1986 Rock Classic, Named the 'Most Played Video in MTV History,' Became a Timeless Anthem
In 1986, Peter Gabriel released a song that would become one of the most defining songs of the decade and go on to become a timeless anthem.
"Sledgehammer" is known for its cheeky, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and upbeat tempo that is heavily influenced by 1960s soul music. A corresponding music video was released in support of the single, breaking records and remaining the most-played music video in MTV history, as confirmed by Far Out Magazine.
The video, directed by Stephen R. Johnson, combines claymation with stop-motion animation and features Gabriel performing the song with disjointed movements while clay versions of household objects and imagery taken from the lyrics circle him. Created alongside animator Nick Park, who later created British claymation favorites such as Wallace & Gromitand Chicken Run, one of the video's most memorable moments includes a pair of dancing chickens, which famously rotted during filming.
To achieve the video's stop-motion effect, Gabriel spent 16 hours lying under a sheet of glass while singing the lyrics frame-by-frame.
"It took a lot of hard work," the singer recalled, per American Songwriter. "I was thinking at the time, ‘If anyone wants to try and copy this video, good luck to them.'"
The long work hours paid off, as the video went on to win a whopping nine awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year.
"Sledgehammer" also dominated the charts upon its initial release, famously knocking "Invisible Touch" by Genesis - the rocker's former band - off the No. 1 slot on the Billboard Hot 100. In the U.K., the track peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.
"I read recently that Peter Gabriel knocked us off the No 1 spot with ‘Sledgehammer," Gabriel's former bandmate, drummerPhil Collins, recalled at the time, perFar Out. "We weren't aware of that at the time. If we had been, we'd probably have sent him a telegram saying: ‘Congratulations – bastard.' "
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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 11:06 AM.