4 Music Videos From 1985 That Feel Like Mini Movies

MTV might not be as big as it once was, but it sure had its day in the sun. That day was the 80s, where music videos held audiences’ attention and were a steady topic of conversation. Here are a few music videos from 1985 that simply feel cinematic.

“We Built This City” by Starship

Written as a diss on the Los Angeles music scene, “We Built This City” is an undeniable anthem. The music video matches the song’s grandiose nature, featuring the members of Starship singing along against a variety of backgrounds. There’s a statue of Abraham Lincoln, slot machines, and signs of the big city involved. Even though the plot of this music video is relatively mild, there’s clearly a lot going on here.

“Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears For Fears

Directed by Nigel Dick, this music video is a lot less politically charged than one might expect. The idea is simple. Curt Smith of Tears For Fears drives around California in a cool-looking car and stops at a telephone booth. The video also features a segment with some dancing men at Valvoline. Then, of course, it cuts to a couple of motorbike racers speeding through the desert.

“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds

This song is already so cinematic that the music video had to match that vibe somehow. Released in 1985, “Don’t You Forget About Me” became The Breakfast Club‘s defining track. It also became an anthem of nostalgia for 80s kids everywhere. Jim Kerr, the lead singer of Simple Minds, stars in the video, which was filmed inside Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, England. He’s surrounded by a number of objects, including television sets that play scenes from The Breakfast Club, and a jukebox, which he sits upon as he sings. Other members of the band play in what appears to be a cluttered room in the house, which feels fitting for a song about remembering someone.

“Take On Me” by A-ha

This has to be one of the most iconic music videos of all time, especially because its rotation on MTV is part of what made the song “Take On Me” so successful in the first place. What’s cool about this music video is that it features both actors and animation, and both play a pivotal role in the music video’s story. The video starts out by focusing in on a girl in a cafe, who’s captivated by a series of comics she’s reading. Eventually, one of the characters reaches up out of the book and invites her to join him in his animated world. Naturally, that character also happens to be one of the members of A-ha.

Photo by: Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

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