Censored
From Videoville
Category: Genres
The original versions of these videos were significantly censored, banned altogether from a major outlet (MTV, MuchMusic, etc), or relegated to late-night viewing.
This list doesn't include videos censored for language.
MTV Europe briefly banned certain videos during the initial stages of the current Iraq war.
Contents |
A
Add N to (X) - Metal Fingers in my Body | Director: Belzebu (1999, animated pornography)
Add N to (X) - Plug Me In | Director: Barry 7 (2000, pornography)
Christina Aguilera with Redman - Dirrty | Director: David LaChapelle (controversy in Thailand)
Air - Cherry Blossom Girl | Director: Kris Kramski (nudity, sex)
Anthrax - What Doesn't Die | Director: Michael John Sarna (2004, briefly, zombie violence)
Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy | Director: Chris Cunningham
Aphex Twin - Windowlicker | Director: Chris Cunningham
Audioslave - Show Me how to Live | Director: A/V Club
B
Babes in Toyland - He's my Thing (version one) | Directors: Phil Harder & Mike Etoll (1990)
Gnarls Barkley - Run | Happy (strobing effects)
Basement Jaxx - U Don't Know Me | Director: Mat Kirkby (2005) (MTV UK, the Queen grabs a bum)
Björk - Army of Me | Director: Michel Gondry (bombings)
Björk - Cocoon | Director: Eriko Ishioka (nudity)
Björk - I Miss You | Director: John Kricfalusi (brief nudity)
Björk - Pagan Poetry | Director: Nick Knight (nudity, piercing)
blink-182 - I Miss You | Director: Jonas Åkerlund (lesbian kiss, post-Super Bowl incident)
Blue Öyster Cult - Joan Crawford | Director: Richard Casey (1981)
Bon Jovi - Living in Sin | Director: Wayne Isham (1989)
Laura Branigan - Self Control | Director: William Friedkin (1984) (orgiastic imagery)
British Sea Power - Please Stand Up | Director: Nick Wickham (lyric "wetter and wetter")
C
The Cardigans - My Favourite Game | Director: Jonas Åkerlund (cartoonish violence)
Vanessa Carlton - Pretty Baby | Director: Marcos Siega (2002, bondage)
The Cars - Hello Again | Director: Andy Warhol & Don Munroe (nudity)
Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time | Director: Marty Callner (1989, Cher in a thong)
Cradle of Filth - Babylon AD (So Glad For The Madness) | Director: W.I.Z. (2003)
Cradle of Filth - From the Cradle to Enslave
Custom - Hey Mister
D
The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You | Director: Courtney Taylor-Taylor (nudity)
DeGarmo & Key - Six, Six, Six (1985) (Antichrist set on fire)
Disturbed - Prayer | Director: The Brothers Strause (post-9/11)
DJ Shadow - Walkie Talkie | Director: Ben Stokes (middle finger, language)
Dr. Dre with Snoop Dogg - The Next Episode | Director: Paul Hunter (nudity)
Duran Duran - The Chauffer | Director: Ian Emes (1982, nudity)
Duran Duran - Girls on Film | Director: Godley & Creme (1981, nudity; BBC: banned; MTV: censored)
E-I
Eminem - Superman | Director: Paul Hunter (nudity)
Falco - Jeanny | Director: Russell Mulcahy (1985, lyrics allude to rape)
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax (version two) | Director: Bernard Rose
Foo Fighters - Low | Director: Jesse Peretz
Sophie B. Hawkins - Damn I Wish I was Your Lover (version one)
Armand van Helden - Hear My Name | Directors: Alex and Liane
Incubus - Megalomaniac | Director: Floria Sigismondi (Hitler)
Billy Idol - Hot in the City | Director: Kort Falkenberg III
Enrique Iglesias - Don't Turn off the Lights | Director: Marc Klasfeld
INXS - Taste It | Director: Baillie Walsh (voyeurism)
INXS - The Gift | Director: Richard Lowenstein (holocaust, war footage)
J-L
Michael Jackson - Black or White | Director: John Landis (violence, touching his privies)
Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us | Director: Spike Lee (alleged anti-semitism)
Jay-Z - 99 Problems | Director: Mark Romanek (nudity, though MTV did air Jay's 'murder')
Milla Jovovich - The Gentlemen Who Fell (version one) | Directors: Paul Archard & Kate Garner (nudity)
Leftfield - Afrika Shox | Director: Chris Cunningham
