25 Must-See Music Videos That Really Got Us Talking In 2025
As the debate rages on about whether or not music videos are still relevant in the 2020s, this year saw plenty of prolific stars proving that there’s still plenty of life in the artform yet.
Over the course of 2025, the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga and Chappell Roan released music videos that helped them achieve some of the year’s biggest hits, while HuffPost faves like Jade, Addison Rae and Doja Cat elevated their latest musical offerings with their accompanying videos.
Here are 25 of the must-see clips released in 2025 proving that there’s nothing quite like a music video when it’s done right…
25. Eli – Girl Of Your Dreams
Directed by Ayleen Valentine and Eli
For her debut album, Eli threw it back to the height of TV talent searches in the mid-2000s, coming up with a fictional contest of her own, the titular Stage Girl, which she most notably brought to life in the accompanying music video for her single Girl Of Your Dreams.
The DIY feel of her video only adds to the charm and noughties nostalgia of it all, and while the whole thing is peppered with the playful and irreverent sense of humour that has made Eli one of our favourite new artists of the year, you also can’t help but root for our central heroine as she bears her soul for a judging panel only interested in the superficial.
24. Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
Directed by Charlotte Rutherford
In 2024, Zara Larsson and Clean Bandit’s collaboration Symphony became an unexpected TikTok hit thanks to a popular meme juxtaposing the song and wholesome imagery (mostly dolphins, unicorns, rainbows and the like) alongside more bleak messages.
Rather than distancing herself from the meme, the Swedish singer rather smartly decided to adopt this as the aesthetic of her latest album, Midnight Sun, most notably in the music video for the title track.
Set against the clubby beats and anthemic chorus, Zara embraces a Y2K aesthetic in the Midnight Sky video, soaking up the sun in a Windows 2000 screensaver-friendly landscape, surrounded by CGI Word Art-esque messages that made us want to run and update our Bebo page.
That she was able to have this much fun while absolutely serving and delivering some of the year’s most astounding choreo is just a credit to what a top-tier pop artist Zara is, and we’re so happy that 2025 has been one of her biggest years to date.
23. Sugababes – Jungle
Directed by Dora Paphides
When the Sugababes first burst onto the pop scene in the early 2000s, what set them apart from so many of their peers at the time was that they were perceived to have been so much “cooler” than their pop peers.
Back in March, riding a wave of good will spurred on by numerous TV performances and show-stopped appearances at Glastonbury, the chart-topping girl group released their music video since 2013’s Flatline – and it was comforting to see that in an ever-changing world, you can still count on the Sugababes to serve cool like few others in pop can pull off.
Kicking things off with a sequence involving Siobhan Donaghy walking on a treadmill in pointed high heels, we’re then reintroduced to Keisha Buchanan, giving us a flawless look to match her voice, and Mutya Buena at her most Mutya Buena, delivering lines like “oops, there goes my vanity” while dressed to the absolute nines.
As ever with the Sugababes, the solo sections are great, but the real high points are those moments they join forces, showing off the girl group’s true magic.
22. Katy Perry – Bandaids
Directed by Christian Breslauer
After an iffy 2024 thanks to the shaky roll-out of her 143 album, Katy Perry changed tack this year, releasing the stand-alone break-up single Banaids, in the wake of her split from Orlando Bloom.
Throwing it back to the earlier years of her career when Katy was synonymous with videos that were both elaborate but fun, the Grammy nominee channelled Final Destination in the Bandaids video, as she found herself in increasingly ridiculous situations cheating death, cramming as many as nine near-misses into the four-minute clip.
While ostensibly about putting a difficult break-up behind you and surviving, it’s difficult not to also read another message alluding to the many wrong turns of the 143 era and the knocks she took after her recent space trip, too…
21. Haim – Down To Be Wrong
Directed by Bradley & Pablo
If there’s one thing to glean from Haim’s Down To Be Wrong music video, it’s that you don’t mess with a Haim sister, because she will haunt you – and so will the rest of the family.
Logan Lerman discovers this the hard way in the clip, which sees the musical trio refusing to give him a good night’s sleep at an LA hotel, getting under his skin in increasingly silly – though still visually impressive – set-ups.
20. Doja Cat – Stranger
Directed by Dave Meyers
Having already established herself as one of the most impressive music video artists of her generation, Doja Cat has given us plenty of elaborate visuals as part of her Vie album era, from the 80s-embracing Jealous Type to the sheer glamour of Gorgeous.
