When is Selling Out OK?

Posted over 2 years ago

Artist:
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Wilco
Album:
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- QUEUE
Sky Blue Sky
Track:
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- QUEUE
Sky Blue Sky

The reason I never pursued a career in advertising. I knew I would be tempted to do things like this.

or like this.........

Is it OK that the Flaming Lips are hocking Dells? Is it OK that Wilco is providing the soundtrack to a VW commercial? I say no. *BUT* and this is a bit of a big and hairy _but_.........I wouldn't think twice about exposing my music to the world via commercial. Herein lies the difference I believe.There are bands that have worked hard to become the institutions that they are today, then throw it all away in a move not even fit for a one hit wonder! These bands don't need the publicity their only motivation is greed. An unknown band wants to be heard, the Flaming Lips are heard, Wilco is heard. The only reason these bands have for the decisions they've made is money. I was happy to hear the Detroit Cobras in a Budweiser commercial(maybe not Diet Coke, but let's not split hairs). The world should know who they are, and if that little snippet turned a few people onto them, then great. But the world knows Wilco. Much of the world knows The Flaming Lips. Please stop turning one of my favorite albums into a reason to buy a beetle.

Not that I don't jump up and down when I hear The Buzzcocks on TV(and tell my wife "That's the Buzzcocks!), but AARP? Seriously??

And of course this one leaves me really confused...but I would probably defend this before any of the others.btw....celebrated my 1 year MOG-a-versary last Friday and I didn't even realize it till just now. Dang..time flies. So Moggers.....am I wrong? Did I miss the boat here?

Comments (12)

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carmensandiego says Hmmm, I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you on this one. The way I look at it is if Jeff Tweedy wants to make a few extra bucks by allowing Volkswagen to use one of his songs, so be it. That's his choice. If he is in a position to make more money without hurting anyone, then I see nothing wrong with it. Hell, I wish I was in that position. And we don't know the state of the Tweedy family's finances - just because he's famous doesn't mean he's rolling in cash. (Everyone may know about him but that doesn't mean everyone buys his records.) The same goes for Wayne Coyne and all the rest. There is no exception in my book. Now, I would be disappointed in any artist who actually changed their sound and/or look just to hock a car, but once again, it's their prerogative and if they're not harming anyone then they're not doing anything really wrong.

Permalink posted 08/21/2007
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Lowdown says Gracias Mrs. Diego. This is the kind of reaction I was hoping for. It is indeed his choice (we know what Bobby Brown would say), but I still don't like it. I don't like being marketed to by my musical heroes. I waver back and forth between my tolerance for capitalism and my disgust of it. You will notice that I said I wouldn't think twice about selling my music for a commercial. SO........why is it alright for me and not them? _That_ is a good question I love how Bill Lumberg has entrenched himself into our lexicon.

Permalink posted 08/21/2007
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carmensandiego says De nada, Mr. Down. To the question at hand ... why is it OK for you and not for them? Well, it's OK for you because you're you and you like whatever benefits you. It's the same rationale an ex-boyfriend of mine had: it's OK for him to make out with other chicks because he likes it, but it's not OK for me to make out with other guys because it might indicate that he's not man enough for one woman and that would not be good for him. He's totally got a rep to uphold, y'know? (FYI, I am in no way trying to suggest that you have that sort of mind set.) Also, I'm assuming your music is not well-known (or maybe your Tweedy in disguise and you're trying to figure out how your fans are reacting to this VW thing), in which case you would fall into the category of, "I was happy to hear the Detroit Cobras in a Budweiser commercial (maybe not Diet Coke, but let’s not split hairs). The world should know who they are, and if that little snippet turned a few people onto them, then great." If that's it, then by your own standards you should be OK if Bacardi and Coke ever come a-callin'.

Permalink posted 08/21/2007
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chucky says Music is funny because it may be the only career that we all feel has to have some sort of soul at the bottom. In any other job none of us would have a problem with someone selling their services. I (and I'm probably rare in this) don't believe in the concept of selling out because making and selling music is their job. On the other hand, I do hate to see something I felt was special in an ad because I can feel possessive of the music and feel like the audience isn't worthy. But, I also know I'm wrong to feel that way - why should I deny other people good music based on the way they discovered it? Hell, I discovered Bill Withers courtesy of Gap. Thank you Gap!

Permalink posted 08/21/2007
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carmensandiego says I discovered Moby from a Nordstrom commercial.

Permalink posted 08/21/2007
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brickbat says Hi, I was one of jeff tweedy's biggest fans until that record came out. I'm currently in line just behind jay farrar to smack him square in the face, due entirely to sky, blue sky. No, I'm not going to get over that one for a while.

Permalink posted 08/21/2007
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Lowdown says I dunno gang, it still doesn't sit well with me. I just don't like the idea of a passionate statement about someone's being used to encourage me to buy something. Mrs.Chucky-I hear ya about selling music, but where do we draw the line? Is a person who writes commercial jingles on par with John Lennon? I had a friend who got into Fisher Spooner via a commercial, so who knows............

Permalink posted 08/22/2007
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chucky says I don't know where we draw the line but I am going to go with Lennon trumps commercial jingle writer..heh.

Permalink posted 08/22/2007
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taco says Maybe the reason audiophiles are so irked by hearing their favorite artists in TV ads is simply because the music actually forces one to listen more closely than they normally would - it's much easier to drown out a poppy jingle than it is a good guitar riff from an actual song. I too get mad when the TV owns me! Also, the peon ad developers, being whipped by their CEO bosses for new marketing schemes are probably the same normal folks that enjoy listening to the good bands, like us...can you blame them? Maybe hearing "The Thanks I Get" in a car commercial is the thing that gets them out of bed in the morning... (I discovered Wilco and The Flaming Lips from a promotional CD from American Eagle years ago. And I hate American Eagle!)

Permalink posted 08/22/2007
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Lowdown says I appreciate all the different takes on this one. Thanks gang!

Permalink posted 08/23/2007
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steve simon says i remember puking when The Who's farewell tour( first one of course.....in 82') was put on by Schlitz Beer, but now i have been dulled down to the whole thing. though i just saw tweedy and raved about Wilco being the best american band in music today........and i guess they still are( though he is an asshole, even in sobriety)

Permalink posted 08/26/2007
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Lowdown says Ahh..how wonderful had that actually been their farewell tour.

Permalink posted 08/26/2007