I listen to television more that I watch it. CSI Miami and commercials are what usually make me raise my head from a book or my laptop. Commercials are really no more than well plotted stories whittled down to fit into 30 – 90 second spots. The characterization is wonderful and the soundtracks can run through your head over and over.

Here’s a short list of some of my favorites. The short snippets I’ve heard on television have actually moved me to download the songs or in some cases, buy an entire album.

~ ~ ~

Commercial: Zune
Song: Lake Michigan
Artist: Rogue Wave
Album: Asleep at Heaven’s Gate ©2007
~This is a beautiful commercial. A woman sits in an outdoor café, protected by the rain from an awning. Running her fingers across the screen of her Zune takes her to a new world with pink bunnies, cats and mice. She finds an alternate universe inside a painting before plunging into water and submerging back to the café.

Commercial: M & Ms – “There’s An M & M in Everyone.”
Song: This is the Day
Artist: The The
Album: Soul Mining ©2002
~What a fun commercial. M & Ms are already colorful, but add in dogs to walk, unique haircuts and photo booths and these chocolate candies are even more fun! My favorite – the green one.

Commercial: A&E Program Lineup
Song: Who We Are
Artist: Lifehouse
Album: Who We Are ©2007
~This is a fast paced visual commercial that shows shots of the actors and clips from A&E’s program lineup. This song lifts up and down in melody and is a wonderful soundtrack for the threaded visualizations that were created for this commercial.

Commercial: AT&T Wireless
Song: Sweet Pea
Artist: Amos Lee
Album: Supply and Demand ©2006
~This commercial makes me tear up. It’s so sweet. A father leaves for a business trip; his daughter has planted a stuffed toy monkey in his briefcase. Dad takes advantage of his wireless by placing the monkey in interesting backdrops and snapping photos to send back home. The last photo is of the monkey sitting on dad’s briefcase in front of the house. The little girl runs to meet him. Can I get a collective “AWWWW”?

Be on the lookout for great music on television and send me a note. I’d like to know what you hear.

Have a great week!
Chel