I hate to admit that I'm part of that stupid consumer demographic which is easily persuaded, fully manipulated and completely influenced by music played in television commercials.
Good music in my subjective opinion, at least.
I think in the same way that music always sounds better when played in a record store, a product just seems cooler if accompanied by an interesting song.
Take for instance, one of the latest Mercedes commercials featuring the string styling of the Balanescu Quartet. The ad works so well with the music, that, every time I hear those first notes, I drop what I'm doing and run to watch the commercial.
It is sad.
I almost went crazy trying to figure out why I was so drawn to the song. I knew I had heard it before but couldn't imagine where. It turns out that it's a cover of Kraftwerk's Robots.
The Balanescu Quartet actually did an entire album of Kraftwerk songs!
Before you make the obligatory Kraftwerk/Simpsons joke, consider that in the late 1970s Kraftwerk were way before their time.
Conversely, there is that other Mercedes commercial which features the Geggy Tah song, Whoever You Are. I've hated that song since I first heard it coming from every room of my college dorm. My hate for that song is so intense that Ben almost has to restrain me from throwing the remote at the television.
So what does this all mean?
Well, the next time I'm at a Mercedes showroom, I'll certainly purchase the M-Class all because of the merits of that one song.
What commercials do you like?
(I promise not to judge)
I watched the Diet Coke commercial where this guy complains that his wife doesn't wear sexy underwear anymore, and for a month I tried to find out what song was playing in the background. Then I got a clue and emailed Coca-Cola, and guess what? They responded. "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star. Bought the album immediately.
Posted by: JD | October 24, 2001 at 10:05 PM
Yeah, that "Fade Into You" song is a great song, but that commercial never makes me think of any Coca-Cola products. It makes me think of the underwear my mom wears.
Posted by: Lester Nelson | October 25, 2001 at 03:21 AM
One place where I've found music to be a very powerful influence is in movie trailers and commercials. Sometimes the editing of just the right scenes and piece of music can set the tone for a film before you've even seen it.
The most recent case of this I've seen is with Bandits. The trailer starts off with some basic electonic music, mostly dominated by dialogue to set up the premise of the flick. At a key point, the tone starts building to a crescendo with U2's "It's A Beautiful Day", played over a sequence of quickly-edited action and character close-ups. Now I'm not particularly a fan of U2's recent efforts, but that song (combined with those powerful, fast moving images) gives the film a much broader and, dare I say, glorious scope that was nearly missing from anything shown on-screen. Now that I've seen the movie, I think it lives up to what I was led to expect and more.
But, of course, we all know of scenario where the trailer was great, had just the right tone and our hopes were high, but then we end up seeing a big load of crap.
I'm tellin' ya... music is strong like that.
Posted by: Robert | October 25, 2001 at 09:20 AM
The combination of the stylish girls and the Wiseguy's song "Start the Commotion" causes the same running to the tv reaction for me. I hate it because in general I am so anti-commercialism (www.adbusters.org).
Posted by: Boz | October 25, 2001 at 09:47 AM
Boz, i totally understand. i have to dance when "Start the Commotion" comes on; i bought the album after hearing Nick Drake's "Pink Moon," and then Will Ferrell on the Gap...(sigh) he was perfect. it's all a bit too much to bear.
...but then, the ad designers ARE artists after all, who have to put a breath of life and love into what they do. ALSO, the fact that the ads are for the musicians, too, makes it alright in my book. don't go buy the car--buy the album!
Posted by: cass | October 25, 2001 at 01:43 PM
Mena: Yes, that is the Target song I was thinking of! And wow, Mary Lou Lord...never would have thought... Thanks so much for answering this question for me!
Posted by: Kathryn | October 25, 2001 at 04:21 PM
hi mena, i love your site! just wanted to share this link w/everyone: http://music.adcritic.com/
you can look up any song used in any commercial. isn't it a fantabulous resource?
'speedy motorcycle' is a popular cover song. it was written by daniel johnston in 1983. =)
Posted by: linda | October 25, 2001 at 04:49 PM
I work at Mercedes-Benz, in the marketing department...glad to hear you like the new commercial...the "geggy tah" song is indeed awful. However, we receive questions from people at the website all the time demanding to know who sings that wretched song...
Vel
Posted by: velouira | October 27, 2001 at 11:01 AM
The new Jaguar commercial for the Jag-X is really aesthetically beautiful.
The images, how they are put together, in conjunction with the music (which after some searching, I found out was Chris Issak's Wicked Game) is amazing.
I don't usually watch too much TV, but when this commercial comes on, I run to go watch it.
~spY
Posted by: spY | October 29, 2001 at 01:06 AM
bill withers does lovely day, in the gap commercial. the.best.vaccuming.song.ever.
a few years ago a perfume ad featured a bit from the this mortal coil "fond affections" - the commercial didn't use the part of the song which says "lets all sit down and cry", but hearing the song made me want to anyway - so i did.
Posted by: jocelyn | October 29, 2001 at 01:11 PM
I'm showing my age here no doubt...
Bet music for a comercial ever had to be the jingle for the breakfast cerial "doughnuts"
I mean it's one thing for big record companies to sell the use of an artists work to big car company.