Our favourite of them all, though, is Stranger, in which she finds herself in numerous death-defying situations (leaping from a plane only to get tangled in a tree, and riding on the back of a motorcycle before finding herself being dragged along the ground) in elaborate bridal couture.
In a detail typical of Doja, the twists keep on coming until the final seconds, when she finds herself at the door of a church, only for things not to work out quite as she’d hoped…
19. CMAT – Take A Sexy Picture Of Me
Directed by Eilís Doherty
Much like the song itself, CMAT’s Take A Sexy Picture Of Me music video appears to be hyper-colourful, breezy, relatable and packed with silly humour, but there’s something more sinister lurking underneath it all.
The clip is actually a sequel of sorts to another of CMAT’s videos, Running/Planning, with the Irish singer-songwriter playing a young woman on the precipice of a modelling career, surrounded by people trying to take advantage of her.
18. Audrey Hobert – Sue Me
Directed by Audrey Hobert
For many music fans, the Sue Me music video will have been their first introduction to Audrey Hobert, which feels fitting, as it sums up everything we love about her as an artist.
The clip opens with Audrey dancing around her bedroom with absolute abandon, throwing shapes last perfected by Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe on Friends, and the energy doesn’t let up for one second, even as things begin to take a slightly bizarre, off-kilter turn.
Meanwhile, in an absolutely stunning metaphor, around the midway point, the singer-songwriter finds herself in a high school corridor, chucks a rolled-up red carpet onto the ground and kicks it open for herself, dancing her way down it. This, folks, is what you call making an entrance.
17. Fontaines D.C. – It’s Amazing To Be Young
Directed by Luna Carmoon
It’s Amazing To Be Young is third in a trilogy of Fontaines D.C. music videos created by Luna Carmoon, this one sees the characters from the first two, teen outcasts “Spider” and Martin Lefevre (played by Grace Collender and House Of The Dragon’s Ewan Mitchell), coming across one another in the most un-cute of meet-cutes.
As the title suggests, we’re then treated to an 80s-esque montage of “Spider” and Martin’s early love story – before they’re torn apart by forces beyond their control.
Don’t let that put you off watching, though, as this is a rare music video love story with an actual happy ending, as the central couple later cross paths unexpectedly, and defy the odds to make it work.
16. Lil Nas X – Hotbox
Directed by Elias Talbot
WHile his single Hotbox evidently took inspirations from acts like Pharrell Williams and Justin Timberlake’s 2000s output, in the video, Lil Nas X let his inner Barb take the wheel, placing himself in the middle of a candy-coloured Ken doll paradise.
One thing we’ve always loved about Lil Nas’ past videos like Industry Baby and, of course, Montero (Call Me By Your Name) is how unapologetic he is in his sexuality.
This is something he’s carried into his latest era, albeit in a different way, as he’s seen flirting with a love interest in a swimming pool and boxing ring, echoing the song’s seductive lyrics.
15. Addison Rae – Fame Is A Gun
Directed by Sean Price Williams
Fame Is A Gun is already one of the stand-out tracks on Addison Rae’s debut album, and its accompanying music video is every bit as striking.
Taking a dash of Rocky Horror and more than a sprinkle of Pedro Almodóvar, Addison’s Fame Is A Gun video, much like the song itself, mixes Hollywood glamour with out-and-out weirdness, to create some real pop magic.
14. Raye – Where Is My Husband!
Directed by The Reids
This might seem like an unusual thing to say about an artist with a number one single and no fewer than six Brit Awards to her name, but with her latest single Where Is My Husband!, it feels like Raye has really cemented her place as one of the UK’s biggest names.
While a lot of the media narrative around her first album felt like it harked back to some of the baggage of her past in the music industry, on Where Is My Husband!, it feels like she’s really flexing her muscles as a pop star in her own lane, and the accompanying music video only drive this home.
The clip mixes stellar performance sequences with more dreamy (and, eventually, nightmarish) visuals that end with a revelation that even elevates the song itself by taking it beyond its original meaning.
13. Jade – Church
Directed by Billy King
A pop music student-turned-master, we already know the greatness Jade is capable of when it comes to the visual aspects of her career, with Angel Of My Dreams still our favourite video of last year, and her Brit Awards performance undeniably stealing the show on the night.
Over the course of 2025, Jade has been knocking it out of the park with the visualisers and music videos for her debut album That’s Showbiz, Baby! and in December, she rounded off the era with this video for bonus track Church.
