Some play prominent characters on their own, others appear briefly without much fanfare. Yet, all provide a spectacular background for a slew of music videos that have received critical acclaim and even won awards. From Miami to Malibu, below are several lavish abodes that have served as the venues for hit songs by the likes of Drake, Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.
I’m On One, Drake
In 2011, Drake shot I’m On One in his then unfinished condominium in downtown Miami. A year later, he sold it to former Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers. The custom two-story unit reveals unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay and comes with a spacious game room, cutting-edge kitchen and a private foyer. Just last month, Chalmers sold the residence for $2.3 million, almost half the original asking price and some $100,000 less than what he bought it for from the Canadian rap sensation.
Best Song Ever, One Direction
The English-Irish pop boy band picked what is one of the most desirable venues in Miami Beach for the shoot of their “Best Song Ever” music video. The clip, though, does not do justice to the opulent mansion, known as The Temple House. Often hosting special occasions – from corporate get-togethers to weddings, the building is a prime Art Deco monument. Designed by L. Murray Dixon, the 16,400-square-foot house features 5 bedrooms, 23-foot vaulted ceilings and a private rooftop deck with mesmerizing views. In 2013, it received Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s most spectacular restoration of a residential property award. With a cavernous interior that can be easily reimagined to serve various purposes, the abode has appeared in a slew of feature movies, music clips as well as the Kardashians’ 2012 Christmas card.
Work B*ch, Britney Spears
Although barely recognizable in Spears’ dimly lit video, this Malibu mansion has appeared in over 20 movies, TV shows and music videos. Perhaps, its opulence comes through in a much stronger light in Gone in 60 Seconds and Beverly Hills 90210. Boasting limestone floors, a helipad and spectacular ocean views, the 7,000-square-foot residence made a $8.95-million foray onto the market four years ago. Only a year prior to the release of Spears’ tune, Kendrick Lamar rapped by the pool of the home for the shoot of The Recipe.
No Frauds, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne
Lat year's No Frauds was filmed in one of the ballrooms of the historic Hotel Alexandria in Los Angeles. The elegant building opened in the beginning of the 20th century in the then heart of the city. Today, however, it serves as a low-income residence, mired in frequent reports of crime. Its reputation did not discourage film crews, who have turned its unoccupied public spaces and exterior into the lavish backdrop for countless Hollywood flicks and music clips, including Pharrell Williams' Happy and Nick Joans' Chains.
Blank Space, Taylor Swift
Swift filmed the dreamy video of her hit song on the premises of the historic Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York. Built in the early 1900s as a vacation escapade for the financier and philanthropist Otto Hermann Kahn, the mansion has been redesigned as a 32-room hotel with a befitting slogan, “Europe in America.” Part of the National Register of Historic Places and the backdground for such acclaimed movies like Citizen Kane and The Emperor's Club, the Oheka Hotel is among the world’s most prestigious wedding and event destinations – or, at least, so does its website boasts.
