Get ready to slay! We're counting down the most iconic and visually stunning music videos from the Queen Bey herself. From empowering anthems to sultry performances, these videos showcase Beyoncé's unparalleled artistry and cultural impact. Whether you're crazy in love or ready to run the world, this list celebrates the best of Beyoncé's visual masterpieces.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 20 Best Beyoncé
00:08Music Videos.
00:09For this list, we're looking at the most creative and iconic music videos of this powerhouse's
00:13repertoire.
00:14Put your hands up and let's get started.
00:23Number 20, Jealous.
00:24This music video functions as a sequel to Partition.
00:27Here, the artist is waiting for her man, alone with her candlelit dinner for two,
00:32suspecting the very worst.
00:41The gothic lighting in the luxurious mansion scenes is absolutely stunning, and eloquently
00:46calls to mind the dark emotion.
00:48One shot in particular of walking stoically down the street while she's swarmed by adoring
00:52fans is haunting in its feeling of isolation.
01:01According to director Francesco Carazzini, those people were not paid actors, but genuine
01:06fans.
01:07Carazzini simply turned the camera on and captured the magic of Beyoncé.
01:10PR or not, it was a great creative choice.
01:21Number 19, 7-Eleven.
01:23While this hip-hop tune garnered mixed reviews by critics, its music video is undeniably
01:27a success in terms of image.
01:32Here, Beyoncé ditches the silks and satins for comfortable sweatshirts as she goofs around
01:40with her backups.
01:41Even the choreography is literal, with simple but fun jumping and spinning moves that match
01:45the lyrics to a tee.
01:54This more casual portrayal of the artist is also a flex to her competitors.
01:58You don't need fancy editing or high production values for your music video to be successful.
02:02Well, at least if you're Beyoncé, you don't.
02:04It's fresher than us, alright.
02:12Number 18, Mood Forever.
02:14We're back to the glamorous lifestyle with this beautifully shot production.
02:18This music video showcases the color and vibrancy of African culture.
02:27The song comes from Beyoncé's Lion King-inspired album.
02:31Released as a promotional single, the video was created to honor the one-year anniversary
02:35of Black is King, the visual companion to the album.
02:45Sure enough, cheetah prints, silks, and Umu Sangare's Jarabi Nene appear in a display
02:50of African wealth and power.
02:52The song itself has been praised for its composition, with Rolling Stone magazine deeming it a highlight
02:56in Beyoncé's repertoire.
03:04Number 17, Ring the Alarm.
03:11With blaring alarms, red lighting, and sharp editing, this video production showcases the
03:16best of Beyoncé's powerful and angry vocals.
03:19Inspired by her role in Dreamgirls, Ring the Alarm's music video depicts Beyoncé once
03:23again becoming green-eyed at her partner's wandering eye.
03:32Instead of being weakened by her jealousy, however, the pop star is fully in control,
03:36telling her man directly what he has to do to shape up.
03:39The dark and gritty production did lead internet sleuths to speculate about Beyoncé's personal
03:43life, but regardless, it is an unforgettable and powerful statement.
03:54Number 16, Brown Skin Girl.
03:56This dreamy video is the ideal visualization of this critically acclaimed single from the
04:012019 soundtrack album The Lion King, The Gift.
04:13Directed by Beyoncé and Jen Nakiru, the production showcases the beauty of various women and
04:17girls of color, both in ballroom silks and traditional clothing.
04:22Beyoncé herself shows up in various stunning dresses.
04:32She even appears alongside her daughter Blue Ivy in a few heartwarming scenes.
04:36The song itself is a lovely homage to Beauty of All Shades of Black and Brown.
04:40This video won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video, along with several others.
04:45It was richly deserved.
04:52Number 15, Naughty Girl.
04:55Sex appeal has never been so classy.
05:05Directed by Jake Nava, this video captures the sultry rhythms and Arabic frills of this
05:09number, as well as Beyoncé and Usher's smoldering chemistry.
05:13The production also includes allusions to 1953's The Bandwagon with Fred Astaire and
05:18Sid Cherice.
05:19Hence, we get dancers in loosely portrayed period dress, complementing this otherwise
05:24contemporary number.
05:33The luxurious costumes, attractive lighting, and well-done editing make this musical visualization
05:38a winner.
05:39It even won the award for Best Female Video at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, for good
05:44reason.
05:52Number 14, Déjà Vu.
05:54Hitting number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, this song showcases Beyoncé's sensuality,
05:59this time with her eventual husband Jay-Z.
