The Top 5 Music Videos of 1985 on YouTube

5. "Do What You Do" - Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine is more handsome than his brother Michael, although he has less charisma. Still, one marvels, after hearing this hauntingly beautiful song, at his one hit wonder status. The video is a love story told in flashbacks and the time period is unclear but some of it looks like it was supposed to take place in the 1930s. Many 80s videos starred gorgeous models and Iman here is no exception. True to the trend in 80s videos, the video doesn't make much sense but it is fun to watch for kitchy value. The 80s staple of the woman's hands on the man's back muscles during sex and the camera circling the singer as he lip syncs are featured.

4. "Lonely Ol' Night" - John Cougar Mellencamp
This black and white video captures the feeling of rural America so prominent in Mellencamp's songs. Scenes of him playing guitar on a front porch, hanging out at the laundromat and chilling with the other young people in a parking lot are authentic small town scenes. The camera work is stunning, especially the aerial shots of a carnival. Although carnivals are usually shot in color, this works. The people populating the town don't look like actors and this adds to the authenticity. Mellencamp looks the part of the smoldering rockabilly star even with the dated mullet haircut.

3. "A View to a Kill" - Duran Duran
This is the hit song from the Bond installment of the same title. Not content to show scenes from the film, most of the video is a spy story acted out by members of the band. It captures that cold war feeling of 1980s films as lead singer Simon LeBon blows stuff up with a transmitter disguised as a microphone. The tongue is firmly implanted in the cheek at the end when a girl asks him, "Aren't you..." and he responds, "Bon. Simon LeBon."

2. "California Girls" - David Lee Roth
The women are beautiful in the big hair and high heels with bikinis way and Roth is at his crazily charismatic best in this spoof of the TV show Twilight Zone. Every archetypal tourist, from the breakdancing midget to the jilted old bride is on the bus ride to hell with your tour guide, Dave. He is obviously having a great time acting out the song with all the girls from different regions. The end, when he jumps, twirls and high kicks his way among the beautiful bikini clad statues/women is the best part. The tourists seem even uglier than they are through a fisheye lens. Classic 80s.

1. "Take on Me" - a-ha
Every comic book nerd's dream comes true for one woman who is pulled into a comic book in a rotoscopic fantasy with this Norwegian band. The fantasy world turns ugly when the magazine, into which she disappears in a busy cafe, is crumpled and left in the garbage. The lead singer is gorgeous but who knows what the words to this song are. It probably would not have been famous in America but for this innovative video. The scene at the end when the singer smashes against the walls of the comic books frames and into the real world is a legendary moment in music video. And that's why this video is number one!