The appearance of nudity in music videos has caused controversy since the late 1970s, and several explicit music videos have been censored or banned. Nudity has gained wider acceptance on European television , where audiences often view nudity and sexuality as less objectionable than the depiction of violence . In contrast, MTV , VH1 and other North American music-related television channels usually censor what they think is inappropriate and might be considered offensive to their viewers.[1]
Notable examples 1970s
Year
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
1978
"Bicycle Race "(uncensored version)
Queen Dennis de Vallance
Various actresses
65 naked actresses racing bicycles at Wimbledon . The video was edited for commercial release.
1979
"Funkytown "(Debbie Jenner version)
Lipps Inc. ?
Background dancer
A female background dancer wearing a translucent top and no bra.
1980s 1981
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Girls on Film "(uncensored version)
Duran Duran Godley & Creme Various actresses
Partially nude models "strutting" on catwalks. The video was edited for MTV play, but even in that form was controversial.[2]
"Sex Dwarf "
Soft Cell Tim Pope Various actresses and Marc Almond
Fully nude actresses tortured on table and covered in meat, threatened by chain-saw wielding midgets. Marc Almond runs around wearing a jockstrap (this video was confiscated by the police ).[3]
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Libertine "
Mylène Farmer Laurent Boutonnat Mylène Farmer , two other actresses, and an actorThree woman undress and take a bath together, one of which being Farmer. In another scene, Mylène and an actor have sex on a bed, before showing a complete frontal nude of Farmer on the bed.[10]
1987 1988
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Mountain Song " (uncensored version)
Jane's Addiction Various actors and actresses
Hot wax is shown being poured down a actress's breasts, as well as a male & actress being repeatedly shown lying down fully nude in a bed of flowers.
1989 1990s 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000s 2000 2001 2002
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Girls of Summer " (Latin American / European Version)
Aerosmith Dave Meyers Only an actor
An actor is seen nude when a girl pulls his pants down to humiliate him.
"Lapdance " (uncensored version)
N*E*R*D featuring Lee Harvey and Vita Diane Martel Various actresses
Several actresses are seen dancing around Pharrell and other band members topless and showing their buttocks while touching each other's breasts throughout the entire video.
"Cocoon "
Björk Eiko Ishioka Björk
Björk apparently is fully naked, but actually it's a bodysuit.
2003
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Superman" Eminem Paul Hunter
Porn star Gina Lynn and Eminem
Eminem bends his buttocks over through a door, telling a girl he just finished a one-night stand with to kiss his ass. The girl later takes her top off and her bare breasts are revealed in an attempt to seduce Eminem. In the VEVO and television version, Eminem's buttocks and the girl's bare breasts are pixelated .
"Work It " (uncensored version)
Nelly featuring Justin Timberlake Joseph Kahn Two actresses
In the uncensored version, two Playboy Playmates appear completely naked on a tennis court with Nelly.
"P.I.M.P. " (uncensored version)
50 Cent featuring G-Unit and Snoop Dogg Chris Robinson Various actresses
In the uncensored version, various actresses are seen dancing topless.
"P-Poppin " (uncensored version)
Ludacris featuring Shawnna and Lil FateVarious actresses
In the uncensored version, various actresses are seen dancing nude. Ludacris is seen smacking the backsides of several actresses in very sexual poses. Some of these actresses are exposing their vaginal area.
"Protège-Moi "
Placebo Gaspar Noé Various actors and actresses
Various actors and actresses featured full nudity. The video takes place during an orgy and includes explicit unsimulated sexual content. Never officially released due to the level of sexual content.[16]
"Come Undone "
Robbie Williams Jonas Åkerlund Two actresses
Robbie Williams is involved in a threesome with two actresses; one is topless and the other fully nude with exposed genital; he is wearing underwear.[17]
"Progenies of the Great Apocalypse" (uncensored version)
Dimmu Borgir Only an actress
2004
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Disco Inferno "
50 Cent Ulysses Terrero
Various actresses
Several actresses are seen nude while 50 Cent is at a strip club .
"Ding Dong Song "
Günther Two actresses
Gunther in seen nude on the beginning, showing his buttocks uncensored. Some actresses also show nude, but not showing the genitalia and the breasts.
"My Band " (uncensored version)
D12 Phillip G. Atwell and Eminem
Two actresses
A topless woman dances on a pole and a topless woman appears next to Eminem.
2005
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"One Night in Bangkok "
Vinylshakerz Various actresses
Various actresses are seen topless.
