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Music performance & songs: videos Hacker News recommends
Music performance and music videos: electronic music, Aphex Twin, IDM, 80s and 90s pop videos, DJ sets, classical music, Bach, jazz, rock, folk, concerts, live sessions, singer-songwriters, Leonard Cohen, Pink Floyd, opera, orchestras, famous songs and albums. Below: every video in this topic that at least three HN users linked with real commentary, in at least three different months (169 music videos, 20 demos, 20 comedy videos), best-scored first, with the comments on each video page.
- Stand-up & sketch comedy 244
- Satire & parody 362
- Music theory, synthesis & production 103
- Film & TV clips 310
- Film analysis & criticism 39
- Documentaries & storytelling 202
- Literature & writing craft 43
- Visual arts, photography & architecture 42
- Sports & athletics 38
- Magic, puzzles & curiosities 34
- Arts & entertainment (other) 75
- Landon Proctor documentary recommended in 11 different months by 15 HN users, 2011–2026A perennial HN recommendation, brought up whenever sampling, copyright or music history comes up, often described as a must-watch.
- Radical Discourse explainer recommended in 10 different months by 10 HN users, 2010–2024HN recommends it as a funny, accurate and easy primer on Keynesian versus Austrian views of the business cycle.
- Le Pietre Rotolanti music video recommended in 6 different months by 6 HN users, 2016–2024It comes up whenever threads touch on fake languages, accents, or gibberish that sounds plausible, and commenters like sharing it with people who haven't heard it.
- Alessandro Grespan music video recommended in 4 different months by 4 HN users, 2021–2024Commenters repeatedly call it a favorite and a mind-blowing introduction to jazz.
- vvmtest music video recommended in 5 different months by 5 HN users, 2020–2025HN recommends it, often emotionally, as an auditory depiction of memory loss, in threads about dementia and aging.
- Vic Firth music video recommended in 5 different months by 4 HN users, 2016–2025Recommended in coding-music threads as lyric-free, repetitive music that aids focus.
- HN points to it as an example of ambitious, practical-effects creativity in music videos, made without CGI.
- MC Frontalot music video recommended in 5 different months by 5 HN users, 2012–2026HN shares it whenever Zork or text adventures come up, as a fun tribute for geeks.
- Vic Firth music video recommended in 4 different months by 3 HN users, 2021–2026HN commenters point to it as a showcase of astonishing drumming and music that gives chills.
- dsjkhd music video recommended in 5 different months by 6 HN users, 2013–2023HN commenters repeatedly recommend it as a surprisingly good cover that brings out the contempt in the lyrics.
- Recommended as a well-produced, accessible explanation of Giant Steps and the harmonic ideas behind Coltrane's work.
- Rare Earth music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2013–2025Commenters recommend it for the sense of wonder and chills it gives, and bring it up in threads about Bowie, space and astronauts.
- OKGoVEVO music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2018–2026Commenters recommend it as a creative music video shot entirely in zero gravity, citing it in threads about parabolic flights and space.
- boburnham music video recommended in 3 different months by 4 HN users, 2021–2026HN commenters bring it up in threads about the internet, attention economy and smartphones, mostly as a favorite, with a few dissenters.
- barrettproduction music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2021–2026HN commenters share it as a favorite audiovisual experience, with some calling the sync the best thing they have seen.
- steffyweffy777 music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2011–2026Posted as timeless, comforting life advice in threads about careers, aging, and uncertainty.
- TRACKLIB explainer recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2021–2026HN recommends it as a striking visual breakdown of how the song was constructed.
- NardwuarServiette interview recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2019–2023HN holds it up as a model of interview preparation, where thorough research on the guest impresses the interviewee.
- Jim Pavloff demo recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2011–2024Used as an example of prototyping music and, in a Copilot copyright thread, of a handmade reconstruction that sounds like the original.
