The ‘90s shattered the conventions of the music video. Suddenly every musician wanted their video to be the biggest and splashiest of all. Budgets roared to insane levels – Michael and Janet Jackson’s 1995 video for "Scream" is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive ever, costing around $7 million – and video directors became stars themselves (hello, Hype Williams, David Fincher and Mark Romanek).
So by the 00s, a video had to be on point to get much attention at the MTV Video Music Awards. The concept had to be solid, the costumes needed to be out of this world and the special effects had to be through the roof. You want a brothel featuring some of the biggest pop starlets in the world? You got it – Christina, Pink, Mya and Lil Kim are waiting. Care to see Rihanna control water with her bare hands? Just don’t forget your “Umbrella.”
It’s a lot to live up to. But so far eleven videos can call themselves the best videos of their respective years. Which one is the best of the decade? We’ll leave that one up to you guys. Vote in our poll, after the jump.
Polls close Wednesday, August 24 at noon, so vote now and vote often! Results will be announced in the lead-up to the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, which air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, August 28 at 9 PM on MTV. Don't forget to tune in!
>>> Return to polling headquarters to vote for your favorites in all of the other categories.