Entertainment

7 Lyric Videos Better Than Their Music Videos!

by Jenny Jaffe

Unless you're living under a rock (or don't have wifi), by now you know that pop princesses Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea have just released your new summer jam, and a lyric video to go with it. I'm not sure when exactly lyric videos became a thing, but I'm really glad they did; a) because sometimes I'm just too impatient to wait for the proper music video and b) because I'm a big dork about lyrics!

Don't you hate it when there's a song you can't get out of your head but you have no idea what the singer is saying? Lyric videos are the cure for the common earworm, providing a way to listen to your favorite song and figure out what the words are, without having to go to one of those annoying, pop-up laden lyric sites. Seriously, why can't someone just make a lyric site that doesn't look like it was made on AngelFire in the 90s?

And the crazy thing is, even though the lyric videos are meant to just be placeholders until the official video is released, a lot of the time they're even better videos than the real ones!

We don't know how the "Problem" video will stack up, but here are 7 lyric videos that blow their official videos out of the water!

"Fuck You" - Cee-Lo Green

To be fair, this is also the first lyric video I remember being aware of, but it's totally hypnotic, and does better service to the song's hilarious lyrics than the official vid does!

"Suit and Tie" - Justin Timberlake (feat. Jay-Z)

J.T. is at his absolute sexiest in this video... plus, this video confirms that the lyric is, inexplicable, "shit tied".

"Roar" - Katy Perry

An all-emoji rendition of the catchiest song of 2013? Yes, please.

"Birthday" - Katy Perry

Ms. Perry clearly knows how to make an excellent lyric video, and this one is definitely better than the official video, which is... how shall I put this?... controversial.

"Happy" - Pharrell Williams

One word: Minions. Need I say more?

"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Taylor Swift

I have nothing but love for this song's impressive, one-take official video, but there's something so sweet and homespun about the lyric video! I especially love all the words spinning around on the record.

"Die Young" - Ke$ha

Like Ke$ha's songs and lyrics, this video is just one big, singalong party!