5. Iggy Azalea "Work"
Iggy Azalea was the moment in 2013. This "Work" music video proves it.
4. Ariana Grande "7 rings"
She sees it, she likes it, she wants it, she got it. Ariana Grande is going for the money with this music video.
3. City Girls "Twerk ft. Cardi B"
Cardi B and City Girls teach us how to twerk...need I say more?
2. Nicki Minaj "Barbie Tingz"
One of Nicki's wittiest songs, "Barbie Tingz" details all the relationships she's had with different rappers throughout her career. Exposing men is one of Nicki's finest moments, and this music video is about as steamy as it gets.
1. Cardi B. & Megan Thee Stallion "WAP"
You had to know it was coming. One of the most hyper-sexual songs in recent history from two of the biggest female rappers in the world. The music video with a cameo from Kylie Jenner is our steamiest music video of all time.
The music video is a very specific art form that many appreciate, but few really take the time to explore.
While you may have a quick answer to the question of the hottest music video you've ever seen, we doubt you could rank the hottest of all time. From Beyonce to Prince, we've made a definitive ranking of the ten steamiest music videos ever made.
10. Beyonce "Partition"
Beyoncé - Partition (Explicit Video)youtu.be
Beyonce is the queen of the sparkly leotard. Her iconic love-seat pose has given life to countless memes, and for good reason. This video is undeniably one of her hottest.
9. Selena Gomez "Hands to Myself"
Selena Gomez - Hands To Myself (Official Music Video)youtu.be
First of all, Selena Gomez+bangs is pretty fire. Second of all, Selena Gomez+bangs+lingerie+steamy bathtub shots= 🔥🔥🔥🔥
8. Usher "Trading Places"
Usher - Trading Placeswww.youtube.com
Usher doing anything is undeniably hot. We would watch the man tie his shoelaces and give him a standing ovation afterward. In this video, we not only get steamy bedroom shots and plenty of oiled muscle, but also weird indoor-human-fish-tank moments that we're admittedly pretty into.
7. D'Angelo "Untitled (How does it feel)"
D'Angelo - Untitled (How Does It Feel)youtu.be
Honestly, it's just D'angelo standing there shirtless singing his heart out. What more could you want?
6. Nicki Minaj "Anaconda"
Nicki Minaj - Anacondawww.youtube.com
This iconic video features Minaj in lycra pants and other various form fitting outfits twerking etc. She also makes smoothies. It's hard to look away.
5. Rihanna "S&M"
Rihanna - S&Mwww.youtube.com
This whole list could be Rihanna music videos and we'd stand by it. Out of all of Ri-Ri's steamy videos, this is perhaps the most enticingly chaotic. Bonus: Rihanna has magnificent red hair in this clip.
4. Prince "Kiss"
Prince - Kiss (Official Music Video)www.youtube.com
Prince was the king of pushing boundaries, and this video was no exception. MTV loosened their standards specifically for this 1986 hit, and we're so glad they did. Prince in a crop top? Yes, please.
3. Beyonce "Drunk in Love"
Beyoncé - Drunk in Love (Explicit) ft. JAY Zyoutu.be
Yes, Beyonce made the list twice, but we just couldn't help ourselves. While Beyonce looks as amazing as always in this video, what really puts it over the top is the way she undresses Jay-Z with her eyes. *Melts*
2. Chris Isaak "Wicked Game"
Wicked Game - Single Edit - Official Music Videoyoutu.be
This video is decidedly NSFW. Widely agreed upon across the internet to be one of the hottest videos of all time, "Wicked Game" will leave you speechless.
1. Britney Spears "Toxic"
Britney Spears - Toxic (Official Music Video)www.youtube.com
This video tops our list because it just doesn't get more iconic than this. Say what you want about Britney, but she always delivers in the music video department.
Actually, Spotify Does Pay Their Artists
After Universal Music Group, the largest record label in the industry, took all their artists' music off TikTok after failure to reach an agreement on AI usage of their artists and safety...people are now more than ever looking into how artists are treated on platforms where their music is the main focus. For TikTok, it's detrimental- they tried to punish UMG, and now they're paying the price.
At the 2024 Grammy Awards this Sunday, there were tons of controversial moments: should Taylor have brought Lana Del Rey onstage, should this person have won, what was that person wearing? But one of the more subtle digs was taken by host Trevor Noah, who commented on the UMG-TikTok battle by including another well-known streaming platform,
"Shame on you, TikTok, for ripping off artists. How dare you do that? That’s Spotify’s job!”
Without artists and their music, there would be no streaming platform to be had...and Spotify knows that, which is why they've been tracking their royalty payments to the music industry though their Loud & Clear report. The Loud & Clear report comes out every March and shows exactly how Spotify pays it back. According to their site,
"Nearly 70% of that revenue is paid back as royalties to rights holders, who then pay the artists and songwriters, based on the agreed terms."
This means that whatever Spotify is making from these artists and labels, and their music, they're making sure it gets back to them. It should be a mutually beneficial experience: one where both the artist and their representation trust that their work will be valued and protected (and thus, properly compensated), and where the platform also gains traffic from an artist's fans.
Today, Spotify announced that they've paid labels over $9 billion to give us a glimpse of their Loud & Clear report. In an exclusive statement to Popdust, a Spotify spokesperson states,
"Spotify paid record labels and publishers – which represent artists and songwriters – more money than ever in 2023: $9B+. That figure has nearly tripled over the past six years, and represents a big part of the $48B+ Spotify has paid since its founding."