06:08This accompanying music video, however, was not as well-received by fans.
06:12In fact, it got backlash at the time for its lack of theme, strange choreography, and risque
06:17interactions between the artist and Jay-Z.
06:20It even prompted a petition to reshoot the video altogether.
06:27Fortunately, the production, directed by Sophie Muller, has aged well, with iconic visuals
06:35and great dancing shot at the Maple Leaf Bar and the Oak Alley Plantation, among other
06:39locations in Louisiana.
06:41Even in its day, it won Best Video at the 2006 MOBO Awards, an inspired choice all in
06:47all.
06:55Number 13, Best Thing I Never Had.
06:58Ever heard of a revenge song?
07:00How about a revenge music video?
07:09Directed by Diane Martel, this visual accompaniment has Beyoncé prepare for her wedding while
07:14crowing to a bad ex-boyfriend about her triumph.
07:17From the pop star's wedding lingerie, prom date footage, and beautiful barrachi wedding
07:21dress, Best Thing I Never Had has tons of striking imagery.
07:29Not only does she look absolutely stunning, she's also at her peak singing prowess.
07:38It's as free and easy as the singer's joy to be out of a toxic relationship.
07:42Good Riddance has never looked so good.
07:53Number 12, Irreplaceable.
07:55There have been many songs about a cheating ex, but few have a music video as legendary
07:59as this one.
08:08This visualization, directed by Anthony Mandler, won the Video of the Year award at the BET
08:13Awards in 2006.
08:15This time, Beyoncé kicks out her cheating lover, directing him to get all these things
08:19and hit the road, Jack, with the end of the production showing the singer opening her
08:23door to another lover.
08:31The video also showcases Beyoncé's all-female band, Sugamama, as an extra cherry on top
08:36of this female empowerment number.
08:38The message is clear, do not mess with Queen B.
08:51Number 11, Hold Up.
08:53Lemonade is one of Bey's most praised albums.
08:56It's only reasonable, then, that it should go all out with its visuals.
09:05The one-hour film by the same name premiered on HBO to nigh-universal acclaim.
09:10There are many excellent selections, including the heartbreak and stunning accusations of
09:15sorry and its stark black-and-white video.
09:22But it's the visual production for the album's second track, Hold Up, that takes the crown.
09:35The video begins with beautiful shots of the singer underwater, drowning in her heartbreak.
09:40But then she appears back on land in a yellow dress and a baseball bat, ready to vent it
09:45all out.
09:46The pain of heartbreak metamorphosing into defiance is what makes this video a contemporary
09:51masterpiece.
09:59Number 10, Partition.
10:00We've covered the sequel, Jealous, and now it's time to go back to how it all started.
10:12This video depicts the singer's eroticism as she imagines herself seducing her partner
10:16while on the way to the club.
10:18With a silhouetted chair dance amid a purple background and the fantasy club scenes, the
10:22The video goes perfectly with the exciting sensuality of this R&B selection.
10:32The video was directed by Jake Nava and shot at Crazy Horse, the cabaret club in Paris,
10:37and even features lines from the French dub of The Big Lebowski.
10:41The creativity at play here is dazzling.
10:52Number 9, If I Were a Boy.
10:53One of the singer's most melodic numbers, this Jake Nava-directed video accompaniment
10:58is equally intimate.
11:06A stunning portrayal of marital troubles, it features the star as a police officer doing
11:11the things her husband has done that hurt her.
11:20In the video's ending, Beyoncé and her husband are back to their real roles, the husband
11:24this time as the police officer.
11:26Nava's signature grayscale portrays the stark emotions and drama much better than in color.
11:31More significantly, it also criticizes the sexist double standards and society's normalization
11:36of male infidelity.
11:38It's a creative take on an old subject.
11:49Number 8, Pretty Hurts.
11:51Beyoncé's tendency for trenchant social commentary continues in this ballad about beauty standards.
12:04Pretty Hurts portrays Beyoncé as a beauty pageant contestant.
12:07The realism of the video, complete with dialogue, delivers its point about the destructiveness
12:11of the societal obsession with appearances and its impact on people's self-esteem, particularly
12:16young women and girls.
12:25The song also comments on plastic surgery and the harmful false ideals of perfection,
12:30as well as disordered eating and the volatility of an ever-changing definition of beauty.
12:35Directed by Melina Matsoukas, this is one of Beyoncé's most ambitious and powerful
12:39videos.