Jade has always been one to wear her influences proudly on her sleeve, with nods to horror films like Midsommar, The VVitch and Saint Maude as well as the dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale all present in Church, alongside nods to other pop artists like Lady Gaga and Self-Esteem.
There are some great cameos to look out for, too, but at the centre of it all is the commanding presence that is Jade herself, nailing it once again with this accompaniment to her rallying cry for the outcasts.
12. Audrey Hobert – Bowling Alley
Directed by Audrey Hobert
Much has already been made of the fact that, before she embarked on her music career, Audrey Hobert was a screenwriter, which shines through in the storytelling aspects of her lyrics – but also her self-directed music videos.
The dreamy Bowling Alley clip brings the very story-driven narrative to the screen, beginning with Audrey in her apartment (the shots of her in a Victorian nightgown and matching cap are obviously the most iconic of the whole video), before heading off to the noughties bowling alley party of your dream, complete with a strike montage, a break-dancing contest and some slow-motion hair-ography.
Above it all, though, Bowling Alley just lets Audrey’s natural charisma and unique sense of humour shine through, which would be enough to make this video one of our favourites even if it wasn’t as well-made as it is.
11. Adéla – SexOnTheBeat
Directed by 91 Rules
Adéla’s SexOnTheBeat video opens with the Slovak singer watching a YouTube tutorial by Christina Aguilera about how to “achieve superstardom on your own terms” (and “get dirrty”) – which pretty much sets the tone for the entire thing.
Over the next three minutes, Adéla delivers some absolutely jaw-dropping choreography while grinding on a fellow dancer, before launching into a completely nude group routine.
Yes, it makes for a shocking watch, and intentionally so. But it’s a credit to Adéla’s star power and ability as a performer that despite it all, the main thing we take away from SexOnTheBeat is her incredible moves…
10. PinkPantheress – Tonight
Directed by Charlotte Rutherford
Illegal might have been the breakout hit from PinkPantheress’ Fancy That mixtape, but the whole project launched with lead single Tonight, helped in no small part by the best music video of the British singer and producer’s career.
Mixing the glamour of Bridgerton with the hedonism of Skins, Tonight video fuses old and new in ways that PinkPantheress is repeatedly praised for doing in her music, kicking off the biggest era of her career in style and showing her off as both the brains behind the operation and the endearing frontwoman of the whole project.
9. Doechii – Denial Is A River
Directed by Carlos Acosta and James Mackel
The stand-out song from Doechii’s Grammy-winning mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal deserved a music video as demanding of your attention as the revelator track itself, which the rapper delivered on the second day of 2025.
What starts off as an homage to the classic TV family sitcom, leaning into the storytelling and sheer drama of Denial Is A River, things slowly take a more sinister and chaotic turn, culminating in a truly explosive finale.
8. Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Directed by Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia
If ever you need an example of a modern pop artist who proves the importance that music videos still hold, look to Sabrina Carpenter, whose 2024 album Short N’ Sweet was massively boosted by its accompanying visuals, from the beachy Espresso and the provocative Please Please Please to the all-out fight to the death that was Taste.
While many of her peers are eschewing videos altogether, we were happy to see that she launched into her new era this year with her most ambitious music video to date.
Right from the first moments of Sabrina chucking herself out of a moving car, it’s clear that things in the Manchild video are a little on the “funny peculiar” side, and as it takes increasingly more surreal turns, that sense of unease never really relents, to the point that it’s impossible to guess what’s coming next.
Sabrina taking a bubble bath with some very cute piglets? Kissing her boyfriend goodbye as he slowly drives his car off a cliff? Waking up in a bed surrounded by a herd of goats? Sure.
By the end, the whole music video descends into a montage of unpredictable chaos which definitely has replay value. What’s particularly impressive is, in an age where some creators are slowly pivoting to CGI or, indeed, AI, how much the Manchild video manages to achieve using practical effects.
7. Little Simz – Young
Directed by Dave Meyers
What’s very apparent while watching the Young music video back is that Little Simz had an absolute blast making it.
The Brit Award winner donned heavy-duty prosthetics to become a geriatric hell-raiser in the gritty video, which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of punk showcased on the song itself.
Young is a real change of direction for Little Simz, whose 2025 album Lotus features some of her most introspective work, so it’s great to see such a completely different side to here in this video, as her elderly alter-ego causes havoc on the streets of London.
