These roller skating music videos can help you to get your groove back if you’ve been stuck in the endless pursuit of cheddar and/or spiral of humanity. Seeing humans smile this much reminded me that I should be having more fun and that having unused perfectly fitting $5 thrifted roller skates may be shameful. Hope this list based on my MusicVideoPedia brings a smile to your face and a swagger to your skate…
Chet Faker - “Gold” 2014 I’m sure you’ll be able to see why this is the first of the ten. They’ve expertly timed the choreography on a perfectly sloped hill and I frickin’ love that… plus this song has been immortalized in a few of my perma Spotify playlists because I love it so much. These humans can seriously roller skate… their legs are like a commercial for striped socks and getting exercise in this manner. The perfect end to the video with the blue light coming over the horizon and everything… the director Hiro Murai nailed it again.
2. Bomba Estéreo - “Internacionales” 2017 I’ve always equated roller skating with the route to happiness so to see this woman have so much fun on wheels is one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Plus the magical realism jump to animation then noodles (or rice)… all while learning how to use her new wheels of freedom and experience life; I’m very impressed and hungry (noodle break). I found roller skates that perfectly fit me at a thrift store about 6 years ago for only $5 and have so far only used them as alternative transportation for my fictional character in the first video in TheRingOfDOOM series… there’s still time. Bomba Estéreo has a ton of great videos if you feel like going down another wormhole of high quality art.
3. Gloria Gaynor - “I Will Survive” 1977 I would have loved to witness seventies roller skating fashion and swagger in person. The last time I roller skated at an official roller rink there were zero sequins present. This song has been there for millions of people in their times of need many times; the ability to redirect emotions and provide comfort is one of the best things about great art of all mediums. I bet if you asked 100 people what their personal experiences are with “I Will Survive” in all of its forms they’d all have at least one story… if they were blessed to be exposed to the joys of music that is. That’d be a great YouTube video, I’ll add that to my list of 11111 creative projects.
4. Monie Love - “Monie In The Middle” 1990 This video is also one of the many gems on the Classrooms MusicVideoPedia list but this is the only one with someone roller skating at school… a very wholesome symbol of rebellion I seriously fux with. I hope this video (and the whole playlist) helps you to realize how much fun you could bring to every single place you go if you put roller skates on and that Monie Love still goes hard three decades later. I wonder if everyone’s mood would change back to 90s champagne of life kinda vibes if we wore these bright colors instead of black for while and started singing into cameras in hallways with our roller skating squad. I seriously hope we find out.
5. Nick Hakim - “Roller Skates” 2017 The “Roller Skates” visuals are also one of the stars of both the Animation and Disco Ball categories in MusicVideoPedia if you’d like to experience the pleasure of Nick Hakim’s masterpiece in a new context. The scenes with the skates turning into octopus legs are not likely to be repeated in any of the live action music videos unless someone seriously steps their game up; please let me know if this has already occurred and I’m missing out. In addition to simply being one of the most entertaining 4:06 ever, the music video serves as the trailer for a non-existing cartoon series that I’d love to watch or a video game I’d love to play someday. This song is also on more than a few of my Spotify playlists if you’re into that.
6. Domo Genesis - “DAPPER” feat. Anderson .Paak 2016 Anderson .Paak being in a roller skating video seems very on brand and he definitely brings a roller skating kinda vibe to all the music he makes even if there are no wheels present. I also really love the chair on the railroad track in the middle of the rink and the seemingly always present enthusiasm of Tyler, The Creator; there’s a lot to love about this. Guessing one of the most attractive qualities of roller skating music videos is that almost everyone is having a fabulous time. I love seeing humans smile.
7. De La Soul - A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturday” 1991 Are you kidding me right now? This is what I’m envisioning the new roller skate nights with some of my favorite Seattle DJs at Southgate Roller Rink to be like… scared to find out for sure because the mental image is so damn fun, I don’t want to tarnish it with reality. De La Soul will always be one of my favorites and I’m sure you can see why. Since I’ve been working Saturdays for most of my life, I haven’t experienced a pure Saturday feeling like this for decades. Currently building a life in which I’ll feel this way every single day.
8. Luscious Jackson - “Here” 1994 This 12” single is one of the gems in my vinyl collection I’ve stored at my sister’s place in Montana for three years due to lack of space. I’m grateful that leaving them there meant my nephew knows how to use my turntables! This song from the Clueless soundtrack is a time capsule of greatness that I’ll forever return to when my nostalgia kicks in. My favorite thing about Luscious Jackson is that they were the ladies of the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal label; an accomplishment that remains supremely cool in my nineties mind. I have so many memories attached to Luscious Jackson songs because I listened to it most during my seasonal travel days in the late 90s/early 2000s. I hope you’re lucky enough to have Luscious Jackson memories of your own.
9. James Blake - “Can’t Believe The Way We Flow” 2019 I’m very much looking forward to finding this kind of flow vibe with other humans someday… for now TheRingOfDOOM and I are happily seeing each other on a daily basis but we’re open to meeting others of our own species if the right being appears. My love for James Blake runs deep and his show at Neptune Theater in Seattle back in 2013 remains to be one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. While I could never make a full list, I’m confident that James Blake would be listed as one of my favorite musicians of all time because his music and vibe are so addicting.
10. Thunderpussy - “Welcome To The Disco” 2015 This Seattle band is only just beginning their journey to entertain the planet and I’m in for the whole damn trip. Standing in a room with these Seattle-based humans is a priceless event one should reach for at every opportunity. They stand as a reminder of the many ways there are to be a womxn and that most of us are missing out on fun because we’re not willing to roller skate in shiny red pants. Their use of Fred Wildlife Refuge is perfect and I seriously want these humans to win at everything they attempt so we can all watch.
A reminder that I do realize there are hundreds of other roller skating music videos not included on MusicVideoPedia but I’ve curated the playlists for my own enjoyment and I won’t add something if I don’t love it. You’re welcome to suggest additions to the MusicVideoPedia lists but I’ll politely ignore you if you link me to Nickelback type-ish.
