Driven Far Off

The latest on the indie, alternative, and rock music scene including news, music, contest, interviews, and more. Best described as your favorite place to find new bands.

Archives for 2007

Albums In Stores Tomorrow

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Here are some albums being released tomorrow.

Fall Out Boy – Infinity on High
Kiss Kiss – Reality Vs. The Optimist
Bayside – The Walking Wounded
The Used – Berth CD/DVD
Sparks The Rescue – The Secrets We Can’t Keep (Digital Only)
Lifetime – Lifetime
Bloc Party – A Weekend in the City
Secondhand Serenade – Awake
Dear And The Headlights – Small Steps, Heavy Hooves
V/A – Take Action Vol. 6 CD/DVD

Between The Trees Gets National Release

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Between the Trees are thrilled to announce the wide, national release of their acclaimed debut album The Story and The Song on April 24th via Bonded Records. With their infectious melodies and inspiring lyrics, the pop tinged indie rock act has developed a dedicated following of sing-along fans that continues to spread like wildfire across the internet and into packed venues.

Article #6 – Product Placement

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“We need to check out the last place that the serial killer would have been, and I think I know where that is. Come on let’s get in my Ford Escape hybrid and go.” Lines like this are becoming more and more common in TV shows, and movies these days. What about music though? We have yet to really see product placement in music. Would it bother you to know your favorite artist got paid (an undisclosed amount) every time that a song with a product placement got played on the radio?

There are studies out there for televisions with PVR’s (personal video recorders) that show about 80% of people who record TV shows skip the commercials. That’s natural though right? I mean the idea of getting a recorder is record content when you’re gone, and to skip the commercials. I can’t imagine that those studies would make advertisers happy, and thus the seeming need to find other places to put advertisements.

Music is a new frontier for product placement. Although I doubt it will stay that way for much longer. There have already been at several attempts, McDonald’s probably being one of the most well known.

“McDonald’s, the fast food chain has offered to pay rappers up to $5 every time a song name-checking the Big Mac is played.“ taken from BBC News

On top on many, many other concerns comes the sticky situation of does this now mean the advertiser has to, or rather gets to, approve the lyrics by the artist? Who is really writing the songs if the advertiser can change the song to “convey the product in a positive light”?

“And the Grammy winner for best song this year goes to…. Coca Cola.” Now that’s a scary picture.

I guess the real question is whether being paid to write certain things (products) into songs compromises the integrity of the song or the band. If it doesn’t then no other discussion is even necessary. However if it does, and I think it does, then there are a lot questions and concerns that get raised.

What do you think, is product placement in songs a good idea, or not? Or does it even matter, does anyone care about this topic?