The Pinball Music Video Leaderboard

Kineticist·article·analyzed·Mar 6, 2026

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.028

TL;DR

Kineticist ranks pinball music videos; Plastilina Mosh wins for 'Human Disco Ball'.

Summary

Kineticist publishes a humorous ranking of music videos featuring pinball machines, scoring eight videos on style, authenticity, and pinball integration. Plastilina Mosh's 'Human Disco Ball' (2000) wins with 210 million points, followed closely by ROBB's 'Goldmind' (2016) featuring actual ranked pinball players. The article celebrates pinball's appearance in pop culture while critiquing execution, from Yello's 1981 video's destruction of a Williams Hayburners II machine (disqualifying them) to Barenaked Ladies' minimalist but lyrically authentic 2015 tribute.

Key Claims

Blackstreet's 'Girlfriend/Boyfriend' (1999) cost 3x as much as Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and is tied for the 29th most expensive music video of all time
high confidence · Kineticist article states this as presented fact, comparing production budgets
ROBB connected with Gábor Varga from Pinball Sports Club Austria and featured actual pinball players including ranked Markus Stix and Roland Schwarz
high confidence · Kineticist describes ROBB's research-driven approach to their 'Goldmind' video
The Yello 'Pinball Cha Cha' video features a 1968 Hayburners II pinball machine by Williams, which was the first to use 3" flippers
high confidence · Kineticist identifies the specific machine and its historical significance
Yello's video shows the glass of the Hayburners II machine being shattered during filming
high confidence · Kineticist explicitly criticizes this: 'Here's where things take a turn for the worst: the machine's glass is shattered!'
Barenaked Ladies band member Ed Robertson is a devout pinball fanatic who owns Star Trek and The Walking Dead pinball machines
high confidence · Kineticist describes Robertson's collection featured in the 'Silverball' video and notes his deep pinball passion
Barenaked Ladies' 'Silverball' includes lyrics referencing Stern's The Lord of the Rings pinball machine: 'there and back again/I destroyed the ring on the attack again'
high confidence · Kineticist quotes these specific lyrics and confirms the LOTR machine reference
The 2 Unlimited 'No Limit' video features actual pinball scenes from Ten Stars, a Zaccaria machine produced in 1976
high confidence · Kineticist identifies the specific machine and year in the video analysis
The Who's 'Pinball Wizard' does not have a proper pinball-centric music video
high confidence · Kineticist honorable mention section explicitly states: 'THE pinball song doesn't have a proper pinball-centric music video'

Notable Quotes

“Here's where things take a turn for the worst: the machine's glass is shattered! They ruined a machine!”
Kineticist @ Yello section — Expresses shock at destruction of a valuable Williams Hayburners II pinball machine during video production, leading to disqualification
“This music video was surprisingly cute and charming, making it a dark horse contender to become grand champion.”
Kineticist @ Plastilina Mosh section — Highlights the emotional resonance of 'Human Disco Ball' and its ultimate victory in the ranking
“If there were a Video Music Award for Most Research, they would surely win.”
Kineticist @ ROBB section — Praises ROBB's commitment to authenticity by consulting pinball experts and featuring actual ranked players
“There are way too few musical odes to pinball, and this song really shows Robertson's love of the game.”
Kineticist @ Barenaked Ladies section — Recognizes the rarity and cultural significance of pinball-themed music
“By far the most experimental of the bunch, this music video combines live-action segments, miniature sets, and stop-motion animation.”
Kineticist @ Yello section — Describes Yello's unique approach to the music video format despite its flaws
“And this song was made for the soundtrack of Burt Reynolds' 'Cannonball Run II.' Somewhere, an old lady in a pop culture retirement home just yelled 'bingo!'”
Kineticist @ Menudo section — Uses humor to contextualize the obscure pop culture reference behind Menudo's video
“Regardless, this is by far the best song on this entire list, and one of the most quintessential dance tracks from the 1990s.”
Kineticist @ 2 Unlimited section — Acknowledges musical quality as a significant factor in the overall ranking despite video production weaknesses
“What the video lacks in style, the song makes up for in lyrics and storytelling.”

