‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ N°663 – 2010s Music Videos

1 . Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still

Released in 2017, “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man carries a punchy retro groove that nods unapologetically to 1960s Motown, weaving in a tantalizing bassline that tips its hat to The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman.”

The track’s undeniable charm lies in its dichotomy: a buoyant, infectious rhythm juxtaposed with lyrical subtext that dips its toes into resistance and defiance.

Backed by the production finesse of John Hill and Asa Taccone, the song sidesteps the over-polished tendencies of modern pop, leaning instead into minimalist precision that feels as organic as it is calculated.

It achieved an almost meteoric rise on the charts, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominating the Alternative Songs chart for a jaw-dropping 20 weeks, a feat indicative of its cross-genre appeal.

Grammy validation aside, its broader impact was magnified by heavy licensing in commercials and TV spots, embedding its jittery refrain into the cultural consciousness.

The music video adds another layer of intrigue, its stark, politically charged imagery directed with a deft hand by Ian Schwartz and Emmett Malloy, contrasting against the song’s feel-good sonic veneer.

Whether performed under the spotlight at Coachella or broadcast into living rooms via “The Tonight Show,” the track retained its kinetic energy, proving its staying power in both live and recorded formats.

What lingers most is its cheeky nostalgia—a reminder that rebellion can masquerade as a dance-floor invitation, and movement, be it physical or cultural, often begins with a quiet shimmy.

Featured on the 2017 album “Woodstock”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

2 . Alan Walker – All Falls Down

Alan Walker’s “All Falls Down,” a 2017 release from his EP “Different World,” finds its footing in the familiar terrain of slick electronic beats with a pop bent, carved out by the Norwegian producer’s consistent aesthetic.

Featuring vocals from Noah Cyrus and Digital Farm Animals’ sonic touch, the track walks the line between dancefloor anthem and reflective pop song, straddling themes like resilience and the fragility of human connections.

Lyrically, it hovers close to introspection, though it never quite ventures deep enough to be unsettling—perfect for commercial appeal, but lacking the bite of true emotional risk.

Its production leans on Walker’s tried-and-true formula: expansive synths, pulsing basslines, and an edgily melancholic atmosphere tailor-fit for late-night festival sets or Spotify playlists curated for mass consumption.

While the song didn’t crash through global charts with breathtaking positions, it held its ground in streaming and radio plays, securing spots in European top 20s and showing a flicker of presence on the UK Singles Chart at number 87.

The accompanying music video bolsters Walker’s cinematic universe, another entry in what feels like an ongoing episodic series rather than a standalone visual narrative.

“All Falls Down” rings with accessibility, its strengths lying in its professional polish rather than groundbreaking ingenuity; it’s electronic music engineered more to soothe than challenge.

Whether it leaves a lasting impression or simply drifts into the communal digital ether depends largely on the listener’s appetite for understated, cleanly executed EDM-pop hybrids.

Featured on the 2018 album “Different World”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

3 . The Weeknd – In The Night

“In The Night” by The Weeknd channels an electrifying ’80s aesthetic, blending sleek pop rhythms with brooding R&B undertones.

Lyrically, it sketches a narrative of pain and fragility masked by allure, straddling tension between vulnerability and mystery.

With impeccable production by Max Martin, the track hums with glossy synths and pulsing beats, offering a modern reinterpretation of retro synth-pop.

The music video, a cinematic whirlwind directed by BRTHR, pairs noir visuals with unsettling storytelling, featuring Bella Hadid in striking yet chaotic sequences.

Chart success followed suit, landing just shy of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100’s top ten at #12, while also making notable waves in Canada and the U.K.

Critics often highlight its nostalgic yet fresh approach, a sonic time capsule that feels strangely contemporary.

As part of *Beauty Behind the Madness*, which nabbed a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album, the song helped sharpen The Weeknd’s edge as a boundary-pushing artist in mainstream pop.

Featured on the 2015 album “Beauty Behind The Madness”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

4 . X Ambassadors – Renegades

“Renegades” by X Ambassadors straddles the line between folk roots and alternative rock stylings, delivering a rousing anthem drenched in grit and defiance.

