The Best Rock Music Video of the ‘90s

Published Jul 24, 2026, 7:58 AM EDT Audrey Connelly is a writer living and working in Boston, MA. Music is and has always been one of the most important parts of her life. While rock & roll is her true love, Audrey's taste runs the gamut. Deep cuts, overplayed Billboard Hot 100 hits, trip hop, reggae, musical theater. It's all fair game. However, if she's being totally honest, she is not a huge fan of (most) country music, but she is (mostly) willing to give anything a listen or two. She has previously contributed to Atwood Magazine and has brought her passion for writing and music – specifically classic and alternative rock – to Collider. Between the early ‘80s and the mid 2000s, music videos were a driving force in the entertainment industry. Thanks to MTV, what was once low-budget promotional material blossomed into full-blown movies in miniature, just as cinematic and carefully directed as that which you would see on the silver screen. A whole new facet of the music industry quickly unfurled. In this era, for better or for worse, visuals became nearly as important as sound when it came to music. The power of the music video was far-reaching. Even alternative bands and artists –– those who seemed too cool for something so blatantly commercial –– were coming out with visual accompaniments to their singles. However, not all music videos were created equal. While music videos are no longer broadcast on MTV, they are still an important part of music. Many musicians still choose to make music videos – they seem to grow more elaborate and expensive with each passing day. The music videos of the past few decades serve as a kind of time capsule, allowing viewers to look back upon what was popular in the ‘80s and ‘90s and reminisce. Michael Jackson and Madonna and Nirvana, oh my! There is one alternative rock music video that blew the others out of the water. No, it’s not “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – granted, that one does rock. The best rock music video of the ‘90s is “Zombie” by the renowned Irish alt-rock band The Cranberries. The Cranberries' Legendary Protest Anthem Image via Island “Zombie” is a protest song written by The Cranberries' frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan. The track was released in 1994 as the lead single for their second studio album, No Need To Argue, and quickly climbed the chart worldwide. “Zombie” won the Best Song Award at the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards. O’Riordan wrote this song in reaction to an IRA (Irish Republican Army) bombing that killed two children in Warrington, England. This tragic event took place during the Troubles in Northern Ireland — a time of violence and deeply entrenched political and religious division — that plagued the area from the late ‘60s until it was ended by the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. In contrast to the dreamy, ethereal, indie pop-rock sound for which the band had become known, this hard-hitting anthem definitely made waves. It was angry and unapologetic, O’Riordan oscillating between growling shouts and delicate yodeling, backed by warped, crunchy guitar riffs. The song is driven forward by heavy, deliberate drums that crack wide open during the chorus – hi-hats galore as O’Riordan belts it out. The track is a rock masterpiece, easily one of the best songs to come out of the ‘90s alternative scene. The iconic music video debuted in October 1994, a month after the single was released. It was directed and filmed by Samuel Bayer, the same creative force behind music videos such as Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Blind Melon’s “No Rain.” Bayer’s vision was risky and unprecedented – he opted to film in Belfast in the middle of the Troubles, shooting real footage of British soldiers toting guns and children (play?)fighting in the streets. Viewers were shocked by the raw, shocking imagery portrayed in the video. It was an incredibly – and to some, uncomfortably – honest representation of what was happening in Belfast and the surrounding areas. Music Video or Documentary? Image via YouTube Bayer was able to bring film equipment into these areas under the guise of working on an Irish peace project, but he was still subjected to frequent inquiry from the British army throughout the filming process. The video featured documentary-style footage of children holding guns, which swiftly resulted in a ban by the BBC and the RTE (Ireland’s national broadcaster.) They did allow an altered form of the video to be aired, but the band did not stand behind this highly censored version. The black-and-white footage shot in war-torn Belfast is intercut with vividly-colored scenes of O’Riordan painted gold. She stands in front of a large wooden cross and is surrounded by shining silver children in loincloths and crowns made of leaves and flowers. The children alternatively draw matching silver bows and arrows, silently scream into the camera, and clasp their hands in prayer. Shots of war-related murals and symbols are interspersed throughout. In a 1995 interview with Interview magazine, O’Riordan explained some of the artistic choices in the music video: “Silver and gold to symbolize the beauty that we see in the world or that we care to open our eyes to. Then the screaming and the cross and the real, black-and-white footage symbolize the pain that’s there and we close our eyes to: the children that suffer, and the parents and families that suffer.” The “Zombie” music video is a beautiful piece of art and a powerful political statement. The song called for lasting peace and the safety of all Irish and English people (specifically children), regardless of religious association or partisan loyalty. It is imbued with anger and resistance against the senseless violence that seemed to never cease. O’Riordan’s powerful lyrics, the song’s seething instrumentals, and Bayer’s bold artistic vision meld seamlessly into a breathtaking music video that has lasted the test of time. The "Zombie" Video Sets Records Image via Dermot Lynch/Limerick Leader In 2020, two years after the passing of Dolores O’Riordan, the music video hit one billion views, making The Cranberries the first Irish band to reach this impressive milestone. The “Zombie” video was the third from the ‘90s to achieve a billion views, and only the sixth video from the 20th century as a whole. Needless to say, this was a huge achievement for The Cranberries, and yet another assertion of how impactful this video truly is. So much important and interesting music came out of the ‘90s and “Zombie” was at the forefront. Few songs match the depth of meaning and level of artistry that went into the creation of this track. In so many cases, music videos are overwrought or excessively commercialized. The “Zombie” music video is in a league of its own. This stunning creation portrays an important societal message, memorializes a significant time in Irish history, and captures the true essence of alternative rock music.