Top 10 Songs Known For Their Music Video Dances

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the music videos best known for their iconic choreography.

#10: (Crank That) Soulja Boy

Soulja Boy Tell Em

Soulja Boy, before he dropped the Tell Em, told us all how to Crank That with his self-released debut track. From middle school dances to 106 and Park, this song was absolutely everywhere. John Jurgensen from The Wall Street Journal even called (Crank That) Soulja Boy the biggest dance fad since The Macarena. The song itself got nominated for a Best Rap Song at the 50th Annual Grammy awards. While Good Life by Kanye West feat. T-Pain took home the trophy that night, (Crank That) Soulja Boy remains a staple on DJ playlists to this day.

#9: HOT TO GO!

Chappell Roan

After Chappell Roan took us all to the Pink Pony Club, her next big hit gave us a beat anyone can dance to. The last single from her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, this infectious track was inspired by her desire to be a cheerleader in high school. Roan made a dance in the tradition of Y.M.C.A by Village People. Its easy to see its influence. The dance is simple but fun, primarily using your arms and little else to spell out the songs title. And now youre going to have it stuck in your head for the rest of today. Youre welcome.

#8: Rhythm Nation

Janet Jackson

Its impossible to talk about iconic music video choreography without talking about Janet Jackson. From Miss You Much to If and beyond, theres no shortage of tracks we could have put on this list. However, theres probably none quite as influential as Rhythm Nation. The choreography was done by Jackson with Anthony Thomas and is performed with what has been described as militaristic precision. And we couldnt have said it better ourselves. Produced by legendary hitmaking team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with Jackson, this track envisions a world united by dance and Jackson is the fearless leader.

#7: Party Rock Anthem

LMFAO

Is it possible to not get up and shuffle when this song comes on? Acting as the continuation of Sorry For Party Rocking, the Party Rock Anthem music video showed Redfoo and Skyblu in a 28 Days Later-inspired post-apocalypse. While they try to resist the zombie-like shufflers, the song is just too infectious. The iconic choreography from this song references the Melbourne Shuffle, an Australian rave dance that developed during the late 80s and early 90s. Fittingly, Party Rock Anthem track became a favorite during the flash mob craze of the early 2010s. Maybe LMFAO were onto something with that music video. With as much fun as we have with this song, I think we can forgive them for Party Rocking after all.

#6: Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)

Silentó

You just had to be there when this song came out. At just seventeen years old, Silentós debut single Nae Nae (Watch Me) hit number three on the Billboard Hot 100. While Silentó is no Ray Charles, the song recalls the tradition of tracks like Shake a Tail Feather where the singer showcases trending dances of their time. Here, the title directly features the whip and the nae nae, but also highlights several other contemporary dances. If you want to learn how to bop, break your legs, stanky legg, or even soulja boy, Silentó has you covered.

#5: Bye Bye Bye

*NSYNC

Late nineties boy band lovers, please rise for your national anthem. When *NSYNC released the kiss-off anthem of the decade with Bye Bye Bye, they did so with dance moves you could probably pick up with one watch. Even if you cant, theres no shortage of tutorials available to help you out, including by choreographer Darrin Henson. Its staying power was cemented in 2024 when the creators of Deadpool & Wolverine incorporated the choreography into the opening credits. While there were several songs in the running, one of the films editors Dean Zimmerman described NSYNCs hit as the hands-down favorite.

#4: Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)

Beyoncé

Whats better than getting rid of a useless man? Flaunting your new, better man in front of him. And theres no-one better to lead the charge on that than Beyoncé. This immediately-iconic choreography was heavily influenced by the Gwen Verdon-led performance of Mexican Breakfast on The Ed Sullivan Show , but also includes inspiration from African gumboot dancing. Shortly after its release, everyone from the Jonas Brothers to the cast of Glee were doing the Single Ladies dance. While the complex footwork and tight coordination were impressive, there was no move more ubiquitous than Bey and her dancers flaunting the bare ring fingers on their left hands.

#3: Gangnam Style

PSY

Before groups like BTS and Blackpink became the go-to reference for K-Pop to Western audiences, the door was kicked in by PSY with his 2012 hit Gangnam Style. While Gangnam Style boasts a fun beat and effortless charisma, its the dance that really caught on worldwide. PSY described the idea behind the dance as dress classy and dance cheesy, fitting how it satirizes the posers and wannabes of South Koreas opulent Gangnam District. The easily-replicated horse trot move in particular made the song accessible for fans of all ages. It became widely covered and parodied, further boosting its profile as a viral phenomenon.

#2: Vogue

Madonna

Category is: timeless. In 1990, Madonna didnt just debut her soon-to-be iconic cone bra. She brought her love of New York nightclubs and ballroom culture to mainstream audiences for the Vogue music video. House of Xtravaganza family members and vogueing trailblazers Luis Camacho and Jose Gutierez came up with the choreography for the video, but their influence doesnt stop there. They were prominently featured dancers whose house was featured in the landmark documentary Paris is Burning, which came out six months after Vogue and explored the very communities that Madonna drew from in greater detail.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Here It Goes Again, OK Go

Treadmill Choreography in One Continuous Take Made This Song Legendary

Busy Earnin, Jungle

Were Never Too Busy to Get Up and Dance

Shake It Off, Taylor Swift

Swift Showcases Numerous Styles of Dance To One Sick Beat

Bad Romance, Lady Gaga

Richy Jacksons Cinematic Choreography Had Everyone Dancing in Their Bedrooms

#1: Thriller

Michael Jackson

Decades after its original release in 1983, there isnt a music video that comes close to this classic. Directed by John Landis, the original video is a veritable short film with its focused narrative and nearly fourteen-minute runtime. No wonder its the only music video to be inducted into the United States National Film Registry. But its most iconic scene is undeniably the zombie dance sequence. Michael Peters choreography is intricate but simple and has been replicated several times over the years. From the 2004 film Thirteen Going on Thirty to the viral Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center video and beyond, it really is true that no mere mortal can resist the genius of Thriller.

Did your favorite music video make our list? Let us know in the comments and well see you next time.