12:47Number 7, Countdown.
12:48This blast from the past cannot be overlooked.
12:59For the music video of this joyous R&B number, Beyoncé shows her beatnik moves, her all-black
13:05turtleneck ensemble alluding to Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face.
13:08The production clearly took inspiration from contemporary art and German dance, perhaps
13:13a bit too much.
13:21Belgian choreographer Anna-Theresa de Kirschmacher accused Beyoncé and her team of plagiarizing
13:26her work, particularly from her ballet Rosas dans Rosas.
13:30Even with this controversy, de Kirschmacher still praised the singer and her talents,
13:34saying that, quote,
13:36All's well that ends well, we guess.
13:44Number 6, Love on Top.
13:46This collaboration between Beyoncé and Ed Burke highlights the latter's impressive
13:49dance skills and showmanship.
13:59Unlike many of her other music videos, this one is simple, without much of a plot.
14:03Beyoncé performs in a single room with backup dancers, cycling through various formal looks,
14:08each as striking as the last.
14:17The video's simplicity is its strength, capturing the sheer joy of being in love.
14:22The song itself is a great homage to 80s R&B with its upbeat, infectious rhythms, but the
14:27video ties it all together, with references to male groups of the 1960s.
14:31It's as dapper as ever, if we do say so ourselves.
14:41Number 5, Get Me Bodied.
14:43Queen B's B-Day era was a fruitful one indeed.
14:53The music video for this song was so influential that it even helped the likes of Lizzo, who
14:58revealed that learning the choreography saved her from a dark time in her life.
15:02Get Me Bodied takes inspiration from none other than legendary choreographer Bob Fosse,
15:06particularly Rich Man's Frug from Sweet Charity.
15:09Co-directed by Anthony Mandler, the dancing is mesmerizing with seamless synchronicity.
15:21We also get to see the singer's former bandmates from Destiny's Child in this one.
15:25And of course, Beyoncé looks more stunning than usual in that shimmery silver dress.
15:30Greatness inspires greatness.
15:38Number 4, Run the World, Girls.
15:41Themes of female empowerment recur throughout Beyoncé's arsenal.
15:52For this revolutionary video, the star was inspired by the work of Mozambican dance group
15:56Tofu Tofu, partnering with eight choreographers for militaristic march-style dances.
16:09But it's the visuals that are particularly stunning, especially the opening image with
16:13Beyoncé riding on a black horse in slow motion.
16:15The army of women against the police officers with shields is also remarkable.
16:27Its high energy, powerful message, and smart direction led Run the World, Girls to win
16:31three nominations at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards and take home the award for Best Choreography.
16:46Number 3, Crazy in Love.
16:47One of the singer's best of the early 2000s, Crazy in Love was a summer hit no one could
16:52or wanted to escape from, and its accompanying video is the crowning touch.
17:04With fiery visuals, including actual fire, and street dancing, Crazy in Love's flair
17:09showcases the best of Jake Nava's editing and direction.
17:12The hard work involved in this debut single paid off.
17:15With the video garnering widespread critical acclaim, it even won three awards for Best
17:27R&B Video, Best Female Video, and Best Choreography at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
17:33This was indeed history in the making.
17:42Number 2, Single Ladies, Put a Ring on It.
17:46This is perhaps one of the most influential music videos in all of pop culture.
17:57And it's all thanks to Bob Fosse.
17:59Beyoncé and Nava were inspired by his Mexican Breakfast choreography on The Ed Sullivan
18:04Show.
18:05Add in the beautifully stark black-and-white photography and its joyous up-tempo portrayal
18:09of female empowerment, and an iconic video was born.
18:15Parodies and homages quickly followed, as well as cover versions.
18:19It won three awards, including Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
18:25It was this video more than anything else that cemented Beyoncé's triple threat status.
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18:52Number 1, Formation.
18:54When it comes to social importance, however, the prize has to go to this video.
19:06A bold statement against police brutality, Formation drew tons of recognition, becoming
19:11the anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement.
19:13The video in question was directed by Melina Matsoukas and set in New Orleans, spotlighting
19:18Southern black culture, people, and poverty, as well as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
19:32It was the powerful sight of a wall with a graffiti stop shooting us that really elevated
19:36the video's impact.
19:37Rolling Stone magazine named it the greatest music video of all time in 2021, and we agree.
19:50Which other Beyoncé music video do you feel is the pinnacle of her artistry?
19:54Let us know in the comments down below!