Apocalyptic pop
Visions of the end of the world dominate the pop music universe; the theme is present in music videos by singers Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna.
By Natália Rangel_247 - The fascination with the end of the world isn't exclusive to cinema; the world of pop music boasts a vast collection of apocalyptic music videos that resemble horror short films. Michael Jackson was one of the first to create a masterpiece in the genre with the release of Thriller in 1982. In the last decade, pop stars have strongly revived the style, and the latest to create a music video that is a grim vision of the end of the world – except for the sensuality and grace of the singer herself – is Britney Spears with the video for her song Till the World Ends, recently released and which this week receives a remixed version. The video shows the pop star dancing in a futuristic apocalyptic setting, with costumes reminiscent of Mad Max and clear inspiration from the film Matrix. The choreography is entirely militarized in an action that, as we learn, takes place on December 21, 2012. Before Britney, Lady Gaga had already referenced the classic Metropolis (1927) by Fritz Lang in the music video for Alejandro, where elements of science fiction and a dehumanized, almost robotic atmosphere permeate her dancers.
Rihanna's "Hard" depicts a devastated universe populated by abandoned warriors in a desolate desert zone – again, the atmosphere is one of horror, except for the singer who appears topless in carefully torn and dirty clothing. Duran Duran also addressed the theme in the music video for "The Wild Boys" in the 1990s. Madonna, in "Express Yourself," and the Spice Girls, in "Spice Up Your Life," are a small sample of the vast apocalyptic repertoire in the pop universe. More Britney: Rihanna and Britney release a remix of "S&M" together – the duet leaked online. "I have a sexy collaboration that will be released soon," announces Rihanna before revealing that it would be with Britney.