“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana (1991)
First-time director Samuel Bayer ushered in the grunge aesthetic with 1991’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video. He believes he was hired in the first place because his test reel was so low-budget that Nirvana thought the video would look more punk than corporate. This pep rally-turned-anarchist riot earned Nirvana two awards at the VMAs; it has since been regarded by VH1 as one of the best music videos of all time.
Advertisement