We couldn't help but noticing as we combed CNN.com this morning for quick blurbs on things happening outside of the music world, that it's become almost impossible to get around the site without being accosted by the most invasive of advertisements: pop-ups, ads scrolling in from the side, ads sliding down from the top of the page (not that we as a media entity can really talk). All we could do was sigh loudly (to no one in particular) and lament the death of the era when you could read news while the ads stayed in one place on the side of the page (aka the era when newspapers were still the go-to source for news).
Not that the news media is the only industry being bogged down by advertisers. Many a musician has given free advertising and product placement through their songs, a gift that advertisers can only thank the gods for.
A few examples:
"Nightrain" by Guns N' Roses
This song might have made more sense to the lower class living in Los Angeles at the time of its writing but the now class track off the Guns' debut album Appetite for Destruction isn't about taking the late commute home. Night Train Express was a bottom shelf wine popular in the region, somewhat like King Cobra in its cost-per-oz-per-intoxication-level ratio. Did the single boost the sales of the booze? Probably not as most thought it was about an actual train but it appears Night Train Express is still going strong, according to bumwine.com. Obviously plenty of hip-hop artists advertise booze in their tracks...but none promote a brand as seedy as Night Train.
"Versace" by Migos
Another product class frequently supported by hip-hop performers is clothing. The most recent and overwhelming dedication to a brand in the last few years has been Migos' tribute to Versace, the exclusive Italian brand. The hook is the ultimate form of advertising, and the opposite of subliminal: Migos member Quavo repeats the name "Versace" 18 times by our count, virtually beating the brand into your brain. Drake's verse from the single even made the soundtrack for one of the designer's shows in Milan during 2013.
"Jaguar" by The Who
Rockers The Who deserve a special kudos for the act of advertising in music thanks to the band's satirical album The Who Sell Out, which featured a number of tongue-in-cheek track titles and references to real companies, such as "Heinz Baked Beans" and "Odorono." We'll highlight the group's 1995 bonus track "Jaguar," which pays tribute to the British car manufacturer. It would be a perfect advertising song if everyone didn't realize The Who were mocking advertisement songs with its cheesy praise. No product class is more popular for song titles than automobiles. Sports cars play into the sexy rebel image of classic rock while waking up in a new Bugatti exemplifies the aspirational wealth of hip-hop.
"Holidae Inn" by Chingy
Maybe we were a tad quick to cite the aspirational wealth of hip-hop. Chingy had a brief but rapid rise to the top thanks to singles such as "Right Thurr" and "Holidae Inn." He didn't blow his whole advance on hotel parties at glitzy establishments such as The Four Seasons—he kept things within his price range by having the whole club back to Holiday Inn after the show. We're not sure the hotel chain got any significant boost in sales as a result of the song, or if it appreciated having rappers encourage its young listeners to throw parties at the hotel's many locations. They couldn't even get proper search engine optimization because the rapper misspelled the title of the establishment.
"Kodachrome" by Paul Simon
This track from Paul Simon was so perfect for an advertisement that it's mind-blowing the songwriter didn't craft its hook specifically for a huge payout from Kodak. "Kodachrome, they give us those bright colors," he sings about the brand of film from the photo company. "They give us the greens of summer." And just in case Kodak didn't contact him for an advertising deal, he mentions Nikon cameras by name later in the chorus. Eventually Kodak would give in and use the track during a '90s advertising campaign, more than 20 years later.
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
Everyone knows the story behind the title of the most relevant song of the last 25 years: Bikini Kill vocalist Kathleen Hannah told Kurt Cobain that he "smelled like Teen Spirit" and the vocalist thought that was the greatest Dada simile he'd ever heard, not realizing the title was a brand of deodorant. The smash hit that carried the same message resulted in a huge uptick in sales for the brand that promptly began to fall off once the song fell off the charts. Although still around, the brand is reportedly only available in the scents "Sweet Strawberry" and "Pink Crush."
