How Does Music Generate Action?

I have spent years playing, researching, recording, writing and analyzing music and am always interested regarding the "whys" behind it. Things like; Why is one song more popular than another? Why do some songs never seem to get old? Why are the same songs played at almost every wedding reception you attend? Why is music used in marketing? Why do we hear music in retail stores (and why does it always seem to be a watered down version of the original)? Some of these questions seem pretty obvious, but when you really think about it, the answers don't come so easily. Obviously, record producers have figured out a "method to the madness" of spinning out a hit, even through the changing climate of digital vs. physical music sales. Hits, however have a definite and fickle life span. Not all #1 singles will be well recognized even 2 years down the road, and not all songs that barely crack the top 20 will be forgotten in 2 years.

Popularity of music is driven in several ways; one way is through synch licensing within a movie. I immediately think of the revitalization of the 1994 single, "I Like To Move" it by Reel 2 Real thanks to the 2005 hit movie "Madagascar". Since then this song has become a stadium anthem across the nation and is known by almost every child in the U.S.A.. Another way music is made popular is through long-term advertising programs. In this instance I think of "We Like To Party" by the Dutch group Vengaboys. You may not know this song by name, but when you hear the music and see the old man dancing, you realize you are listening to a Six Flags advertisement. "We Like To Party" has been used for nearly 6 years in a row now. Finally, there are just some artists that have a brand so well established that popularity of their music is almost guaranteed. In this case brand management has done the leg work for them, I think Black Eyed Peas in this instance. They have done an amazing job at creating a brand that both trusted and well recognized by the music consumer.

Then there are the "evergreens", the songs that may have a very specific genre, but no one seems to care. You will be hard pressed to not see almost everyone in a room take notice when "Sweet Home Alabama" or "Don't Stop Believing" start to play. Not many of these songs are "born" year to year, but when they are, they become iconic songs that can be used in almost any situation.

So how can we use these facts to our advantage? How can music be used to call people to action? Make that puchase, donate money, time or spend just a little longer in a store. First, I have never heard anyone say "I don't like music". Everyone likes some type of music and that music will generate emotions. Sometimes, for products at least, the right song is obvious. For example, you are marketing a pre-paid calling card many songs will spring to your mind that would make sense ("Call Me" by Blondie was what immediately jumped into my mind). Even easier are items designed as romantic gifts, there is any number of love songs out there that would work perfectly. Other products can prove to be more difficult, but the joy of music is there is usually several choices of well known songs that fit well for just about any product or service. You can then begin to filter down song choice by the age, gender and socioeconomic groups you want to market to. Maybe it's not a product you are trying to sell, but an emotion you are trying to generate. Ever notice that many times political advertisements use a grandiose patriotic arrangement as a sound bed? These ads are attempting to portray trust and nobility. Music is the perfect ingredient to accompany a strong voiceover to generate interest and create a sense of urgency, because it establishes some sort of emotional bond with the listener.

Music truly is the "soundtrack" to our lives, we listen to it at birthdays, graduations, weddings and funerals. We use it to get through workouts, to make that flight a little more enjoyable, to wind down before bed and to pump us up before the big game. Music is a crucial additive to just about any media project, without it the project will most likely feel dull and lifeless. Same is true with meetings and presentations. I discovered sometime ago that playing music for a group before I spoke to them and inserting some music throughout my presentation drastically improved the responsiveness of the crowd. Music is not something that should be simply thrown into a project, it needs to be well thought out and edited correctly. The right professional should be able to come up with multiple song recommendations or references in very little time as a starting point. If you are not using music correctly in your media projects, you could really be missing an important opportunity to bond and build trust with your target audience.