i wish some part of me could say i'm happy for ben & co that clearly he'll be well paid for some time to come. but for a song that once [now seems long ago] had so much emotional content... i don't know what to say. it makes me sadder than i care to admit.

Oh.
My.
God.

Never has a website elicited such a response of utter horror in me.

I couldn't let it load for more than 5 seconds because I didn't want to ruin my love for "Funeral". That's just sad.

I can only hope this is some sort of "they did it without our permission" thing, but you know, it probably isn't.

*sigh*

SAT analogy time: Band of Horses is to ChrisB as Elvis is to Chuck D.

I hate Walmart more than the average person and refuse to shop there, but I still think its more offensive when Lucky Strike was throwing money around town like it was candy on Halloween to buy their way into the "scene".

While I am ashamed to admit that I am a bit tied up with Walmart myself at my job....it isn't because I WANT TO!!! I HATE IT! Isn't there a million other endorsements they could have gone with??!! I am saddened.

I'm over the fact that it's impossible to watch a commercial these days without hearing Feist, Modest Mouse, Of Montreal or other indie bands, but Walmart? Really? That crosses a line.

I'm over the fact that it's impossible to watch a commercial these days without hearing Feist, Modest Mouse, Of Montreal or other indie bands, but Walmart? Really? That crosses a line.

I'm usually fine with bands making money and getting exposure off of commercials. Sure it's weird that there's an of Montreal song re-written to sell steak, but this is a little more sickening, if only because of Wal*Mart's policy of only selling music, books, and magazines that conform to certain "family values" [pbs]

Would Wal*Mart even carry Everything All the Time if they knew about "Weed Party?"

See, just yesterday I was looking at the Web site of a company that licenses music for film, TV, yadda yadda, and though "hm, maybe I should submit my music." Yet the thing is, once you do, in order to streamline the process, you have no control over where your music ends up. It's a non-exclusive license, but if WalMart logs on and says "hey, let's use that song about crows by that guy from Seattle" (not gonna happen, I know), off it goes. I don't think I could live with that, as much as I would love to make a living off my music.

I do not love Walmart, but I do have to admit that from an advertising perspective, that new site is really good.

Way to open up to a new audience Walmart - in your eternal quest for complete global domination.

I think I just puked in my mouth a little:

"We'll give the world an opportunity to see what it's like to save and have a better life"!!!!???!!

Ok, where do the workers, especially the children, who nearly slave away for over half the day to make the cheap clothing they sell come in? The farmers who had to sell land their family had for generations because big farming conglomerates put them out of business, come in? The small ma and pa business owners who have to sadly put permanent "closed" signs up on the stores they worked hard to open and operate, because Hell*Mart comes in and wipes them out.

Alright, I'll stop. But this is a disgusting ad campaign. I hope those good looking people in that video feel gross when they receive their check for appearing in it.

No, it's cool, Elle. That one guy has a pickup to keep his dogs in! And they can all get cheap clothes made in China for their hordes of kids! America! F*ck yeah!!!! Band of Hoses FTW!

Does anyone have a link to this commercial???

I don't think there ever was a commercial, WTA, (or at least one that aired) but if you clicked on the link to the "Save Money Live Better" link there was a small video screen playing the Band of Whorses (Thanks Stereogum!) song on that page.

Band of Whorses also turned down licensing the song in a commercial just last week - not as a principled stand against the Blackwater/Halliburton of the retail sector but caved to the pressure he got from fans.

BoH do have a song in a commercial, though - I just heard it tonight in the background. I think it's for GM or some other American-made car...

You know, part of me is offended by the commercials, but part of me is beginning to wonder. We don't want our favorite musicians to:

(1) Claim any copyright on their music,
(2) Sell their music for profit to marketers
(3) Sign to major labels to get larger promotion
(4) Play big venues where you can't get next to the band

So, in all, we don't want our favorite musicians to be able to make a living playing music. Does this seem fair to any of them? Should we hold them to such standards? What if someone called you a sellout for working at an internet design firm or for an insurance company just to make ends meet? I'm beginning to think that we're slowly becoming musicians worst enemies by this idealized view.

Erik -- I'm with you. I want the musicians I love to be able to play music to earn a living. That said, Walmart is creepy and gross... that was more of my objection on this one.