Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer (1986)

[@theonlyrealjohn2110]

I hope the world never forgets about Peter Gabriel. I guess even if it's just me and a handful of like-minded people that love this and what Peter did for music, then that's okay, but the man is amazing and deserves recognition. So funky and solid in everything he did.

[@wheremybike]

idk if i'd call it a handful, but apparently a shitload of canadians googled him on halloween

[@buzzfledderjohn7782]

Let's just dig in the dirt, together.

[@donaldhaney2697]

He is a genius

[@nycbball8]

Well addd me to that list, Steve Winwood another great 1

[@no123girl]

TheOnlyRealJohn - I will NEVER forget Peter Gabriel, he was amazing and his music/talent will live on forever. Man he will always rock just such a great talent. I do miss him and he deserves so much recognition and u right "so funky and solid" is a perfect way to describe this wonderful talent man. I'm happy to know many ppl still love and remember him.

[@oldschoolrr6077]

One of Gabriel's best songs. His video was considered ahead of it's time, back then. No wonder that it became #1 on Billboard.

[@totallynotmorgan-27]

I wish music videos were still entertaining like this! I remember watching this over and over on MTV in the summer of 86.

[@oneoverxx8324]

+Stephanie Warren *exactly what I was thinking............... you could have a steam train if you'd just lay down your tracks................. you could have an aeroplane flying if you bring your blue sky(Mtv) back!

[@jman46241]

+Stephanie Warren yeah I miss when MTV was actually music television and Friday Night Videos on NBC :) Child of the 80's here.

[@Cuteslime1235]

+Stephanie Warren Head Bangers Ball!!

[@dmdejager45]

yes you are right,the miami vice time this song came in a episode in miami vice the real mtv cops

[@totallynotmorgan-27]

Oh David, you are sweet but I'm older than you think! LOL

[@SensationalBanana]

Peter Gabriel fan for life.

[@camd.4923]

OH YES!!!ME TOO!!!!!!

[@libertarianation1]

Gabriel is the master!

[@katiering4108]

Yes! Me too! 👏

[@stephanieaustin274]

Bastarden Me too! 🎸🎤🎹🎷😁

[@ilax4318]

Rest in peace to all the gifted artists who are no longer with us. Thank you KZbin and all who take the time to post great music.

[@keithchenoweth2422]

Peter Gabriel is still quite alive- I saw him in concert about 2 weeks ago!

[@frederiquecouture3924]

Happy Birthday 🎁.

[@Dr.TJ_Eckleburg]

I was 10 years old when this came out, and it totally blew me away. I was mesmerized.

[@Nallanyesmar]

You must be 40 now.

[@LucretiusEldritch]

You deserve the Nobel Prize in mathematics.

[@Nallanyesmar]

Methedrine Lovegod Why THANK you! :)

[@astoerbrauck]

lol

[@BilisNegra]

10 yr old by then, too. Somehow, the thought of a 10 yr old listening to (and enjoying) a PG tune feels strange these days. This music might seem so much adult-only, yet...

[@kalloused]

I was 4 years old when this came out, Probably my earliest living memory is watching this video on tv and loving it. My dad was always a huge Peter Gabriel fan. Bought all his albums in highschool.

[@maryannleonard3038]

I was 3 lol this video will forever be embedded in my memory!

[@MrIronose]

+Mary Ann Leonard How strange to be so young. For me it would be Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons".

[@TheCesarin1979]

I was on my 6 great song

[@JeffreyBue_imtxsmoke]

+Mary Ann Leonard I was 30 when this vid came out.... damn...Now I REALLY feel old :)

[@joeferri7008]

+kalloused Somewhat mine too, but I probably shouldn't speak about it.

[@jenniferpruitt6534]

This may be the greatest music video EVER from the 80s! Just all the work into making it alone was a task in of itself! Watching this as a 10 year old I was mesmerized!

[@garygeer7080]

It took alot to make

[@Cambaudio]

A whole lot of creativity came out of the 80's. Songs that just blow your mind, and videos!

[@MaghoxFr]

This video is so awesome, it still holds up to this day.

[@shimadamitchell1388]

yes it does

[@YZ250W1]

He is a very talented individual, excellent live.

[@musiclady49]

One of the best and innovative videos ever! I miss the 80's vids!