Released in 2015 as part of their debut album “VHS,” the track finds itself propelled by stripped-down guitar lines and Sam Harris’ earnest, husky vocals, which brim with a sense of unshakeable determination.

Its commercial success owes much to its pairing with a Jeep ad, a marriage of rugged imagery and melodies designed to evoke freedom without pretense.

Co-written by the band and helmed by producer Alex da Kid, the song balances intimate storytelling with broader themes of resilience and independence, managing to feel personal while appealing to the masses.

The lyrics, with their calls to embrace one’s inner misfit, lean towards the motivational without drifting into the overly saccharine territory often inhabited by feel-good tracks.

Chart-wise, “Renegades” found home on various leaderboards, cracking the Billboard Hot 100 and climbing to No. 5 in Canada, signaling its broad reach.

Visually, Daniel Kaufman’s accompanying music video becomes a tribute to overcoming both visible and invisible barriers, with keyboardist Casey Harris’ story as a blind musician effortlessly woven into its narrative tapestry.

The song’s cultural moments include polished performances, like those on late-night TV, but its real staying power lies in its unfussy, guitar-driven energy and raw vocals that continue to resonate long after its Jeep-fueled introduction to the public consciousness.

While not reinventing the wheel, “Renegades” manages to feel both grounded and uplifting, its power rooted in simplicity and surges of understated boldness rather than overproduction.

Featured on the 2015 album “VHS”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Twitter

5 . Kygo – Stole The Show

Kygo’s “Stole The Show,” featuring vocalist Parson James, emerges as a pivotal moment in the fusion of electronic music and pop sentimentality, blending tropical house with subtle emotional gravitas. Released in 2015 and later featured on Kygo’s debut album, *Cloud Nine*, it wasn’t just a song but, arguably, a cultural checkpoint for the genre’s mainstream breakout.

The track’s melodic simplicity underscores its universal accessibility, while the deep undertone of bittersweet finality—its lyrics an ode to fleeting yet impactful connections—gives it an emotional complexity often absent from electronica. The buoyant rhythm contrasts purposefully with the melancholy of parting, creating an engaging tension that echoes its themes of celebration meeting closure.

Its commercial reception was predictably overwhelming: a top 10-charting anthem across Europe, accompanied by multi-Platinum validations in hotspots like Norway and Sweden. Yet, the song’s success wasn’t limited to metrics; it visually amplified its reach with a sci-fi-inspired music video directed by Saman Kesh—ostensibly about aliens but stitched with a subtext of human relatability.

Parson James’ uncredited yet impactful vocals elevate the track’s resonance, delivering a performance that teeters between gospel and pop without tipping into schmaltz. Simultaneously, Kygo’s notable restraint in production lets the notes breathe, eschewing chaos for hypnotic repetition, which became his hallmark.

“Stole The Show” isn’t just tropical house with a catchy hook—it’s emblematic of an era where electronic tracks began daring to tell stories, not just move feet.

Featured on the 2016 album “Cloud Nine”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

6 . Elle King – Ex’s & Oh’s

Elle King’s “Ex’s & Oh’s” lands like a whiskey-soaked confession with a wink and a smirk, merging bluesy grit with stadium-ready hooks.

The track opens with a stomping beat and smoky guitar licks, setting the scene for King’s raspy, unapologetic vocals to wade into the mess of past flames and fleeting infatuations.

Thematically, it’s a cheeky funeral procession for doomed relationships, but the celebratory undertone flips heartbreak into a badge of honor.

King’s delivery is steeped in irreverence, balancing raw vulnerability with a devil-may-care swagger that keeps the listener hooked.

If Elvis and Amy Winehouse had a rebel child raised on classic rock and alt-pop sensibilities, this might be it.

The production by Dave Bassett treads expertly between polished and gritty, ensuring mainstream appeal without compromising its brash, defiant edge.

The song’s humor lies in its self-awareness—King doesn’t just recount lost lovers; she struts through the casualties with playful arrogance.

Its layered instrumentation complements the narrative, with each guitar lick punctuating her unapologetic recollections.

