Remember music videos? Yeah, they used to be a big deal. In fact, MTV and VH1 actually played nothing but music videos 24/7. Crazy, right?

Well, a weird set of circumstances led me to finally seeing a music video from 1992 that I actually never saw before today. Yes, the song is well known, but music videos had already started their decline at this time and I at least wasn’t watching them anymore.

I recently listened to the audiobook Beastie Boys Book and it sparked a renewed interest in their music. (I LOVED Licensed to Ill back in the day.) Then, I caught the Beastie Boys Story documentary on Apple TV and one story made me look up this music video. Apparently, the Intergalactic music video (which is great) was up for Best Music Video that year and lost out to R.E.M.‘s Everybody Hurts. REM won the award and I realized I had never seen that video. I paused the documentary and searched for the video. I assumed it was a case of a big label buying the award with typical pop garbage and dissing the Beasties because they were so different.

What I discovered was a very touching and well-directed music video. I then decided that it was one of the best music videos ever. It is that good. If you have seen it, here it is to remind you and if you haven’t be prepared for a work of visual and musical art.

Everybody Hurts – REM

What I can say is that the Beastie Boys are responsible once again for bringing something cool to my awareness.