[@pomoeeyore]

True, but I think I'd say the same for Adam and the Ants' "Stand and Deliver" five years earlier - that wa a mile ahead of its time as well.

[@robbinudell2163]

Definitely

[@ВалерийПерерва-э3е]

@@pomoeeyore на березі. Ь0ґ южз 9.8ю..

[@ВалерийПерерва-э3е]

@@pomoeeyore ... Ґхюю8 .8 .. ю ..юхю08 0ююх0ґ.,єж.б.є.. ґ0. Ю0ґ0ґ. Юю жбґ

[@ВалерийПерерва-э3е]

@@robbinudell2163 . Хд.ю0.ю0.ж .є.. жх

[@sandysmith9869]

Class of 1985 here. I was on acid when I watched this video on my mtv back in those days. Best days of my life!😁

[@albundy6008]

the "Golden Age" of MTV

[@af2543]

Woke up one day in Korea........my 2nd tour.............after being in Vietnam for 3 years. Was 36 years old............enlisting at age 16. Could have retired. Stayed another 12 years............went back to Korea for my 3rd tour. Knew everything was going to be alright............ Thanks Peter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@paul4760]

No... Thank You

[@ShellMartijn]

Still love this song in 2016! Brings me back to the good old days! Big like.

[@DrumsTheWord]

Perhaps one of the greatest pop songs of all time?

[@sweethot5902]

Pop rock.

[@bobtis]

The 1980's for music was a great time of change and many new styles with MTV leading the way. Great time.

[@ekeats2425]

31 Years later and still one of the best music videos ever, Top 10

[@tedcantu1]

This was so overplayed on MTV..... but looking at it now I can see why. This is actually very good to see again.

[@skankhunt_-42]

throwback to when mtv played music... those were the days.

[@JBinFL]

+Adolf hitler good times, yeah. What a concept , music videos on MTV?

[@shutterbug_713]

Ted Cantu, right. So overplayed that in fact, Peter Gabriel himself got a hold of MTV and said 2 st🛑p playing this 4 a while, but MTV didn't give in. 🙁

[@grandwonder5858]

One of the greatest songs ever made of all time!

[@todorkolev7565]

When this came out, people were stunned with the graphics. They didn't understand how it was done. This video won many awards. Nowadays, any toddler with an ipad can do this :D

[@FrarmerFrank]

But back then stop motion photography was done on analog cameras using film and it took months of 8 to 12 hour days to piece this video together thus the celebration at the end with the closing scene

[@alexey7459]

This is in my top 5 favorite songs of all time..the video is also killer too. Peter Gabriel was a huge part of my early childhood years. A toddler would have an extremely hard time making this.

[@miu9780]

Indeed. The graphics was so called "state of the art" and I have read that the video took months to complete.

[@RaVenDaWn999]

really nice to read something more thoughtful and deeply felt than mere comparison, like an homage or an evolution, I had never quite thought of this, thank you. Also nice to get away from the hostiles and the empty fanfare of concert lists. I like the feeling and the knowledge, appreciate it very much.

[@lowrydin]

I remember watching this on MTV as a child. Yes, there actually used to be "music videos" on "Music TeleVision" children!

[@damiancurie1568]

still is but mind you alot of music stations are full of shit other then just music

[@jotuwe6091]

I've got this on cd-i :-)

[@StopFear]

lowrydin you know that we have these “MUSIC VIDEOS” still made and published on the internet and particularly on KZbin?

[@Novemmusic]

I remeber that time too, mate. Now it's just a soft porn channel

[@Harlequin1103]

i don't think MTV exists anymore....

[@claytron3000]

A great song is a great song, no matter what year or era it is. May the next generation of music fans appreciate this song (and video, as outdated as it will be).

[@LucianoWUR]

If it makes you feel better... I play this song in a club every saturday night and ppl from 18 to 40 go bananas!! So, i'll help this song pass to the next generation!

[@bibby42]

I remember being a kid and seeing the chickens.. Those God damn chickens... Love this song!!!

[@tywilliamnash5078]

I love Peter Gabriel, and I love this song. I've always thought that this video was way ahead of it's time. It's still good and fresh today, as it was then. It's amazing, inventive, clever, whimsical, and entertaining. How Fun Is That?!

