Hot music for college marketers

It’s important for marketers trying to reach the youth market to tap into the latest music trends. We don’t need to tell you that choosing the right song to use in your marketing can make a big difference. We are big music fans here at Campus Media, and we don’t mind helping you stay on top of emerging artists. If we were looking for a song to use in our next college marketing effort, these would be the ones considered.

White Rabbits – Percussion Gun. Aptly titled single “Percussion Gun” is off of White Rabbit’s second studio album “It’s Frightening” and has charted on Billboard’s Alternative Songs list. According to Wikipedia, the indie rock band met while they were attending University of Missouri before relocating to NYC. See kids, go to college and you just might start the next “it” band.

Florence and the Machine – You’ve Got the Love (The xx remix). Essentially made up of singer Florence Welch and her “machine” of revolving back-up band members, the band has had a few singles already hitting the charts in the UK (including the intense “Drumming Song” and the fun “Kiss with a Fist”). But it’s this remixed version of a Candi Station cover that I can’t stop listening to. The xx, who produced the remix, is also gaining popularity on the indie music charts. Which leads me to my next entry…

The xx – Crystalised. This stripped down and haunting track comes from The xx, a band consisting of three schoolmates from London. Their first album was released in August 2009, and was produced by the band themselves. The xx uses sparse, minimalist production but manages to sound totally original, thanks in part to the back and forth of male and female vocals. This particular song was featured as a single of the week on iTunes earlier this year, and the buzz surrounding the band continues to grow.

Passion Pit – Moth’s Wings. This Cambridge, MA band released their first EP in 2008, and by 2009 had taken the indie music scene by storm. The song “Sleepyhead” has appeared in several commercials including one for the Palm Prix, and another single, “The Reeling”, reached #29 on the Billboard charts this fall. This follow up has even more potential as their fan base continues to grow. It’s feel good sythn-pop at its finest.

The Big Pink – Dominoes. This song is the fourth single released from the band’s debut album, A Brief History of Love, but it is the first to start getting regular airplay in the US. The band is being hyped in the music blogosphere due to their big electronic rock riffs and memorable hooks.

The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition. Similar in sound to U2 and Coldplay , Australian-born band The Temper Trap is just starting to crack its way into the US music scene, thanks to this song’s placement in one of my favorite movies of 2009, (500) Days of Summer. “Sweet Disposition” was also recently featured in a commercial for Rhapsody, and single “Fader” appeared in an episode of CW teen drama “Vampire Diaries”. They are on tour this month with previously mentioned Florence and the Machine, and have sold-out shows scheduled through spring 2010.

Girls – Lust for Life. Lead singer Christopher Owens has quite the life story (he was born into a cult before escaping at age 16) and those hardships come through in his music. Many of the songs on the band’s not-so-creatively titled debut “Album” are beach fare pop songs musically, but the lyrics often convey heartbreak and sadness. The first song off the album “Lust for Life” is up-tempo and college radio friendly.

MUTEMATH – Electrify. This band was lucky enough to reap the benefits of the “Twilight” phenomenon by appearing on the soundtrack to the first movie with their song “Spotlight”. But the band formed in New Orleans in 2003 has much more to them than just fleeting hype. “Electrify”, off of their current album released earlier this year, is characteristic of their sound: high energy arena rock with driving beats and catchy hooks.

Anya Marina – Whatever You Like. A female singer-songwriter covering a popular male rap star sounds recipe for disaster, but this particular T.I. cover actually works. Marina’s version makes me hear the song in a whole new way. But that also might have something to do with it being featured in the much talked about threesome episode of popular teen soap “Gossip Girl”.

Them Crooked Vultures – New Fang. Rock’s newest supergroup comes to us in the form of Them Crooked Vultures, comprised of bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), drummer Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), and vocalist/guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age). “New Fang” is the first single of their album released in November of 2009.