Fatboy Slim is people's video of choice

A bizarre video featuring a showstopping dance by Hollywood actor Christopher Walken has been named the greatest ever made.

Fatboy Slim's Weapon Of Choice featuring Walken's fancy footwork topped a poll of music industry experts for the British version of music channel VH1.

The DJ, aka Norman Cook, also makes the top-20 with his video for Praise You from the same director, Spike Jonze, who also lands the runner-up slot for his promo for the Beastie Boys' Sabotage, which has the band in a '70s-style cop romp.

Michael Jackson's Thriller, usually acknowledged as a pioneering classic turning the video into a mini-movie packed with big-budget effects, makes it to number six.

It is beaten by several British acts, with Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai, featuring Jay Kay dancing on a moving floor, at number three.

Blur's Coffee & TV, with its walking milk carton, is at number four, while Radiohead's Street Spirit comes in one place below.

Cook said of his accolade: "This is the biggest award I've ever received, really it is. But I want to dedicate this to Spike Jonze and Christopher Walken because I was at home making a baby at the time they made the video."

Jonze, 32, drew huge respect for his quirky videos and made the equally oddball movie Being John Malkovich with John Cusack. The film landed him an Oscar nomination in 1999, but he was beaten by Sam Mendes' American Beauty.

A poll among VH1 viewers found the fans opted for more traditional fare, giving Thriller the top spot, with Madonna's Like a Prayer in second position.

However, both can be comforted by knowing their videos were worthy of numerous mentions.

Madonna had the highest number of entries, with seven in the top 100, while Jackson managed six.

VH1's vice president of programming and production, Christine Boar, said: "Our chart verifies the fact the music video industry has finally progressed from Thriller.

"That was ground-breaking for its time, but the industry now prefer ingenuity to big-budget extravaganzas.

"It just goes to show artists don't necessarily have to star in their own videos to make them a success."

The votes came from musicians, videomakers and music industry workers.

The top 20

1 Fatboy Slim Weapon Of Choice

2 Beastie Boys Sabotage

3 Jamiroquai Virtual Insanity

4 Blur Coffee & TV

5 Radiohead Street Spirit

6 Michael Jackson Thriller

7 Bjork It's Oh So Quiet

8 Madonna Vogue

9 Robbie Williams She's The One

10 Peter Gabriel Sledgehammer

11 Chemical Brothers Let Forever Be

12 Michael and Janet Jackson Scream

13 Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit

14 Massive Attack Teardrop

15 REM Everybody Hurts

16 Fatboy Slim Praise You

17 Queen Bohemian Rhapsody

18 Madonna Justify My Love

19 Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication

20 A-Ha Take On Me

- INDEPENDENT