The Eurythmics’ 1983 classic “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” has officially joined YouTube’s prestigious Billion Views Club, over 40 years after it became an MTV phenomenon and topped the Billboard Hot 100. This marks the British synth-pop duo’s first music video to hit the billion-view milestone.
The Chris Ashbrook-directed video, a hallmark of early MTV, features Annie Lennox in a striking orange crew cut, dressed in an androgynous suit, and wielding a cane as she presides over a surreal boardroom meeting with bandmate Dave Stewart. Interspersed with dreamlike imagery, the video transitions to a farm where the duo plays instruments amidst wandering cows, a touch that adds an offbeat, symbolic twist.
Lennox explained her bold appearance in a 2017 interview: “I was trying to be the opposite of the cliché of the female singer. I wanted to be as strong as a man, equal to Dave and perceived that way.” Stewart elaborated on the concept, noting, “We wanted to create something performance art-like, weird and dreamlike. So we mocked up a record-company boardroom and put a cow in it to signify reality.”
“Sweet Dreams” was the title track of the duo’s sophomore album and their only U.S. #1 hit, though they enjoyed a string of other successes with tracks like “Here Comes the Rain Again” and “Would I Lie to You?” The song also inspired notable covers by artists like Marilyn Manson.
Fans can now relive the groundbreaking visuals of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” on YouTube, where its billion-view milestone continues to solidify its place in music video history.