Entities

Megan Thee StallionpersonRMpersonWarren FupersonCarl JonespersonJoseph KahnpersonJanet JacksonpersonROBBpersonGábor VargapersonMarkus StixpersonRoland SchwarzpersonDieter Mieterperson

Signals

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content_signal: Kineticist publishes comprehensive ranking of pinball-themed music videos spanning 1981-2024, indicating ongoing media interest in pinball's cultural presence
high · Article covers eight major music videos with detailed analysis and scoring system
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community_signal: Enthusiastic documentation of pinball's appearance in mainstream pop culture, celebrating fan-made and artist-created content
high · Kineticist notes 'there are way too few musical odes to pinball' and praises authentic depictions in videos
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sentiment_shift: Recognition that pinball remains culturally relevant enough to attract major music artists and high-budget production (Blackstreet's $15M+ video)
medium · Megan Thee Stallion (2024), Blackstreet (1999), and other major artists have invested in pinball-themed content
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collector_signal: Implicit critique of Yello's destruction of a historically significant Williams Hayburners II (1968) machine, highlighting collector community values around preservation
high · Kineticist's strong reaction: 'They ruined a machine!' and reference to Hayburners II's historical significance as first 3" flipper machine
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community_signal: ROBB's approach of consulting Pinball Sports Club Austria and featuring actual ranked players suggests growing mainstream interest in authentic pinball representation
high · ROBB video features ranked players Markus Stix and Roland Schwarz in competitive pinball tournament setting

Topics

Pinball representation in pop culture and music videosprimaryMusic video production quality and creative directionprimaryAuthenticity and accuracy in depicting pinball cultureprimarySpecific pinball machines and their appearances in mediasecondaryMusic video budgets and production costssecondaryPinball players and competitive community involvementsecondaryArcade culture and gaming in entertainmentmentionedHistorical evolution of music video technology and animationmentioned

Sentiment

positive(0.78)— Kineticist celebrates pinball's presence in pop culture with enthusiastic, humorous tone. Generally appreciative of creative efforts, though critical of specific failures (Yello's machine destruction, lack of proper The Who video). Winners and high-scorers receive genuine praise for authenticity and emotional resonance. The disqualification of Yello is the primary negative moment.

