Top 10 Corporate Moments In Rock

[DudeAsInCool]

The Top 10 Corporate Moments In Rock

By: David Schultz

More than 25 years ago, John Mellencamp began his career under the name John Cougar, a name he claimed was foisted upon him in a calculated A&R move to boost album sales and increase radio airplay. Once he had achieved a modicum of success, Mellencamp secured the return of his true surname, spending the next decade releasing material as John Cougar Mellencamp. In 1991, Mellencamp finally shed the Cougar, seemingly regaining every ounce of his artistic integrity. Given Mellencamp's tireless efforts to rid his populist work of any corporate influence, the ultra-ubiquitous use of his latest single "Our Country" in conjunction with the promotion of the Chevy Silverado bears every indicia of "corporate sellout." Long gone are the days when PETA member Chrissie Hynde goes to a Gap outlet and knifes a bunch of leather jackets simply because the shopping mall mainstays requested her consent to use one of her songs in a Gap commercial.

To say that the profitable nature of the record business has skyrocketed since the days of Buddy Holly and "Rock Around The Clock" would be an understatement of gargantuan proportion. The evolution of the "music business" has oftentimes seen the focus placed more on business than music. Basic corporate concepts such as skillful marketing plans, profit maximization and good old Gordon Gekko greed, once inimical to the artistry of the music profession, are now commonplace. On one hand, debuting "Our Country" as a placard for the automotive industry could be considered good marketing, but it also qualifies as just another moment in the uncomfortable marriage between art and commerce . . . and not even one of the more egregious ones. What follows are the ten most severe instances of the artistic vision coming under attack by the corporate mindset.

10. Ed Sullivan Tells The Rolling Stones and The Doors To Keep It Clean

9. Sony Infects Its Customers' Computers In The Name Of Combating Illegal Copying

8. The Fan Club Pre-Sale Goes Corporate

7. The Grateful Dead Removes Their Soundboards From the Live Music Archives

6. John Fogerty Gets Sued For Plagiarizing Himself

5. EMI Sees Things In Black And White – Not Grey

4. Ticketmaster Crushes Pearl Jam

3. Geffen Sues Neil Young For Not Sounding Like Neil Young

2. The "Special Edition" CD

1. Woodstock 99

Read the full writeup at Earvolution

[slum_goddess]

*sigh* fucking moron$ ruining it for the rest of us.

[DudeAsInCool]

I met Saul Zaent a number of times. He made good films and was very charming and open. The complete opposite of what I've read when it comes to Fogerty and the CCR

[bear]

I just read an interview in Blender, today as a matter of fact, and Mellencamp's reasoning for giving the rights to his song to hawk trucks is, he's not mainstream any more, and his stuff won't get played on the radio. How that fits into him 'selling out', I don't know, especially since he was so outspoken against Bob Seger doing exactly the same thing, maybe 20 years ago with 'Like A Rock'.

I don't know all the ins and outs of corporate rock, but surely the corporate dollar funds tours up front, in exchange for the music being heard in the ads. I remember being sick to my stomach the first time I heard Aerosmith in a tv ad. (I forget for what, an auto company, I think)

It's a catch 22 in some cases, I suppose. You cut a record, and don't have the dough to go out on tour and promote it, you know?

Then again, there are some acts who could surely afford to foot the bill up front. The Stones are a perfect example. They could probably finance their own tour, and still make a huge profit in the end. But, why do that, when you can have someone else pay your way? At what cost? A couple of your songs in a diet soda commercial?

Some would argue artistic integrity and all that. But, we're not the artists, are we? If I enjoy group A, I'll go see them when they come around, whether they have a song in a Gap ad or not.

On a final note, I think the biggest crime in music history isn't even on that list:

Michael Jackson outbids Paul McCartney for Beatles tunes, and the next thing you know, they're in TV ads.

[DudeAsInCool]

On a final note, I think the biggest crime in music history isn't even on that list:

Michael Jackson outbids Paul McCartney for Beatles tunes, and the next thing you know, they're in TV ads.

I agree. But we just posted an article the other day about how is about to lose them to Sony.

[DudeAsInCool]

I just read an interview in Blender, today as a matter of fact, and Mellencamp's reasoning for giving the rights to his song to hawk trucks is, he's not mainstream any more, and his stuff won't get played on the radio. How that fits into him 'selling out', I don't know, especially since he was so outspoken against Bob Seger doing exactly the same thing, maybe 20 years ago with 'Like A Rock'.

Speaking of John Mellancamp, there is at least one good cut on the new album - My Aeroplane check it out

[Gracia]

I too agree with that.