Mad Men is the only show on TV that I can’t wait until it’s done being DVR’d to watch, therefore it’s the only show whose commercials I actually watch.
So last night my mouth gaped when I saw the new ad for Bing (which, frankly, I’ve never used—nor do I understand what it does) featuring one of my favorite new bands, The Lumineers. The Lumineers are this grungy little bar band whose song “Ho Hey” has never failed to make me happy. They’re a little band of musical gypsies, a real musician’s band, playing songs that make everyone in whatever small venue they’re rocking stand up and dance or cheer or sing along. They’re the real deal.
And now they’re on a Bing commercial (above).
Remember like 12 years ago when no self-respecting musician would be caught dead hocking products on national TV?
Well, times have changed. With electronic downloads now outnumbering CD sales, it’s nearly impossible to make money as a musician. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t even bought an iTunes album in months—not since I discovered Spotify. Despite Spotify being a legit source of downloading music (no piracy allowed), I can’t imagine The Head and The Heart (to whom I’m jamming right now) are making much money from my repeated listens. And I’m sure that if you haven’t heard their song Lost in My Mind on a commercial, you soon will.
So despite my purist roots (I was raised on Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones), I get it. And I’m glad for The Lumineers that they’ve struck a deal and are finally going to make some cash. I know that this is the future for musicians, it’s just hard to accept that the dirty little bar band I loved because I felt I had some sort of intimate musical connection with them is now the soundtrack of Bing. It’s okay, I’ve still got Banana Gun, the best rock band no one’s ever heard of (listen to ‘The Flame’)…
I guess that the fact that every band sells songs to TV commercials means doing so is no longer considered “selling out.” But I’m OK with that.
What do you think of what’s happening in music right now?
Has the advent of “selling out” created better or worse music?
What’s the worst case of “selling out” that you’ve ever seen? Was anything worse than Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz” song being used for a BMW ad?
Is there any merit to being a band that doesn’t sell out, if it turns out nobody hears your music because you went broke?
Do you miss the era of the true “Rock Star”? Will there ever be another rock superstar like Robert Plant, Mick Jagger or Eddie Vedder?
(I’m including, below, a video of the same song performed live, the way bands like this get into your soul – a bunch of guys on stage without a bunch of glitz or production.)
I’m a musician, and I care a great deal about that mysterious thing called artistic integrity. I’m a huge Stones and Dylan fan myself, for what it’s worth. And I’ve always found it kind of ironic when musicians who appear in ads or secure any type of corporate sponsorship are accused by the public of “selling out.” Yet the public has no problem with the same band signing a deal with a record label, which is traditionally who bankrolls the creation and promotion of your favorite bands’ work. Let me tell ya who is really going to sell your soul… Read more »
Awesomely insightful, LF!
Also, you’re correct that plays on Spotify earn almost nothing for the artist. If you really want to support your favorite bands, buy their CDs and rip them into your iPod or other digital library. Buying the downloads off iTunes or Amazon pays the artist better than Spotify, too, but not as much as the hard copy does, especially if the band is producing their records independently or via a small label.
I’m not going to lie to you, LF, even back when CDs (or cassettes, or records for that matter, I am a child of the 80s) were the only options, they were still a waste of money for me. I lost/destroyed almost every CD I ever had… Though I do still have one of those giant black books with the sleeves full of scratched CDs (only like 40% of them are Indigo Girls or Tori Amos, haha). I LOVE Spotify. I’m sad they don’t pay the musicians much, but it’s better than nothing? I do buy iTunes or MP3s from… Read more »
I honestly don’t blame them. For another thing, how are they going to get noticed when radio is increasingly becoming segmented and segregated? I’ve discovered artists through satellite radio (what used to be Muzak) rather than radio or even YouTube. When people say that bands can just sell Tshirts and tour, I think they’re missing the point. T shirts and tours are added expenses, and frankly not every musical act can translate to t shirts. As well, there are many artists for whom the recording is their chief artistic expression. Andy Partridge of XTC has rarely toured not because he’s… Read more »
In the UK, Johnny Rotten from The Sex Pistols doing an I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter ad and Iggy Pop doing an insurance ad both take some beating.
This popped in my Google alerts b/c I also love The Lumineers and it was an Interesting read, thank you. When’s the last time you saw The Lumineers? They’re playing small theaters these days – a grungy little bar band they’re not anymore! :0) Personally, I LOVE that a band I love is getting this kind of National attention and money for their music. In addition, I believe heard THATH on a few American Express commercials when that record came out, too — it’s almost a sign of success these days. The Stones, Dylan, etc… all have licensed their music… Read more »