3 One-Hit Wonders You Hear in Commercials All the Time

Generally speaking, television commercials have about 30 seconds to grab your attention. And most of that work has to be done in the first 5-10 seconds or else, advertisers know, they may lose you and their message or product may then be forgotten. So, how do they grab your eyes and ears right off the bat? Often with music.

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Here below, we wanted to highlight three songs that ad folks lean on heavily. Not only are they popular songs but they are one-hit wonders. Tracks that rocketed up the charts by artists who may not have had the same type of commercial success after that. One-hit wonders are known to turn heads and so they’re valuable ad content. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders you hear in commercials all the time.

[RELATED: 3 One-Hit Wonders That Dominated the Airwaves in the 1990s]

“1234” by Feist from The Reminder (2007)

While this song hit No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release, perhaps its biggest claim to fame is it was part of Apple’s viral marketing campaign for its iPod Nano. For the Canadian-born Feist it was just the break she needed, as making it into an Apple ad in the 2000s was the ultimate coup for an indie artist. Ever since then, the soft, lively track has been in TV shows, movies, more ads, and even was featured on Sesame Street.

“The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World from Bleed American (2001)

Speaking of Apple, the Arizona-born band Jimmy Eat World enjoyed success in the 2010s thanks to a ad from the tech company, which also featured Taylor Swift. It was a major boost for the energetic song some 15 years after its release in 2001. While it was quite popular upon its release at the turn of the 21st century—indeed, the track hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been used in TV shows and movies galore—having Taylor bless it was quite the success story.

“Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot from Mack Daddy (1992)

It seems like every year this track is used in some new commercial. Whether it’s a Chex Mix ad or one for soda, pizza, or burgers, hearing the Seattle rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot talk about what he likes and why he can’t lie about it has seemingly become an annual tradition. And good for him! While the song was written, in part, to highlight the beauty of different body types, Mix has been able to capitalize on the tune for decades. More power to the man!

Photo: Feist “1234” Music Video / YouTube