Music Supervision and Branding in an Era of “Convergent Advertising”

At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, the popular music ecosystem moved from a system devoted to the sale of objects to one centered on data. As such, musicians began to seek new sources of income to replace the sale of recordings and moved toward licensing and brand management. At the same time, as platforms of video distribution began to proliferate and the demand for content generated an abundance of media franchises, the need to stand out required new aesthetic investments to establish immediate brand recognition. These two new media developments generated a convergence of opportunities for strategic music supervision and placement in television and film projects. This chapter draws primarily from trade literature to illustrate how actors in music, film, and television began to recognize and develop coordinating mutually beneficial practices where every party potentially benefits through the elevation of their brand profiles.