The "Commercialization" of Songs

[Coco]

Do you think it is noble or stupid for bands to not allow the comemrcialization of their songs?

(Taken from Rolling Stone 1/9/03) Interview with John Densmore of The Doors and why he keeps saying "no"

"It all started in 1967, when Buick offered $75,000 to use "Light My Fire" to hawk its new hot little offering - the Opel. As the story goes, Ray, Robby and John OK'd it while Jim [Morrison] was out of town. He came back and went nuts. And it wasn't even his song (Robby having primarily penned "LMF") In retrospect, his calling up Buick and saying that if they aired the ad, he'd smash an Opel on television with a sledgehammer was fantastic!"

The magazine notes rock performers you'll never hear on commercials: Neil Young, Beastie Boys, Bruce Springsteen (Reportedly turned down $12 million from Chrysler for "Born in the USA"); Pearl Jam, James Taylor, John Hiatt, R.E.M., Tom Waits.

What do you guys think? Stupid or noble?



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This message was edited by Coco on 1-14-03 @ 4:21 PM

[TheMojoPin]

The artists listed have made plenty of money off of tours and albums, so it's not like they need the extra advertising money. But I guess it's semi-"noble" to turn it down...but really, it depends on your identity as a band. The acts listed that turned the ads down have presented themselves as having at least a shred of integrity. Seeing someone like Papa Roach or Creed, Kid Rock or Lenny Kravtiz on TV shilling something doesn't suprise me at all.

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This message was edited by TheMojoPin on 1-14-03 @ 7:47 PM

[Death Metal Moe]

All I know is Moby and FEMinem are pieces of shit I wish would kill each other.

If you need the $$, sell away. Who am I to call you a sell out? Gotta make your bones somewhere.

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[Arienette]

i can see where it would be noble, but most bands are out there at least partially to make money, and i find nothing wrong with that.

the instance of this that really bothered me was when nick drake's "pink moon" was in a vw commercial. he was long dead at the time this commercial came out, and i have a problem with the fact that his song was sold for that purpose. of course i have no way of knowing, but i could imagine that the idea of having his song used that way would have made him unhappy. further, if he would have gone along with it, it would have been because he'd get the benefit of the sale price. but, since he's dead, he obviously will not. it bothers me that he suffered for his art and now someone else (the record label?) is profiting. on the upside, it seems that a lot more people have gotten introduced to his music via the commercial, and that's a good thing

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[schmega]

it cheapens the song. i'll end up associating it with some stupid product.

on a related note, i saw one of the members of barenaked ladies buying video games today. i wanted to tell him i hate his music as much as the devil hates his maker, but i ignored him instead. i'd rather not give him the satisfaction of being marginally famous. i also didnt want the other customers to know i recognize lame musicians.

[Zipgun]

I like when a company can't get the rights to a song they want to use, so they have to hire a studio band to slightly change the song.

I recently noticed a Dodge truck commercial that has a bastardized version of Jane's Addiction's "Stop".

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[HordeKing1]

It's an honest living and it's their property to sell.

Unfortunately no matter how good the song, they don't make the commercial watchable. Commercials need more puppies in them! Those I always watch. (Just don't ask me to name the product.)

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[Lucento]

Maybe its the way we are all "stealing" from artists by downloading MP3's and taking any profit a band can make from having their songs out there. Im a believer is the idea that if someone has something to sell, they should be able to get what the market will pay for it. Its a nice idea if everything were for free, but whats the reward for your effort? Would you go to your job if they didnt pay you? If they are using the songs of dead artists, I imagine their next of kin are getting some benefit. Just my humbe O

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[Coco]

I guess I consider it kind of noble to not commercialize a song that means a lot to you.

When I viewed the "Born in the USA" video of Bruce Springsteen, it was obviously about the Vietnam War and the devastation it caused in people's lives. To have the song now centralize only on bringing in profits for Chrysler Corporation is kind of pathetic.

______________________

We can't change our past, but we can change the way we look at it - into something more positive







This message was edited by Coco on 1-15-03 @ 12:07 PM

[HordeKing1]

I always find it funny when politicians play "Born in the USA" as background music for their campaigns.

It's not a very positive view of America.

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[Coco]

I am sure many people have had the experience of having their songs they loved turned into ketchup or Pepsi commercials. Kind of takes away the mystique of the song I guess.

______________________

We can't change our past, but we can change the way we look at it - into something more positive

[Arienette]

ugh, i just saw a commercial for the saturn ion, with the walkmen's song "we've been had". i couldn't believe it when i heard it. wow. i'm not sure why, but it was kind of upsetting to hear. it didn't help that the commercial completley sucked. arg

<center><img src="http://thereisnogod.faithweb.com/images/ari2.gif" height=100 width=300</img>

i can hear the laughs, when they find i've fallen down again
i can hear the laughs, and it hurts so bad i have to smile</center>

[ADF]

It doesn't bother me. The kinds of songs I listen to usually don't have any sort of political message. At least it means some advertising wizard has good taste in music. I never would have heard "Strange and Beautiful" by Aqualung if it wasn't for Volkswagen. Sometimes people will hear a song on a commercial, like it, and then go out and find out more about the band. When you're trying to make it, and fame equals money, any exposure is good exposure (to use a clich‚).

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[Arienette]

i'm not saying that it's not a good thing for the bands to get that kind of national exposure. no doubt that is why they agree to sell their song (in addition to the money they are given on the contract). i guess it's just that inexplicable, irrational thing where people get upset when other people suddenly start discovering "their" band. i know it's illogical, and i want the bands that i like to be successful... yet i want to keep them all to myself. luckily, i have no say

<center><img src="http://thereisnogod.faithweb.com/images/ari2.gif" height=100 width=300</img>

i can hear the laughs, when they find i've fallen down again
i can hear the laughs, and it hurts so bad i have to smile</center>