Top 5 Country Music Videos of 2017 (So Far)
The country music world is off to a strong start in 2017. Need proof? Just look at the music videos that have been released so far.
In only a few minutes, 2017's best country music videos (thus far) manage to tell a story, reshape fans' view of a song, make viewers laugh and / or think ... and even bend the genre a little bit. The Boot's picks for 2017's Top 5 country music videos (so far) are political, action packed and feature an appearance from a legend.
- 5
"Still Not Dead"
Willie NelsonDid you hear those (seemingly ever-present) rumors that Nelson died? Well, so did he -- and he made an entire music video poking fun at his many tragic demises. Not to worry, though: That's definitely Nelson, alive and well -- and wearing his signature braids and a "Smoke Weed Every Day" sweatshirt -- in this video. The clip features footage of Nelson in concert, joking around on the road and even scrolling through articles that announce his death. Let’s hope we get to hear Nelson performing this song for a long, long time to come!
- 4
"Last Time for Everything"
Brad PaisleyHow many ‘80s references can you count? Even the first frame of Paisley's "Last Time for Everything" music video is a reference: It’s styled to look like the logo for Stranger Things, the popular Netflix series that also pays serious homage to the ‘80s. It’s hard to pick the best throwback in this video; between the Ghostbusters-mobile, a cameo from David Hasselhoff and actual home video footage of Paisley as a teenager, there’s a lot of competition.
- 3
"It Ain't My Fault"
Brothers OsborneDonald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton walk into a pawn shop ... This isn’t the start of a strange joke; it’s the premise of the Brothers Osborne's video for “It Ain’t My Fault.” The clip stars four men wearing president masks, and it follows them as they tote guns, rob stores and generally cause mischief.
The madcap music video is a wild, mischievous ride … with a little social commentary on the side: “No matter what happens, politicians all seem to pin the blame on something else … we felt the connection with the song title was perfect,” John Osborne tells People.
- 2
"Craving You"
Thomas Rhett feat. Maren MorrisNobody would blame you if you tried to watch Rhett's “Craving You” music video and thought you’d accidentally clicked onto a trailer for an action movie instead. Shot as an extended movie preview, this video features (among other things) a masked, bank-robbing Morris and a gun-toting, pistol-whipping Rhett. It’s just over five minutes long, but it manages to cram in a full plot, plenty of fighting, a cameo from Rhett’s real-life (pregnant) wife and a major twist at the end.
- 1
"All Around You"
Sturgill SimpsonHow do you know you’re watching one of Simpson's music video? The first hint is that it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Dark and dreamy, this gorgeous, mixed-media clip follows a superhero: a young boy in a cape, holding a golden heart that he uses as a shield. In the clip's climax, our hero meets his enemies: tanks, jets and weapons … and a man clearly meant to look like President Donald Trump. There’s no denying that the video is political, but its ultimate message is non-partisan: Love triumphs above all.