Scrap Jersey Shore, Give Me Music Videos

In all the recent hate, love, and obsession that surrounds Jersey Shore, this seems to be a good time to recall what MTV's original goal was--to provide a television outlet for artist's music video. Music videos, when used to good effect, can often highlight the powerful underlying meaning of a song's lyrics or music. Remember though, some songs are too far gone to be saved by a music video. Here are some music videos that either highlight the qualities of the song, or are artistic in of themselves.

• Remember OK Go's Here it Goes Again music video? A few weeks ago OK Go released a new video, which, while not as technically impressive as their synchronized treadmilling, is still a fun video, done in a single take. Since embedding for their video, "This Too Shall Pass" is disabled, you'll have to go directly to the source, on YouTube.

• Have you ever seen "This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated?" In case you haven't, you really should, especially if you give movie ratings any value at all. For those of you that have seen it, you will likely remember the plethora black, censor boxes for the ample nudity that occurs throughout that excellent documentary. Well, I bet you never thought that those black, censor boxes could in fact form a type of art of their own, did you? Check out  "Toe Jam," by the Brighton Port Authority (aka Fatboy Slim). It starts like a 1970's porn flick, but without any nudity:

• Beck's collaboration with Charlotte Gainsbourg in "Heaven Can Wait" is mind blowing. This music video is so…awesome. Seriously. Every single scene is completely random, surreal, and will inspire hallucinations. Multiple viewings is highly encouraged.

• LA-based video editor Matt Kresling created an inventive stop-motion type video called "The Beast that Swallows its Young", which critiques the idiocy of the high college costs, and the resulting student debt. Check out his new video, aptly named "Seventeen," which he made through a creative use of his high school yearbook and video editing software:

• The following video for Cinnamon Chasers' "Luv Deluxe," which was shot all along the West Coast, lets you see three potential life paths for the same person from a specific point in time. The moral? Fundamentally, you can't control the ultimate consequences of a relationship, but you can always control your own actions. Stay true to yourself, and sometimes you'll be able to influence others for good:

(Also, in case you watch Parks & Recreations, the actress is NOT the same actress that plays April, the intern)