By Greg Lozoff (Head of Music & Sync for Songistry Brands)
The question I get more than any other when talking with artists is this: What are your clients currently looking for? What kind of music should I make to get my music synced?
It’s not the easiest question to answer because the answer changes almost on a weekly basis. Just as trends in music and culture change, so do trends in the sync world. There was a time when all anyone wanted was that Mumford & Sons sound. Then it was the Lumineers. Then it was Skrillex. Then it was Sofi Tukker. What do they want now? Is it Katy Perry? Lizzo? Bad Bunny? Harry Styles? Queen Bey?
Today I’m here to answer this question in the realest way possible. I’d like to provide a glimpse into what kind of requests we’re receiving in both the advertising and TV & film worlds, so that you can better orient your songcraft in a direction that will hopefully lead you to more opportunities and more syncs for your music.
Energetic, upbeat, catchy, trendy, and fun. Time and time again, these tried and true themes weave their way through most of the references we come across, new and old alike. If you’re making music for sync, you’ll always be in a good place if you’re keeping these themes in mind. Adding your own unique twist to these themes could be the difference in landing a sync or not. Take mindchatter for example. He’s not reinventing the wheel, but his music always goes in places you wouldn’t expect, and that’s what makes his music so exciting and enticing to music supervisors and creatives.
We’ve been seeing quite a few ‘summery’ references, which for us northeast coasters is a welcome sign that we’re getting through winter and that agencies are already getting started on their spring and summer campaigns. But it’s also a good reminder that upbeat, bright, sunshiney summer jams never go out of fashion, especially in the ad space. So when you’re creating, keep in mind that summer sells! There’s a reason why we’re still getting Mungo Jerry references 50 years after its release and counting.
As for classic references, we’ve seen iconic track references from AC/DC, Joan Jett and Queen but our favorite was this viral hit by Nicholas Fraser, which is actually a remake of this classic 90s jam by NEXT. But just keep in mind that the 90s are back in a big way. This isn’t really new, and it was only a matter of time, but hardly a week goes by where we aren’t seeing at least a few iconic 90s references come through our headphones.
Here’s a playlist that highlights some of the best references we’ve received since the start of the year:
- Spotify
Until next time, keep writing those hits! Greg