[@rubedogg6969]

Best video of the 80's!

[@worganyos]

+Ruben Delgadillo False. Once in a Lifetime by the Talking Heads has the best music video of the '80s. This is pretty good too, though.

[@jman46241]

+Ruben Delgadillo Agreed man! I was only 7 when this came out, but always stuck in my head.

[@Skyliner89]

+Ruben Delgadillo you should watch Modern Talking - In 100 Years ;)

[@tweedy953]

+Ruben Delgadillo, Sure, Also the music was best in the 80's, haha.

[@buzzlightyear1191]

+George Bush Dude you should be president

[@fosho6482]

'86 was right in my formative years... this is an exact example of great 80's music. MTV at it's finest, when it showed real music vids. Peter Gabriel has a real spot in my early love of music.

[@alexandrews6005]

It's 2015 and I'm 17 years old. This song came out 12 years before I was born. And I love this song.

[@kira-jn2ih]

I'm 13 and this is my freaking jam

[@ButterflyGhostBFG]

Genuinely nice to see new generations appreciating the awesomeness that is this type of music :) (I still feel old..)

[@Woltato]

I bought this on vinyl when it came out. Yes, I'm an old bastard.

[@Underhills]

That means I'm old too. Can't say I like the thought of that.

[@BeckyLMC]

I GUESS I'M AN OLD BITCH, BASTARD! I'M NOT ASHAMED. I'VE EXPERIENCED SOME OF THE BEST MUSIC EVER. THAT'S GOOD!

[@clowntrooper61]

You could be a hipster

[@Lijaskurzeme]

hahahaha!!! That's great, I can relate, I just saw Gordon Lightfoot in concert :D And, I have HIS vinyl :D

[@scottnicholls1132]

Woltato me too bud. lol

[@LT1HILLINGHOE]

This song was badass when it came out in late spring 1986 and it still rocks to this day. I was in Virginia Beach with my fiancee when it went to #1 on the Billboard charts. Ahhh yeah...Casey Kasem and Sledgehammer....the good old days.

[@tigmite1]

Oh yeah. . . . There WAS some good music in the 80s

[@blueschild61]

This video was cutting edge technology when it came out. Remember when cell phones were the size of a loaf of bread and came with a shoulder bag?

[@jackfletcher5943]

+blueslove61 This won video of the year. iirc, the claymation shooting took something like 8 months. only Korn's (much later)"Freak On A Leash is a possibly better video.

[@ButterflyGhostBFG]

Remember when mobile phones were called portable phones..? And we're just the cordless phone from your house...

[@gracievanover7363]

+blueslove61 Bought one but we called it the Bad Phone which was heavy as hell. This was in 94. Pain in the ass too.

[@pvtrichter88]

+blueslove61 AH the WW 2 army phones!! yes and it took a whole day to charge for 5 mins of time this video was definitely one of the best of the genre must've taken a 1000 hrs I'd estimate!!

[@gracievanover7363]

It's amazing just how far technology has come in the last 20 years. I had one of those bag phones, then Nextel. My generation went to concerts and enjoyed them a hell of lot more than the kids do today. We actually listened to the music and the music was really played without the technology of nowadays. Do you agree?

[@jimmymackster33185]

love this song peter gabriel is such an original artist and this video was way ahead of its time so creative

[@robertdunkessr2303]

I blew a lot of fuses in my amp back in the 80's on this song. The bass line is at such a low scale it really stresses the maximum wattage output.

[@namtar223]

that sucks but is also cool at the same time

[@robertdunkessr2303]

Strangely enough, it is a very fond memory.

[@claytron3000]

I'm 31, so I'm in between the 80's and 90's era songs. But I agree - on my truck's system, this song definitely pushes a LOT bass. It's pretty satisfying to get the head nods from the 80's kids who loved this song like me.

[@petermenolascino4087]

youre an idiot

[@robicenco1]

Just magnificent. Never get tired of it.

[@tommymitchell8305]

Here is to this young black boy growing up in south central in 1986 who loved this song and video! still do!

[@kettlebellken]

This song epitomizes the 80s VIBE! Still got it...