- lftkryo demo recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2022–2025HN people recommend it as the work of an unusually creative artist-engineer whose whole channel is worth exploring.
- lisperati music video recommended in 3 different months by 2 HN users, 2013–2025HN shares it as a fun, cheerful introduction to Lisp culture that people say they rewatch.
- Christopher Tin music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2016–2022HN commenters hold it up as the greatest video game song, evoking wonder and pride in humanity.
- Rob Scallon documentary recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2023–2026HN recommends it as an engaging look at how an organ works as a whole orchestra, in threads about organs and live-coding them.
- GroundUP Music NYC music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2016–2019HN commenters recommend Snarky Puppy as proof that vibrant, progressive modern jazz is being made today.
- JustASuicidalGirl music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2016–2025Recommended as an expressive performance on a historically significant organ with good videography.
- HN commenters recommend it as a catchy, accurate piece of science edutainment, and admire its footnote practice.
- HN recommends it as an accessible explanation of rhyme craft that works even for people who aren't hip hop fans.
- Stay Nifty music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2015–2021HN commenters recommend it as a favorite synthwave album, good for programming and long drives.
- aki__ music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2015–2026Cited as the prime example of what clever programming can do with a 1-bit audio output.
- Jared Khan comedy video recommended in 3 different months by 4 HN users, 2013–2025HN brings it up whenever curriculum fads or Common Core complaints appear, as a funny precedent from the 1960s.
- Ryan's Smashing Life music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2018–2022Recommended in Sesame Street and children's TV threads as a favorite example of the show's funkier past.
- Dubmood music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2026HN commenters point to it as an impressive showpiece of the demoscene and a nostalgic career retrospective of a legendary group.
- JohnnyCashVEVO music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2020–2023HN commenters hold it up as one of the greatest cover versions ever, so powerful that Trent Reznor said the song was no longer his.
- ELECTRONICOS FANTASTICOS! music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2020–2026HN users share it as a delightful example of people making real music from obsolete electronics and self-built instruments.
- Ivica Stojkov music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2016–2022HN commenters suggest it as atmospheric, near-ambient music for programming and focus.
- Sam Aaron demo recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2017–2023Offered as an example of live-coded music and a fun entry point to Sonic Pi.
- LeonardCohenVEVO music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2016–2024Commenters name it among their favourite Cohen songs, especially in threads after his death.
- RobPRocks comedy video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2012–2023Brought up in threads about chord progressions and musical copyright as the funny canonical version of the idea.
- Sam Aaron demo recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2017–2020HN people recommend it as the most impressive demonstration of live coding music, especially to those curious about programmable music.
- The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2016–2026HN quotes it constantly, mostly as a joke or reference, whenever rocketry, engineers' ethics or skill-versus-morality comes up.
- Crisyta music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2014–2019Recommended as powerful soundtrack music, including for listening while coding.
- DistantMirrors music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2016–2025Recommended as an accessible entry to Satie and calm ambient classical music, and mentioned as a famous influence on game soundtracks.
- Pitchfork documentary recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2013–2019HN points to it in threads on black MIDI and player pianos as a look at an artist writing tuneful music beyond human playability.
- Commenters recommend it as an artist's informed explanation of streaming economics and why Spotify pays so little compared with alternatives like Bandcamp.
- Ace Records music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2018–2026Posted in space-spending threads as a classic critique of priorities, usually with a quip.
- Microtonal Guitar - Tolgahan Çoğulu demo recommended in 3 different months by 2 HN users, 2015–2022Linked in music theory and tuning threads as a listenable example of microtonal guitar that sounds good.
- smalin music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2010–2026Recommended as a music visualization that makes the structure easier to follow than sheet music.
- Arif Nur Rahman music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2020–2025Fans of Transport Tycoon and OpenTTD point to it as a nostalgic, live-instrument version of the game's music.
- TheMcphearson demo recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2010–2023HN recommends it as the canonical talking-piano example, uncanny and impressive once you read the captions.
