Santogold: When bad beer happens to good artists

The brazen hip-hop-inspired dance of Santogold was one of the standouts of the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas, this year. Her self-titled debut is due April 29, and its mix of multicultural electronic noises, '80s synths and monster-movie sound effects should make Santogold a best new artist contender for the 2009 Grammys.

So it was a shame to hear her song "Creator" in a beer commercial. Granted, it's the norm for artists, especially new artists, to license out material for advertisements, so much so that it's really not worth mentioning anymore. But when it's in the form of a flavored macro-lager, one cannot keep quiet.

Listen to the song, but close your eyes.

OK, so to be fair, judgment on Bud Light's new lime-flavored beer can't be passed until it's actually tasted, but flavored beer is always worthy of some major warning signs (looking at you Miller Chill).

Bud's brew is in the midst of an apparent $35 million marketing campaign, so expect to hear plenty of Santogold over the coming months. Hopefully the aftertaste won't be too damaging, as this year, Feist rode a commercial all the way to a Grammy nomination.

Listen to the song -- an urban safari of warped electronic noises -- sans commercial:

Comments

[JG]

terrible. The song is kinda cool though, reminds me of LoveStarDeluxe

[Bryce Eddings]

"flavored beer is always worthy of some major warning signs " Well said. As usual Anheuser Busch is pulling out all the stop to market their new brand. I mentioned the coming of Bud Light Lime on my blog a while back and didn't get much response. But the two comments I received were both from employees, albeit peripheral employees of AB. And surprise, surprise, they were both enthusiastic about the stuff.

[Ben]

I was really shocked to hear Santogold being played in the commercial, but I was kind of happy. Hopefully some people will look up the song.

[jojo]

LA Times, you get it wrong again. Santogold, hip hop? When every other outlet is calling it dub, electro, indie? Jessh.

[smalrus]

This is no different the Flaming Lips now being used for Kraft salad dressings or the Decemberists being used for AT&T. Sadly, it's the only way to open exposure these days...

[smalrus]

This is no different the Flaming Lips now being used for Kraft salad dressings or the Decemberists being used for AT&T. Sadly, it's the only way to open exposure these days...