Animated Music Videos Taking Over 2020? Ask Juice WRLD, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd

Juice WRLD’s record-breaking posthumous album Legends Never Die was released mid-July. Of its 21 songs, at least five have fully or partially animated videos. “Righteous” was released in April and has since gained nearly 68 million views on YouTube. It mostly shows old clips of the Chicago artist, but the final third of the video features an emotional ending where Juice literally fights his demons and soars beyond.

Billie Eilish is back with a single! It’s a dreamy love letter to herself, specifically her future self. The song seems to deal with a lot of the motions a young person may experience while spending lots of time alone. Sound familiar? Like COVID-19 and quarantine? The video—viewed by nearly 42 million—and song both share a vibe of reflection, being alone and being hopeful.

The Weeknd debuted a live, interactive experience on TikTok featuring “Blinding Lights” and other hits from his most recent and iconic album, After Hours. Virtual concerts were kind of a thing pre-pandemic—think Marshmello’s Fortnite performance last February—but they’re especially needed now. The Weeknd’s experience was extremely successful. It racked up over 2 million views and raised over $350,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative according to a TikTok press release.

Dua Lipa dropped her 80s-influenced Future Nostalgia in March. Her latest video from the album for “Hallucinate” debuted mid-July, racking in nearly 22 million views so far. The colorful visual features a Bratz-esque Dua tearing up dance floors and zooming through outer space.

As the pandemic rages on, affecting how we live online and socialize in person, music artists will need to continue adapting how they entertain and engage with their fans. Who will be next to drop an animated video or host a virtual concert experience?