Advertisers Are The New Record Label Execs

Are ad agencies replacing record labels?

Since 2007 I have noticed an increase in not only the popularity of indie music in mainstream music, but also in its use in commercials. I love indie music and I find that lots of companies use indie music in their ads to appear trendy and exciting yet simple and relatable.

If MTV and VH1 and BET don't want to play music videos anymore, it seems artists are resorting to the ad industry to break through to eager listeners. Catchy indie music is now abundant in commercials, movies, and tv shows way before they hit the radio waves.

I first noticed it in Apple's iPod nano commercial with Feist's catchy song "1234":



her music video was basically the commercial. who needs MTV?!

Then i noticed indie in Old Navy's 2008 winter sweater commercial with Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am":



Such a catchy song! and the calming, snuggly, warm feeling of winter sweaters is effectively portrayed!

Fast forward to 2009/2010 and we have THE catchy song of the moment, Temper Trap's "Sweet Disposition" featured in the 500 Days of Summer soundtrack:



Even though I have a crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt, I was honestly not even gonna see this movie until I heard the soaring music of Temper Trap...so I guess it's a win-win situation for the artist and the production studio. Temper Trap gets awareness and $$$ while Fox Searchlight gets $$$ and more $$$!

And lastly, Phoenix. The hot indie band of the moment! Who, after this Cadillac commercial, will have to change their genre to POP due to their popularity:



So, am I crazy for seeing this trend? I've been following it since 2007 and I'll even go as far as to say that my love for music, my interest in the rise of indie music, my heightened observational skills, etc. helped me realize that Advertising should be my second major!

Indie music, which used to be underground and highly overlooked, is now the go-to genre for ad music. In fact, sometimes consumers might even forget the ad's message and just want to know:

"What's the name of that song in the [insert product name] commercial?"

Indie is the new Pop. Good-bye Britney Spears, hello Phoenix!