"They "(UK version)
Jem Laurent Briet
Jem
Teenager falls asleep building a spaceship model and dreams of Jem, in the spaceship, taking off her spacesuit.
"How Do You Do! "
Cascada Woman riding a bull riding machine takes her top off.
2006 2007
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"New Dark Ages "
Bad Religion Only an actress
For a split second, a topless actress can be seen, what looks like, masturbating. Her breasts are censored by a black bar.
"Gimme More " (uncensored version)
Britney Spears Jake Sarfaty
Britney Spears
In the uncensored version, Spears is topless near the end of the video during a striptease (she is wearing pasties).
"Piece of Me " (uncensored version)
Britney Spears Wayne Isham
Only an actress
In the uncensored version, an actress' derrière is shown in the video.
"Survivalism "
Nine Inch Nails Alex Lieu Various actresses
A topless woman is seen at a bathroom mirror via (simulated) security camera footage.
"Baby Love "
Nicole Scherzinger –
Nicole Scherzinger Scherzinger has a semi-nude appearance in the video.
2008
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Addicted " (uncensored version)
Saving Abel Anthony Honn
Various actresses
Various actresses appear topless.
"Hustler " (uncensored version)
Kano Various actresses
Various actresses appear topless.
"Gobbledigook " from the album Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Sigur Rós Arni & Kinski
Various actors, actresses and band members
A mixed gender group of 10 or so young adults partake in fully nude outdoor activities which includes walking, running, dancing and swimming.
"So What "
Pink
Dave Meyers
Pink
In one scene from the music video, Pink takes off her jacket, revealing her nude body. Her buttocks and her breasts are censored with a black bar.
"Undead "
Hollywood Undead Jonas Åkerlund
Various actresses
Various girls are seen topless performing sexual acts on a few of the band members as well as on other topless girls.
"Toe Jam "
The Brighton Port Authority featuring David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal Keith Schofield Various actresses
This video uses the censor bars to form figures on the screen.
"Womanizer "
Britney Spears Joseph Kahn
Britney Spears
Spears appears nude in a sauna, and uses her hands to cover herself up.[18]
2009 2010s 2010
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Ain't Got No (I Got Life) "
Patrice Various actors and actresses
Time lapse footage of naked actors and actresses running around throughout the video
"Kids in Love "
Mayday Parade Various actors and actresses.
The actors and actresses are nude throughout the video.
"Window Seat "
Erykah Badu Coodie Rock
Erykah Badu
Badu strips during the video and walks around at the site of John F. Kennedy 's assassination.[20] [21]
"Beauty Through Order "[22]
Slayer Ben Hibon Charlie Mayhew[23]
In the music video, a nude woman emerges from a black liquid (presumably oil) and there are brief shots of her breasts and buttocks.
"Hurricane "
Thirty Seconds to Mars Various actors and actresses
Frequent shots of nudity, sex and sexual violence involving males, females and transsexuals. Bondage activities are consistent throughout. Explores sexual fetishism in a nightmarish context. The video was banned from music channels for its explicit content and was replaced by a censored version.
"Dirty Picture "
Taio Cruz ft. Kesha Alex Herron Various actresses
In the Dirty Version of the music video, bare breasts are shown one time as a stripper spins around a pole around 2:31.[24]
"Calma Pueblo "
Calle 13 People starts to undress and running nude.
"California Gurls "
Katy Perry Matthew Cullen
Katy Perry
Perry during her first chorus of the song is seen fully nude lying down on a cotton candy created cloud. Her buttocks are covered by a layer of cloud going over the area for decency.[citation needed She is shown on the cloud several more times in the video.
"Renegades "
Feeder Only an actress
Same character as seen in the "Call Out" video, destroys the band's dressing rooms while they are rehearsing nearby and also takes her frustrations out on other people. She is seen topless in the video which is not censored.[citation needed
"Twin Flames "
Klaxons The Band members and various actresses.
The band members are involved in an orgy with several actresses. As the video progresses their body parts begin to fuse.
"Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You) "
Enrique Iglesias Various actresses.
Near the beginning, actresses are seen topless and Iglesias is shown in bed with many topless actresses.
2011
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"All Over the House"
Skepta Two pornographic actors
The video features a black pornographic actor and a white pornographic actress having hardcore sex.[25]
"Ihmisixsixsix "
Turmion Kätilöt Various topless actresses
The video was removed from YouTube due to this "offending material". As a response, the band directed a brand new video, featuring behind-the-scenes and off-stage material with numerically even more explicit content, censored by pixelation.
