[VoodooChic]

Obviously videos were given mega budgets as far back as Thriller - but I'm talking about the "computer age" starting with Michael & Janet's "Scream" - the first huge digital effects video I can think of....videos after these didn't have the money but still looked modern, for example

Janet - Doesn't Really Matter
Spice Girls - Holler
TLC - No Scrubs
Busta Rhymes/Janet Jackson - What's It Gonna Be
Missy Elliot - She's A Bitch

It's late and I can't think of any more to highlight what I mean....but with today's effects - music videos for the last 5 years or so are dull.

[MrMeatAndPotato]

Couldn't care less if they're dull... I don't buy the music based on a flippin' video.

[Georged123]

Originally Posted by MrMeatAndPotato

Couldn't care less if they're dull... I don't buy the music based on a flippin' video.

I doubt anyone does but that wasn't what the OP was asking.

Music videos are blander nowadays on the whole. So little videos actually tell a story and have little creativity.

[Aneechik]

Singles are cheaper than they were and sell less than they did, so they get less investment.

[mialicious]

Hype williams directed 3 of the videos mentioned by the OP (TLC,Busta,Missy)..he was the go-to director in the hip hop R&B genre during the time span you mention 95-03 his videos have a very distinctive look...hes not as prolific anymore but he still makes videos for some big artists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hype_Williams_videography

[glyn9799]

Even artists like Madonna who pretty much always made cracking videos has given up on them. Her last decent Video was 4 Minutes. Everything since has been cheap and nasty.

[Eric_Blob]

Music videos have really gone downhill in the past few years. At least with pop music. I think it stems from everybody trying to copy Gwen Stefani, by being "weird". A lot of the videos come across as desperate and very try-hard. The first one that made me think this was the video to Disturbia by Rihanna in 2008, and she still hasn't moved on, as the Where Have You Been video 4 years later is just as desperate and try-hard.

Pop stars just aren't trying anything new. It's getting really boring. They think covering half your face with an object counts as "interesting" or "iconic". It's just pathetic.

[lumiere]

I think there have been loads of great music videos recently. And that the Michael & Janet video is awful, basically the definition of style over substance.

[AdzPower]

Its because videos arent as important these days, all you need is internet exposure, radio support and you're in.

[Otherguy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmbONgz5mBs

[VoodooChic]

Originally Posted by Otherguy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmbONgz5mBs

oh dear...

[elasticlove]

More recently (as in 2012 with this dance trend) most videos are just people partying or at the beach or in 'da club'.

[elasticlove]

And if we're lucky we'll get some form of choreography (no matter if it's waving arms or a proper routine) inside some type of 'box' where each wall/floor looks very similar.

[cnbcwatcher]

Originally Posted by Otherguy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmbONgz5mBs

That looks like someone's iMovie project from an Apple Store workshop (I say that when a video is rubbish). The song is absolutely horrendous as well.

[Hit Em Up Style]

American artists all tried to outdo each other during the mid to late 90s so we got some amazing videos as a result.

[StratusSphere]

It depends. Gaga's videos like Telephone or Alejandro go too far to the other extreme, a story that has little or nothing to do with the song!

Videos don't necessarily always tell a story any more, but it very much depends on what genre youre looking at. David Guetta's Titanium is one of the biggest dance hits of the last two years and it doesnt feature people in da club partying, though you might expect it to from its genre.

I havent actually watched a music channel in a while though. I think you could say we're suffering from a lack of what's new to do thing with music videos.

Janet's Call On Me was released after 2003 I believe, and its definitely one of the biggest-budget I've seen in a long time. Its beautifully filmed.

In general I agree with the OP though. In movies as well, CGI and SFX is stuck into everything even when old-time props would have done the job better or more realistically. Its just a phase I guess.

[mrkite77]

Here are some good (imho) videos from recent years.

Royksopp - Happy Up Here (2009)
of Montreal - Wraith Pinned to the Mist (2004)
Mew - Introducing Palace Players (2009)
The Middle East - Blood (2009)
Metric - Gimme Sympathy (2009, this one is fun because it was all a single shot)
Peter, Bjorn & John - Young Folks (2006)
Guggenheim Grotto - Her Beautiful Ideas (2009)
Santigold - Lights Out (2008 - very retro video)
We Are Scientists - After Hours (2008)


Mr Gnome - Vampires (2010 - a 10 minute music video.. which is just plain insane, although the song doesn't actually start until about 5 minutes into it)