The Essential Music Video series features different music videos, both new and old, that are great or historically relevant in some respect

Ill Communication is not the Beastie Boys best album (that title goes either to their debut, Licensed to Ill, or their sophomore album, Paul’s Boutique); but it does feature their best single song, and its accompanying iconic music video. Directed by a 25 year-old Spike Jonze, the video features the members of the Beastie Boys appearing in the opening credits of a police show in homage to 1970s TV shows such as Hawaii Five-O and Starsky and Hutch.

Seeing the Beastie Boys appear with 1970s era mustaches and hairstyles, with the accompanying action, all filmed in a style reminiscent of the 1970s – it just works. It’s a crime that “Sabotage” didn’t win the MTV Video Award for Best Music Video, just a crime. This isn’t the only great music video directed by Spike Jonze, but it’s certainly the most memorable.