"E.T. "
Katy Perry Floria Sigismondi Shaun Ross Only an actor is seen nude with rear shown toward the end of the video
"Moves Like Jagger "
Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera Jonas Åkerlund
Various dancers
The explicit version has female frontal nudity (flashes of naked actress breasts, one shown in 2:50 of the video)
"Get Away "
Yuck Michael Reich Only an actress
A girl stands naked in the entire clip and is tied and gagged, and drizzled with what appears to be oil.
"I Feel Like Dancin' "
All Time Low Matthew Stawski
In a scene spoofing Katy Perry 's California Gurls The lead singer is shown lying nude on his stomach on a pile of cotton candy with part of it covering his buttocks.
"Marry the Night "
Lady Gaga Haus of GaGa
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga dances topless with her breasts covered by a black censor bar.
"Down for Whatever "
Kelly Rowland featuring The WAV.sSarah Chatfield Kelly Rowland
Rowland is standing on a platform supposedly nude in high heels with strategically placed streaming lights obscuring full frontal nudity.[26]
"Antidote "(uncensored version)
Swedish House Mafia vs. Knife Party Maxim Bohichik & Alex Bergman
Various actresses
In the uncensored version, two dancers are dancing topless in a strip club. While the robbery is being performed two more dancers run completely naked.
2012
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Cochon ville"(uncensored version)
Sébastien Tellier Alex Courtes Various actors and actresses
In the uncensored version, various naked actors and actresses dance at a dance club.[27]
"Girl Gone Wild "(uncensored version)
Madonna Mert and Marcus Only an actor
In the uncensored version, a model is lying on the floor completely naked (rear shown).[28]
"Oh Love "(Uncut Version)
Green Day Samuel Bayer
Topless woman
In the uncut version, some woman are seen topless at the end of the video.
"Pyramids "
Frank Ocean Nabil Elderkin Various actresses
Various actresses dance topless at a strip club.[29]
"Turn Up the Radio "
Madonna Tom Munro
Various actresses
One of the actresses is wearing denim overalls without a bra, her right breast slips out in 3 occasions.[30]
2013
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Stay "
Rihanna
Sophie Muller Rihanna Rihanna is bathing in water completely nude.[31]
"Bag Skyerne "
Anne Gadegaard
Anne Gadegaard
Gadegaard is sitting down on a floor completely nude.[32]
"Thank You Very Much "
Margaret Chris Piliero 30 extras
Nudist birthday party.[33]
"Blurred Lines "
Robin Thicke Diane Martel
Emily Ratajkowski , Jessi M'Bengue, and Elle Evans In the unrated version, three topless girls are walking and dancing around, through the whole videoclip.[34]
"Tunnel Vision "
Justin Timberlake Jonathan Craven , Simon McLoughlin, Jeff NicholasVarious actresses
Three models dance topless.[35]
"Come & Get in Trouble with Me "
Ricki-Lee Coulter Marc Furmie and Rikki-Lee Coulter
Rikki-Lee Coulter
Coulter rides a horse nude and appeared topless in gold paint.[36]
"Pretty "
The Weeknd Sam Pilling
Only an actor and actress
An Asian actress (assumed to be portraying The Weeknd's girlfriend or ex-girlfriend) can be seen nude in a shower, with her breasts fully exposed. Later, she is seen having sex with an actor, assumed to be portraying her new boyfriend. Breasts and buttocks are shown.[37]
"Wrecking Ball "
Miley Cyrus Terry Richardson Miley Cyrus
Cyrus appears nude atop a wrecking ball .[38]
"Afraid "
The Neighbourhood Ends
Jesse Rutherford Rutherford is briefly shown nude showing his penis while sitting in a chair.[39]
"Eureka "
Sakanaction Yasuyuki Yamaguchi
Various actresses
Nude models appear in a line from the start while covering their faces, and later form the eureka in the end.[40]
2014 2015
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"This Summer's Gonna Hurt like a Motherfucker "
Maroon 5 Travis Schneider & Adam Levine
Adam Levine Levine is briefly shown to be fully nude (exposing his buttocks) in the start of the video.[42]
"Timebomb "
Tove Lo Emil Nava
Tove Lo She appears nude on a beach.[43]
"Bitch Better Have My Money "
Rihanna Megaforce and Rihanna
Rihanna A woman shown to be tortured by Rihanna and her sidekicks is completely topless near the beginning and middle of the video, while Rihanna herself appears nude, covered in blood at the end of the video with only a bill covering her genitals.[44]
"Cream"
Tujamo & Danny_Ávila
Various actors and actresses
Various actresses appear naked throughout the music video.