This is a modern anthem for anyone who has loved, lost, and emerged with their chin held high and their drink unspilled.

Whether blasted at a dive bar or echoing through festival sound systems, “Ex’s & Oh’s” encapsulates both defiance and charm, cementing King’s place as a genre-blurring provocateur.

Featured on the 2015 album “Love Stuff”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

7 . Galantis – Runaway [U & I]

Released in 2014 as part of their debut album *Pharmacy*, Galantis’ “Runaway [U & I]” isn’t just a song—it’s a jolt of relentless energy delivered with euphoric precision.

From its soaring, pitch-shifted vocals to its sharp synth progressions, the track balances between unabashed longing and full-throttle emotional release, as if it’s perpetually chasing its own crescendo.

Crafted with production wizardry by Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklöw under Big Beat Records, the track leans heavily on themes of love and escape, blending freedom with a dash of desperation.

What’s remarkable here isn’t just the glossy sound design but a kind of magnetic pull that makes the track equally at home in a sweaty nightclub or looped during late-night existential musings.

Its chart performance—ripping up UK charts to a #4 peak and landing firmly within the global electronic zeitgeist—mirrors the song’s effortlessly universal appeal.

Critics raved not just about its polished production but its ability to feel emotionally expansive without surrendering to saccharine overkill.

Galantis didn’t just create a club banger—they crystallized a moment, one where melodic euphoria and personal yearning collide in a way that feels unmistakably human and timeless.

Featured on the 2015 album “Pharmacy”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

8 . Alessia Cara – Here

Alessia Cara’s “Here” is less a celebration of introversion and more a begrudging anthem for anyone who’s ever side-eyed a party crowd and questioned the point of it all.

It opens with an Isaac Hayes sample that drips with nostalgic brooding, setting the scene for Cara’s sharp storytelling about discomfort in a space meant for revelry.

The production by Pop & Oak leans into minimalist R&B textures, creating a soundscape that magnifies her internal conflict without overwhelming it with unnecessary flair.

Lyrically, the track thrives on specificity, anchoring its narrative in awkward glances, loud conversations, and the kind of existential dread that feels both universal and intensely personal.

Its success—peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and going 5× Platinum—is a cultural nod to its resonance with audiences navigating their own misfit moments.

In the music video, directed by Aaron A, the visual restraint mirrors the song’s ethos: muted colors, slow motion, and Cara standing still as the world spins, a choreography of disconnection.

Performances on platforms like “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” translated the track’s introspective energy into understated charisma, leaving behind the usual pop posturing.

Though its themes of frustration and independence rest heavily on relatability, its real charm lies in how it balances self-aware humor with a pervasive sense of isolation.

The song doesn’t preach or console—it simply narrates, leaving you to smirk knowingly or nod sympathetically, depending on how crowded your last social gathering felt.

Featured on the 2015 album “Know-It-All”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Twitter

9 . Bring Me The Horizon – Medicine

Bring Me The Horizon’s “Medicine” manages to pique curiosity not just for its sonic shift but also for its no-nonsense lyrical themes. Landing on their 2019 album *Amo*, this track sees the band trade their metalcore upbringing for a more polished blend of pop-laden rock, much to the delight—or dismay—of their fans.

Oliver Sykes’ pointed lyrics call out the emotional vampires of the world, suggesting it’s better to cut the strings than carry the toxic weight. The song feels like a breakup letter from a band shedding not just a relationship but an aesthetic. Gone are the guttural screams and frenzied guitars, replaced with slick production and radio-friendly hooks provided in part by Jordan Fish’s fingerprints all over the track.

Released alongside a trippy video full of distorted CGI renditions of Sykes’ face, “Medicine” doesn’t shy away from unsettling its audience visually, even if its sound plays it safe. It’s a push-and-pull—accessible but with just enough edge to remind fans not to get too comfortable. Sure, the track may have alienated some of their early followers, but it also showcases a band unafraid to rewrite their narrative, even at the risk of backlash. Love it or hate it, what’s clear is their commitment to evolution, and “Medicine” is a clean break in more ways than one.