- The Axis of Awesome comedy video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2012–2025HN commenters use it as the canonical demonstration that popular songs reuse one chord progression, especially in threads on music analysis and AI-generated music.
- Leonard Ritter music video recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2010–2023HN recommends it as a showcase of what the demoscene can do, with high-res antialiased vector graphics and motion blur.
- Brandon Acker demo recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2022–2026Pointed to in tuning and temperament threads as an audible demonstration of how meantone differs from equal temperament.
- Thoj demo recommended in 3 different months by 3 HN users, 2017–2018HN points to it as a demonstration of the OP-1, a well-designed instrument and an accessible way to start making music.
- SamCam2011 music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2018–2023Mentioned as an example of Sesame Street respecting children's intelligence and as an early gateway to modern classical music.
- HN recommends it as an inspiring interview about passion, minimalism and deliberately imposing restrictions on creative work.
- PSBHQVEVO music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2017–2024HN recommends it as an energizing space-themed song, and references it when Apollo go/no-go calls come up.
- HN points to it as a memorable performance that doubles as a parody of TED talks and a showcase of live vocal looping.
- Tom Lehrer music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2020–2025Posted whenever Lehrer comes up, as the best way to see him perform, and treated as a complete stand-up-style set.
- turinpt2 music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2012–2024HN points to it as the canonical example of extreme audio stretching making pop music into something entirely different and relaxing.
- Hunter Stair comedy video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2017–2025HN commenters point the uninitiated to it as a beloved parody series, often in threads that mention yacht rock.
- Keeper1st music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2017–2025HN commenters recommend it as a showcase of remarkable sight-reading and a favorite when sight-reading or notation comes up.
- HN points to it as an explanation of how Max Martin builds hit songs.
- KEXP music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2020–2025HN people recommend it as a great live KEXP session with standout guitar work and good sound.
- Jacob Collier music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2019–2022Recommended as a showcase of Collier's harmonic and microtonal skill.
- World Science Festival demo recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2016–2023HN shares it as a delightful demo of the pentatonic scale's near-universal appeal and of a crowd syncing without instruction.
- Library of Alexandria explainer recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2014–2022Recommended in threads on rap vocabulary and rhyme generation as a clear visual explanation of Eminem's rhyming technique.
- gobodrodiont music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2010–2023Shared as an example of Artemyev, called the Russian Vangelis, and of great Soviet electronic film music.
- FraKctured music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2015–2024Cited in threads about taste and terrible music as a famously engineered 'worst song', mostly for its curiosity value.
- HN recommends it as a showcase of what skilled demoscene programmers can squeeze out of extremely limited hardware.
- random804 comedy video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2012–2025The go-to reference in threads on chord progressions, pop music similarity and music copyright.
- Kylie Minogue music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2018–2025Cited as a landmark looping music video, a reference point for creative video and editing tricks.
- Metalfan7577 demo recommended in 2 different months by 1 HN user, 2018–2022HN uses it as the go-to demonstration of the loudness war and what over-compressed mastering does to music.
- Trippin' on Cookies demo recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2014–2020Shared as a quick audible demonstration of the errors that equal temperament introduces compared with pure intervals.
- AntPDC music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2018–2024Recommended as a definitive Gould interpretation whose playing makes Bach's counterpoint clear.
- Warp Records music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2012–2023HN mentions it as a favorite ambient track and as a nicely edited tribute to Kittinger's jump.
- The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2015–2023HN commenters cite it as a favorite Lehrer song and invoke it as a joke whenever elements or science-themed wordplay come up.
- BATACHAN DESU music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2018–2021Recommended as the best-known and most famous recording of the Goldberg Variations.
- TheRichterScales music video recommended in 2 different months by 3 HN users, 2009–2026Resurfaces in threads on startups, valuations and hype cycles as a funny, prescient bubble satire.
