Beyoncé — 'Single Ladies' Music Video, New York City

Beyoncé's music video for 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)' (2008) was filmed in a studio in New York City — a stark, minimalist set with a plain grey background, no props, and no effects beyond a single camera and three dancers in black leotards. Directed by Jake Nava, the video's power comes entirely from the choreography (by Frank Gatson Jr. and JaQuel Knight, inspired by Bob Fosse's 'Mexican Breakfast' routine from The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969) and Beyoncé's performance. The simplicity was a deliberate artistic choice that stood in sharp contrast to the elaborate productions typical of major pop videos.

The 'Single Ladies' video became one of the most replicated pieces of choreography in internet history — within weeks of its release, thousands of tribute and imitation videos had been uploaded to YouTube, making it arguably the first truly viral dance video of the social media era. The hand-wave, the hip snap, and the three-step bounce became universally recognisable movements. The video's cultural impact was amplified by Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV VMAs, declaring that 'Single Ladies' had 'one of the best videos of all time.'

The video won three MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year. Its influence on the subsequent decade of pop choreography and the relationship between music video and social media dance culture is difficult to overstate. The 'Single Ladies' dance became a global phenomenon that transcended music video and entered mainstream popular culture.