Popular Music and the Marketplace

Exposing new artists and the badge of affinity

The pervasive exposure of advertising relative to the increasingly fragmented nature of “traditional” media means that commercials now serve a useful role in exposing new artists.  This is not the safe recycling an already-a-hit but often leveraging the cool brand to provide the listener with a badge of affinity (halo effect).

Apple’s use of the introduction of Chilly Gonzales’s ‘Never Stop’ is a recent example of this.