Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Y Control

What this video is

Released in January 2004 as a single from Yeah Yeah Yeahs' debut album Fever to Tell (2003), 'Y Control' arrived at the apex of the post-punk/garage rock revival that dominated early-2000s alternative culture. The video, directed by Spike Jonze, became one of the most controversial music videos of the decade, generating significant cultural discourse around the depiction of children in graphic scenarios and the…

Why it matters

A landmark artifact of the 2000s post-punk revival and the NYC indie rock canon. Represents the high-water mark of auteur music video direction intersecting with the genre's mainstream breakthrough moment. Cited by Pitchfork as among the decade's best songs, the video is equally significant as a…

The director

Born Adam Spiegel (October 22, 1969). American filmmaker, photographer, and creative director. Began career in BMX/skateboarding photography and co-founded youth culture magazine Dirt. Transitioned to music video direction in the early 1990s, becoming one of…