eightone81 — Best Music Video Ever

Benjamin Light and Marco Sparks
  • 5.0 (4)
  • MUSIC COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
eightone81 — Best Music Video Ever

Welcome to eightone81, a podcast about the best music videos ever. Benjamin Light (aka James Taylor) and Marco Sparks explore the signature music videos from the launch of MTV to 9/11, looking back at an art form that no longer holds the sway it once did. We’ll talk about the artists, the music, the videos, the culture, and how things have changed since the heyday of the medium.

Episodes

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    006 | Breathe out, so I can breathe you in — “Everlong”

    We’re staying in the 90s alt-rock scene this week to talk about “Everlong" by the Foo Fighters. What a strange, fun little trip into the dreamworld with Dave Grohl and company. The guys talk good lighting, giant hands, and why the Foo Fighters might be the best cover band of all time.

    53 min

  2. 6 DAYS AGO

    005 | You do it to yourself — “Just”

    This week on the pod: we’re lying down on the pavement because the truth we just learned is too much to bear. “Just” will likely be the first of many Radiohead music videos we cover on the pod, but James wanted to do this one first because he loves the way it plays like a mini Twilight Zone episode.

    41 min

  3. JAN 16

    004 | What did her daddy do? — “Janie’s Got A Gun”

    We’re doing our first future legendary filmmaker on the pod today, with Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got A Gun,” directed by David Fincher. We’re all in agreement that the mom shot him, right? But how did the body get down to the train tracks?

    51 min

  4. JAN 8

    003 | It’s no better to be safe than sorry — “Take On Me”

    This week on the pod, we might actually be talking about the best music video ever. It’s a-ha’s “Take On Me.” An excellent song with an iconic music video and effects that still hold up today. There is nothing we don’t love about this jam.

    1h 5m

  5. JAN 2

    002 | Your voice can take me there — “Like a Prayer”

    This week on the pod: the first of likely many appearances by the Material Girl, with her bizarre late-80s video for “Like a Prayer.” She taught us all an important lesson about racial justice by dancing in front of a burning cross in Natalie Wood’s lingerie. If you’re born after 9/11, you’ll likely never guess which group boycotted this video.

    54 min

  6. 12/25/2024

    001 | Rewritten by machine on new technology — “Video Killed the Radio Star”

    Welcome to eightone81, a podcast about the best music videos ever. Benjamin Light (aka James Taylor) and Marco Sparks explore the signature music videos from the launch of MTV to 9/11, looking back at an art form that no longer holds the sway it once did. We’ll talk about the artists, the music, the videos, the culture, and how things have changed since the heyday of the medium. In the debut episode of eightone81, Benji and Marco return to (of course) the music video that started it all: “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. Why is this song so catchy? Why are the lyrics so melancholy? Why is Hans Zimmer even in this video, he wasn’t in the band?

    54 min
  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to eightone81, a podcast about the best music videos ever. Benjamin Light (aka James Taylor) and Marco Sparks explore the signature music videos from the launch of MTV to 9/11, looking back at an art form that no longer holds the sway it once did. We’ll talk about the artists, the music, the videos, the culture, and how things have changed since the heyday of the medium.

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