2023 Was A Y2K Disco & The Year's Best Music Videos Prove It
The early-aughts are the new future.
Nostalgia will always be the original it girl. For decades, artists across many genres have reached back to previous time periods for creative inspiration. That stretch has only elongated in recent years, with ‘70s disco and the gaudiness of Y2K visuals sitting at the forefront of music listeners’ minds. And in 2023, those riveting genres made cameos in a few music videos.
This year, stars such as Troye Sivan and Victoria Monét proved they were yearning for a simpler time. Luckily, they weren’t alone. It seemed as though several rising and mainstream artists were on the same page: The raw dramatics that defined both ‘70s and early-2000s music was back in vogue.
From R&B crooners drawing inspiration from the 2012 phenomenon of Magic Mike to giving Y2K-centered girl groups their flowers, here are eight music videos that had “throwback” written on their vision boards.
08Josh Levi: “Ego”
Welcome to Josh Levi’s universe. Rest assured, it’s a captivating space to get lost in. Levi, who’s a hidden R&B gem, knows how to create a mood with his music. And on “Ego,” a slow-burning single from his latest Disc Two album, he serenades listeners over production reminiscent of a young Ginuwine.
That dimly lit ambience carries over to the track’s music video, which sees Levi using slick choreography à la Magic Mike to do most of his flirting. The Magic Mike franchise might’ve taken its final bow this year, but Levi’s carrying on the torch — slow whines and baby oil in tow.
07NxWorries: “Daydreaming”
Grand Theft Auto V’s online world feels like a fever dream. You could be coasting the highway while listening to Radio Los Santos one minute, then randomly blown to pieces by a flying sticky bomb the next — all for no reason. There’s thrilling chaos lurking around every corner of Los Santos, and NxWorries (comprised of Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge) created their own in their “Daydreaming” music video.
The nostalgic visual sees .Paak spending time with the “love of his life.” Their romance suddenly takes a grim turn after a lethal joyride by the beach, and the singer becomes lost without his partner. Well, here’s to hoping he can find new love in GTA 6.
06Jessie Ware: “Pearls”
On her newest album, That! Feels! Good!, Jessie Ware embraced her status as our modern-day disco prima donna. Her alter-ego acts as a guiding spirit to the dance floor, the only place that can handle the energy she’s yearning to release. That desire comes alive in the music video for “Pearls,” a four-minute ode to Ware’s love and appreciation for the disco ball.
Set in a glossy, ‘70s-inspired universe, Ware’s in the mood to shake off her finest beads at a club. “Offfff, let me go! Let me dance!” she cries, pouncing around her all-white bedroom. Her belts catch the attention of three divas, who have a similar essence to The Supremes, and they grant Ware’s ultimate wish to let loose. By the end, she’s joyously ripping off her pearls.
05Troye Sivan: “Rush”
Ware wasn’t the only artist who celebrated her own liberation this year. Like a quiet panther, Troye Sivan pounced forward with new energy this summer. Enter the music video for “Rush,” his sweat-soaked club anthem that would’ve thrived on a early-aughts VH1 Countdown.
The saucy visual begins with a cheeky moment, before unraveling into an erotic spectacle reminiscent to Britney Spears’ “I’m A Slave 4 U.”
Similar to Spears, Sivan’s searching for something to get his blood racing. He finds solace in a number of places, including a neon bar filled with drunken dancers — who give viewers some ‘80s-inspired voguing and sickening choreography — and enough shirtless men to reimagine a Calvin Klein cover. A little ~oontz oontz~ never hurt anyone, and Sivan’s boyish grin at the end cements that.
04Jung Kook: “Standing Next To You”
Jung Kook, the golden maknae you are. It’s clear the singer studied Y2K icons like Justin Timberlake and Usher for his recent solo run. However, for the final single off his Golden album, “Standing Next To You,” he eyed the timeless legend: Michael Jackson. In the sleek music video, the BTS member donned his finest black suit to give Jackson’s 1991 record, Dangerous, its flowers. It’s well-deserved, as the nearly 32-year-old album has aged gracefully.
The visual begins with Jung Kook gliding in a tunnel, his army of dancers echoing his moves with precision. They then teleport to a barren building, where the singer shows off his Jackson studies — he does the infamous crotch grab and tips his imaginary black fedora down. All he needed was a white glove, but these sharp moves were stunning enough.
03Jungle: “Back On 74”
It’s time to return to the ‘70s. It’s an era that Jungle, an electronic producer duo from London, have explored throughout their rise to fame. However, they’ve never sounded more rich and sonically secure than on “Back On 74.” While the track stands alone in greatness, the music video propelled it to new heights.
“Give it up for Sista Realness,” a presenter begins the visual. A swarm of dancers soon come into frame, and the camera fluidly captures their every twirl and bow.
With lead vocals from Lydia Kitto, the dancers — who shine in ‘70s-clad bell bottoms and golden rust hues that were popular during that time — follow her every word, moving in awing sync like an abstract painting. Beware: You might find yourself replaying this masterpiece numerous times.
02FLO: “Fly Girl”
This list wouldn’t be complete without the ultimate Y2K-inspired darlings of the moment, FLO. The British-based girl group rose to prominence in the summer 2022, largely due to their Destiny’s Child-style harmonies.
FLO continued to keep the trio in mind this year, with their most iconic ode to early-2000s girl groups debuting in their music video for “Fly Girl.” The visual begins with the singers’ heading to the club, their synchronized strut an iconic replica of the intro to “Lose My Breath.” They then modernize Missy Elliott’s 2002 gem “Work It” in the chorus, and later welcome the rap legend to drop a few bars in the third verse.
01Victoria Monét: “On My Mama”
Is there any surprise the Jaguar herself would claw her way to the top of this list? Victoria Monét proved her tenacity this year, and her aura in the “On My Mama” music video offers a small glimpse of that. The Child.-directed video is a sweet homage to the South, especially the creatives who made an impact in the early aughts.
Within seconds of the rippling baseline, Monét channels her inner Ciara (a Texas native) before transporting to a lot of empty cars, where her and her dancers flex choreography from Sean Bankhead with ease.
The rest of the video has other gleaming moments: Monét briefly rides in a candy-apple red slab (Houston slang for a low-rise vintage car), hilariously references timeless Black memes, and honors Chalie Boy — the Texas rapper she interpolates in the track’s chorus.
As a final touch, Monét’s mom also has a dancing cameo at the end of the video, further proving where her daughter got her finesse from.
