This is going to be one of my favorite posts to date. I get to wrap my love for music itself and my love for music placement in media into one neat little package for you – I’ll even throw in a big symbolic imaginary red bow.
You may know the songs, you may not. You may remember having seen the commercial but not have recognized the song. You may think I’m crazy for even paying attention to this stuff (I think most of my friends do), but when a song perfectly matches the image or video … it really, really gets me. Like I explained earlier about the music in Grey’s Anatomy – it sets a mood, an emotion and a tone for what you are watching. A song can also help successfully brand a product and leave an imprint in the viewer’s mind.
Lately, I’ve noticed, that everyday products/companies are choosing to place indie music in their ads. It’s becoming one of the most effective ways to get new music out to big audiences. Whether they use an instrumental opening snippet or the heart of the song with lyrics and all, each of these below stood out to me. Watch the commercial to get the feeling, then download the song for permanent enjoyment. Here we go:
1. “Souvenirs” Architecture in Helsinki (Sprint)
http://bit.ly/3Uru8w – listen & download
An older commercial but take Architecture in Helsinki’s slow beat song accompanied by high pitch bells, high pitch dual voice and other goings on and pair it with this smart “think back to when you were a child” commercial and the sparks fly.
2. “Wash Away” Joe Purdy (Dawn)
http://bit.ly/13DHxa – listen & download (use #2)
You can’t sit there and tell me that this ad doesn’t make you want to go buy a bottle of Dawn, immediately, and save that super cute duck. Throw in a bubbly, feel good song like “Wash Away,” which is not only lyrically brilliant for this commercial but with a sound that’s a mix between Ben Harper, Jack Johnson and a bit of Brett Dennen it’s well, brilliant.
3. “Wishing Well” Airborne Toxic Event (Buick)
http://bit.ly/3ZLkC4 – listen & download
I remember seeing this commercial for the first time – a car that I can’t afford never mind would never buy – I screamed; “Holy sh*t, it’s Airborne Toxic Event!” I’m not one of those “they’re such sellouts for having their music on TV” type of people – I was so proud of them, I tweeted them immediately.
4. “We’ve Been Had” The Walkmen (Saturn)
http://bit.ly/2hXQLH – listen & download (2nd to last)
At first I thought the song in this commercial may have been specifically composed for the ad, then I heard the voice and knew right away that it was The Walkmen. Great tune, get it.
5. “Heartbeats” Jose Gonzalez (Sony)
http://bit.ly/1uB3Rc – listen & download (#3)
Some of you may know the alternate version of this song by The Knife – they are the complete opposite but both equally as awesome. Who ever knew that millions of bouncing balls could be so emotional!
6. “5 Years Time” Noah & The Whale
http://bit.ly/2LWUoY – listen & download
This song just makes me want to smile; it’s peaceful and ‘fun, fun, fun.’
7. “Half Acre” Hem (Liberty Mutual)
http://bit.ly/17iwmp – listen & download
This is one of those commercials that I actually would stop fast forwarding my DVR for. Not because I want to buy insurance from Liberty Mutual, but because of the message it gives and the song that comes along with it.
8. “Blessed” Brett Dennen (Hilton)
http://bit.ly/Gs4hg – listen & download
9. “1901” Phoenix (Cadillac)
http://bit.ly/4fvvpw – listen & download
10. “A-Punk” Vampire Weekend (HP Photo Smart Premium)
http://bit.ly/2691RJ – listen & download
11. “Wake Up” Arcade Fire (Where The Wild Things Are – Promo)
http://bit.ly/1hlDk0 – listen & download
This movie promo will go down as one of the all time best; in my opinion – no matter what you thought of the movie itself. And of course, Arcade Fire had a lot to do with it.
12. “You’re A Wolf” Sea Wolf (Chevy Malibu Hybrid)
http://bit.ly/gVVzS – listen & download
13. “The Scar That Never Heals” Jeremy Fisher (Volkswagen)
http://bit.ly/1BIvOV – listen & download
14. “The Crane Wife 3” The Decemberists (AT&T)
http://bit.ly/4BMFfO – listen & download
BONUS FEATURES:
Here is a Nike commercial that gave me the chills – The Killers kill it with “All These Things That I’ve Done”:
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“The line it is drawn, the curse it is cast. The slow one now, will later be fast. As the present now, will later be past. The order is rapidly fadin’ and the first one now will later be last. For the times, they are a-changin'” (‘The Times They Are A-Changing by Bob Dylan)
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posted by: Keegan Vance Forte at 4:51pm on Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009
music is my forte 
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