Mellencamp blames Petty (for turning him into a whore)

Also... it was a cutting edge product that is cool to be associated with.

 

this is sad, both are great American storytellers. While I still view commercialization as selling out, the way the music industry is now I respect them for finding ways to get their music out.

When you begin writing songs for commercials then it's really selling out.

I just hope this doesn't escalate into a Biggie/Tupac rivalry.

Send in Willie Nelson to mediate.

 

Pretty much. Pete Townshend was ripped for letting car companies use "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" 35 years after The Who Sell Out, which had songs about Jaguars, Coke, and Heinz Baked Beans.

 

It's one thing when an artist lets one of his commercials get used in one of his songs. It's something else when an artist like Mellencamp, who throughout his career hasn't wanted his songs being used for commercial purposes, turns around and allows one of his songs to be used in a commercial and then instead of simply saying "they made me an offer I couldn't refuse" he tries blaming the music industry citing Tom Petty as an example.

 

As much as I cringe hearing Mellencamp croon on a Chevy commercial, I cringe just as much when I see a CD I like featured in Starbucks.

I go there to get a drink, not to find out which musician I need to listen to.

BTW, Mitch Albom's book also is available for purchase at your nearby Starbucks.

 

And in addition, on the aforementioned U2 note, it was for a product used to legally download music. For a good chunk of the past decade, many of us got a ton of MP3s for free. U2 not only wanted to promote its product, but continue to get the earnings that should come from what they've produced. Totally understandable.
And they weren't paid for the promos, either. They allowed "Vertigo" and "Original of the Species" to be used knowing it would push their product and Apple's Ipod. Savvy move.

 

I think there's some confusion here - I don't think he meant he was following Petty's lead. I don't think Petty let any of his songs be used for a commercial, as some here seem to think.

I believe that he meant he didn't want his songs to suffer the same fate as the ones on "Highway Companion" i.e. no airplay.

 

absolutely. mellencamp was COMPLIMENTING petty to help his rationalization.

 

Mellencamp on Kimmel tonight.

 

He was complementing Petty and ripping the industry (for not giving Petty more airplay or publicity) at the same time. He was using Petty as an example of what the industry has become and how it treats its veteran artists.