10 Best Fan Made Music Videos

MTV may not play music videos anymore, or be about music at all for that matter, but the music video is certainly not dead. Many artists still create amazing and interesting music videos that are often on par with some of the best short films out there. With the creation of site like YouTube, however, it’s not only the artists who are adding a visual component to their tracks, fans are also creating music videos to their favorite songs.

Fans approach the making of these videos in a wide variety of creative ways. Whether it’s through parody, layering tracks over scenes from a movie or television show, shooting an actual movie to coincide with the song, or creating a virtual world much like the original, fans are proving that with a lot of passion, a healthy dose of imagination and a computer, anyone can make an awesome video.

For your viewing pleasure, BeatCrave has compiled a list of the top 10 fan based music videos.  Enjoy!

10. Cyndi Lauper, “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough”

Created by HellHammer2008

This is a fairly simple and straightforward concept: take a song made for a movie and add edited scenes from said movie. Where it lacks in overall creativity, it makes up for in pure unadulterated nostalgia. The Goonies is one of the greatest tween movie ever made and is still loved by kids and the immature at heart. There’s not a single kid born in the 80′s that can eat a Baby Ruth without thinking of the lovable and grotesque Lotney “Sloth” Fratelli. Heeeeeeey Yooooooooou Guuuuuuuuuuuys, this video kicks off the BeatCrave top ten fan-made music video countdown!

9.  Michael McDonald, “It’s Only Divine Right”

Created by DanceBuffet

The New Pornographers have been providing fans the opportunity to prove the love for the band by responding to carious video challenge like “create a Weird Al type track to the tune to their favorite New Pornographers song.” This video comes from a challenge where the band asked viewers to create a video impersonating Michael McDonald. Sure the video is cheesy but it takes the fan-video back to its roots: a fan lip-syncing to a song he/she loves and dancing around like a fool.

8.  UGK, “International Players Anthem” (Featuring Outkast)

Created by Tori1424

It seems that many fans use the “Sims” to simulate their favorite artists and feature them in music videos of their own creating. This video, take that popular method to a whole other level with such realistic sim characters and creative scenes which include a wedding and the pimped-out after party. This video screams talent and turns a pretty dull hip-hop track into something worth listening and definitely worth watching.

7.  Pink Floyd, “Money”

Created by Callinshumen

This is the stuff of legend. The sync-up of the two iconic works, Pink Floyd’s, “Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Wizard of Oz,” work together brilliantly. Anyone whose dabbled in the medicinal arts of ganja has tried this, press play on the lion’s third roar, and have found varying levels of accuracy (mostly equivalent to the amount he/she smoked). No fan-made video list would be complete without at least one track/scene combo from this urban (non?) myth.  When Dorothy lands in Oz, opens the door and is greeted by technicolor and “Money,” you can’t help but think there’s more than just coincidence at work.

6.  Rage Against the Machine, “Killing in the Name”

Created by TheBansheesWrath

This Rage fan certainly took the political stand point in the song and ran with it in a big way. Through images of American presidents, money, war, destruction and the sporadic cut scenes of the band playing live, this fan has manged to create a visually interesting video that definitely adds another punch in the face to right-wing government. Quite a feat considering this song was doing a decent job of beating them down on its own.

5.  Britney Spears “Womanizer” (Parody)

Created by VenetianPrincess

Parody is the greatest form of flattery, proof of which is in this ridiculously good video whose creator took the time to not only write clever original lyrics but also went all out when reproducing the costumes and overall look of the Britney Spears’ video. VenetianPrincess has created numerous parody videos including a more recent one poking fun at the fish-faced octo-mom. This video, however, is so cleverly absurd that it deserves a place amongst the best.

4.  Cut Copy, “Hearts on Fire”

Created by Bitertube

Yet another contest winner to make it on our list, this video by a Cut Copy fan is proof that you can still make something interesting to watch with just a video camera, some crazy costumes and whole lot of friends. Add the eerie yet danceable new wave track from one of Australia’s best and you’ve got a top ten fan-made music video!

3.  Nine Inch Nails, “Closer”

Created by eetstomoch

Star Trek and Nine Inch Nails are not only on two different sides of the spectrum, it’s fair to say that they are on completely different spectrums. This fan, however, saw beyond their differences and married the two together in a brilliant video that not only brings to light the blatantly homoerotic relationship between Captain Kirk and Spock but also gives the song a whole new meaning. Makes you wonder what Spock really meant by “live long and prosper.”

2.  Smashing Pumpkins, “Tarantula”

Created by Hilum

The Smashing Pumpkins used the creativity of their fanbase to create this amazing video through a video contest. Providing their fans with green screen footage, the contest allowed fans to do whatever they wanted. Through the use of technical ability and true talent, this megafan created a video that can easily take its place amongst the plethora of Smashing Pumpkins videos: a seriously difficult feat considering this band has made some of the best music videos, ever.

1.  Radiohead, “All I Need”

Created by jthelms

Edited with footage from the 1996 French film, “Miscrocosmos,” this fan created a video so perfect it rivals, and some say completely destroys, the “official video.”  There is nothing flashy or overly technical about this music video which is one of the many reasons it is so stunning to watch. Something about the insects and editing that fits so perfectly with the breathtaking song. This fan made video is proof that there is some truly brilliant untapped talent out there and, for that reason, it is BeatCrave’s #1 fan-made video.

What’s your favorite fan-made video on the list?  Think we’ve missed one?  Let us know!