Performing it live on their 2019 world tour and headlining at All Points East in London, Bring Me The Horizon cemented the track’s place in their modern repertoire. Whether you see it as bold reinvention or pandering to the mainstream, it’s hard to ignore the skillful balancing act between old chaos and new order.

Featured on the 2019 album “Amo”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

10 . Selena Gomez – Wolves

Released in 2017, “Wolves” pairs Selena Gomez’s heartfelt vocal delivery with Marshmello’s precision-engineered electronic production, creating a track that feels like an emotional storm chasing a midnight horizon.

The lyrics, co-written by Gomez and an all-star team, seem to blur the line between personal confession and universal yearning, evoking imagery of emotional resilience and a relentless pursuit of connection.

The production leans heavily on atmospheric electronic textures, with a haunting undercurrent that mirrors the song’s themes of struggle and devotion.

Commercially, the song clawed its way into global charts, breaking the top 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and cementing its presence in international markets, from the UK to Germany.

The music video, drenched in cinematic flair, teeters between eeriness and beauty, with Gomez moving through surreal, almost dreamlike spaces that amplify the song’s narrative tension.

Debut live at the 2017 American Music Awards, her performance embraced a woodland aesthetic, adding visual layers to a story already alive with longing.

While not lavished with major awards, its nominations underscore the track’s impact, both in clubs and in countless solitary listens worldwide.

Whether celebrated for its pulsating beats or its raw lyrical openness, “Wolves” stands as a collaboration that fuses vulnerability with pulsating emotional resolve—and, for some, a glimpse into Gomez’s personal pain and strength.

Featured on the 2017 album “Wolves”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

11 . P!nk – Beautiful Trauma

Released in 2017, “Beautiful Trauma” serves as a thematic centerpiece of P!nk’s seventh studio album, marking a collaboration with Jack Antonoff, who co-wrote and produced the track. Anchored in its pop and electropop construction, the song examines the messy intricacies of love intertwined with resilience and vulnerability.

The single gained significant traction internationally, charting within the Top 10 in countries like Australia and Belgium, though it landed a less striking No. 27 position on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. Its reception, however, reflected both the global resonance of P!nk’s emotional storytelling and the occasional tension between American and international charts.

The music video brought a sharp twist, featuring Channing Tatum in a playful yet chaotic 1950s caricature of domesticity. Between choreographed routines and deadpan humor, the visual added texture to the song’s blunt, honest narrative. Pop kitsch meets marital disarray, with synchronized dance breaks and a wink of absurdity.

“Beautiful Trauma” found its true stage during the artist’s two-year “Beautiful Trauma World Tour,” a juggernaut among live music events that underscored the emotional heft and universal themes threaded through the album. Striking a delicate balance between anthemic verses and lyrical introspection, the track carved its place in P!nk’s discography without overly laboring for poignancy—a feat of chaos wrapped gently in catharsis.

Featured on the 2017 album “Beautiful Trauma”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Twitter

12 . Post Malone – Rockstar (w/ 21 Savage)

“Rockstar” stands as a monument to Post Malone’s trap-infused ascent into mainstream music, with 21 Savage adding a cold, unflinching edge to the mix.

The track pulls listeners into a spiral of decadence and ambition, narrating the chaotic highs of fame with a glossy yet detached perspective.

Its production, shaped by Louis Bell and Tank God, leans heavily on moody beats and a sparse, hypnotic melody, creating a sense of brooding confidence that permeates every line.

Post’s delivery feels raw yet calculated, oscillating between a melodic croon and understated swagger, while 21 Savage’s verse injects the perfect dose of grit.

The song’s meteoric rise to the top of countless charts underscored its resonance, cementing its place as an anthem of 2017 excess.

The accompanying music video, drenched in cinematic bloodshed and samurai aesthetics, offered a striking visual metaphor for the dangers and allure of stardom.

The line between rebellion and conformity blurs, exposing the contradictions in idolizing the same lifestyle it critiques.

“Rockstar” doesn’t reinvent the formula but perfects it, becoming both a cultural snapshot and a massive commercial juggernaut.

Featured on the 2018 album “Beerbongs & Bentleys”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site