tstrahle
Noobie McNoob Noob
I've noticed that a vast majority of songs used in commercials are what I would call "classic". Not just 30 years (that only takes us back to 1990(!?!?)) - but from the 60's and 70's. Songs written, recorded and produced before their target demographic was even born. Now I know many of us old, fogeys all think or are tempted to think "they don't make them like they use to" and that is true. But that's alway been true, our dads thought the same thing.
I just heard "Brandy (you're a fine girl)" by Looking Glass to sell a truck, from 1972. "That Smell" (1977) from Skynyrd to sell some new TV show. A 70's Bowie song to sell cologne. And "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" McFadden & Whitehead (1979) going into commercial. All relatively deep cuts, or at least unknown to 20 and 30 somethings. Most ad agency movers and shakers were born after these songs were hits. And it's not like these songs are public domain or even relatively cheap. For context I just wrote and played some music for a new NetFlix film that closed with a Boston tune off of their first record. They had to pay $60,000 for 15 seconds, and because they didn't want to pay another 60k they had me come up with something that would transition out of it.
Now you know I work on new music, with new young writers, and with young artists. I'm a big fan of pop through the ages. Started with the Beatles and then died down as I got into jazz. But then I went to Car Verheyen's apartment in 1982 for my first lesson with him and he had a copy of the Police's Synchronicity on his turntable. Which I ashamedly was not familiar with. And truth be told it was all over pop radio. "The Police?!? Really?!?" He told me "do you know how many people pay me to sound like Andy Summers?" From that moment on I was dedicated to keeping up on what was hot on the radio and thus began to appreciate the artistry of producers. The Grammy "Record of the Year" goes to the producer. There are lots of great tracks - rock, pop, country, R&B, hip-hop, etc from the last 30 (or 40) years. Punchy, exciting, fun, great mixed tracks. But I rarely hear them when someone is trying to sell me something.
Any thought as to why? Besides they don't make them that way anymore.
I just heard "Brandy (you're a fine girl)" by Looking Glass to sell a truck, from 1972. "That Smell" (1977) from Skynyrd to sell some new TV show. A 70's Bowie song to sell cologne. And "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" McFadden & Whitehead (1979) going into commercial. All relatively deep cuts, or at least unknown to 20 and 30 somethings. Most ad agency movers and shakers were born after these songs were hits. And it's not like these songs are public domain or even relatively cheap. For context I just wrote and played some music for a new NetFlix film that closed with a Boston tune off of their first record. They had to pay $60,000 for 15 seconds, and because they didn't want to pay another 60k they had me come up with something that would transition out of it.
Now you know I work on new music, with new young writers, and with young artists. I'm a big fan of pop through the ages. Started with the Beatles and then died down as I got into jazz. But then I went to Car Verheyen's apartment in 1982 for my first lesson with him and he had a copy of the Police's Synchronicity on his turntable. Which I ashamedly was not familiar with. And truth be told it was all over pop radio. "The Police?!? Really?!?" He told me "do you know how many people pay me to sound like Andy Summers?" From that moment on I was dedicated to keeping up on what was hot on the radio and thus began to appreciate the artistry of producers. The Grammy "Record of the Year" goes to the producer. There are lots of great tracks - rock, pop, country, R&B, hip-hop, etc from the last 30 (or 40) years. Punchy, exciting, fun, great mixed tracks. But I rarely hear them when someone is trying to sell me something.
Any thought as to why? Besides they don't make them that way anymore.
