Every year Vulture recognizes the best music videos released over the past 12 months, when we should be praising those with lower expectations. Just as it takes skill and a certain artistic vision to create visual excellence, it requires double the effort to make a stinker. Bad, gonzo visuals don’t just happen; they are the thankless work of a team unfazed by pretentiousness and fiercely committed to humor. Today, we give a special honorable mention to the folks responsible for Maroon 5 and SZA’s new video for “What Lovers Do,†who tossed out the rule book. They’ve combined, by our count, at least 17 unrelated treatments into a short film — because every video deserves a King Kong re-creation — directed by Taylor Swift favorite Joseph Kahn. The video makes animals talk, supersizes Adam Levine, and ensures that SZA will be the best part of all this if it’s the last thing they do. May their work never go unnoticed.
Behold the Most Ridiculous Music Video of 2017