Transcript

web_scrape · $0.000

Insert your quarters and let’s rank these suckers. Ready to play? We’ve compiled a list of music videos that heavily feature pinball and are pitting them against each other. Not everyone can make the final leaderboard, and there can only be one grand champion. I hope you’re a Whose Line is it Anyway fan, because much like that show, the points don’t matter. Each video gets the full arcade treatment: a review, a verdict, and a bonus tally. At the end, we'll plug in the scores and see who lands on the leaderboard. And yes, every contender gets to enter their initials. Megan Thee Stallion - “Neva Play (featuring RM)” (2024) Directors: Warren Fu (Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More”) & Carl Jones (The Boondocks) Rapper Megan Thee Stallion embraces her inner gamer in the music video for “Neva Play.” Set in an arcade, Megan saddles up to a pinball machine appropriately titled Neva Play and starts counting as she hits the corresponding bumpers. The stylish video combines live-action and anime elements, while also including a verse from RM, the leader of the K-pop supergroup BTS. Did you have your money on Megan Thee Stallion bent over a pinball machine, twerking on bumpers, and defeating anime bad guys with butterflies from her booty? If so, you win! Don’t know what the game Stallion Joust is next to the Neva Play pinball machine, but if it’s a sequel video with her riding ostriches from the classic arcade game, we are HERE FOR IT. Time to hit the bonus screen. Here's how Megan scored: Bonus Count - 3x Stallion Style Bonus - 1x BTS Bonus - 6x Butterfly Booty Bonus Score: 199,690,000 ENTER INITIALS: ASS Blackstreet - “Girlfriend/Boyfriend (featuring Janet Jackson)” (1999) Director: Joseph Kahn (Janet Jackson’s “Doesn’t Really Matter,” Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood) The “No Diggity” singers must have gotten carte blanche for this video. As of this writing, it’s tied for the 29th most expensive music video of all time, ahead of more well-known videos “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin, “Stronger” by Kanye West, “Toxic” by Britney Spears, and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” THRILLER. That’s right—Blackstreet pinball cost 3x as much as what is arguably the most influential music video ever. It pushed the envelope at the time, heavily relying on CG… though the results now look closer to a boxy early Pixar short. A moving Janet Jackson on the playfield is not something I knew I needed, but hello. Along with the Blackstreet members popping up on various parts throughout the game, we get cameos by Ja Rule and Eve getting their TRON on, riding futuristic motorcycles. While time forgives all, no one can forgive what they did to Eve. While the graphics are largely dated, I remember it being impressive and cool at the time. It largely takes place within a pinball machine and has plenty of motion, action, and never feels stale. This music video also gets props for creating a game that would be a blast to play in real life. Bonus Count - 2x CG Attempt Bonus - 1x Rhythm Nation Bonus - 7x Multiplayer Bonus Score: 199,900,000 ENTER INITIALS: BLK ROBB - “Goldmind” (2016) Director: Unknown (Is it you? Please let us know!) The Austrian band ROBB makes a big statement with their pinball-centric music video for “Goldmind.” The group even connected with Gábor Varga from Pinball Sports Club Austria to learn more about pinball. If there were a Video Music Award for Most Research, they would surely win. For this video, ROBB featured actual pinball players including the ranked Markus Stix and Roland Schwarz. The story follows the two facing off in a pinball tournament. The winner? To quote Highlander, “There can only be one…” In this video we saw Xenon, Judge Dredd, High-Speed, Royal Rumble, Space Invaders, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, World Cup, Black Hole, The Addams Family…the list goes on and on. This is a Murderers' Row of pinball machines. From using actual players to capturing the feel of a pinball hall, this video has a lot going for it. Not gonna lie, this is gonna be a hard one to top. Bonus Count - 4x Research Bonus - 2x Casting Call Bonus - 5x Game Selection Bonus Score: 209,600,000 ENTER INITIALS: ROB Yello - “Pinball Cha Cha” (1981) Director: Dieter Mieter (Lead singer & director of many Yello music videos) We didn’t say these were all normal videos… The Swiss electronic band Yello is best known to us all as the guys behind “Oh Yeah,” the deep-voiced track that is an essential part of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. (“Bomp, bomp…chicka-chickaaa”). This quirky video takes place in a stop-motion pinball bar named… wait for it… Pinball Bar. This music video is very ’80s. The song is… it’s a song, I suppose. If you understand all of the lyrics, you have better ears than I. By far the most experimental of the bunch, this music video combines live-action segments, miniature sets, and stop-motion animation. The singer in the video plays a 1968 Hayburners II pinball machine by Williams, which was the first to use 3” flippers. Here’s where things take a turn for the worst: the machine’s glass is shattered! They ruined a machine! LOOK WHAT THEY DID TO OUR BOY! And that’s why you never break the glass. Playing pinball in a music video: Good! Ruining the pinball machine: Nein! (That’s “no” German, one of the main languages in Yello’s home country of Switzerland.) They get a big ol’ Annie Lennox penalty, so-called because this video is “Walking on Broken Glass.” Yello tries to save the day with some stop-motion dancing by several Wimpys from Popeye. This works the first time. It does not work the many, many times they revisit this. Bonus Count - 3x Stop-Motion Wimpy Bonus - 2x Mixed Media Bonus - -500,000 Annie Lennox Penalty Score: DISQUALIFIED ENTER INITIALS: Sorry, you lose. Menudo - “Like A