Signs of Life 2008: Best Music
Leona Naess - "All is Fair"
the everybodyfields - "Worth Keeping"
Noise Pop 2009 date, films and musical acts announced
Live at Paste: Whitley
Since the advent of the DVR, sports are about the only thing I watch live on TV. So the Olympic Games have reintroduced me to the TV commercial, something I've managed to avoid outside of college football season and the occasional Braves game. And the quality of music has been a pleasant surprise (even a crappy beer like Bud Light—or Bud Light Lime—has the sense to use Santogold). Here are the best songs in commercials running during the Olympic Games:
10. Target - Enur featuring Natasja - "Calabria"
Sadly, Jamaican singer Natasja was killed in a car accident last year, but her vocals are the perfect overlay on Danish electronic duo Enur's music.
9. Hilton - Brett Dennen - "Blessed"
I love those moments where I'm watching a TV commercial and thinking, "Is that really Brett Dennen?"
8. Chevy Malibu hybrid - Sea Wolf - "You're a Wolf"
I can't think of Sea Wolf without thinking of our Animal Bands posters...
7. Nike - The Killers - "All These Things That I've Done"
My four-year-old son started singing "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier" after seeing this ad. Awesome.
6. Audi - AZukx - "Templeboy"
I'd never heard of AZukx, but apparently the Sigur Rós-sounding track on the Audi ad was recorded by this U.K. band in 1999.
5. Lipstick Jungle - Janelle Monae - "Sincerely Jane"
Janelle Monae is the Best of What's Next. Paste says so.
4. VW - Jeremy Fisher - "The Scar That Never Heals"
I discovered Jeremy Fisher through a viral video for "Cigarette," but "Scar" is by far my favorite of his songs. I hope tons of people discover this talented young Canadian through VW.
3. AT&T - The Decemberists - "The Crane Wife 3"
It's songs like this—off my 2006 album of the year—that make me believe there's better music on TV than on the radio right now.
2. GM - Brandi Carlile - "The Story"
One of my favorite young singer/songwriters loaned her best song to GM. It's about a minute long and the song couldn't be any more prominent. I'm generally happy for artists who can make a little (or probably a lot, in this case) extra money through licensing, but Brandi at first turned GM down, and when they offered to use it for a hybrid commercial, she and the Hanseroth twins decided to donate all the proceeds to green causes.
I assumed this song would take the #1 spot until I saw this ad...
1. Marvin Gaye - Star Spangled Banner - Nike
Abu Ghraib tempered my patriotism. Time and Michael Phelps have helped revive it. But only Nike has so adeptly taken advantage of it.
(Note: Special thanks to my friend Caren Kelleher, whose blog entry I came across as I was researching my post, for the tips on Jeremy Fisher and Janelle Monae.)
Also an honorable mention goes out to Liberty Mutual's use of Hem's "Half Acre." The ad is about a year old, but I never tire of Hem interrupting my regularly scheduled programming.
So, what great music have you been hearing in commercials lately?
Sadly, Jamaican singer Natasja was killed in a car accident last year, but her vocals are the perfect overlay on Danish electronic duo Enur's music.
9. Hilton - Brett Dennen - "Blessed"
I love those moments where I'm watching a TV commercial and thinking, "Is that really Brett Dennen?"
8. Chevy Malibu hybrid - Sea Wolf - "You're a Wolf"
I can't think of Sea Wolf without thinking of our Animal Bands posters...
7. Nike - The Killers - "All These Things That I've Done"
My four-year-old son started singing "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier" after seeing this ad. Awesome.
6. Audi - AZukx - "Templeboy"
I'd never heard of AZukx, but apparently the Sigur Rós-sounding track on the Audi ad was recorded by this U.K. band in 1999.
5. Lipstick Jungle - Janelle Monae - "Sincerely Jane"
Janelle Monae is the Best of What's Next. Paste says so.
4. VW - Jeremy Fisher - "The Scar That Never Heals"
I discovered Jeremy Fisher through a viral video for "Cigarette," but "Scar" is by far my favorite of his songs. I hope tons of people discover this talented young Canadian through VW.
3. AT&T - The Decemberists - "The Crane Wife 3"
It's songs like this—off my 2006 album of the year—that make me believe there's better music on TV than on the radio right now.
2. GM - Brandi Carlile - "The Story"
One of my favorite young singer/songwriters loaned her best song to GM. It's about a minute long and the song couldn't be any more prominent. I'm generally happy for artists who can make a little (or probably a lot, in this case) extra money through licensing, but Brandi at first turned GM down, and when they offered to use it for a hybrid commercial, she and the Hanseroth twins decided to donate all the proceeds to green causes.
I assumed this song would take the #1 spot until I saw this ad...
1. Marvin Gaye - Star Spangled Banner - Nike
Abu Ghraib tempered my patriotism. Time and Michael Phelps have helped revive it. But only Nike has so adeptly taken advantage of it.
(Note: Special thanks to my friend Caren Kelleher, whose blog entry I came across as I was researching my post, for the tips on Jeremy Fisher and Janelle Monae.)
Also an honorable mention goes out to Liberty Mutual's use of Hem's "Half Acre." The ad is about a year old, but I never tire of Hem interrupting my regularly scheduled programming.
So, what great music have you been hearing in commercials lately?
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The Killers song is All These Things That I've Done, not Mr. Brightside.
You're absolutely right. Thanks. Fixing it now.
I've been loving the different versions of Rhapsody in Blue in the United Airlines commercials that were airing during the Olympics too...
http://twoifbysee.blogspot.com/2008/08/united-airlines-debuts-animated-ads-on.html
Andrew Bird has a song in a commercial for a hotel chain (the name of which I can't recall).
As much as I dislike Hummer, when they first came out their ads were brilliant; they featured Ratatat, Midwest Product, and Album Leaf (introducing me to 2 out of 3). And a Pontiac commercial from 2005 introduced me to M83. It's sad, but commercials have helped me "discover" a few bands. I in no way fault bands for putting their tunes to a commercial because it's a great way to spread your music (Andrew Bird, Ratatat, et al. aren't millionaires; not all of our artists should be starving).
Fun list! FYI, the Liberty Mutual commercial that's been airing is actually a new one using a new Hem song called "Better Days."
Actually, Hem's song is brand new and so is the TV spot.
Thanks—I hadn't noticed that was a new Hem song.
The hotel chain that uses Andrew Bird songs in their commercials, I believe is Marriott. There's a tourism commercial for the state of Illinois that uses him as well, as that only makes sense.
"It's songs like this—off my 2006 album of the year—that make me believe there's better music on TV than on the radio right now."
I personaly preffer the Hilton commercial with Life, Love & Laughter by Donavon Frankenreiter, because it makes u smile and sing along to it reminding us that life with out love and laughter just aint living.
"paper planes" by M.I.A. in the tv preview for pineapple express movie. this sri-lankan london dweller gangster girl rocks my world.
The Levi's jeans commercial that uses "(Do You Wanna) Come Walk With Me?" by Isobell Campbell & Mark Lanegan
I'm not a big vashti bunyan guy, but trains song is pretty good and it's never been so epic as it is in that new reebok commercial.
"A Minha Menina" from the McDonalds commercial (kids playing soccer) with the electric guitar(?) intro, LOVE that track!
What is the song they used in the commercials for the season premiere of the TV show "House"?