Artists Selling Their Music for Commercials

[no yu begin wher i end]

A few weeks ago, Alice Cooper said that rock musicians who speak about politics are traitors to rock n'roll, but he often appears in commercials and lets his songs be used in them. I think that if he were a small, indie artist that no one's ever heard of and is struggling to get by, then he should be able to sell his music if it will help pay the rent on the apartment for the next few months.

 

I don't think, however, that a succesful artist like Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen should be selling themselves and their music to large corporations because they don't need the money and it reduces them to jingle writers, and I think it makes them look greedy and trivializes the music. What do you think? Is selling songs for corporate commercial purposes anathema to rock?

[miscellaneous]

It's not a bad thing in itself, but I think if the artist wants to maintian, integrity, they won't sell themselves like that.

 

Then again, Moby sold every song on an album for commercials, and he still gets my respect.

[Lauren]

i dislike them using the led zeppelin song foe that car. grr.

[juanpe]

in Spain there is a commercial for a car (Volkswagen Polo) in which they use a version of "Bizarre love triangle" from New Order and it sounds pretty good (it is a girl singing, dont know who she is)

[eeleye]

Ugh. There is this bed commercial that has a girl singing Unforgettable. It butcher Sinatras song.

[no yu begin wher i end]

It reduces the musician to a jingle writer. Jingle, coincidentially, is the sound of coins in ones pocket.

[juanpe]

i have just one question: a musician is not a writer? for me he/she is... he/she composes music AND writes the lyrics... those lyrics are - in most of the cases, if the author gives the same load to music and words - like poems... what's the problem that those lyrics, that music, that art is used for TV commercials?

 

If i was a musician, i would be very proud to see my music and my words in a commercial on TV which is gonna be seen by lots of people...

 

I don't think that the use of one's music and words in a commercial is a kinda "degradation" or something like that

[pearanoid]

People too often accuse artists of "selling out": everything from commercials to a TV appearance on an awards show to signing with a major lablel or selling a lot of albums.

 

I'm not sure who created this idea that all bands can only keep integrity by making their own albums in their friend's basement and playing small clubs. Some bands stick to this, fine, but most people are in a band because they love it and it's what they want to do for a living.

 

Not many people can support themselves making a few bucks playing at a club and trying to pay their own way. An artist needs to make money to be able to keep doing what they love. So let's face it, commercials pay a lot of money for a song and it can probably help support an artist for a long time.

 

Most bands don't last forever because the popular music scene is constantly changing so how can we fault someone for having the foresight to make money now while they still have all these opportunies?

[miscellaneous]

Jack White, of the White Stripes alledgedly turned down $1 Million to do a Gap commecial. And I respect him immensly for that.

[Lauren]

as do i.

i wouldn't want to become famous due to my band being on a commercial.. and if i was famous, i would feel like crap trying to get more money..

some grounps it to 'stay fresh'.

i say ugh to that.

[juanpe]

I agree with you, Ryan, and your point of view... very clearly explained

[Crusader]

Anyone recall Sting's desert rose? He sold it to Jaguar I believe and it sold lots of albums.

[juanpe]

Many artists get a bit more famous when one of their songs is used in a commercial... and i dont see anything wrong in that

[miscellaneous]

I saw "Come together" on a Ford commercial, once.

Sacrelidge! Blashphemy!

[no yu begin wher i end]

Many artists get a bit more famous when one of their songs is used in a commercial... and i dont see anything wrong in that

Obviously, in my first post, I said that if a song in a commercial would help, say, pay the rent for another 6 months, then a commercial would definitly help. But how much more money or fame does Nelly or Alice Cooper need? Maybe a lesserknown group like Actionslacks or Apples In Stereo could use the money a bit more than multi-millionaires.

And if Missy Elliot can't pay the bills 5 years from now, then maybe she should sell one of her Lamborghinis.

 

Other than that, I can kinda see where you're coming from on this.

[juanpe]

for some bands, those who are starting (for example), the fact that one of their songs appears on a commercial on TV may mean some sorta "platform" for them to be heard by more people and be "considered" by the audience... there are many bands, many good musicians who havent had an opportunity to show their art to other people (due to marketing, for example, or many other reasons) and this appearance on TV may be a way to be known

[HoboFactory]

I think alot of it has to do with the product they're promoting as well. If it's a cheap product, then it only cheapens the artist. For example small parts of Rammstein's "Mein Herz Brennt" were feautured in a Mercedes-Benz commercial, none of the band members or their voices appear in it(you might've seen it, it's the one with the clouds flying around and fighting each other or something, while the dude drives around the desert). Something like that I think is tolerable, and subtle enough not to cheapen Rammstein's image. On the other hand you got whoever that rapper is from that lame-ass Gatorade commercial (he's standing on a platform rapping and doing all the rap gestures)...when you got such a cheap product and when you're so blatantly selling out by actually writing lyrics about the product.... I don't disapprove of it necessary, it's just incredibly stupid.

[Boond]

i think when you write lyrics for a product than you are selling out...but, whats wrong with using an image you have built up to make money?...honestly, if you got offered a million dollars to let someone use your creative property would you say no? If your a band starting out its a great way to expose your music, get payed for it, and get that exposure out of someone elses pocket book. If you have been around the block for a loooong time like Alice Cooper you no longer have as many cd sales or music royalties so you collect money other ways. And bands at the height of their popularity may only be one hit wonders, and they should invest on their popularity while they can in the sifting sands of pop culture...its not "selling out" its just "selling"...painters get to sell their paintings, poets publish their poetry (alliteration biatch) why not muscians their music?

[juanpe]

totally agree with you, michael ;) art is art... art is sold in all kinds, so why not selling a song for a commercial?