You'll Never Guess Which Songs Have Been Used In The Most Commercials
By TheBlast Staff on December 15, 2022 at 5:30 PM EST
Commercials wouldn’t be the same without music. And no, we’re not talking about that kind of commercial music—let’s save any talk about jingles for another post Anyway, talking about them would just leave us all with several different songs in our head.
No, we’re talking about the popular songs that accompany commercials. The songs that we know from elsewhere and then are pleasantly surprised to hear in a commercial. In this article, we’re going to be shining a special focus on ten songs that have been used in more commercials than any other songs on the planet.
Okay—before we begin, we have to come clean. We weren’t able to track down a comprehensive database that showed the number of times every single song has been played in a commercial, if such a thing even exists. But we were able to find examples of songs that are definitely a favorite of music supervisors. Chances are you have seen (and heard!) our choices in at least a handful of commercials.
“One Way Or Another” is one of the most famous songs by beloved new wave band Blondie. Since its release in the late 1970s, it’s been used in many different promotional reels as well as commercials. The companies who have used the song to advertise their products include Heinz, KFC, Macy’s, Old Navy—we could go on.
If the song's lyrics strike you as a tad bit unsettling, then you should know that it’s by design. They’re supposed to. Debbie Harris famously wrote the song about a real-life stalker.
There are some songs that just give you an instant serotonin boost. “Walking on Sunshine” by the British 80s band Katrina and the Waves is certainly one of these songs. This upbeat, feel-good track has achieved a kind of notoriety that most songs can only dream of. Much of this is due to its status as a favorite song among advertisers.
You might have heard this song selling you allergy meds (Claritin), toys (Fisher Price), or even cereal (Shredded Wheat). And don’t even get us started on how many movies and TV shows it’s been used in. Let’s hope the songwriters get a nice royalty check in the mail every month!
“Rock and Roll All Nite” is one of (if not the) most noteworthy songs by KISS. Regarded by some as one of the greatest rock songs of all time, it’s also one of the most commercial. “Rock and Roll All Nite” has rocked and rolled its way into the night for brands like Android and Applebee’s.
4. Venus
“Venus” as a song has roots that go back way longer than most songs on this list. Though the song was a hit in the 50s and 60s, it was an 80s version of the song by Bananarama that eventually became a huge commercial favorite. Of course, the song was most famously used in a commercial for Gillette razors, but it’s also been used to advertise video games (like Just Dance 3).
The message behind “Born to be Wild” is a dream for advertisers. Its lyrics bring up a sense of carefree, youthful joy that could be used to represent many different brands. It was released in the 1960s by the band Steppenwolf and is sometimes cited as the world’s first heavy metal song.
Some of the brands that have tapped into their wild side include Pepsi and Toyota.
6. Your Song
“Your Song” is a sweet ballad released in the 1970s by mega-star Elton John. Interestingly, it was the star’s first top ten hit. The song has since been covered more times than we have the fingers to count, but what’s also notable is that number of times the song has been used in a commercial. You might remember hearing the song in pieces for the likes of Ikea and KFC (Ellie Goulding version).
Here’s another up-tempo song that’s a favorite for commercials—sensing a trend yet? “You’re My Best Friend” is one of the many hit songs by British rock band Queen. It has everything that you’d want in a song for a commercial, from a catchy tune to a performance that comes with the kind of gravitas that you expect from Queen. Most notably, this song was used in commercials for Carnival cruise lines.
We bet you’re already singing this song based on the title alone. “Do You Believe in Magic?” has its origins in the 1960s, but it’s been used in several commercials much more recent than that. Perhaps you’ve heard of some of the brands it has represented. McDonald’s, Burger King, Kohl’s, Mercedes Benz—any ring a bell?
The band behind the classic song “You Sexy Thing” has perhaps the best band name of all time—Hot Chocolate. The song has been used in several movie and TV promo shots, but it’s also seen its fair share of commercial plays, advertising brands like Bud Light and Burger King.
Unlike most of the songs on this list, “Shut Up and Let Me Go” by The Ting Tings isn’t from the 70s or 80s. The song has its origins in the 2000s. It was used in a commercial for the soda Fanta, but its biggest claim to fame definitely comes from its use in an Apple commercial, advertising the iPod.
Although we can grow tired of songs when we hear them too often, there are some songs that we could hear again and again and never grow sick of. Hopefully that describes some of the songs above—you’re definitely likely to hear them again and again!
Maria Pendolino is a commercial voice actor and writer from Buffalo, NY. She loves watching commercials almost more than the TV shows themselves! When she's not voicing or watching commercials, she enjoys making charcuterie boards, playing with her four rescue cats and binging Below Deck on Bravo! You can follow her on Instagram @mariapendo.
