2. David Bowie, “Blackstar” [Columbia/
The man who fell to Earth takes us to the final resting place of an American astronaut felled in process of exploring a strange new world. From there on, the video gets only more oblique in its meanings and more compelling in its imagery. This track features Bowie’s best use of percussion since 1980, and the avant garde qualities of the song only help to craft a dark fucking mood. Make all the Major Tom jokes you want, guys, but there’s no better video this year at creating a truly fascinating atmosphere. You could hang this in a museum.