My last post was about how the way we once came into contact and were once exposed to music changed dramatically in a 5 year span (1996-2001). This post is about one of the byproducts which prompted me to go a tangent that resulted in a 5000 word Tumblr blog that no sane person would dare even attempt to read. It’s about music in film and television and how it affects the listener and in turn how music licensing exposed the public to new music after the old avenues dried up. I decided to break said piece into two parts. Here goes:

At the close of the 90’s and the beginning of the 00’s, I’d noticed that the usual places and things I did to be exposed to new music were disappearing into thin air. What I did notice was that Viacom networks instead began playing new music during their original programs of the time.

They would run the band or artist’s name at the bottom of the screen in tiny print or at the end of the show they’d list all of the bands, artists or musicians, the names of the songs they played then provide a website where you could stream the songs & buy their albums. At first, I didn’t even think to wonder how those bands got their music onto said show, I was just happy to know they still were putting people onto new music.

I’d also began noticing that indie films around that same time had began to fill up with indie music and amazing scores that made you go looking for the artists based on the songs you heard as well. I wondered if this was a conscious choice by the filmmakers or if it was just a coincidence that they hadn’t even realized. Since people weren’t exposed to these things normally anymore, the void was being filled regardless. Let’s back up a little and lay some groundwork first, shall we?

Back in 1995, when several kids from the Hip Hop generation saw Luc Besson’s 1994 film “Leon: The Professional” they first became introduced to Bjork via “Venus As A Boy”. Some others searched for said song and also heard Sting’s “Shape Of My Heart” on the same soundtrack.

Don’t forget that the same song was also in the end credits of the 1993 film “Three Of Hearts”. Why do I mention this? Because the same song was sampled by Trackmasters for Nas’ “The Message” off his 1996 “It Was Written” album. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

Who could keep “While the Earth Sleeps” by Peter Gabriel & Deep Forest out of their head after seeing the end credits of “Strange Days” in 1995? How many demos did I hear that sampled the score from “Face/Off” in 1997? How many demos did I hear sampling Eric Clapton’s “Pilgrim” after it was in the end credits for “Lethal Weapon 4” in 1998? A gang of ‘em. How many cats started checking for Techno & Drum N’ Bass after seeing “Blade” the same year? Exposure to new music affects us whether we consciously recognize it or not. I often make a concerted effort to go searching for it.

This was even before the music was purposely or being licensed to draw people in and/or incorporated in the aggressive marketing campaigns of random products or properties. Music elicits emotional reactions in people so it’s a powerful marketing tool as people will forever associate the first place they were introduced to a song they love with that particular product or property. Case in point, go ahead and read the YouTube comments for this random song as proof.

When you watch a film or a TV show, sometimes that song you hear can make that particular scene resonate with you. That score combined with some great editing can stick out in your mind and move you so much that you go searching for that piece of music or that particular song. You may even discover your new favorite artist in the process. Starting around 1999, music licensing in television, film and commercials began to take off after the Viacom networks canceled most of their genre based video shows.

Many of my favorite films, television and cable shows had brilliant music supervisors and featured amazing scores. Even the most memorable commercials were from cutting edge companies that employed new music. Apple Inc. seemed to beat their competitors by featuring underground or indie music in their commercials. One of their subliminal tactics was to not put the name of the song at the bottom of the screen like their competitors all did.

This served two purposes, first, the other companies made it all too obvious that they were in a partnership with a label and helping to hawk their product in a failing marketplace. Secondly, Apple wanted it to be known the only product they were interested selling was their particular product. Also, they’re customers were so hip it was inferred that they already were familiar with the songs they used in their commercials. It ended up working and artists like Feist sold even more albums.

In 2004, Zach Braff released the soundtrack for his indie first feature “Garden State”. The music in this film helped to tell the story so effectively that the soundtrack exponentially elevated it’s overall quality. Not only that, but the soundtrack resonated with so many people that it flew off store shelves and won Zach Braff a Grammy. Incidentally, all Braff did was compile a mix CD of the indie music he listened to when he initially wrote the screenplay.

Think about the significant role that music played in three of the most successful recent indie breakout features, “Once” (2006), “Juno” (2008) and “Rachel Getting Married” (2008). Those three films introduced audiences to music that they normally wouldn’t encounter via the radio or the current stable of Viacom networks. The music elicited such a response from people that to this very day these soundtracks sell and people Google the artists on them and comment on their YouTube videos. I also happen to love these three films which should come as no surprise.

In my biased opinion, the current television show with the greatest music supervision on Earth hands down is the UK series “Skins”. The music chosen fits so perfectly with the what’s happening with the show and it’s effectively introducing people to new music the world over, a job that was once occupied by the Viacom music networks and terrestrial radio. The title of this particular piece references a song I discovered by watching an episode of said program.

Nowadays, many musicians and producers make their livings by either being musical directors or making original music or scoring for television and film. It’s actually steadier work than trying to attain placements in an industry where albums are selling less and less and it’s possible for songs to be hits without even being played on the radio. Oftentimes artists make more money through their songs being licensed for commercial usage/licensing than from record sales. I call this modern phenomenon “The Flo Rida Effect”.

For example, take Santigold whose album sales might not be through the roof but half of the songs off her debut album have been licensed for commercial usage or have been featured in several network television shows, cable series’ and films. Think of how many more people have been introduced to her album because of these placements? Now think of how few of them ever would have heard her music if it wasn’t licensed.

In conclusion, the music industry is in such dire straits that people are being exposed to more new music via television, films and commercials than video networks or even the radio. Back in the days, artists used to rejoice when their song got played on the radio or when their video aired on BET, MTV or VH1. Now they celebrate when their songs are played on “Entourage” or during a game on ESPN. Things Done Changed! © Notorious B.I.G.

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