10 Music Videos That Changed Music Forever

Just like in the early 2000s, the music video medium seemed to be getting stale for most viewers. The over-the-top nature of the hair metal videos really was getting out of hand and the more lofty videos from bands like Guns N Roses almost felt too ambitious for their own good. There was a need for something more organic, and viewers got their answer from a riot at a pep rally.

Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was not really into the more commercialized aesthetic of the music video format, but relented when he hit upon the idea for youthful rebellion. There had been songs that were anti-establishment from the punk rock boom onward, but this felt like much more than just adolescent rage. From the anarchy symbols donned by the cheerleaders to the incredible mosh pit that erupts midway through the video, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was the one song that launched an entire new movement for rock music.

After just one look at this video, you knew that the days of sprayed-out hair and platform shoes were long gone and the alternative boom had officially begun. Whether he knew it or not, Kurt Cobain's snide jab at traditional corporate videos led to him becoming the voice of a whole new generation of rock and roll stars.