Music videos have seen their better days in being able to help a song get a foothold in the marketplace, with only a few recent examples of ones that can be directly attributed with a song’s success (“Single Ladies”, anyone?). In most cases, the videos just seem like an afterthought or a mandatory exercise in futility. That’s why when a video comes along that stands out, it really stands out. Here are two such videos…

– Randy Houser “Boots On” – It’s a country video, so you’ve been forewarned, but the 3 minutes to watch it is completely worthwhile. Pay close attention to Dillon Dixon, the kid in the backseat who is a born rock star.

-Ryan Star “Breathe” – Ryan has opened for the majority of David Cook’s tour this year, and it seems like he’s made a good number of fans in the process. In addition, he was a member of the group Stage, who were signed to Maverick Records in the early part of this decade. Here is his current video “Breathe” from his upcoming debut CD on Atlantic Records, which highlights the plight of actual jobless Americans, acting as a virtual want ad. To check out his efforts to get them jobs, go to breathe4jobs.com.