Authenticity in music: Ain’t nothing like the real thing

Growing up, the ads that stuck in my head had big, iconic soundtracks you need only hear once to remember. I’m talking Levi's The Joker and Cadbury’s Gorilla.

But with instant recall came huge price tags, and not all brands could afford to license these memorable mega hits, instead commissioning original ‘commercial music' to recreate or emulate them.

Brands like Calvin Klein, Apple and Beats by Dre use artist partnerships as currency.

Of course, there are some incredible commercial music ads, but with these iconic ‘real records’ setting the bar high with their top quality production value, personality and, often, lyrics that spoke directly to a brand’s culture authentically, it was hard for bespoke music to compete. For some time it seemed brands and agencies were straddling this music gulf, reaching for one or the other, depending on budget.

Above: Cadbury Gorilla used Phil Collins' smash In the Air Tonight.

It’s only really in the last 10 years, with brands like Apple placing artists and their music at the heart of their campaigns, that the way brands curate and create music has changed. Tracks like Falling Apart by Australian artist, Young Franco featuring Pell & Denzel Curry, for Apple AirPods' Jump, seamlessly fused music and brand culture and, along with a sprinkle of clever PR by launching the spot in front of music royalty at the 2021 Grammy‘s, have made us rethink music’s role in the brand narrative.

It’s only really in the last 10 years, with brands like Apple placing artists and their music at the heart of their campaigns, that the way brands curate and create music has changed.

During this time we’ve seen the dawn of the digital information age and, with it, huge shifts in the music and media industries, as the two worlds naturally collided through social media. Now that artists and brands inhabit the same ecosystem, they’ve quickly understood the value of partnering. And, with data analysis spoon-feeding precise consumer insights, they know exactly who to partner with. 

Brands like Calvin Klein, Apple and Beats by Dre use artist partnerships as currency, successfully capturing the spirit of a generation shaped by the artists and music they
love. These are artists whose entire M.O. is about authentic self-expression; the incomparable Billie Eilish, for example, who sums the whole thing up (whilst wearing Calvin’s).

Above: Apple used Falling Apart, by Australian artist Young Franco, for its Jump commercial.

But it’s not all about major players and partnerships, this music-centric shift has directly impacted original music for media. The same way artists feature on a track, the expectation to collaborate with real talent is fast becoming a given for top-tier music-for-media companies. And, with so much content, the opportunities for artist’s to get a sync or write an original track are infinite. 

Although you can’t fake authenticity, it can take a village to make it feel authentic.

However, writing for picture is not the same as producing a hit record, so music production houses have bridged the gap, becoming the industry’s musical Swiss Army knife,
brokering artist/brand collaborations, discovering and enlisting talent, creatively directing and producing the music and delivering a seamless mix to picture, so it feels like you’re listening to a six second sound bite from a full length track. So, although you can’t fake authenticity, it can take a village to make it feel authentic.

Elf Cosmetics delivered a masterclass with their #EyesLipsFace campaign, producing the first commissioned song for a brand on TikTok, the track going viral with frenzied fans demanding a download and music video! Many brands have enjoyed similar success on the platform since by leaning into its unique ‘Sound-On’ immersive experience, best felt through the use of music and sound. #EveryKiss was a branded hashtag challenge The Elements Music produced featuring independent artist Leslie Powell that charted next to Shawn Mendes in the TikTok Viral Charts, as the result of audiences assuming the track was an existing one, similar to the Elf campaign. 

Above: Elf Cosmetics' #EyesLipsFace campaign was the first commissioned song for a brand on TikTok.

This definitely feels like the new norm which, quite frankly, is refreshing and exciting for both the music and ad industries, as now we can reach for the talent that’s right for a project and simply lean into their wheelhouse for the best result. And with the democratisation social media has afforded artists and creators, many are choosing autonomy over ownership, allowing them to collaborate freely. 

It’s amazing to think music for media is now a viable career for musicians.

Championing their independence and providing great resources, Soundcloud, Soundbetter, Vampr and BeatClub are among a number of artist-friendly platforms A&R’ing great talent, connecting them with brands, even providing marketing toolkits. It’s amazing to think music for media is now a viable career for musicians when, only a few years back, without millions of streams or a paycheck for performing, for many, music was a side hustle.