Who's selling whom?

I remember fondly the days when songs on TV commercials meant an entirely different thing than they mean today. Time was, if your music appeared in a 30-second spot pitching blue jeans or beer (or wine coolers -- thank you, Bruce Willis!), you were either officially washed-up, or officially a sell-out. Or both.

But these days, hearing your song on a TV commercial can be a badge of honor for an up-and-coming band craving some national attention. Of course, big dogs looking to make a big splash have done it -- think U2 and Microsoft, Dylan and Victoria's Secret, etc. But usually, it's the edgier companies trying to reach a hipper audience that follow this route. The Fratellis were introduced to many Americans through an iPod ad featuring their song "Flathead." Volkswagen's been a big player in this game, with the likes of Elliot Smith and the Kings of Leon heard on their soundtrack in recent years.

On Friday, I was watching the FSN-Detroit feed of the Twins-Tigers game, and they dropped in a new VW spot with Wilco's "That's the Thanks I Get" as its backdrop. Apparently, it's part of an ongoing collaboration between Wilco and VW, which of course has pissed off some self-appointed purists of the rock snob world. Ah well, what are you gonna do? Tweedy's got a point -- those rehab bills aren't gonna pay themselves.

But even some entities not viewed as hip or edgy have paired their spots with excellent music. For instance, has anybody else noticed the ad for the University of Phoenix that uses the bouncy buildup to the excellent chorus of the New Pornographers' "Bleeding Heart Show"? It's a jaw-dropping song, both live and on disc, and I can't believe I heard it on a University of Phoenix ad. What's next? The Arcade Fire singing the theme for National American University?