[@ComputerLearning0]

I remember going to nightclubs back in the 80's and everybody mingling to this tune. This was featured on an episode of Miami Vice, THE best show of the 80's and today :)

[@KMFDM_Kid2000]

Back when music videos were a true form of art.

[@andremoreau8390]

This was the single most played music video on MTV. I remember me and everyone I knew used to think Peter Gabriel just moved like that, probably because of some sort of neurological disorder. It was very inspiring. It wasn't until years later when I realized that it was just special effects. Back in 1986 and '87 we'd never seen anything like it. Stop motion wasn't even a word yet. This stuff was cutting edge!

[@rustycharliejr]

The guy who directed this video passed away last week. RIP

[@PoolWins]

Now this is what you call a gamechanger. This music piece of mastery changed how people look at music videos. Revolutionary.

[@youandwhosearmy6339]

Classic video. Made in Bristol, like the best of us

[@davidharrington3798]

A great video from early MTV days !!

[@bartleywalton2178]

One of the inventive and most elaborate videos of the whole video era

[@Exophrine]

Pretty awesome that all the animation done here was by Nick Park, of Wallace and Gromit fame!!! :D

[@tinkaluisa8540]

The greatest video of all time.

[@devynphillips3925]

I was born in 1991 so this was before my time. But my mom and dad raised me around these type of awesome videos. So now I'm a 70's & 80's fanatic. Rock on!! Long live the 80's

[@wwftroy22]

Really unique video. I love it!

[@cturdo]

This video was considered groundbreaking back in the day!

[@HeyZeusBelden]

This song knows what funk is.

[@FunkyHonkyCDXX]

God, they sure used to know how to make music videos.

[@melodykey]

I agree! not a naked female grinding in sight, how refreshing, great song as well!! the video to this has such imagination, I never get bored of watching this video!! aha was another good video!!

[@ronaldderooij1774]

melodykey Yep, one of the best clips ever. It is in my top 5!

[@jakemorrison8507]

This one, money for nothing, you can call me Al, Billie Jean are some of my faves. Nothing beats 80s!

[@DiagramOfTruth]

melodykey you're right. videos portraying females in such a matter never happened in the 80's. wut.

[@themediumcheese]

Yo I love your videos. Keep at it.

[@observer3344]

I was 15 when this was release, at this time,no youtube,no web, but only good music, and i am proud of it ..

[@WilliamMendesdeCarvalho7]

Amo essa música... boas lembranças dessa época!

[@frankneumann2118]

Best Video ever

[@MrMaKieSz7]

I remember being a kid and seeing the chickens.. Those God damn chickens... Love this song!!! One of the best and innovative videos ever! I miss the 80's vids! the "Golden Age" of MTV

[@teddybear143alvarezdelacam2]

i dont understand why ppl give thumbs down on youtube videos, i mean they had to search for it click on it what were they expecting five finger death punch to start playing....

[@WilliamHunterII]

Another great 80s tune. Love it.

[@Backpaper96]

Last week me and my father had a discussion about music. We agreed that the music back in days was more than better than these days.

[@sergeymagel8715]

P.G. - My heros ! SPLENDID !!!

[@sergeymagel8715]

Nice voice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@absolutmusic2459]

Sergey Magell Absolut Music.

[@joebananatube]

This happened 28 years ago? I remember it like it was yesterday. Are you sure this wasn't yesterday? 28 flippin YEARS.......... REALLY? NOOOoooooooo...............................................really?

[@markrodgers6105]

I had the best times of my life in the 80"s. Now 60 and on cruise control. Rock on!

[@BenEmberley]

In a poll for the best music videos of all time on MTV, this one was in at #2. It's COMPLETELY stop-animation and must have taken ages! The song's awesome too - this vid should have lots more views!

[@jackd.flippin6656]

It did, he was lying under a glass table for up to 16 hours every day while making this video. But the result is great. :-D

[@maeryj.c.7090]

This is Harry Styles’ fave music video of all time.

[@goatlps]

It's awful! Yes, stop motion had been done way better by Ray Harryhausen for decades previously.

[@kingchakazulu7762]

Pop junk artist loves pop music, nice.

[@steffanhoffmann8937]

@@goatlps however not as good, or as ground breaking; as the music by Peter.

