For all the trillions of views artists have racked up on the YouTube’s and Vimeo’s of the digital world, there is an entire generation who have been naive to the concept of actually watching music videos on television.
Today marks the 35th birthday of MTV, the lone channel that would go on to have the greatest impact on the music industry as a whole — for all genres. To commemorate its anniversary, Viacom has (wisely) decided to rebrand VH1 Classic into MTV Classic, restoring that sense of euphoria for 80s babies and hopefully getting the current generation on board with nostalgic goodness. Several shows that helped shaped the channel’s culture will also be making a return, including everyone’s favorite animated slackers, Beavis and Butt-Head.
Although the Metallica and AC/DC t-shirts made clear as to what these two’s musical preferences were, series creator Mike Judge still ensured that both boneheads developed a sense of appreciation for all music. Each episode allotted time to feature the high school flunkies partaking in their favorite pastime: watching music videos. Not only did the segments push the MTV agenda that couchsurfing while engaging in music videos was indeed the wave, it gave up-and-coming and established artists at the time an introduction to a completely different audience. Especially when you consider many of the clips Beavis and Butt-Head got their jollies off to were obscure follow-up singles to bigger hits.
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Without further adieu, relive the memories to ever rap video ever watched by the pioneers of the term, “fartknocker.”
Technotronic f. Ya Kid K – “Move This”
It may look, sound and quack like “Pump Up the Jam,” but this is actually its first cousin from the group’s first album.
Biz Markie – “Spring Again”
The best part of this video is the “Just a Friend” leftovers that linger in the beginning. Videos like this were created to be mad fun of.
Sir Mix-a-Lot – “Baby Got Back”
Nothing distracted Beavis & Butthead like anything that was rated above “G” and Hip Hop’s ultimate anthem for asses was right up there alley.
LL Cool J – “Big Ole Butt”
LL Cool J’s much slept-on ode to rumps got some burn too…
Wreckx-n-Effect – “Rump Shaker”
So did the zoom-a-zoom-poom-poom joint from a young Teddy Riley.
Young MC – “Principal’s Office”
Over the course of the series, Beavis & Butt-Head saw this place more than their actual homeroom.
Biz Markie – “Just a Friend”
Since neither one of them ever tried to get at Daria, it’s not exactly PC to say they can relate to the tune but they knew good Hip Hop when they heard it.
Kool Moe Dee – “Wild Wild West”
The jokes had already written themselves and Beavis & Butt-Head just cackled off reminders.
House of Pain – Shamrocks And Shenanigans
For the uninitiated, House of Pain did have more songs other than “Jump Around.” They just weren’t as good.
Beastie Boys – “So What’cha Want”
It probably shouldn’t surprise you that the Beastie Boys were the most represented rap act during the show’s five-year run.
Kris Kross – “Warm It Up”
“Kris is the Mack Daddy and Kross is the Daddy Mack…”
Digital Underground – “The Humpty Dance”
The cartoonists (or should we say Shock G. and ‘em) missed an opportunity to have the boys get off the couch and bust a move.
Das EFX – “They Want EFX”
All that figgity figgity fast rhyming could easily confuse the casual rap listener. This was no exception.
Salt-N-Pepa – “Push It”
Saying “Push It” around these two was the only inch they needed to run wild with the sexualized jokes.
Run–D.M.C. – “Down with the King”
Peep the :15 mark. Real recognize real.
Blondie – “Rapture”
Pure comedy. We wonder what Fab 5 Freddy thinks of the commentary?
Beastie Boys – “Gratitude”
Another obscure BB cut to fatten their entries within the series.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – “Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble”
Beavis and Butt-Head were still a couple of years from actually having a cordial conversation with a girl but they were soaking up game nonetheless.
Onyx featuring Biohazard – “Slam”
Hard enough for a rocker but made by some rappers.
Tag Team – “Whoomp! (There It Is)”
No, that’s not President Obama.
Vanilla Ice – “Ice, Ice Baby”
Cold. Blooded.
Cypress Hill – “Insane in the Brain”
Their reactions were priceless in this one.
Run–D.M.C. – “Christmas in Hollis”
Seeing that they didn’t have any parents, guardians or apparent family members, this was the closest Beavis & Butt-Head got to some holiday cheer each year.
Fu-Schnickens with Shaquille O’Neal – “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock)”
A valid effort from Beavis but too bad he was born before the days of home studios and YouTube.
Bell Biv DeVoe – “Gangsta”
Couldn’t they get “Poison” in the rotation instead?
Biohazard & Onyx – “Judgment Night”
A hardcore record that fit Beavis & Butthead’s rock sensibilities to a tee.
Salt-n-Pepa – “Shoop”
All the temptation of flesh rolled into one video were enough to make their heads explode. Both of them.
Doug E. Fresh – “I-ight (Alright)”
Arguably the most random selection on this list.
Salt-n-Pepa f. En Vogue – “Whatta Man”
See the “Shoop” description.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – “I Wanna Rock”
Beavis and Butt-Head’s visual guide to being cool in the 90s.
Meshell Ndegeocello – “If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night)”
Hanging around chicks with this type of mentality is exactly what Beavis and Butt-Head should have focused on.
De La Soul – “Ego Trippin’ (Part Two)”
One would think that De La’s layered material would go over their heads but then again, you never know.
Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”
This is easily their favorite rap video to date.
Coolio f. J-Ro & Billy Boy – “I Remember”
Hanging out in New Mexico wasn’t exactly paradise but this was their crash course to growing up in South Central.
Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Gin & Juice”
Twenty years later and not much has changed between all three of these guys. Awesome.
Sir Mix-A-Lot – Ride (12" US-Album Version…by OldschooloveGermany
Sir Mix-a-Lot – “Ride”
The next Sir Mix-a-Lot video they should have watched was “Put ‘Em on the Glass,” hands down.
Beastie Boys – “Pass the Mic”
Hell, yeah!
Dr. Dre – “Keep Their Heads Ringing”
Put some respect on the D-R-E’s reciting ability. Obviously, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
Coolio – “Gangsta’s Paradise”
One of the few rap songs that can incorporate listeners from all walks of life.
Vanilla Ice – “I Love You”
Yet another swipe at Robbie Van Winkle.
Shaggy – “Boombastic”
Beavis and Butt-Head’s patois = priceless.
Lordz of Brooklyn – “Saturday Night Fever”
The commentary was 100% on point in this one.
MC 900 Ft. Jesus – “If I Only Had a Brain”
He asked for it and he got it (1:08 mark).
T-Baby – “It’s So Cold in the D”
“Is this ‘Real Housewives of Detroit?’” The slander was real.
Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars – “Billionaire”
It would take approximately infinity light years for Beavis and Butt-Head to become billionaires working at Burger World. All they did was put rats in the deep fryer and they never got paid.
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Source:Big Cartoon Database
