Music for the Corporations

[ycartrob]

I am going back and forth about WILCO's new music being the backdrop to Volkswagon ads. Lately, it seems, that "cooler" bands have been selling their music to corporations for advertising. I understand the benefits (making money) but it bothers me from some rock purist perspective that the corporate world is about greed and the selling (not sharing) of ideas.

Have we all given up and just sold out? Or does it just not matter?

[sweatboard]

Jeff has said that with less and less opportunitys to get his music on radio airwaves he looks at tv as just another way to get the music out there.  Radio and TV are the same as far as being in the buisness of trying to sell things.  Jeff has always handled himself and his band with so much integrity that I'm really trying hard to understand his point of view.  I heard a Junior Boys song on a TV commercial ad the other day and I've got to say........I'm f*&%^ over it.  I was just listening to a VW commercial before I wrote this post and when I was listening to it I was thinking "Ok, enough already!!"  When will these fucking commercials run their course.  Well, at least they are using the complete songs and not changing the lyrics, I'm still sick about what Of Montreal did with that Outback commercial.  

To answer the question, I don't think these bands are selling out as a whole.  At least they still make the music they want to make and I want to hear.  I do however feel like these bands need to stop selling their music to Television commercials.          

[sweatboard]

Then again, mabey I just watch to much TV.  :-/

[Specialist]

at first i was shocked, then i didn't care, and then i started hearing the songs that i grew to love used for trying to sell cars pretty much every thirty minutes.

do i think less of Tweedy/Wilco?   no

just one of those things i shake my head about.

[ycartrob]

well, I'm good for now, until I see RUSH's Cygnus X-1 being used by Maxi-Pads...

[aMD]

This thread never really got going.

:-/

[tomEisenbraun]

in all honesty, my lady's never shown much interest in Wilco until she saw the commercial where the guy steals the car and then brings it back. she really dug that song, and i explained that it was wilco, and now she wants to check them out. her dad, too.

so hey, tweedy's right. thing is, i think these commercials are really tasteful. they're not unsophisticated at all, and the one with the car thief is actually kind of touching. i'm okay with it too, because it got two people close to me interested in listening to them. he's right, tv is like radio, and it also doesn't wear the whole song out. so eh, take it or leave it. tweedy's a damn good songwriter, and i don't think he's sold out. anything VW is cool by me.

[LizKing531]

well, I'm good for now, until I see RUSH's Cygnus X-1 being used by Maxi-Pads...

Awesome - Truly Awesome!!!!!!!

I was thinking Temples of Syrinx  "......In these hallowed halls....."

[ycartrob]

I was thinking Temples of Syrinx  "......In these hallowed halls....."

nice one

that shot was raaaaaazor sharp!

[EC]

i have run this topic up and over my brain so many times.  

it is so hard to make a living as a musician.  and i'm not talking even comfort, i'm talking basic necessities.  it seems that the music industry has really fluctuated over the past 15ish years, and is currently in a precarious state - a lot's changed and people aren't sure how to handle things.  

the thing is that part of the reason why it's hard is because of commercialism and corporate advertising.  people have been spoon-fed such shit music, flashy, over-produced noises with no soul, that interest in music has dwindled.  it isn't just that people aren't buying cds because of downloading, it's because they don't care.  (because the music is bad.  and the good music is harder to find because generally, it doesn't have anywhere close to the advertising budget that the bad music has.)  

anyhow, presently, i'm all for "selling out".  if it means that the good musicians are getting money in order to keep making good music, terrific.  we all have minds and are able to use them.  i'd rather wilco get some money for writing the music first as music than a couple of dickhead jingle writers who are writing FOR the purpose of advertising.

my current position may (and will) change at any given moment.  and i love this topic, so let's keep it going.

[EAZYE]

well said ec ;)

[ycartrob]

*bump

*(this topic came up on Band of Horses thread)

And my take a year later:

the commercial sell out stuff used to bother me (Eric Clapton was the first biggie in the 80's with the Much Lite stuff) but know it is sort of common ground.

I mean Andrew Bird? Spoon? Kings of Leon? Wilco? All these guys have had their music used for mainstream commercialization and it would have bothered me a while back, it's just more acceptable these days.

[pawpaw]

In general, I don't have a problem with any artist selling their creation for commercials...the art would most likely be used for a totally different intent than it was created for, but it's also a means for income, which can be tough otherwise.

MMJ sold the rights to use Mahgeetah on a beer commercial a few years back, and I was actually stoked to hear them on tv. Bob Dylan has done Victoria's Secret commercials, and played private, corporate concerts for Amgen. These guys are just working, and I don't think their involvement with commercials diminishes their greatness.

[getinthevan]

Wasn't there also issues with the commercial and the MMJ song and they said they wouldn't do that again?

[ycartrob]

Wasn't there also issues with the commercial and the MMJ song and they said they wouldn't do that again?

here's an old thread that answers that question

http://www.mymorningjacket.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1129576832/13#13

[YouAre_GivenToFly]

I recently read an article where they asked a member of wilco (Pat perhaps?... anyway...) about using their songs for the VW commercials. He said something along the lines of "Sixteen people rely on this band for their livelihood, so it was an easy decision".

Good enough for me.