6. Rosalía, Björk and Yves Tumor – Berghain
Directed by Nicolas Mendéz
Rosalía first caught our attention back in 2018 with her Malamente music video, and since then she’s only continued to go from strength to strength.
Her artistry reached new heights on her 2025 album Lux, with lead single Berghain’s music video perfectly encapsulating the cinematic, theatrical and operatic style of the whole project.
The visuals are the perfect blend of the banal and the surreal that we just love, beginning with scenes of Rosalía going about her business surrounded by an entire orchestra.
In the second act, when Björk’s vocals begin, we’re treated to a completely different set-up, this time taking inspiration from classic fairytales (namely Snow White), before a dramatic finale merging the two together with nightmarish results.
With a 2026 tour already in the works, we’re so excited to see how Rosalía continues to bring Lux to life with more visuals and her much-hyped stage show.
5. Abracadabra – Lady Gaga
Directed by Lady Gaga, Parris Goebel and Bethany Vargas
If you’ve been even a casual follower of Lady Gaga over the last two decades, you’ll know that she’s prone to a “more is more” approach, but this music video from her Mayhem era proves that sometimes when she’s at her most pared-back and streamlined.
Then again, that Abracabra – a video with full group dance numbers with impressive, though imitable, choreography, elaborate costumes (including that enormous hat as she transforms herself into the “Mistress of Mayhem” and a pause in the middle so Gaga can scream at full volume for 10 whole seconds – could be considered simple probably speaks to what an incredible pop artist she is.
4. Addison Rae – Headphones On
Directed by Mitch Ryan
First of all… who would have guessed that 2025 would be the year that the supermarket chain Iceland would be getting its flowers in the pop culture sphere?
No, but seriously, Addison Rae’s Headphones On video is a celebration of the transformative power of music, juxtaposing mundane scenes of her working the tills and stocking the shelves at Iceland with shots of her exploring the expansive landscapes and beautiful natural world of the frozen food retailer’s geographical namesake.
If ever you’ve imagined yourself as the star of your own music video after popping your earbuds in for some escapism, this is a video for you.
3. Jolin – Pleasure
Directed by Christian Breslauer
Jolin’s Pleasure music video is straight up eye candy. Frankly, to see the level she’s operating on compared to some of the more celebrated acts of today… it’s a little embarrassing.
Hooked on the idea of the seven deadly sins, the Taiwanese pop icon whizzes through imaginative set-pieces inspired by pride, greed, wrath, sloth and lust in the Pleasure video, interspersed with some unbelievable special effects and some staggering choreography.
The song is also a complete banger, which doesn’t hurt, either.
2. Chappell Roan – The Subway
Directed by Amber Grace Johnson
After completely foregoing music videos for her hit singles Good Luck, Babe! and The Giver, we were relieved to see Chappell Roan giving the artform another chance in her 2025, the result being probably the best of her entire career.
What’s great to see in The Subway’s music video is that, even when singing a mournful break-up ballad, the Grammy winner isn’t taking herself too seriously since her ascent to global stardom.
Shot around New York, the The Subway video makes use of some really fun visuals, from a floor-length-haired Chappell chasing her green-coiffed counterpart through the city’s underground system and getting dragged along the streets by her hair from a yellow cab to riding a Citi bike as her ’do trails the ground and climbing up skyscrapers in Rapunzel-esque scenes to try and reunite with her lost love.
In The Subway, Chappell has once again cemented her place as one of modern pop’s great storytellers, putting her own distinct stamp on the tried-and-tested lost love formula in ways that none of her peers would have thought of.
1. Sabrina Carpenter – Tears
Directed by Bardia Zeinali
Tears is not just the best music video out of Sabrina Carpenter’s already-impressive catalogue, it’s also our favourite of the entire year.
Different moments remind us of everything from Sinners and The Love Witch to Little Shop Of Horrors and even Sesame Street, but the undeniable main influence on this clip is The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which Sabrina retells through her own distinct filter, with a bit of help from A-list guest Colman Domingo.
Dark, freaky, sexy and weird, as with most things in Sabrina’s pop career these last couple of years, everything in the Tears video is done with a wink and a smile, and as an added Easter egg, there are three possible endings making for a different viewing experience each time. Oh, and the fact it pissed off all the right people just makes it all the sweeter.
Whatever happens in 2026, if Sabrina Carpenter has a new video out, we’ll be hitting play faster than you can say “shikitah”.