Most Expensive Music Video

What is the most expensive music video? It's hard to remember but there was a time when MTV would play music videos all day long. There weren't any teen mom shows and the Jersey Shore was just a place to take a vacation. During the heyday of the record industry, some artists spent ungodly amounts of money on their music video. A hot music video was a sure way to create excitement and sell CDs (those round plastic discs). As you can imagine, a few artists took music video spending to the extreme. But what was the most expensive of all time?

Modern day music videos are part of the marketing campaign used by bands to help sell their albums. The earliest creator of music videos were clips created in the early 1980′s by ex-Monkee Michael Nesmith. In 1981, Nesmith released Elephant Parts, directed by William Dear, winning the first Grammy for a music video. Music videos really came into being in the 1980′s when MTV created a television network based on showing music videos, they later also launched sister channel VH1. Prior to MTV, music videos were called among other things, promotional clips.

Many music artists owe their careers to the music video medium. Music fans may have a completely different understanding of a song when captured in a music video format. Music videos help connect listeners to pop stars. They allowed outward expression of the music personality's true vision of the song, while connecting the listener more closely to the artist's music. Aspiring filmmakers gravitated towards directing music videos as a training ground for their future careers. Directors like McG, Michael Bay, Spike Jonze and David Fincher all cut their teeth filming music videos for popular artists.

The most expensive music video of all time, not surprisingly, comes from the late Michael Jackson. Michael's 1995 duet with his sister Janet "Scream" cost a mind boggling $7 million which is the inflation adjusted equivalent to $10.676 million today! Out of the top 12 most expensive videos, four are from Michael Jackson and two are from Madonna.

Most Expensive Music Video

The 12 Most Expensive Music Videos of All time:

12. Song title "Remember the Time"

• Michael Jackson
• Aired February 3, 1992
• Original Price: $2 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $3.312 million

11. Song title "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"

• Celine Dion
• Aired July 29, 1996
• Original Price: $2.3 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $3.408 million

10. Song title "Heartbreaker"

• Mariah Carey
• Aired August 16, 1999
• Price: $2.5 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $3.487 million

9. Song title "Victory"

• Puff Daddy
• Aired March 31, 1998
• Price: $2.7 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $3.849 million

8. Song title "What's It Gonna Be?!"

• Busta Rhymes
• Aired March 12, 1999
• Price: $2.4 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $3.974 million

7. Song title "Too Legit to Quit"

• MC Hammer
• Aired November, 1991
• Price: $2.5 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $4.140 million

6. Song title "Bad"

• Michael Jackson
• Aired August 31, 1987
• Price: $2.5 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $4.5 million

5. Song title "Estranged"

• Guns N' Roses
• Aired December 1993
• Price: $4 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $6.435 million

4. Song title "Black or White"

• Michael Jackson
• Aired November 14, 1991
• Price: $4 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $6.825 million

3. "Die Another Day"

• Madonna
• Aired October 22, 2002
• Price: $6.1 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $7.752 million

2. Song title "Express Yourself"

• Madonna
• Aired May 17, 1989
• Price: $5 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $9.374 million

1. Song title "Scream"

• Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson
• Aired June 13, 1995
• Price: $7 million
• Inflation Adjusted Price: $10.676

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