10 Weird Uses of Food In Music Videos

“And the golden popcorn goes to…”

Every September, the music industry gathers for MTV’s Video Music Awards. And while the show’s broadcast has brought its fair share of infamy (Britney making out with Madonna, anyone?), its very existence speaks to the burgeoning cultural importance of the music video itself.

Since the 1981 launch of MTV, the music video has become an increasingly mainstream art form. A chance for musicians to publicly fine-tune their desired aesthetics, it both reflects and creates popular culture.

The statues of golden popcorn, the Oscars of the music video industry, that MTV gives its winners have grown synonymous with the art form itself. They symbolize the very industry that turned such artists as Madonna and Lady Gaga from mainstream musicians to full-blown pop sensations. For our purposes, the golden popcorn brings together two of the most unavoidable parts of modern life: food and pop culture.

Food, as ensured by growling stomachs and persistent ad campaigns, binds all of humanity such as few other things can. For many, it is simply taken for granted as a part of daily life, which explains its widespread presence in movies.

But in the art form of the music video, food does not just exist gratuitously, as is often the case with feature films. Food in videos, regardless of its purpose, shows the mundane functioning in the virtual, musical reality inherent to this art form. It has been depicted with a number of different aims, from parody to sexuality to Warholian artistic statement.

Here, I have compiled 10 videos with artistic, ironic, or in any way interesting depictions of food. Let the music play.

10 Weird Uses of Food In Music Videos

1: “Weird Al” Yankovic, "Eat It" (1984)

Michael Jackson is often referred to as the King of Pop, and rightly so; his video for "Thriller" is probably the most iconic in history. That being said, first on our list is parody master “Weird Al” Yankovic with his send-up of Jackson’s hit "Beat It." Maintaining the song’s aesthetic, the video takes Jackson’s combative tone and places it in a world of over-the-top pressure for consumption. It is a classic in and of itself.

Watch this video

2: Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, "California Gurls" (2010)

Too obvious not to include, this video for Katy Perry’s summer smash "California Gurls" presents the Golden State as a fanciful world inspired by the board game Candyland. There’s no need to worry, however. Far from child-friendly bubble gum pop, this video overtly sexualizes the sugary foods we grew up craving. From lollipops to edible lingerie, this is a pin-up slam-dunk. Plus, there’s Snoop Dogg.

Watch this video

3: Bjork, "Venus as a Boy" (1993)

Before she walked the red carpet dressed as a swan, Bjork cooked breakfast. That’s right, breakfast. In this gem of a video, the second single off Bjork’s Debut, the artist is seen contemplating a collection of eggs. I could try to describe the subtle sexuality that she somehow achieves, but it’s probably a better idea for you to watch it yourself. All I can say is: I’ll have mine scrambled.

Watch this video

4: Blur, "Coffee and TV" (1999)

All sexuality aside, Blur introduces food not as a prop but as a protagonist. This whimsical video follows an animated milk carton as he escapes breakfast, travels across town, falls in love, and eventually meets his end when a band member drinks his contents and sends him to dairy product heaven. It’s a cute story with a fresh, anthropomorphic take on food. Plus, regardless of anything else, it’s a fantastic song.

Watch this video

5: Natalia Kills, "Wonderland" (2011)

Quickly moving toward mainstream success in the United States, this British singer-songwriter is Europe’s slightly edgier, less self-aware response to America’s Lady Gaga. With this video for her new single, a song littered with fairy tale references, Natalia Kills seems to be commenting on censorship. She places viewers in a sexual fantasy of masks and gourmet food, hinting at the possibility of dreams coming true but never allowing it to go all the way.

Watch this video

6: Warrant, "Cherry Pie" (1990)

With its title and iconic status alone, this video’s inclusion in our list is all but mandatory. It’s a glam metal party, combining two things that guys often lust over the most: food and women. To be honest, food only makes a cameo here, but the pie dropping into the girl's lap is a masterpiece of, um, whatever the opposite of subtlety is.

Watch this video

7: Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce, ‘Telephone’ (2010)

When I decided to write this post, I knew I would never be happy with it unless I included this nearly 10-minute pop culture clusterfuck. Convoluted to the point of confusion, this video tells the story of Lady Gaga leaving prison, joining forces with Beyonce, and committing mass murder in a diner. A comment on the hypnotic dangers of consumerism, Lady Gaga has a Warholian moment of product placement as she prepares the poisonous meal whose consumption will solidify her desired role as the ultimate celebrity, a true reflection of American pop culture today.

Watch this video

8: Simian Mobile Disco, "Hustler" (2007)

Katy Perry may have been overt in her sexualized depiction of food, but she doesn’t hold a candle to Simian Mobile Disco. The video for this hipster classic starts off looking like an American Apparel commercial, with scantily clad models dancing around in leotards and metallic lingerie. Soon, however, food is introduced, and it’s all downhill from there. Perhaps this is meant as a comment on the dangers of excess. Here’s hoping, because with no broader importance this video remains, in a word, gross.

Watch this video

9: The Lonely Island, "Lazy Sunday" (2005)

"Dick in a Box" may have been the original SNL viral video, but the comedic genius of The Lonely Island guys by no means met a sophomore slump with the release of this, their second digital short. From Andy Samberg rapping to a crazy delicious combination of Mr. Pibb and Red Vines, this hilarious clip features both quotable lyrics and mouth-watering movie food. What else could you ask for?

Watch this video

10: 112, "Peaches and Cream"

I couldn’t help myself. Enjoy.

Watch this video

More Galleries

Check Out These 8 Realistic-Looking Photos Of Food Chopped In Half

17 Burger Recipes For This Big Grilling Weekend

25 Killer Side Dishes For Memorial Day Weekend

10 Cocktails For Drinking Outside This Memorial Day Weekend

11 Extreme Diets That Will Help You Lose Weight, Possibly Kill You

Our 12 Most Popular Stories This Week