sarahtherese

Hey, fellow music lovers. I have a favour to ask… (Please don’t throw your computer at the wall and run screaming yet. Hear me out.)

I’m working on my masters thesis at the moment, and it’s about the whole sell-out concept, and advertising’s commodification of indie music.


I really want to do a quality piece of research here, so I was hoping some of you could help me out with your opinions.


Do you think that it’s possible for bands to sell out anymore by licensing their music for ads, or is the concept outdated?


Does the use of an indie song in an ad colour how you feel about the musician?


Does it colour how you feel about the brand who used the song? Like, what does McDonald’s using New Slang, or VW using Pink Moon make you think of them?

Are they hip, down with the kids etc, or more try hard, uncool, silly?


Would the use of an indie song in an ad be enough to make you avoid that brand? Or would it do the opposite, and actually engage you?


Does the context matter? Like would it be more acceptable to here an indie song where the lyrics really match the product? As opposed to, for instance, Apple using Pixies’ Gigantic in an iPhone ad, where the song’s original context is lost.


I guess what I’m ultimately trying to find out is does that anti-commercial ideology that indie music subculture is based upon still exist today.


I realise I am not providing any incentive to help me out here, but any thoughts you have would be so appreciated! I really want this work to be good. I also really do not want to fail my masters. It would be a super good deed. And if any of you should find yourselves in Ireland I'll tell you where all the best music places are. Promise.


Feel free to answer any or all of the above questions, or if you have any other feelings about the topic just throw them in! Anything helps!


Thanks so much

Sarah

Black Francis

i'll answer in order

1. yes the concept of selling out is getting a little outdated but it's still something ppl address.

2. most times, yes.

3. no

4. again, no

5. Maybe but more than getting the product i would just probably seek out the band who made the song.

6. WHAT!? as a huge fan of the pixies i am appalled they are using their songs just to sell me a f*cking Ipad!

Jk i don't give a F*ck, i honestly don't care what songs they use or in which context they use it in fact i kinda want to see ppl's precious bands totally sellout to see all their fans act indignified by it

"How could they? they were MY SPECIAL BAND, they should make the career choices i imagine they should make.."

Well yea? well who the **** are you to judge the career choices of ppl with better careers than you!?
your little opinion might empower you personally but that's literally all it does..

srry i got off track but that's something i repeat to myself cause i do that sh*t too,

__________________
"Hey Kids you got to meet the MIGHTY PIXIES!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbRbCtIgW3A

Hockeyman

1. The moment people want music to be their job, that's when they are (Technically) a sellout. Nothing wrong with being a sellout. It should all be about the music. When a band that struggled for years gets big and their first album was 3-4 years of work, while their follow up is made in 1-2 while on tour. It's easy to just say they sold out, but good music comes from hard work and passion (most of the time). When a band loses that quality for their music then they'll just fade away into obscurity. If the song is good I hope it's in more commercials because it helps this band that has at least 1 good song.

2.no. Supply and demand. They want the song and have money. You have a song and want money.

3. No, they just wanted the song and can use focus groups to their advantage.

4. It would be nothing more than a fun fact I'd mention to people.

5. When I heard "price tag" used in a monopoly commercial I got a laugh out of the meaning of the song being lost, but it's nothing more than that because I understand that they paid money for it and can use it however they like.

sarahtherese

Thanks so much for getting back to me, I really appreciate it! Sending good karma your way. If anyone else would like to chime in feel free, I'm still collecting data (I will apparently forever be collecting data)
Sarah