The Breeders - Cannonball

What this video is

Released August 9, 1993 on 4AD/Elektra Records as the lead single from Last Splash, 'Cannonball' arrived at the apex of the alternative rock boom, months after the Pixies' dissolution freed Kim Deal to pursue The Breeders full-time. The single was named best of 1993 by NME, Melody Maker, and The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop poll, propelling Last Splash to platinum status. The video's co-direction by Sonic Youth's Kim…

Why it matters

A canonical artifact of early-1990s alternative rock music video production. The clip's raw, concept-driven, non-narrative format—anchored by a surreal object (the cannonball) rather than conventional performance spectacle—helped codify an indie-MTV visual language distinct from mainstream pop…

The director

Kim Gordon (b. April 28, 1953, Rochester, NY) is bassist, guitarist, and vocalist of Sonic Youth (formed 1981), a visual artist, and record producer. She produced Hole's debut album (1991) and co-founded clothing label X-Girl (1993). Spike Jonze (b. Adam…