TV, unlikely saviour of songs lost in the static
got this from smh.com.au
The bargain bin isn't always the end of the road for songs that have faded into obscurity. There's another, more lucrative, place for them to go: television.
Just ask Kelis. The American R&B singer-songwriter had already been dropped by her record label when the marketing brains behind Big Brother decided that an unknown track from a forgotten album should be the theme song for their reality television show.
Love it or loathe it, anyone who has channel-surfed their way onto Network Ten in the past few months would have heard I Don't Think So. The exposure propelled the song into the Top 30, two years after it originally passed the music world by.
The network marketing manager at Ten, Grant Gillies, said the track - with lyrics including, "You think you might have a chance/I don't think so/You're tellin' me to be nice/I don't think so/You wanna get in my pants/I don't think so" - was edgy, irreverent and bold.
"Tonally, it fitted with Big Brother this year," Mr Gillies said. "We've been doing sync deals for many years, but lately it seems to have really caught on. Record labels are being really proactive in terms of pitching music to us.
"With declining music sales, they are looking for non-traditional ways to expose their music, and marrying pop music with contemporary TV shows really works well for us."
Linking a song to a TV show or network promo can be a sure-fire way to chart action, with tracks often rocketing up the digital download charts within days of the first on-air appearance.
Youth Group was a relatively unknown Australian band when their cover of Forever Young was used to launch the second season of The OC. The track shot to No. 1 on the charts and remained in the top 100 for months.
Colbie Caillat's song Bubbly shot up the charts after it was used on Kate Ritchie's Home & Away farewell promo, a year after its release.
Big things are also expected from the new Australian Idol theme song, which has been recorded by finalists in this year's series. The new ads go to air this weekend.
Universal Music Australia's managing director, George Ash, said songs could enhance powerful television.
"There are a million examples where it goes the other way, where the song is not right for the program. There's a lot of skill matching music with great moments on TV and if you can get it right, it works for everyone," he said.
Universal Music has entered into a joint venture with Brand Amp Australia to strength the links between the label's artists and brands - including TV networks - wanting to use music to push their products.
"An artist is like a brand … If the deal is going to compromise the core qualities of an artist, they should not do it. Some artists are motivated by money, others by creativity. If the match is right, it talks to the fans and the public. If it's not right, everyone loses," Mr Ash said.
Artists also have a say. Shannon Noll, whose song Lift was used on The Biggest Loser, had no problems with the link-up.
"The fact that it's been used as the music for The Biggest Loser can only be a good thing, it's sending a really positive message to people," he said. " I'm about writing songs that bring a positive message - there's already too much negativity in this world."
The bargain bin isn't always the end of the road for songs that have faded into obscurity. There's another, more lucrative, place for them to go: television.
Just ask Kelis. The American R&B singer-songwriter had already been dropped by her record label when the marketing brains behind Big Brother decided that an unknown track from a forgotten album should be the theme song for their reality television show.
Love it or loathe it, anyone who has channel-surfed their way onto Network Ten in the past few months would have heard I Don't Think So. The exposure propelled the song into the Top 30, two years after it originally passed the music world by.
The network marketing manager at Ten, Grant Gillies, said the track - with lyrics including, "You think you might have a chance/I don't think so/You're tellin' me to be nice/I don't think so/You wanna get in my pants/I don't think so" - was edgy, irreverent and bold.
"Tonally, it fitted with Big Brother this year," Mr Gillies said. "We've been doing sync deals for many years, but lately it seems to have really caught on. Record labels are being really proactive in terms of pitching music to us.
"With declining music sales, they are looking for non-traditional ways to expose their music, and marrying pop music with contemporary TV shows really works well for us."
Linking a song to a TV show or network promo can be a sure-fire way to chart action, with tracks often rocketing up the digital download charts within days of the first on-air appearance.
Youth Group was a relatively unknown Australian band when their cover of Forever Young was used to launch the second season of The OC. The track shot to No. 1 on the charts and remained in the top 100 for months.
Colbie Caillat's song Bubbly shot up the charts after it was used on Kate Ritchie's Home & Away farewell promo, a year after its release.
Big things are also expected from the new Australian Idol theme song, which has been recorded by finalists in this year's series. The new ads go to air this weekend.
Universal Music Australia's managing director, George Ash, said songs could enhance powerful television.
"There are a million examples where it goes the other way, where the song is not right for the program. There's a lot of skill matching music with great moments on TV and if you can get it right, it works for everyone," he said.
Universal Music has entered into a joint venture with Brand Amp Australia to strength the links between the label's artists and brands - including TV networks - wanting to use music to push their products.
"An artist is like a brand … If the deal is going to compromise the core qualities of an artist, they should not do it. Some artists are motivated by money, others by creativity. If the match is right, it talks to the fans and the public. If it's not right, everyone loses," Mr Ash said.
Artists also have a say. Shannon Noll, whose song Lift was used on The Biggest Loser, had no problems with the link-up.
"The fact that it's been used as the music for The Biggest Loser can only be a good thing, it's sending a really positive message to people," he said. " I'm about writing songs that bring a positive message - there's already too much negativity in this world."
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