The 10 Best Music Videos Featuring Puppets

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On Saturday, the world celebrated the birthday of the late master of puppets and all-around creative genius Jim Henson.

Henson modernized the age-old art of puppetry by using foam rubber to coat the puppets' limbs. Previously, most TV puppets were made of carved wood. But Henson believed that foam rubber and cloth brought more life to the puppets' movements.

Turns out he was right: Henson's puppet characters took over children's TV, making an indelible impact on millions of kids worldwide.

Puppets as a whole, however, are a difficult concept to pull off. In the hands of a lesser puppeteer, the lovable characters can look old-fashioned or, worse, creepy. Which is why they work so well for music videos.

In honor of Henson, we've collected our 10 favorite music videos featuring puppets, which showcase the myriad of effects that one can attain when utilizing this curious, quaint, yet still often-utilized medium.

Click on the jump for the puppety goodness.


By the time Weezer got around to releasing 2002's Maladroit, the band was in full-on post-hiatus mode, having already returned to the spotlight after a five-year absence with 2001's Green Album. A little help from the Muppets helped keep them there, with Animal sitting in for a kidnapped-by-Miss-Piggy Pat Wilson on the kit.


Not since Team America have we seen puppets do the nasty with such aplomb as in this video. Extra points go to the voyeuristic barn animals, who creep on the prurient puppets with video cameras in hand.


Brighton Port Authority is the current working moniker for British DJ Norman Cook, best known as Fatboy Slim. (He's been performing as BPA since 2008.) This track features Iggy Pop on vocals, and the video features an Iggy Pop puppet, complete with that trademark Cryptkeeper face and wiry limbs.