10 Best Hard Rock Music Videos Of The 80s

7. Rebel Yell - Billy Idol (1983)

If someone asked Billy Idol, "Billy, how much cocaine did you do during the '80s?", he would simple show them this video.

Billy is clearly on one here. Between the buckets of drug-sweat pouring off him, the snow-blind gaze shrouding his eyes, and the amount of times he heavily inhales through his nose, it's clear that between takes he was indulging in the white stuff.

There's nothing particularly innovative about this video, it simply shows Idol and his band performing an energised rendition of his track Rebel Yell. But it's enough. Besides the track being one of the enduring hard rock numbers of the decade, the video is a riot of enjoyment. Idol exhibits some of his finest fist pumping, and manages to squeeze a lip snarl in-between every other syllable.

You get the sense this was Idol at the height of the good times, he's lapping it up. You can't help but get swept up in his enthusiasm, even if it is chemically induced. This one ticked a good many boxes: plenty of leather, a good degree of snarling, dry ice machines and rock stars whacked out of their minds.

Contributor

Before engrossing myself in the written word, I spent several years in the TV and film industry. During this time I became proficient at picking things up, moving things and putting things down again.