10 Most Revolutionary Rock Music Videos

The video for Michael Jackson's Thriller (1983) will forever hold a notable place in music history for several reasons. It was the first to introduce the mini-film concept – the full cut runs to near-on 14 minutes and features a narrative plot and music-free sections.

Thriller had a big name at the helm, director John Landis; the man behind box office hits The Blues Brothers and An American Werewolf In London. It also smashed records with its budget of $500,000. As a result, it became the first music video to be inducted into the National Film Registry, an organization dedicated to cataloguing culturally, historically and aesthetically significant art.

Of course, Jackson's legacy will forever be tarnished by accusations pertaining to his personal life. It seems clear that, at the very least, Jackson behaved in ways that many would consider inappropriate around children, and was himself a deeply troubled personality. That aside, he also remains one of the most influential figures in popular music history, and Thriller remains a landmark in the development of the music video format.