Commercialized Songs

So i was listening to Deadringer by RJD2 specifically the song Ghostwriter. It's a pretty catchy song, one of the better songs on the album but i just couldn't stop thinking about how Wells Fargo used it in this ad around 6 years ago. They ran the commercial a lot so i really can't unhear Wells Fargo in the song. It's kind of frustrating because i just want to hear the song without that corporate influence. Im a little annoyed RJD2 decided to sell the song for a commercial but i feel like if i were in his position i'd do the same.

Anyone else had a song sort or ruined by a commercial? Im positive i havent heard any IDM in ads but ya never know, could happen some day!

Ghostwriter:

One of my favorite albums The Transplants (by the transplants) had their track Diamonds and Guns used in a lo'real shampoo advert! Which seems so ridiculous I presume they did it for a laugh. Either way it ruined a top tune.

An Amon Tobin track was in a car commercial... Wasn't really bothered about it, just found it a strange choice.

well pink moon is the best example i can think of. didn't ruin the song, but i can't help but visualize some kids driving a cabrio under the moonlight when i hear the track, which is annoying. it's actually a good commercial though.

  On 5/12/2013 at 2:10 PM, milorad said:

An Amon Tobin track was in a car commercial... Wasn't really bothered about it, just found it a strange choice.

Four Ton Mantis, yeah. It was an odd fit.

  On 5/12/2013 at 5:49 PM, zaphod said:

well pink moon is the best example i can think of. didn't ruin the song, but i can't help but visualize some kids driving a cabrio under the moonlight when i hear the track, which is annoying. it's actually a good commercial though.

I dont see how a commerical can be "good." I guess one could be good relative to another but i see them as all bad

  On 5/12/2013 at 7:11 PM, Obel said:

 

  On 5/12/2013 at 2:10 PM, milorad said:

An Amon Tobin track was in a car commercial... Wasn't really bothered about it, just found it a strange choice.

 

Four Ton Mantis, yeah. It was an odd fit.

 

as was sordid. I was wtf? when i heard it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTRkpnzw_XU

I'm pretty lenient regarding the issue, I've actually been pretty a-ok with artists, especially electronic ones, having music used it aesthetically good commercials for things like cars and things like that (or in the case of M83, ladies underwear). Especially now I'm pretty forgiving since most companies will literally plagiarize music by commissioning copycat artists to make "new" songs just different enough to avoid legal trouble...and avoid paying the original artists to begin with. Artists approached for licensing are pretty much fucked if they don't go for the offer - for example:

Black Keys:

Beach House:

http://youtu.be/oeKuFs0KxO8

More here: http://www.thestrut.com/2012/05/24/see-7-commercials-that-rip-off-indie-artists/

I do have two exceptions, and again when these things happen I don't swear the artists as sell-outs but I'm far more skeptical of their artistic integrity. The first is when the artist alters or allows the altering of their song so it becomes a jingle. The most ridiculous one I can think of was the Of Montreal commercial. They caught a lot of flak (in fact, some fans showed up with "Outback" signs at shows that year) but they stood by the decision. They used the money to tour, so I can't hate them, but it was still pretty borderline.

These commercial tie-ins with "artistry" are a bit iffy too:

^Scion and Red Bull Academy of course do huge promotional campaigns for great music, some here have criticized it but I know I've participated in either going to those shows or watching RBMA videos quite often. It's a slippery slope when it comes to endorsing this as a fan or an involved artist. The SXSW music conference for example has become a huge clusterfuck of shameless promotions and corporate product placement that is noticeably attracting more and more superficial attendees.

The most gray area example I can think of is Sir Mix-A-Lot who has licensed and re-recorded "Baby Got Back" multiple times for commercials. It seems pretty shameless but he mentioned in a RBMA interview (nice segue-way amirite?) that he doesn't own his own song because of the contract he had with his record label when he recorded it. However, he's managed to make up for his lost payments and continue to make money off the song (he's studio producer now) by exploiting a part of the contract that allows him, the author, to "re-record" the song for commercial jingles, which is why he's gladly released this:

Saw them perform in Hyde Park and when they finished on this song (I think) all I could think of was British Gas, those fucking cunts.

Embedding disabled I think, anyway Blur - The Universal.

holy fucking lol

^DAT MIDI @ 0:06 HOLY LOL

I'm trying to find these hilariously bad Lowe's advertising jingles that ape all those "indie" "folk" bands everyone loves I heard on Spotify a couple weeks ago. All I can find online are complaints mostly on Lowe's FB page, from like May 19th-May 22nd. The feedback appears to be so bad that I bet Lowe's took kidnapped everyone involved in making them, loaded them into a unmarked plane, and threw them all out into the South Atlantic ocean.

  On 5/31/2013 at 12:31 AM, Salvatorin said:

holy fucking lol

urruugghggghghhg I love Two Weeks as well. I hate it when adverts hire someone to make a vaguely similar version. Gross.

washed out's feel it all around for portlandia. after about 3 episodes, i got tired of that song (and the artist)

also, in this movie they keep sneaking in pieces of boc then play this as the end credits (really bad movie btw)

I just find this hilarious

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RN3ZJVYwPQ

Hahahaha!