[@tracymccarthy7200]

I watched the MTV premier of this on the semi-jumbo screen, at the Trancas Bar, in Malibu. It blew me away them, and it still does today!

[@the-chillian]

Aardman Animations produced this video, and Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Gromit worked on it as his first project for them after they hired him. He did the dancing chickens.

[@benwatts]

and did he animate them after doing them?

[@the-chillian]

Ben Watts Lots of things, some of which won Oscars -- quite an ascent after starting off his career animating dead chickens for a music video. You can look him up on Wikipedia.

[@reinforcementpandas5502]

This video *screams* 80's

[@doughesson]

It was a good time to be in your 20s.

[@Underhills]

Actually it doesn't. This video was quite groundbreaking in 1986 and it didn't carry the typical run-of.the-mill 80's properties. It was both content wise and visually experimental. The 80's were visually heavy but not like this, it didn't follow what was typical for the 80's up until that year. However it started a trend that would later be copied with stop and go animation and cut out graphics etc. It challenged the production duration in music videos, much like Thriller did years earlier. This "Gabriel era" quickly rubbed off on many mainstream artists back then.

[@danielson1989]

What makes you think that?

[@ekeats2425]

Still one of the best music videos now if you look at some of the Top Music Video list

[@JamesKovacic]

This video is *TIMELESS*

[@michaelpatterson2920]

This will always be one of my favorite songs and videos, and I appreciate the fact that he had black women singing with him!

[@MaureenMaynes]

Happy days.....

[@KatjaSchumannSchumannKatja]

Gut!

[@Ozzy_2014]

once you know meaning of lyrics you'll never ever see it the same way again.

[@catherinemchugh9372]

Roy L now what would think his sledgehammer might be, and why would he want her to open up her fruit cake😊

[@Ozzy_2014]

Catherine Mchugh cage! fruit cage!

[@sidviscous5959]

don't really know the "meaning" per se, but the second half of this is just trippy.

[@Ozzy_2014]

Sid Viscous ode to his bulge!!

[@wiscgaloot]

The creativity that went into this video is just amazing.

[@maeryj.c.7090]

My first time to see this.. for me, this is such a creative and amazing music video that has been done in the 80’s! 😃 and love the music vibe too!!. Thanks for helping me discover this cool nostalgic vibe, Harry. 🖤

[@MitcyDupres]

I'll take me a big dipper

[@lezmar63]

Going Up and down, all around the bends....

[@jerradcampbell74]

I'll take the bumper cars, bumping.

[@shadyhaze2013]

I'll take the steam train, and I'll lay the tracks

[@pbase36]

All of that was amusement in the rinse!

[@HateCrewReaper]

+Mitcy Dupres lovin your picture hahah

[@kevinkelley8179]

Just walking down memory lane here. Those were some good times and some really good music.

[@extraintelligence]

Oh, eighties music videos. If you weren't painfully cheesy, you were freaky as shit. Not that I'm complaining; the weirdness is part of the charm.

[@PlymouthT20]

FreedomFiend it was wonderful to see evey new releases

[@ronaldmorales4963]

Bro it's not Michael Jackson ? This is Music

[@esmeraldaguerra7484]

Haha gotta love it !! 80s rocks!!!

[@sixtopian]

I love this song, this video, and the fact that it reminds me of the Sledgehammer TV show.

[@MrDrdaveturbo]

God this song is amazing

[@rose4mvp2012]

Get it together Justin. You gotta get it together fam.

[@m.albrechtpamela2580]

the "Golden Age" of MTV I was 10 years old when this came out, and it totally blew me away. I was mesmerized. One of the best and innovative videos ever! I miss the 80's vids!

[@javierdaume598]

I wonder what would have become of Genesis if Peter Gabriel hadn´t left , in the begining it was one of the greatest progressive rock bands, specialy with the classic formation : Peter Gabriel / Tony Banks / Steve Hackett / Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Later on their style in music was less progressive and a bit more pop to all audiences. Still great music

[@robertlevasseur8896]

This video is the sole reason aliens have not attacked us. Their highly advanced culture caught this transmission and said "noooo way we messing with those guys." Thank you, Mr. Gabriel.

[@TerryMcShan]

I remember when this was the thing to watch on MTV. Good times.

