"Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?"

Music videos have technically existed since the 1960's, but it wasn't until the 80's and the advent of MTV that they really became an art form. Performers like Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Duran Duran revolutionized the medium and massively boosted their own careers in the process. The question of which video deserves the title of all-time greatest is always up for debate. You could make a case for Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" or The Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight." Michael's "Thriller" video has to be included in the conversation as well as "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys. There are several more recent artists like Kayne West and My Chemical Romance that have made videos worthy of being discussed and every video by Björk is pretty much amazing. One thing that is not up for debate, however, is the question of who made the smartest music video ever. That title, without a doubt, belongs to "When I'm Gone" by 3 Doors Down. Let me explain:

It was 2002 and Americans' patriotism was still riding high after the September 11th attacks a year earlier. Even many who were normally anti-war couldn't help but support the war in Afghanistan where it seemed clear that we were merely going after those that came after us. The controversial Iraq war was still to come and, unlike in the 1960's where a large group of people had a giant mental lapse and began taunting and spitting at America's mostly drafted soldiers, no one was wavering in their support for those in harm's way. 3 Doors Down could have gone the way of Toby Keith and written an over the top, rompin' stompin', flag waving, pro war anthem and probably not alienated most of their core fan base. But they didn't. Brad Arnold and company wrote a typical alt-rock album about relationships. After recording, however, the boys paid a visit to the USS George Washington, a naval aircraft carrier. Either the band or their record label most likely decided to scrap the previously filmed video for lead single, "When I'm Gone" and use footage of their concert aboard the carrier instead. Suddenly, "When I'm Gone" became an ode to our fighting men and women overseas and instantly cemented 3 Doors Down as the most visible band to "support our troops" at a time when practically everyone saw that as noble. How strong is that association? I'll start by saying that I'm not a fan of the band or their style of music. But to this day, over four years later, I think of soldiers when I hear the song, or even the second single off of that album, "Here Without You," whose video, to my knowledge, didn't feature a single active member of the military. Unlike other overplayed, schmaltzy radiogarbage of the era (ie: "It's Been Awhile," "How You Remind Me," and "The Reason), I don't cringe when "Here Without You" comes on the radio. Despite any feelings I may have about the Iraq war or Bush's presidency and the over-riding cynicism everybody tells me I possess, I can't turn a cold shoulder to the mental picture of brave guys in varying shades of khaki getting shot at in the desert while their families spend another holiday with a missing piece. Call me a sentimental sap, but it worked. 3 Doors Down got to me. And I have a feeling that they got to a lot of Americans. And that, my friends, is brilliance.