"Be As You Are "
Mike Posner Mike Posner and various actors and actresses
People are shown stripping nude and running into the ocean after ripping up signs showing negative things they have been called. Posner does the same at the end of the video ripping a sign which reads "afraid." Only their buttocks are shown.[45]
"Human Race "
Three Days Grace Mark Pellington Various actors and actresses
Various actors and actresses appear naked throughout the music video.
2016 2017
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"The Great Undressing "
Jenny Hval Marie Kristiansen
Marte Germaine Christensen
Christensen appears doing various tasks in her apartment and outside while naked.[47]
"BDY On Me "
Omarion Omarion
Only an actress
An actress is seen completely naked laying in a bathtub with Omarion.[48]
"My Collection "
Future Nick Walker
Various actresses
Various actresses dance topless wearing only skin-colored panties throughout the video.[49]
2019
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Ausländer"
Rammstein Jörn Heitmann
Various actresses
Various actresses are seen topless.[50]
"Press "
Cardi B TBA
Cardi B
TBA.[51]
2020s 2020
Music video
Artist(s)
Director Nude person(s)
Nudity description
"Daisies "
Katy Perry Liza Voloshin
Katy Perry
Singer is naked during second chorus, however she uses her arms to cover her breast[52]
"Simmer “
Hayley Williams Warren Fu
Hayley Williams
Hayley Williams is seen running in the forest naked throughout the video at night. Her butt is visible.
See also Notes
^ Elysa, Gardner (13 July 2003). "Music videos provocatively skirt the nudity issue" . USA Today . Retrieved 2009-05-11 . ^ Collins, Scott (10 December 2006). "Thanks for the memories: Videos from the '80s find new life on YouTube" . Boston Globe . Retrieved 2009-05-10 . ^ McKenna, Kristine (24 January 1982). "Porno Pop from the U.K." Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2009-05-10 . ^ Thelen, Christopher (29 March 1998). "Cut: Golden Earring" . Daily Vault . Retrieved 2009-05-10 . ^ Jenkins, Mark (31 December 1993). "Bowie's Changes In Single Fashion" . Washington Post . Retrieved 2009-05-10 . ^ Stanley, Bob (6 August 2008). "The music the BBC banned" . The Times . London. Retrieved 2009-05-10 . ^ de Atley, Richard (19 December 1985). "Some's Climb to Success Took a Little 'Imagination' " . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 2009-05-10 . ^ Keidis, Anthony ; Sloman, Larry (2004). Scar Tissue 182 . ISBN 1-4013-0101-0 ^ MVA (22 December 2013). "Grace Jones – Slave to the Rhythm (official video reworked)" . Retrieved 14 August 2016 – via YouTube. ^ HOFER, Julien AUTIER, Philippe LEZE, Guillaume DATEZ & Sarah. "Mylène Farmer – Libertine Clip – Mylene.Net – Le site référence sur Mylène Farmer" . Retrieved 14 August 2016 . ^ Mitchell, Wendy (20 October 1999). "What's the frequency, Michael?" . Salon . Retrieved 2009-05-10 . ^ Holden, Stephen (3 December 1990). "Critic's Notebook; That Madonna Video: Realities and Fantasies" . New York Times . Retrieved 2009-05-12 . ^ Balfour, Ian (1991). "Revolutions per Minute or the Pet Shop Boys Forever" . Surfaces . Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal. I : 2. ISSN 1188-2492 . ^ "Morissette Bares All, Literally" . San Jose Mercury News . Retrieved 15 September 2012 .^ Coulehan, Erin (9 October 2013). "Panic at the Disco Get Racy, Recreate D'Angelo's 'Untitled' " . Rolling Stone . Retrieved 19 October 2013 . ^ "Lamentamos no haber venido antes" . Rolling Stone (Argentina) (in Spanish). 6 April 2005. Archived from the original on 4 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-10 .^ "Robbie Williams - Come undone" . dailymotion . July 10, 2006. Retrieved 19 April 2021 .^ Jennifer Trevorrow (14 October 2008). "Britney Spears' Sexy Womanizer Video Is An Internet Hit" . Hello! Magazine . Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2012 . ^ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET – RAMMSTEIN: 'Pussy' Video Released" . Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2011-08-25 .^ Martinez, Edecio (April 2, 2010). "Erykah Badu's "Window Seat" Video May Prompt Tougher Laws" . CBS News . ^ "Erykah Badu Charged For Nude 'Window Seat' Video" . MTV. April 2, 2010.^ "SLAYER 'Beauty Through Order' Video" . Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2011-03-08 .^ "SLAYER 'Beauty Through Order' Video Making-Of Footage" . Archived from the original on 2011-06-06.^ "Dirty Picture (Director's Cut, Dirty Version)" . Retrieved 19 August 2010 .^ "A Reddit User Dug Up the Porno Skepta Shot For His 2011 Track "All Over the House" " . Highsnobiety . May 18, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016 .^ Gayles, Contessa (Oct 21, 2011). "Kelly Rowland Is 'Down for Whatever' in Another Racy Music Video" . AOL Music ^ "Sébastien Tellier – Cochon Ville (Official Music Video – Uncensored Version)" .^ "Madonna – Girl Gone Wild" .^ "Video: Frank Ocean – "Pyramids" (NSFW)" . 2012-09-16.^ "Madonna – Turn Up The Radio (Explicit)" .^ RihannaVEVO (12 February 2013). "Rihanna – Stay ft. Mikky Ekko" . Retrieved 14 August 2016 – via YouTube. ^ Batchelor, Oliver (8 June 2013). "Se barnestjerne smide tøjet i sin musikvideo" . www.avisen.dk . Retrieved 26 December 2020 . ^ "Freedom, Equality, and Femininity. Margaret" . Stradivarius Magazine . Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014 .^ "YouTube" . Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016 .^ "Justin Timberlake – Tunnel Vision (Explicit)" . Retrieved 14 August 2016 .^ McHugh, Jillian (20 September 2013). "Ricki-Lee's sexy single not meant to cause Trouble" . The Sydney Morning Herald Fairfax Media . Retrieved 11 July 2020 . ^ "The Weeknd – Pretty (Explicit)" .^ Wyatt, Daisy (19 September 2013). "Miley Cyrus scores first US number one with 'Wrecking Ball' " . The Independent . Retrieved 9 October 2017 . ^ "The Neighbourhood LITERALLY Rocks Out With C*ck Out In New NSFW Video! See The Peen HERE!" . 2013-10-18. Retrieved 17 August 2016 .^ "サカナクション – ユリイカ (MUSIC VIDEO)" .^ "Adam Levine Stalks Behati, Gets Naked, Bloody in Maroon 5 Video: Watch" . 2014-09-30. Retrieved 14 August 2016 .^ "Watch: Adam Levine Just Got Butt Naked in Maroon 5's New Video" . 2015-05-31. Retrieved 14 August 2016 .^ "Watch Tove Lo Strip Down in her 'Timebomb' Video" . Retrieved 14 August 2016 .^ "Rihanna's Bitch Better Have My Money Video Is NSFW and Insane" . 2015-07-02. Retrieved 14 August 2016 .^ McIntyre, Hugh. "Mike Posner's NSFW 'Be As You Are' video is a motivational comeback" . Retrieved 14 August 2016 . ^ "Young Thug, Travis Scott – Pick Up the Phone (Explicit) ft. Quavo" .^ Sam Sodomsky (4 January 2017). "Jenny Hval Shares NSFW "The Great Undressing" Video" . Pitchfork . ^ "Omarion – BDY On Me *NSFW*" . OnSMASH . Retrieved February 4, 2017 .^ Edwin Ortiz (12 April 2017). "Future Shares NSFW Video for "My Collection" " . Complex Music . ^ "Rammstein – Ausländer (Official Video)" . www.youtube.com . YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2019 .^ "Cardi B – Press [Official Music Video]" . www.youtube.com . YouTube. Retrieved 26 June 2019 .^ Camp, Alexa (May 15, 2020). "Review: Katy Perry Bares All in "Daisies" Single and Music Video" . Slant Magazine . Retrieved May 19, 2020 .
References "BET provides more 'exposure' for music videos" , MSNBC "Music videos bare more than souls" , Boston Globe "Too much raunch, too little music" , Herald Sun "NOTICED; Singing in the Buff: The Pure Beefcake Video" , New York Times sv:Kayo , Mentioning in the Swedish version of the article that the video caused some controversy back in 1993.
