Commercials: Yet Another Revenue Opportunity

Today's Internet age has undoubtedly changed the music scene and the way in which we obtain our favorite tunes.  The prominence of programs like Napster and Limewire has allowed the public to download any of their favorite songs without paying.  In addition, Itunes has also changed our purchasing of music.  Instead of paying for the entire CD, we can now choose our favorites and save some money.
That being said, there are still plenty of opportunities for artists and record companies to gain profit.  Among these are the possibilities to feature your song in a prominent commercial.  This makes sense for the artist in multiple ways. First, the company likely pays the record company a decent amount of money for the song in the form of royalties.  These synchronization royalties help the artist and publisher make up for some of the losses in illegal downloads.  Thus, commercials and movies have become a major player for artists to continue to develop a steady stream of profit.
In addition, it helps artists that are perhaps not that well known.  For example, the new FUN song, "We Are Young," was featured in a Chevy Sonic commercial at this years Super Bowl.  Within days the song skyrocketed to the tops of the Itunes charts.  Clearly, the band benefited tremendously from having this commercial air to millions.  It spread the song to the masses and provided a way to encourage the sale of their song, and music in general, to the public.  Through the commercial the band generated great publicity.
Lastly, this helps the advertising of the car or other product as well.  If the advertising company chooses an already popular song or well-known verse, the song will soon be tied to that product.  With that, the public will automatically associate that product when they hear the song on the radio or their ipod.  Thus, the advertising and music industries enjoy a relationship with mutual benefits.  The artist and record companies enjoy royalty payments from the product and the notoriety that is associated with being in a well-known commercial.  In addition, the product enjoys the association with being known as the product that represents the popular song or band.  From now on, I'll always remember Chevy Sonic because of the FUN commercial in the most watched event of the year, the Super Bowl.