Luna - Pup Tent
M
Machine Head - Crashing Around You | Director: Nathan Cox (2001)
Madonna - American Life | Director: Jonas Åkerlund
Madonna - Erotica | Director: Fabien Baron (1992)
Madonna - Justify My Love | Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino (1990)
Madonna - What it Feels Like for a Girl | Director: Guy Ritchie
Marilyn Manson - (s)AINT | Director: Asia Argento
Maroon 5 - This Love | Director: Sophie Muller (briefly, post-Super Bowl incident)
Massive Attack - Be Thankful for What You've Got | Director: Baillie Walsh (stripper)
Massive Attack - Karmacoma | Director: Jonathan Glazer
Megadeth - A tout le monde (1994)
Megadeth - In my Darkest Hour | Director: Penelope Spheeris (1988)
Metallica - Turn the Page | Director: Jonas Åkerlund
Metallica - Whiskey in the Jar | Director: Jonas Åkerlund
George Michael - Freeek! | Director: Joseph Kahn (2002)
George Michael - I Want Your Sex | Director: Andy Morahan (1987)
George Michael - Outside | Director: Vaughan Arnell (1998) (nudity, "offensive sex" scenes)
The Misfits - Mother
The Misfits - She Rides
Mötley Crüe - Girls, Girls, Girls
Mr. Bungle - Travolta (band on meat hooks)
N
N.E.R.D. with Lee Harvey and Vita - Lapdance | Director: Diane Martel
nine inch nails - closer | Director: Mark Romanek
nine inch nails - happiness in slavery (version one) | Director: Jon Reiss
nine inch nails - pinion | Directors: Eric Goode & Serge Becker
Mojo Nixon - Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child
O-R
Guesch Patti - Etienne | Director: Lydie Callier (allusions of sex & violence)
Pearl Jam - Jeremy | Director: Mark Pellington
The Pogues - A Pair of Brown Eyes | Director: Alex Cox (1985, anti-Thatcher)
Primus - Lacquer Head | Director: Les Claypool (2000, drug content)
Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale | Director: Jo Durden-Smith (1967; BBC: Vietnam footage)
The Prodigy - Firestarter | Director: Walter Stern (BBC: arson reference)
The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up | Director: Jonas Åkerlund
Public Enemy - Gotta Give the Peeps What They Need (2002, pro-Mumia message)
Public Enemy - Hazy Shade of Criminal | Director: Eric Meza (1992, Philly bombing reenactment)
Queen - Body Language | Director: Mike Hodges (1982, nudity; apparently MTV's first banned video)
The Ramones - Psychotherapy | Director: Francis Delia (1983)
The Replacements - The Ledge | Directors: Bill Pope & Randy Skinner
The Rolling Stones - Neighbours | Director: Michael Lindsay-Hogg (1981)
S
Scissor Sisters - Filthy/Gorgeous | Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Sepultura - Arise (1991)
Skinny Puppy - Testure (1989)
Skinny Puppy - Worlock (1990)
Smashing Pumpkins - Try, Try, Try | Director: Jonas Åkerlund
The Smithereens - A Girl Like You (verison one) | Director: Brian Grant (1989, strip club)
Soul Asylum - Artificial Heart | Directors: Dave Pirner & Mike Etoll & David Roth (1988)
Britney Spears - Toxic | Director: Joseph Kahn (briefly, post-Super Bowl incident)
Spinal Tap - Bitch School | Director: Mark Rezyka (1992)
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Put a Lid on it (version one) | Director: Clay Walker (qt file) (gasoline)
The Strokes - Juicebox | Director: Michael Palmieri
System of a Down - Boom! | Director: Michael Moore
T-Z
t.A.T.u. - All About Us | Director: James Cox
Twisted Sister - Be Chrool to Your Scuel | Director: Marty Callner
U.N.K.L.E. - Rabbit in your Headlights | Director: Jonathan Glazer (violence)
Van Halen - Oh, Pretty Woman | Directors: Robert Lombard & Van Halen (1981)
Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight | Directors: Godley & Creme (1986, BBC: dangerous to epileptics)
The Wannadies - Cherry Man (allusions to paedophilia)
The Wannadies - Things That I Would Love to Have Undone (1993) (animal cadaver)
Robbie Williams - Rock DJ | Director: Vaughan Arnell (nudity, gore)
Neil Young - This Note's for You | Director: Julien Temple (briefly: logos, political statement)