It's another thing to write a great jingle like that doughnuts comercial.
Posted by: slack | October 29, 2001 at 03:48 PM
I can't believe I got on this site to look up music on commercials (the Mercedes and the etoys commericals). What have I become? What has music become? Since MTV doesn't have music anymore, we have to listen to 30 second scraps of tunes on commercials. I'm sad. God help us all. I'm outta here; I have to go buy two cds.
Posted by: Mortified | November 02, 2001 at 02:07 PM
I discovered this page while searching for the "Speedy Motorcycle" song, and I'm glad to find it. This song seems to be something that could have come out of the sixties. I wanted to hear more of this song--and other songs-- by this angelic flower child (well, that's how I hear her...).
I agree that there are a lot of good songs in commercials. A year or so ago I was so intrigued by this 'driving,' thumping song in a Mazda sports car commercial, I called Mazda customer relations to find out the name of it and who the artist was. A guy there related to me; said he would find out the song's name and performing artist, and call me back. He did. Nice guy.
I have a question for someone: While not a commercial, I often hear good music in TV shows. Two episodes ago on "Citizen Baines" there was some good drum-like music, with most of it at the end of the show with Baines dancing to it in the middle of the night in his bath robe. Anyone know the artist? It was really good music. Thanks.
Posted by: orville | November 02, 2001 at 08:34 PM
I am studying advertising at Penn State and am intrigued by the vast array of comments!
Some of you love certain songs, some of you hate them, but you all seem to love the commercials.
I wish to someday be able to force you all to subconsciously buy products!
Posted by: K Collison | November 10, 2001 at 06:34 PM
Anyone know what tune is used in the latest Acura commercial where a guy drives from L.A. to San Francisco for a date?
Posted by: Daniel Cox | November 14, 2001 at 06:13 PM
I'm sorry guys. I got bad news for you. I too love that Mercedes commercial known as "testing" on adcritic.com. To confirm it's the one with the M-class and the guys getting shot with sand and mud. I too wanted to know the name of that song. It is not Robots by the Balanescu Quartet. It sounds very similar. But is clearly not the same song. Someone please find the REAL song!!
Posted by: Mike | November 27, 2001 at 08:27 PM
i can't remember if it was mercedes or jaguar but they had a comercial about a year and a half ago, with a female blues singer. does anyone know who im talking about?
Posted by: anthony | December 05, 2001 at 06:31 PM
In case anyone's interested....the song on the eToys commercial by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole is Somewhere Over the Rainbow and the CD is called Facing Future. It's also on the Meet Joe Black & Finding Forrester soundtracks.
Posted by: Sharlene | December 18, 2001 at 02:14 PM
I am looking for the name of a song playing in what I think was a mazda comercial.
It had kind of a dance beat with a guy talking in the background. saying stuff like "be kind to each other" if anyone could help that would be great
Posted by: Scott | January 04, 2002 at 11:47 PM
THANK YOU! Ive been looking, thread-to-thread, page-to-page, AND YOU GAVE IT TO ME!!
Thank you for the Robots song.
Many others are looking for it too.
When I hear it, I turn into an Armegeddon-movie pause as I stand for the tempo-effect of the commercial going along with the music.
This music makes me ecstatic in a still way. The bass hits the heart and I'm giddy. It actually elates me.
You just have to ask around
because they don't put music titles in their commercials like they do their disclaimers.
thaaaank Y)O)U)))!!!!
~
Posted by: M | January 16, 2002 at 08:56 PM
Yes, it isn't the robot song linked from the website. Perhaps it is another song on that album?
My favorite commercial by far is the VW beetle "Dreamer" I think it's called. Where the car goes through a number of metamorphs including street hot rod, dune buggy, and rally car, but right as things were getting crazy, the lights turn on in the Volkswagen showroom. The silence is painful, and a perfect emulation of waking up after a wonderful dream.
They had a copy of the commercial at quicktime or vw.com, but if you can't find it I can send it to ya.
Posted by: ed | January 31, 2002 at 03:13 PM
At long last I found a download site with the music on it, though I was disappointed with the length of it (remix time!). From a few sources I agree that it is proprietary, ie written specifically for the commercial.
http://www.songtitle.info/
Posted by: ed | January 31, 2002 at 03:41 PM
THANK YOU so much!!! I looked all over for this music and I couldn’t find it. I loved the track that you gave me!!! I absolutely love that type of music. THANK YOU so much!!!
Posted by: Simba2641 | February 01, 2002 at 02:50 PM
Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" from the Jag ad. Great song!
Posted by: elizabennett | February 12, 2002 at 05:28 PM
I'm so happy I found this site! Okay, I need help with one commercial. (And thanks all for the Pink Moon song...a classic)
The next one is that Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper ad where a woman is spying on her neighbor. She criticizes him throughout, and he's in the shower singing. But then she says something to the effect of, "but how can you count out a man who knows every word to the greatest song ever written.." It's an 80s song and it's absolutely killing me. Everyone's seen the ad but can't remember the song.
Any help?
Posted by: Krydigs | February 18, 2002 at 03:07 PM