- Wintergatan music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2018–2025HN treats it as the canonical example of a Rube Goldberg style musical instrument and a work of love, and references it in threads on unconventional instruments and machines.
- Tim Minchin music video recommended in 2 different months by 1 HN user, 2015–2026HN cites it in arguments about the force of words, including the long debates over the GIMP name and username filtering.
- Recommended as an example of inventive, physical-effects music video making, with the car as an instrument.
- allthingsfangirl music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2013–2021HN uses it to show that Lady Gaga is a genuinely skilled musician and writer of her own songs.
- Peter Pringle music video recommended in 2 different months by 3 HN users, 2021–2025HN recommends it to fans of ancient music as a rare chance to hear an attempt at 4,000-year-old song.
- jarkkkoo music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2010–2022HN uses it as an example of radically different musical notation and as a favorite, if challenging, modernist piece that anticipates sounds like the THX Deep Note.
- NPR Music demo recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2020–2023HN points to it as an example of algorithmic, reactive live music that blends programming with jazz performance.
- Aphex Twin music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2020–2023Offered as an entry point into Aphex Twin and IDM, and as a striking audiovisual piece in demoscene and neural-net visual discussions.
- TallPiler music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2013–2024HN recommends it in threads about sheep-counting systems as the famous song that explains them.
- notsyort music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2020–2024HN brings it up whenever thermodynamics or entropy comes up, as the classic comic explanation of the laws.
- Chris Billett demo recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2015–2024Treated as a favorite hack and a go-to example in threads about machines playing music.
- George Collier demo recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2021–2026Used as an example in music theory and tuning discussions of continuous-pitch thinking beyond equal temperament.
- Drumeo demo recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2021–2023Cited as an inspiring example of quickly picking up a new piece by ear and of expertise transferring across genres.
- Tom Berry music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2019–2023HN people point to it as a slowed-down song that sounds more plaintive and haunting.
- HN mentions it as an enjoyable science parody song, one of a set of A Capella Science videos.
- The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2016–2020HN quotes it in discussions of engineers' moral responsibility and recommends it as a favorite of Lehrer's witty songs.
- Guntis music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2014–2021HN mentions it as a favorite documentary scene and as a reference for the Pruitt-Igoe demolition.
- Top 2000 a gogo interview recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2021HN links it mostly for the glimpse of Cook's studio and his decades-old Atari ST, and as an example of a sample-based track.
- Thanyaphong Na nakorn music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2018–2021Offered as an entry point to Bach's cello suites, which HN commenters praise for evoking rich harmony from a single line.
- jmheather music video recommended in 2 different months by 2 HN users, 2011–2023Praised as a standout example of kinetic typography that holds attention, and known as the earlier work that led to the animator's Weird Al 'Word Crimes' video.
- andrea romano music video recommended in 1 different month by 1 HN user, 2014–2022Mostly cited as an example piece in audio and AI-music discussions, with one commenter urging people to hear the whole sonata, especially the third movement.
- MC Frontalot - Topic music video recommended in 1 different month by 1 HN user, 2021–2022Brought up in threads on encryption and quantum cracking as a fitting song about future decryption.
Showing the 100 best-scored of 235. Use search to find the rest.
Questions
What is the most recommended music performance & songs video on Hacker News?
Video explains the world's most important 6-sec drum loop by Landon Proctor: A perennial HN recommendation, brought up whenever sampling, copyright or music history comes up, often described as a must-watch.
How is this music performance & songs list ranked?
By HackerTube's score: the number of distinct months in which an HN comment recommended the video, plus half a point for every month with a strong recommendation. One viral thread counts less than steady recommendations over years.
Where do the videos come from?
From every Hacker News comment between 2007 and 2026 that linked a YouTube video, labeled by an AI model as a recommendation, a citation, a joke or a criticism. The list is published by HackerTube under ODC-By 1.0; this edition adds indexable pages and the comment context.