Best Animated Music Videos of the 2010s

Drawn to Life: How the 2010s Revolutionized the Animated Music Video

When we think back on the music videos of the 2010s, our minds often jump to high-concept pop choreography, gritty indie-film vignettes, or viral internet challenges. But beneath the surface of live-action trends, a quiet revolution was unfolding on YouTube and Vimeo. The 2010s marked a golden age for animated music videos—a decade where pixels, paint, and ink broke free from traditional constraints to craft some of the most emotionally resonant, visually daring storytelling of our time.

Unburdened by physics, budget constraints, or the physical presence of artists, animation allowed creators to turn sound into shape. From trippy indie masterworks to cinematic pop spectacles, the decade redefined what a music video could be.

The YouTube Catalyst and Global Collaboration

Before the 2010s, animated music videos were largely novelty hits or MTV rarities (think A-ha’s legendary “Take On Me” or Gorillaz’ early 2000s blueprint). But the maturation of YouTube as a global cultural hub changed everything. Independent animators could suddenly bypass corporate gatekeepers, partnering directly with musicians to distribute viral masterpieces globally.

At the same time, borders dissolved. Western electronic producers collaborated with acclaimed Japanese anime studios, and bedroom indie bands partnered with digital illustrators half a world away. Animation became the ultimate universal translator for music.

Defining Masterpieces of the Decade

To understand the scope of 2010s animation in music, one only needs to look at the eclectic range of styles that dominated screens:

• The Cyber-Melancholy of Porter Robinson & Madeon – “Shelter” (2016): A breathtaking collaboration with A-1 Pictures, “Shelter” tells the poignant sci-fi story of Rin, a young girl living inside a simulated virtual reality controlled by her father’s fading memories. It merged emotional J-RPG aesthetics with electronic pop to deliver a heartbreaking narrative about loneliness and parental love.
• The Psychedelic Cool of Caravan Palace – “Lone Digger” (2015): Directed by Double Negative, this electro-swing track was paired with a slick, anthropomorphic animal noir bar brawl. Its fluid, high-contrast action sequences and shocking twists turned a catchy indie track into a multi-hundred-million-view internet phenomenon.
• The Stop-Motion Dread of Radiohead – “Burn the Witch” (2016): Channeling the eerie, nostalgic aesthetic of classic Rankin/Bass holiday specials (like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer), director Chris Hopewell used stop-motion animation to craft a chilling folk-horror narrative. Beneath the cute claymation exterior lay a dark, sharp commentary on mob mentality and mass hysteria.
• The Political Pop Art of Childish Gambino – “Feels Like Summer” (2018): Directed by Donald Glover and illustrator Justin Richings, this video featured a lazy summer stroll through a neighborhood populated by a sprawling, beautifully animated roll-call of contemporary hip-hop and R&B stars. It served as both a chill visual landscape and a subtle, melancholic commentary on culture and climate.

Why the 2010s Were Different: Style Over Stardom

Perhaps the most defining trend of the decade was the vanishing ego. In many of the era’s best animated videos, the recording artists didn’t appear at all—not even in cartoon form.

Instead of treating the video as a marketing vehicle for the singer’s face, directors treated songs as independent canvases. Animation allowed tracks to explore themes of existential dread, cosmic isolation, and surreal childhood nostalgia without being tethered to a celebrity’s persona.

Furthermore, technological leaps in software democratized production. Techniques that previously required massive studio pipelines—such as complex 3D rendering, seamless cell-shading, and mixed-media collage—became accessible to smaller creative teams.

Legacy in the Streaming Era

As we look back, the animated music videos of the 2010s laid the essential groundwork for today’s hyper-stylized digital landscape, where virtual pop stars, gaming crossovers (like League of Legends and Fortnite tie-ins), and anime-infused aesthetics dominate mainstream pop culture.