Alexander Skarsgård and Grant Knoche are giving us two very different reasons to pay attention this week. There are videos you watch for the music, and then there are videos where the music is almost beside the point because a very hot man has taken his clothes off.
First, Alexander Skarsgård turns up in The Rolling Stones’ “Mr. Charm,” looking like a six-foot-something manifestation of every gay man’s questionable desert fantasy. Then Grant Knoche gets STRIPPED—and when we say stripped, we mean he takes the concept considerably further than expected.
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Different generations. Different aesthetics. Same gift to the gays: men with fewer clothes than usual.
Alexander Skarsgård Has Entered His Shirtless Rock-Star Era
The Rolling Stones’ “Mr. Charm,” directed by Henry Scholfield and filmed in Palmdale, California, drops Alexander Skarsgård into a dusty desert world of motels, diners, heat and general sexual tension.
He arrives looking like trouble. Actually, scratch that. He arrives looking like trouble with excellent shoulders.
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Skarsgård plays the mysterious title character with the kind of effortless swagger that makes the whole “Mr. Charm” thing feel less like a nickname and more like an objective assessment.
There’s the jewelry. The tousled hair. The intense stare. The slow movements. And, naturally, there is the shirtless Skarsgård. At this point, the man doesn’t exactly need an introduction. He simply needs to stand somewhere with good lighting and let the internet do the rest.
The video leans heavily into his physical presence, turning him into a kind of wandering desert fantasy. He’s sweaty, cocky and completely comfortable taking up space on camera.
The Rolling Stones may have released a new song, but somewhere along the way the video became a public service announcement:
Alexander Skarsgård still looks extremely good without a shirt. Thank you for your continued commitment to the arts, gentlemen.
Grant Knoche Says “STRIPPED” and Actually Means It
Grant Knoche, meanwhile, has taken a somewhat more literal approach. The Los Angeles artist, producer and songwriter has released the video for “STRIPPED,” one of the standout tracks from his album GOOD LUCK GETTING OVER ME. And yes, he gets naked.
The video, directed by Knoche and Devin Dygert, puts Knoche’s body front and center as he gradually removes his clothes in a deliberately sensual performance. The visual draws on the intimate, stripped-down energy of D’Angelo-style music videos, but then takes a spectacularly weird turn.
Because once Knoche is naked, he starts removing his skin. Apparently being naked wasn’t vulnerable enough.
It’s sexy. It’s strange. It’s theatrical. And, crucially, it gives viewers plenty of time to appreciate exactly what the camera is appreciating. Knoche clearly understands the assignment.
The song was written by Knoche with Ryan Nealon and Jules Paymer, while Knoche produced and mixed the track. Jack Kennedy handled mastering, with Knoche and Dygert also taking on lighting duties for the video.
And because no modern thirst campaign is complete without social-media content, Knoche has also shared his mother’s reaction to seeing the video for the first time. We can only imagine the family group chat.
Two Very Different Kinds of Eye Candy
What’s particularly fun about putting these videos side by side is how differently they approach male sexuality.
Skarsgård is classic fantasy. He doesn’t have to explain himself. He walks into the room, looks hot, takes his shirt off and lets everyone else figure out what to do with that information.
Knoche is deliberate provocation. He’s younger, more playful and more interested in turning his body into part of the performance. The nudity isn’t merely decoration; it’s practically the central character.
But both understand an essential truth about pop culture: If you put a beautiful man in front of a camera and give him sufficiently flattering lighting, people are going to watch. Repeatedly. For research. Obviously.
The Gays Have Been Served
There’s something wonderfully uncomplicated about the appeal here. Sometimes you want symbolism. Sometimes you want visual storytelling.
And sometimes you want Alexander Skarsgård standing around shirtless looking like he could ruin your life, followed by Grant Knoche getting naked and shedding his skin like a deeply horny snake.
These are the moments that remind us that music videos can still be generous. Generous with the cinematography. Generous with the lighting. Generous with the abs.
And honestly, gentlemen, we’re listening.