B&TB&TB&T
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Search
Trending topics:
  • Cairns Crocodiles
  • Nine
  • Seven
  • Cannes Lions
  • WPP
  • State of Origin
  • NRL
  • Pinterest
  • B&T Women in Media
  • Thinkerbell
  • AFL
  • imaa
  • Anthony Albanese
  • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Meta
  • AI
  • Foxtel
  • TV Ratings
  • Radio Ratings
  • Sports Marketing

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
Reading: Eighties Poodle-Haired Rock Still Most Popular Soundtracks To Ads
Share
B&TB&T
Subscribe
Search
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
B&T > Media > Eighties Poodle-Haired Rock Still Most Popular Soundtracks To Ads
Media

Eighties Poodle-Haired Rock Still Most Popular Soundtracks To Ads

Staff Writers
Published on: 14th July 2015 at 10:17 AM
Staff Writers
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Pull on the shoulder pads and tizz-up the perm with hair spray with news that music from the 80s is still the most popular when used in advertising.

According to figures published by online information services adbreakanthems.com Queen was the most “synced” (music used for commercial purposes) of any band in 2014.

Admittedly the results are skewed to the British advertising market but legendary 80s acts such as Queen, Bonnie Tyler and Europe generated $A40 million for the British economy when their past hits were used in soundtracks for ads.

Queen’s songs – all hits nearly three decades ago – were last year used in commercials for the Tesco supermarket chain (“I Want It All”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “We Are The Champions”),  Furniture Village (“Somebody To Love”) and holiday operator Thomson (“Bohemian Rhapsody”).

However, it was Bonnie Tyler’s epic 1983 smash “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” that won over most advertisers. Last year alone the tear-jerker ballad featured in a spot for soft drinks, Toyota and Cadbury chocolates

The godawful “The Final Countdown” by big-haired, spandex wearers Europe was the second most synced song and formed the soundtrack for ads for Tesco’s (there’s a theme going on there for them), Stride Gum and ticketing agency 02 Priority.

But it wasn’t all naff 80s ballads for agencies. The third most synced song was Electric Guest’s “This Head I Hold” from 2012, while Ed Sheeran’s “Don’t” came in fourth after featuring in ads for Beats and O2 Priority.

Not that the 80s artists are complaining. Not only do they receive a handsome royalty cheque when companies use their tracks, The Independent in the UK is reporting that the ads also work to lift sales of albums recorded 30 years ago. The newspaper claimed that 80s tracks worked particularly well when attempting to advertising to someone who’d grown up during that time.

According to adbreakanthems.com the most synced artists for 2014 were:

* Queen

* Bonnie Tyler

* Ed Sheeran

* Apparat

* Kool & The Gang

* Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett

* Lily Allen

* Little Richard

* London Grammar

* Lovin’ Spoonful

* Run DMC

 

Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts
Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.

No related posts.

TAGGED: Advertising Standards Bureau, Hark Attack, The Today SHow
Share
Staff Writers
By Staff Writers
Follow:
Staff Writers represent B&T's team of award-winning reporters. Here, you'll find articles crafted with industry experience spanning over 50 years. Our team of specialists brings together a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to delivering insightful, topical, and breaking news. With a deep understanding of advertising and media, our Staff Writers are dedicated to providing industry-leading analysis and reporting, both shaping the conversation and setting the benchmark for excellence.

Latest News

Telstra Launches One-Off Ad During State Of Origin Decider
11/07/2025
Clemenger BBDO Sydney office.
Agency Scorecard: Clemenger BBDO
11/07/2025
Matt Coote.
Matt Coote Takes New Senior Role At GumGum
11/07/2025
Spenser Skates.
Amplitude Acquires Kraftful To Embed AI-Native Voice Of Customer Capabilities
11/07/2025
//

B&T is Australia’s leading news publication magazine for the advertising, marketing, media and PR industries.

 

B&T is owned by parent company The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.

About B&T

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise

Top Categories

  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Opinion
  • Technology
  • TV Ratings

Sign Up for Our Newsletter



B&TB&T
Follow US
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Register Lost your password?