1. Closer - Nine Inch Nails (1994)
Nine Inch Nails, who are renowned for their recurring themes of sex, greed, addiction and S&M in their songs, enslaved fans to their provocative and explicit single in 1994. The song which cemented Reznor's status as an industrial rock idol thus became one of the band's most popular and successful singles to date, despite controversies towards the blunt and profane sexual content within their lyrics. The video which features a gritty silent film aesthetic with such shockingly engrossing imagery was inspired by notable artists, including Francis Bacon and The Brothers Quay, is set in what appears to be a grainy 19th century style laboratory. Due to it's infamous nature, it helped bolster the success of the band. Directed by Mark Romanek (Never Let Me Go) the video blisters with controversial imagery that harshly deals with religion, sexuality, terror and animal cruelty in a challenging manner without any quell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTFwQP86BRs
So there you have nine unsettling music videos to date. Do you have a music video that evokes feelings of sickness and fear? Please leave comments below.