ZZ Top - Legs

What this video is

Released in May 1984, 'Legs' arrived during MTV's transformative third year, when the network's heavy rotation could single-handedly lift a single up the charts. ZZ Top — previously perceived by some as an 'old-fogey band' — executed a calculated reinvention with the Eliminator album, blending Texas blues-rock with synthesizers and drum machines into a sound tailor-made for the MTV generation. The 'Legs' video…

Why it matters

'Legs' is a landmark of the early music video form, demonstrating how a narrative-driven clip could function as both a short film and a commercial engine. Its success — reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and winning the inaugural MTV VMA for Best Group Video — validated the investment in…

The director

Tim Newman is a commercial and music video director, son of composer Alfred Newman and cousin of composer Randy Newman. He directed all three videos in ZZ Top's Eliminator trilogy ('Gimme All Your Lovin'', 'Sharp Dressed Man', 'Legs'), winning the MTV VMA…