Songs in Commercials

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

I'm sorry, but "indie" bands have many more radio/media outlet options today than they did in pre-Nirvana classic rock/hair metal 1985. Can't really buy your argument Your talking about five years ago, I'm talking about 20 years ago.
 
 
 

Originally posted by Arlette:
   

Originally posted by Xavier Bush, Power Forward:
  When I first started listening to "indie" music in the mid-80's, the idea of selling your song to a corporate entity for use in a commercial was completely frowned upon, and seen as an instant loss in cred, both among bands and fans. Why has the cliamte changed so much?
 
 

A couple of things about the business that may make it more attractive (necessary?) for bands to give/sell their songs to commercials:
 
 1.  Radio has gotten more restrictive in the past few years.  A lot more restrictive than even 5 years ago because of stations who used to play rock formats switching to urban or other formats.  Plus, with the almost near monopolization of Clear Channel, playlists are so much more formatted than they used to be.  It's incredibly rare for a band to break out on radio unless Clear Channel adds their song.
 
 2.  ....And with the new payola scandals, it's clear that Clear Channel and other stations won't really break a new band unless the label (must be major who has deep pockets) is willing to pay for play.  
 
 Bands who are smart and don't take big advances from labels can't get radio play so are resorting to other means, i.e. commercials, to get exposure.  I also think the success of Moby's album, when he sold a bunch of songs to commercials and didn't get hardly any radio airplay, but still had a huge hit album, made bands realize they had to be more willing to do so if they wanted to get to the next level.  
 
 The funniest thing about this thread is that a lot of people can't remember the products being advertised but are remembering the music.  If I were in a band, that'd be fine with me. [/b]

[bikerchickdc]

I love the Boston Market commercial featuring the Reverend Horton Heat.

aye aye aye!!!

[Bombay Chutney]

Originally posted by Xavier Bush, Power Forward:
  I'm sorry, but "indie" bands have many more radio/media outlet options today than they did in pre-Nirvana classic rock/hair metal 1985. Can't really buy your argument Your talking about five years ago, I'm talking about 20 years ago.
 

Nowadays commercials are just seen as another one of those media outlets.  It's no different than putting your song on a tv show or movie soundtrack.  It's about getting your song out there any way you can.  
 
 It's one thing to bemoan a band like The Stones or The Who for doing it.  They don't need the money or exposure.  For indie bands it's a chance at exposing your music to millions of people.  For a band travelling around in a van and sleeping on people's floors, it's a pretty attractive offer.
 
 And as for 20 years ago, it was very easy for the indie crowd to say "I'm not selling out to the man", when the man wasn't asking for your songs in the first place.

[definitivedoodle]

civic using MIAs song,
 
 some hair product using a Transplants song,
 
 and every moby, fat boy slim song  pimping everything

[ggw]

Originally posted by Xavier Bush, Power Forward:
  When I first started listening to "indie" music in the mid-80's, the idea of selling your song to a corporate entity for use in a commercial was completely frowned upon, and seen as an instant loss in cred, both among bands and fans.

<img src="http://www.duffgardens.net/img/char/abej.gif" alt=" - " />

[kosmo vinyl]

Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
 
 
 And as for 20 years ago, it was very easy for the indie crowd to say "I'm not selling out to the man", when the man wasn't asking for your songs in the first place.

This had crossed my mind and if they were approached it was probably for less money than being offered today.  Plus  the indie scene of 20 years wasn't nearly as large as it today.  And there were less tv shows out looking for music to be licensed.   So today's indie rockers probably needs managers, publicists, booking agens, etc all of which require paying, in order to get established in the crowded field.  Bands stay indie in order to reap more from smaller record sales.  But even that a touring money isn't likely to cover all expenses...

[jude376]

And there's a commercial for Jaguar featuring Aqueduct's Hardcore Days & Softcore Nights!?!

[you be betty]

mm, yeah, i definitely saw the grandaddy one + freaked.  that is unmistakably grandaddy; but i didn't know the name of the song.  i thought it could possibly be something off one of their upcoming new releases?
 
 
 the postal service are also being used in some other like, car commercial or something now.  i can't remember exactly which song they are using but i am PRETTY sure it's We Will Become Sillhouettes.  they are being pimped all over the place now.
 
 
 and i also could have sworn i heard one of the new ok go songs on a K Mart commercial or something...

[jude376]

Kaiser Permanente uses The Postal Service for one of their commercials - but I think it's Such Great Heights (yet again).

[pip]

I saw an ad a couple of days ago for Kellog's Nutrigrain bars that featured dancing fruit with Kasabian's "Reason Is Treason" as the music. I seriously thought I had hallucinated it, but then I saw the same ad again a couple of hours later.

[Random Citizen]

Jeff Tweedy's Sons Shilling for Quaker Oats
 
 Commercial

[ggw]

Originally posted by Random Citizen:
  Jeff Tweedy's Sons Shilling for Quaker Oats
 
 Commercial

His favorite flavor is Apples & Vicodin.

[Jaguär]

Personally, I've never, ever been against any band allowing their music to be used in commercials. Besides being a business, if I have to put up with commercials, than I want to hear some good music with them.
 
 The ones that are really pissing me off though are those created by what must be the most unevolved Ad creatures on the planet! Those commercials that keep using the very same way overly worn out Rock classics from decades ago, especially crap like Bob Seeger. There's a ton of music out there, even if you want to limit it to old songs they think will appeal to aging Baby Boomers. Pick something else for crying out loud!

[grateful]

We may have a new winner, with "We Quilt This City"