VIDEO 4/PACK: Pick The Best "blink-182" Music Video

OK. Here’s how this works: I pick four iconic music videos from a band. You have to pick the BEST ONE. Easy, right? In this case, maybe not so much considering *I* had some difficulty with the concept of….the best.

In fact, I specifically left out what one could argue is their best music video of all time. You will not find “All The Small Things” on this list, simply because its popularity would skew the voting so badly. People hold that video is such high regard that this Video 4/Pack can be considered….the best of the rest. So here we go, without further ado:

blink-182 – Josie

A music video that mocks, yet at the same time shows the struggles of the high school experience? What a perfect place for our journey to begin with the band. Well, for THIS list, anyways. This was actually the band’s third music video. Mark Hoppus plays…Mark. Who is in search of the perfect girlfriend, played by Alyssa Milano (bonus points!).

Mark actually wrote this song about Josie, a girl who never really existed….except as the concept of what a perfect girlfriend for him might be like.

blink-182 – Stay Together For The Kids

So, it’s hard to say that a song from an album called “Take Off Your Pants And Jacket” was a step towards maturity, but indeed this song — and video — has to be considered exactly that kind of move. Tom DeLonge started penning this song at 16, shortly after his parents told him they were divorcing; Mark, for the record, also comes from a broken home. And you can see the metaphor come to life below.

But in 2001, the band was convinced that the destruction in the video evoked the tragedy of September 11th’s attacks…so they made an alternate version of kids screaming in an intact mansion. This is the original version…the literal “broken home” version by Samuel Bayer.

blink-182 – What’s My Age Again?

Without a doubt, “All The Small Things” is the music video that catapulted the band to stardom. But doesn’t the pop culture and music references in it feel….well, a bit dated?

Now take a look at an equally popular song from the same album, Enema of the State. THIS video captures what the band is about…a band that, if I may quote, doesn’t “take themselves so seriously.” Running through the streets of L.A. in the nude, upsetting the residents, and infiltrating the popular TV shows of the day. Hell, when porn star (and album cover girl) Janine Lindemulder makes her appearance, you get the sense this is the band’s “see if we can get THAT in our video” moment. This is the height of blink-182 fame, all wrapped up in a 2:26 video.

blink-182 – I Miss You

Ultimately, the band DID grow up, get older (get more mature?). Musically, it is evident in the Box Car Racer and Angels & Airwaves side projects. A different side of the group was also revealed with the song I Miss You. First, it was the band’s first attempt at acoustic instruments. Secondly, it had a much more serious and dark tone — visually, too. Tom DeLonge sums up the creation of this song beautifully:

“I think with this song we were rebelling against the pop side of our band, which we’d had for many years. We wanted to do something that was a little darker and more atmospheric and I guess people would have been surprised when they first heard it.”

The music video was clearly darker, as well: