With Easter Sunday one sleep away (albeit being rather late this year due to a complicated calculation method involving the March Equinox), children whose families celebrate the holiday are in full gear as they scour the gardens for hidden Easter eggs.

But besides being associated with the holidays and stuffing one’s face full of chocolates, Easter eggs for adults take on a different meaning. In the music or movie industry, they refer to hidden clues, cleverly disguised to be recognized or deciphered by only the most well-informed. Blink, and you will miss it. It also applies to video games, but they are very different as the Easter eggs are unlocked upon achieving a level.

As for music videos, they are represented by different elements, such as a secret message or even a joke that makes a lot of difference. The team behind these music videos get to be as creative as they want, having a field trip including these Easter eggs without having to tell the world about it. But  when the viewers find them, it almost feels like winning the lottery! There’s certainly no denying the satisfaction we get with each discovery of a highly coveted music video Easter egg.

Best of all, Easter eggs can exist in various elements, from numbers to a homage to pop culture, and beyond your wildest imagination. Here are some of the most exciting Easter eggs in music videos that you may have missed. Also, never underestimate the internet fanbase that contributed to our findings as well!

Michael Jackson “Liberian Girl” (1987)

As the irreplaceable King of Pop, Michael Jackson was known to deliver some of the most exciting and iconic music videos ever. Taken off the 1987 Bad album, the video for “Liberian Girl” video featured many of his celebrity friends as cameos. Almost 40 of them showed up for the music video shoot, only to find out later that it was MJ himself who was filming them while they were waiting on set. These famous names include Steven Spielberg, John Travolta, Whoopi Goldberg, Quincy Jones, David Copperfield, Corey Feldman and more!

New Kids on the Block “Step by Step” (1990) 

One of the original boybands after The Beatles that had fans in a frenzy was New Kids on the Block. They were active for a good decade from 1984 onwards, and got active again in 2007 with new music and tours. Actor Mark Wahlberg made a cameo in their “Step by Step” video holding a basketball when his brother and member Donnie Wahlberg was on a bike surrounded by friends. Who would have even guessed that Marky Mark would become one of Hollywood’s leading actors today?

Fugees “Killing Me Softly” (1996)

This Fugees video for “Killing Me Softly” shows the trio going for a movie at the cinema and the movie features them on the screen as well. The movie they were watching is actually the original video that was filmed by Fugees before the final version as we know it. Basically, the music video is about the Fugees watching a video of themselves in the cinema. Inception much?

JoJo “Leave (Get Out)” (2004)

This Easter egg is one that requires a little bit of knowledge about the music production industry to recognise. When JoJo came into the music scene with her debut single, “Leave (Get Out)” in 2004 at the tender age of 13, she delivered star-quality vocals and presence that belied her age, making her the youngest solo artist to top the US Billboard Pop songs chart. Towards the end of the video in the bathroom, there is graffiti on the wall that says “I (heart) Erik”, which is a nod to the music video’s director, Erik White.

Fall Out Boy “A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More ‘Touch Me’” (2005)

This creepy video by American band Fall Out Boy, “A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More ‘Touch Me’” is an iconic one. This vampire-themed music video features cameos by Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith from Panic! At The Disco, Travie McCoy from Gym Class Heroes, as well as William Beckett from The Academy Is.  What a treat for fans of alternative rock and hip-hop!

Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé “Telephone” (2009)

This Lady Gaga and Beyoncé music video for “Telephone” is so iconic in its own way. Taken off Gaga’s The Fame Monster in 2009, there are a couple of Easter eggs that can be found in this vibrant video, from Beyoncé driving the Kill Bill truck to shooting at the diner from TV show NCIS. During the breaking news report scene, the words scrolling across the bottom of the screen are actually the lyrics of “Telephone”  in Swedish. Mind blown!

EXO “Ko Ko Bop” (2017)

There are many Easter eggs in K-Pop videos as well, and one of it is for “Ko Ko Bop” by EXO. In the music, they paid homage to their fans with ‘L-1485’ on the car license plate, which is the date when their fan club, EXO-L, was announced (5th August 2014). If you are an EXO-L, your sharp eyes would definitely have caught it. We think it is super sweet of the boys to show some love to their fans in this 2017 video.

Taylor Swift “Delicate” (2018)

Ever since the whole ‘Snake Day’ saga, Taylor Swift has proven that she can bounce back from adversity by making great music, and “Delicate” off her Reputation album is no exception. There are many track references plastered as graffiti on the walls in the “Delicate” video, but the more exciting part of this video is when she drops Easter eggs about her boyfriend, English actor Joe Alwyn. The singer included the sign for ‘Joe’s Deli’ along with the song name, track number and even lyrics. Coincidence? We don’t think so.

Ariana Grande “7 rings” (2019)

Remember when Ariana Grande was wearing bunny ears on the cover of her 2016 Dangerous Woman album cover? That era may be over, but Grande still pays homage to that in the “7 Rings” video when her four dancers donned the iconic bunny ears in the background as the singer channeled a modern Rapunzel vibe with her signature ponytail undulating down a set of stairs. Yup, nothing greater an Easter egg that looks back to moments of your own career.

Cover Image: KAL VISUALS / Unsplash

Writer | Kevin Yeoh

Kevin was the former editor and writer of various platforms who enjoys listening to '90's R&B to K-Pop music.