Cannonball” (1984) Director: Unknown (If anyone finds out who it is, please let us know!) Didn’t expect to see Ricky Martin on this list? Us either. But here we are, livin’ la vida loca. The singer, only known to Gen Z as “Who’s That Guy in the Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show,” was originally part of a boy band named Menudo. And guess what: they had a pinball music video. And this song was made for the soundtrack of Burt Reynolds’ “Cannonball Run II.” Somewhere, an old lady in a pop culture retirement home just yelled “bingo!” When his pals go off to have fun and be young social types, singer Robby Rosa heads to a dusty attic (why is it dusty? Has no one played this pinball machine since that Alan Parrish kid got sucked into Jumanji?) to play a Fun-Fest pinball machine by Williams. The girl of his dreams appears on the backbox, right before she’s kidnapped by an unseen figure. Robby then passes out for…reasons, and wakes up inside the game. It’s actually a pretty cool set. Then there is an Arabian-inspired wrestling match? And then pinball again, and his bandmates are there? Then they all get Flash Gordon-style blonde hair? And the Alice Cooper-esque bad guy chases them? And then is easily defeated? Then Robby gets a concussion and starts seeing a shrink? Then his dream girl is actually the nurse? The story is all over the place on this one. But hey, it does end with the best final shot/implied boner: Bonus Count - 3x Set Design Bonus - 2x Life-Sized Bumper Bonus - 1x William Hung Exists Bonus Score: 177,000,000 ENTER INITIALS: MEN Plastilina Mosh - Human Disco Ball (2000) Director: Jose Fernandez Eimbcke (Lake Tahoe, Club Sandwich) The Mexican electronic group Plastilina Mosh are no strangers to gaming, having appeared on the soundtracks for Street Sk8er, True Crime: Streets of L.A., and the 2007 and 2009 editions of FIFA. Gotta love a music video that features the The Lost World: Jurassic Park arcade game, plus a re-skinned Bride of Pinbot machine. Unfortunately, the greedy arcade owner decides the machine’s not making enough money and sends the Human Disco Ball to the killing floor! This music video perfectly captures the attachment a player can get to their favorite pinball machine: they daydream about it, draw it, and even get a tattoo of it. The devoted machine takes the long journey back to its favorite player, braving traffic and confused motorists. It even embraces its inner Red Dead Redemption and camps out for the night. Finally, the two are reunited, and the gaming continues. This music video was surprisingly cute and charming, making it a dark horse contender to become grand champion. Bonus Count - 2x Spielberg Sequel Bonus - 5x Cinematography Bonus - 8x Corazón Bonus Score: 210,000,000 ENTER INITIALS: PLA Barenaked Ladies - “Silverball” (2015) Director: Kevin Hearn (Hey, he’s in the band!) Not only do the Barenaked Ladies like vanilla (it’s the finest of the flavors), they like pinball! They even named their 11th album after the best game in the world. Ed Ed Robertson, a devout pinball fanatic, basically shows off his collection in this music video. With a collection including Star Trek and The Walking Dead machines, he’s got a lot to brag about. The minimalist set is likely his game room, and he and his bandmates just play their instruments at the camera or play pinball. That’s pretty much it. What the video lacks in style, the song makes up for in lyrics and storytelling. There are way too few musical odes to pinball, and this song really shows Ed Robertson’s love of the game. Props to the band for including the lyrics “there and back again/I destroyed the ring on the attack again,” referencing Stern’s The Lord of the Rings pinball machine, this author’s most-played machine (we have it at my day job). Again, the song is a loving ode to pinball. Unfortunately, the video misses a lot of bonus points opportunities by being pretty minimalist and focused more on band members than a compelling story, engaging visuals, or actual pinball gameplay. Bonus Count - 9x There And Back Again Bonus - 1x One Week Bonus - 1x Budget Bonus Score: 141,000,000 ENTER INITIALS: BNL 2 Unlimited - “No Limit” (1993) Can this set be replicated nationwide? Like, can you imagine having your 6th birthday on that set? Jumping off the bumpers? And at night, repurpose the set for laser tag for them rowdy teens! Actual pinball scenes in this video are from Ten Stars, produced by Zaccaria in 1976. There’s a few blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments where we see that the player has only scored in the 2 million range. Gotta get those numbers up, pal! Things this music video likes: - Leather - Dancing - Dancing without leaving your mark For all the style in this video, the singers actually barely move from where they stand. It’s an odd choice, and they try to cut around that and offset it with camera movement, but it’s still very noticeable. Regardless, this is by far the best song on this entire list, and one of the most quintessential dance tracks from the 1990s. That goes a long way. Bonus Count - 2x Singing in Playfield Bonus - 1x Sweaty Rapper Bonus - 9x Now That’s What I Call ‘90s Bonus Score: 186,000,000 ENTER INITIALS: LMT Honorable Mention: The Who - “Pinball Wizard” THE pinball song doesn’t have a proper pinball-centric music video. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t count (For this article. In general, it rocks and is very fun to play on guitar.) But hey, as a bonus, here’s this ridiculous commercial from our friends across the pond: GAME OVER Let’s take a look at our leaderboard… - GRAND CHAMPION: PLA 210,000,000 - 2ND PLACE: ROB 209,600,000 - 3RD PLACE: BLK 199,900,000 - 4TH PLACE: ASS 199,690,000 - 5TH PLACE: LMT 186,000,000 - DID NOT PLACE: BNL, MEN - DISQUALIFIED: YLO Thank you all for playing. Here’s hoping more music videos incorporate pinball so we can update this list more often.