Home Celebrities Most Expensive Music Videos Ever Made

Most Expensive Music Videos Ever Made

Alright, so when we talk of the most expensive music videos ever made in the world, a couple of names come to mind; one of which is Kanye West! But guess what? He isn’t even in the top 10!

The musical industry has always been taken to the next level with artists investing millions of dollars just to make a statement and reach out to a wider audience. Here are the top 10 most expensive music videos ever made; hope you enjoy them in relations to the millions put into their production.

10. Music Video: Heartbreaker

The Heartbreaker song and video was a big entrance for Mariah Carey into the hip-hop market, as it was her first commercial single to feature a rapper (Jay-Z).

Lyrically, the song talks about a relationship from a female perspective and how the central character incessantly returns to her lover, even though he continuously cheats on her and breaks her heart.

The video was filmed in a comedic fashion, intended to remain fun and exciting.

Artist(s): Mariah Carey ft. Jay-Z
Director: Brett Ratner
Date: August 1999
Current Production Cost Value: $3,557,231 ($3.5 Million)

9. Music Video: Victory

Victory was originally written by Christopher Wallace, Trevor Smith, Jason Phillips and Steven Jordan for his debut studio album “No Way Out” (1997). It features heavy use of Mafioso-style lyrics, which was popular at the time.

The song features The Notorious B.I.G., who raps two verses, and Busta Rhymes, who raps the song’s chorus.

Artist(s): Puff Daddy ft. The Notorious B.I.G & Busta Rhymes
Director: Marcus Nispel
Date: March 1998
Current Production Cost Value: $3,926,521 ($3.9 Million)

8. Music Video: Make Me Like You

Make Me Like You was the second single recorded by Gwen Stefani for her third solo studio album; “This Is What the Truth Feels Like” (2016). The music video was shot on February 15, 2016, in Burbank, California. It was filmed at the Warner Bros. lot during the live broadcast of the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Artist(s): Gwen Stefani
Director: Sophie Muller
Date: February 2016
Current Production Cost Value: $4,000,000 ($4 Million)

7. Music Video: 2 Legit 2 Quit

2 Legit 2 Quit was the first single of MC Hammer’s fourth studio album “Too Legit to Quit”. The music video was directed by Rupert Wainwright, and at almost 15 minutes in length, was one of the most expensive videos ever produced by MC Hammer.

The video was number 5 in MAX music’s World’s Worst Ever Video countdown and number 1 in its Forgotten Video Clips countdown in 2008. It was also voted number 24 on MTV’s all-time “25 Lame” countdown in 1999. However, it has been selected as a viewer’s favorite by VH1.

Artist(s): MC Hammer
Director: Rupert Wainwright
Date: November 1991
Current Production Cost Value: $4,222,789 ($4.2 Million)

6. Music Video: Estranged

Estranged is a power ballad and music video by the American hard rock band Guns N’ Roses. The song is from the second part of their two-part Use Your Illusion album (Use Your Illusion II).

Artist(s): Guns N’ Roses
Director: Andy Morahan
Date: December 1993
Current Production Cost Value: $6,563,465 ($6.5 Million)

5. Music Video: Black or White

Black or White was released by Epic Records on November 11, 1991; as the first single from Michael Jackson’s eighth studio album “Dangerous”. It was written, composed and produced by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell.

Artist(s): Michael Jackson ft. L.T.B
Director: John Landis
Date: November 1991
Current Production Cost Value: $6,961,153 ($6.9 Million)

4. Music Video: Bedtime Story

Bedtime Story is a song recorded for her sixth studio album for Madonna “Bedtime Stories” (1994). The music video for was directed by Mark Romanek over a course of six days at Universal Studios, Universal City, California.

Artist(s): Madonna
Director: Mark Romanek
Date: March 1995
Current Production Cost Value: $7,777,899 ($7.7 Million)

3. Music Video: Express Yourself

Express Yourself is a song from Madonna’s fourth studio album “Like a Prayer” (1989). The music video was directed by David Fincher and filmed in April 1989, at Culver Studios in Culver City, California.

Artist(s): Madonna
Director: David Fincher
Date: May 1989
Current Production Cost Value: $9,561,074 ($9.5 Million)

2. Music Video: Die Another Day

Die Another Day is the theme song from the James Bond film “Die Another Day” by American Madonna. The song initially leaked on the internet in early October 2002 prior to the official release, prompting radio to play the track. The music video was directed by Traktor, a Swedish directing team known for several TV advertisements. It was filmed from August 22–27, 2002 at Hollywood Center Studios in Hollywood, California.

Artist(s): Madonna
Director: Traktor
Date: October 2002
Current Production Cost Value: $8,038,908 ($8 Million)

1. Music Video: Scream

Our number one most expensive music videos of all times is “Scream”; which is the lead single from Michael Jackson’s ninth studio album “HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I”. The 4:47-minute music video for “Scream” was choreographed by Travis Payne, LaVelle Smith Jnr, Tina Landon and Sacha Lucashenko in May 1995. It was directed by Mark Romanek, with the production being designed by Tom Foden.

Michael Jackson did not create the “concept” for the video, which he had often done in the past, but left it to Romanek. In September 2009, Janet Jackson performed “Scream” on the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards as part of a medley tribute to Michael Jackson, who died three months earlier.

Artist(s): Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson
Director: Mark Romanek
Date: May 1995
Current Production Cost Value: $10,889,059 ($10.8 Million)