[@deirsampaio7482]

Obra prima essa música!!! 👏👏👏👏

[@felipesiqueira9899]

sim

[@izzycola5217]

They don't make music videos like these anymore! :( Where did the originality go??

[@aardvaarkisgood]

30 years on and still the best pop-video ever made.

[@linglingjr]

A coworker asked me "go get the small sledgehammer out of the truck" and referenced this song and then said "WHAT, YOU DON'T KNOW BILLY JOEL?!?!?!" Someone was confused.

[@genesis4322]

People still talking about a song that came out 30 years back. Who will remember taylor swift, rihanna, justin bieber, or nikki minaj in 30 years.

[@metaluna72]

Absolute true...

[@TMANN-jo1ps]

Genesis nobody will remember Bieber, Rihanna, or Niki back in the Mid-80s because they did not exist or was around which was and will be a good thing.

[@hannah8454]

a lot of people actually, they’re legends of the 2010’s

[@steffanhoffmann8937]

They will.....😂

[@Yella1697]

Considering I've been listening to Nicki for 12 years already, I can easily say that I'll be listening to her for another 18 years. You tried 💕

[@singleman1986]

59 tomorrow and I've known for 30 years that any guy that interprets this piece well into movement on the dance floor will always get the best pick of the 'take me home gals'. Never failed.

[@glamdolly30]

Loved this video as a kid, the effects were cutting edge back then! Just read the lyrics - it's definitely about sex (isn't everything?!) Forgot Peter Gabriel was so hot-looking back in the day - he could be my Sledgehammer any day of the week and twice on Sundays, lol!

[@blackknightdavesgarage6918]

This was when Music was Music not this shit from today, even the rap from this time period was much better, don't get me wrong there is some good music these days to but far and few inbetween. I'm just a 70's and 80's type of dude :)

[@camd.4923]

AMEN...I EVEN LIKE SOME FROM THE SIXTIES!!!!!!

[@USCG.Brennan]

Cam, If you know ANYTHING about music, you damn well BETTER.......

[@GonsalvoDeCordova]

Have to disagree - there was a lot of crud back then as well

[@katyaa6556]

I'm 28, been listening to this with my parents my entire life, mom passed away in Feb but thanks, mom. Thanks for introducing me to this. Fuck yes, what a perfect song. What an awesome artist.

[@francoislacombe9071]

Bit of trivia. The final effect of the video, with the creature of white dots on black, was one of the concepts Stanley Kubrick experimented with in order to depict the aliens in 2001 a space odyssey, before he decided to not depict them at all and let their appearance remain a mystery.

[@loshuisenveld3044]

Lol. "The Creature" Cool fact

[@siegesquirrel42]

Fun fact: the stop-motion for this video was done by Aardman Animation, who went on to make Chicken Run.

[@petrslivinski7481]

Peter Gabriel "Sledgehammer". Love the horn section intro. The entire song is a winner of music and lyrics.

[@justinekessner2645]

I FUCKING LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!UPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@KR15MES]

i came here from my good taste of music

[@denisedillon9727]

Kristian Messenger i know it i must have put that comment or something very similar to it on all of the videos i watched sick of seeing i am here b/c of a video game or cartoon, but then recently i thought maybe thats the only way these young ppl can hear the great music from the 80's etc b/c the radio stations dont give it airtime too busy w/ crap. ooohhh im sorry i meant rap.

[@KR15MES]

denise dillon/chandler god i hate new music, but thats just me

[@denisedillon9727]

I HAVE HEARD SOME RECENT MUSIC THAT I LIKE I.E. JOHN LEGEND, AND CHARLIE PUTH BUT JUST A FEW SONGS THAT I AM FAMILIAR WITH.

[@TolleDon]

There is a pseudo underground rattle and hum Yaunra I.mean yawn.RA

[@360LWD]

Kristian Messenger welcome to the club 👌🏻👊🏻🎶

[@dmoturkey174]

This video screams 80's Best video of the 80's! Peter Gabriel fan for life.

[@nazyaacob]

Found this quote: Gabriel said regarding the theme of this song: "Sometimes sex can break through barriers when other forms of communication are not working too well." I supposed the song is generally about 'breaking barriers' with sex analogies or references. Is that right?

[@cswace6280]

No wonder my daughter wuz born that yr'86