grabbing his genitals)
• "California" by Wax (violence)
• "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails (explicit nudity, anti-Christian themes, disturbing "gross-out" images, BDSM images, song lyrics)
• "Cocoon" by Björk (nudity)
• "Coma White by Marilyn Manson (portrayal of assassination of John F. Kennedy See here for full description)
• "Come to Daddy" by Aphex Twin (intense disturbing images)
• "Come Undone" by Robbie Williams (explicit nudity)
• "Cowboy" by Kid Rock (nudity)
• "Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera (implicit nudity with explicit sexual content)
• "Erotica" by Madonna (implicit nudity with explicit sexual content including BDSM images, mostly footage of photoshoots from her sexually explicit book Sex)
• "Everytime" by Britney Spears (on-screen drowning)
• "Firestarter" by The Prodigy (references to arson, scary images, considered unsuitable for children)
• "Girls on Film" by Duran Duran (explicit nudity and sexual content)
• "God Save the Queen" by The Sex Pistols (accusation of anti-royal sentiment in the United Kingdom)
• "Girls, Girls, Girls" by Motley Crue (sexual content)
• "Happiness in Slavery" by Nine Inch Nails (Extreme Violence, Sadism/Masochism, Explicit Nudity, Suicide)
• "Hate Me Now" by Nas and Puff Daddy (A scene which featured Puff Daddy being crucified was demanded by him that it be edited out, but the wrong copy was sent to Total Request Live, infuriating Puff Daddy and causing him to storm into Nas's manager's studio)
• "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana (disturbing images)
• "Heart-Shaped Glasses" by Marilyn Manson (Extreme Sexuality)
• "I Want Your Sex" by George Michael (implicit nudity and sexual content)
• "I'm a Slave 4 U" by Britney Spears (overt sexual content)
• "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam (accusation of estimulate violence)
• "Jesus Christ Pose" by Soundgarden (graphic scenes of crucifixions and religion)
• "Justify My Love" by Madonna (implicit nudity with explicit sexual content including scenes of homosexual behavior, cross-dressing, and BDSM)
• "Just Lose It" by Eminem (Crass parody of Michael Jackson, in which Jackson, played by Eminem, loses his nose)
• "Karmacoma" by Massive Attack (disturbing images)
• "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M. (accusation of being anti-Religion)
• "Mann Gegen Mann" by Rammstein (strong sexual content, explicit nudity)
• "Mein Teil" by Rammstein (strong sexual content, extreme violence)
• "Milkshake" by Kelis (strong sexual content)
• "My Name is Mud" by Primus (implicit violence)
• "Pagan Poetry" by Björk (nudity, sexual content and graphic display of piercing)
• "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead (nudity, graphic violence)
• "Prostye Dvizheniya" by t.A.T.u (clips of female masturbation)
• "Paint Your Target" by Fightstar (playground violence)
• "Rabbit in Your Headlights" by UNKLE (extreme violence)
• "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (original version had nudity and explicit gay sexual content including BDSM)
• " Rock DJ" by Robbie Williams (implicit nudity and graphic gore)
• "Self-Control" by Laura Branigan (sexual imagery and nudity; directed by William Friedkin)
• "Show Me How to Live" by Audioslave (extreme violence and implicit suicide)
• "Smack My Bitch Up" by The Prodigy (explicit nudity, drug usage, vomiting, violence, and sex)
• "Solitaire" by The Enright House (sexuality and female masturbation)
• "Stan" by Eminem featuring Dido (suicide of an unstable young fan which also results in the death of his pregnant girlfriend whom he shoved into the trunk of his car)
• "Technologic" by Daft Punk (scary images, considered unsuitable for children)
• "Toxic" by Britney Spears (implicit nudity and dry-humping)
• "The Prime Time of Your Life" by Daft Punk (graphic gore)
• "They Don't Care About Us" by Michael Jackson (accusation of Anti-Semitism)
• "This Note's for You" by Neil Young (originally banned from MTV for frequent mentioning of brand names)
• "(s)AINT" by Marilyn Manson (images of violence, nudity, explicit drug use, and blood)
• "Turn the Page" by Metallica (images of prostitution, the young daughter of a prostitute left alone, and sexual abuse)
• "What It Feels Like for a Girl" by Madonna (extreme violence, murder/suicide)
• "Windowlicker" by Aphex Twin (obscene lyrics, strong sexual content)
• "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister (violence, rebellion)
• "Waste A Moment" by Fightstar (disturbing imagery)
• "Y Control" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (extreme violence involving young children)

TV. + Movies. (and any other moving picture media) | Marco's blog Have you enjoyed this post? Share it with your friends... »