Steve Jobs Personally Picks Songs for Apple iPod Touch Ads

MacRumors · Dec 10, 2008

A SongFacts interview with The Asteroids Galaxy Tour who had their song Around The Bend featured in a recent iPod Touch ad. In asking how they were chosen, the band revealed that Steve Jobs personally made the decision. The article has since been edited but AppleInsider has the original quote:

While listening to some of the songs suggested by Synch, the Apple co-founder reportedly slammed on the brakes during a sample of "Around The Bend," declaring, "This is it, this is the new track for the iPod Touch."

"Apparently he just loved that track, but we never saw it as one of our singles," Iversen said. "We have some other songs that we thought would be great singles, and that would work cool on for the radio, but he really loved that song."

The song was used in this iPod Touch "funnest iPod ever" ad:

Article Link: Steve Jobs Personally Picks Songs for Apple iPod Touch Ads

MacBoobsPro · Dec 10, 2008

This is all about brand identity. Steve Jobs knows what he want's, he is part of the brand himself. He has a vision in his head of how he want's things. I would of done the same thing if something fitted perfectly with what I was envisioning. You can't say that his input is not working.

DanielJvdBerg · Dec 10, 2008

I think the mix for the ad is way better than the actual song.

iSimx · Dec 10, 2008

great song for a great product :apple:

well done steve lol

maxshanly · Dec 10, 2008

Steve Jobs is well known to have an extremely good taste in music, I wish I could see what is on his iPod.

talkingfuture · Dec 10, 2008

maxshanly said:
Steve Jobs is well known to have an extremely good taste in music, I wish I could see what is on his iPod.

He has picked some amazing songs over the years. The Caesars on the Shuffle add was his best work.

PCMacUser · Dec 10, 2008

All this means is that someone put a few songs on his desk and he went - 'okay, that one'. Someone else is doing all the legwork.

People must think he sits in his office all day with nothing better to do.

Dwight Schrute · Dec 10, 2008

What does that mean... songs suggested by Synch? What's Synch?

Never mind. I followed the links...

sushi · Dec 10, 2008

PCMacUser said:
All this means is that someone put a few songs on his desk and he went - 'okay, that one'. Someone else is doing all the legwork.

Agree.

I am sure he has at least a couple of very close assistants who do a lot of prep work for him based upon their knowledge of his dislikes and likes.

Of course there are the exceptions when he sees, hears, experiences, etc. something that he wants to incorporate into an Apple product.

Either way, it's all based upon his vision which seems to be working.

Winni · Dec 10, 2008

maxshanly said:
Steve Jobs is well known to have an extremely good taste in music, I wish I could see what is on his iPod.

Well, you cannot discuss taste. For all I know, this guy does not listen to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and that makes his iPod completely uninteresting to me. I'm sure you also won't find Richard Wagner on it either, and probably not even Ennio Morricone. So much for his taste - it's incompatible with me.

And talking about it, I'd rather attend the next Microsoft product launch. At least these guys always have some serious rock music playing and they even had Slash on stage in the past. That's more like it. ;-)

levitynyc · Dec 10, 2008

I really like The Fratelli's Flathead that was on an iPod commercial a few years back

Aldo Ferrel · Dec 10, 2008

Serious Rock?

Winni said:
Well, you cannot discuss taste. For all I know, this guy does not listen to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and that makes his iPod completely uninteresting to me. I'm sure you also won't find Richard Wagner on it either, and probably not even Ennio Morricone. So much for his taste - it's incompatible with me.

And talking about it, I'd rather attend the next Microsoft product launch. At least these guys always have some serious rock music playing and they even had Slash on stage in the past. That's more like it. ;-)

do you really call that Serious Rock?
call me when they put Tool on stage..
you can choose to put whatever you want in your ipod like Ballmers Developers song.

shadowfax · Dec 10, 2008

Winni said:
And talking about it, I'd rather attend the next Microsoft product launch. At least these guys always have some serious rock music playing and they even had Slash on stage in the past. That's more like it. ;-)

Why? Even if you don't like the music at Apple launches, at least the products are worth having. What would it be like to be let down by the ZunePhone? But at least the music is cool!

OddyOh · Dec 10, 2008

Genius

PCMacUser said:
All this means is that someone put a few songs on his desk and he went - 'okay, that one'. Someone else is doing all the legwork.

People must think he sits in his office all day with nothing better to do.

Wouldn't it all just come from his "Genius" sidebar?

ZiggyPastorius · Dec 10, 2008

Aldo Ferrel said:
do you really call that Serious Rock?
call me when they put Tool on stage..
you can choose to put whatever you want in your ipod like Ballmers Developers song.

I have the Ballmer Developers song on my iPod, thank you very much.

lofight · Dec 10, 2008

I knew this already.. It's very logic that he does, he has found some very good unknown songs!

mikeinternet · Dec 10, 2008

Good taste.

tk421 · Dec 10, 2008

I think the title should be "Steve Jobs Personally Approves Songs for Apple iPod Touch Ads."

Like others have said, I'm sure other people do the initial search and present him with options. Is there any indication otherwise?

socamx · Dec 10, 2008

DanielJvdBerg said:
I think the mix for the ad is way better than the actual song.

Definitely. I listened to the whole song and just found it to be 'meh'. I find that frequently happens with commercials that use songs (even Apple's), I always get disappointed by the full versions.

I wonder if Steve has a thought process where he can mix the song in his head so it sounds best to him like this iPod Touch commercial, or if he actually just likes the entire song.

arkitect · Dec 10, 2008

tk421 said:
I think the title should be "Steve Jobs Personally Approves Songs for Apple iPod Touch Ads."

Agreed.

I mean where would he find the time what with him personally designing and then carving Macs out of blocks of aluminium with his own bare hands, before packing and shipping them, if the fanboys are to be believed?

TheSlush · Dec 10, 2008

Boo that SongFacts editted the interview! I suppose Apple got to them. It's not like Steve's level of direct control over things is some trade secret. I presume Apple just wanted to expunge any candid details that convey anything other than a smooth, joyous process with their bands.

TheSlush · Dec 10, 2008

arkitect said:
I mean where would he find the time what with him personally designing and then carving Macs out of blocks of aluminium with his own bare hands, before packing and shipping them, if the fanboys are to be believed?

Bare hands?? Ridiculous.

He uses a nail file.

TheSlush · Dec 10, 2008

maxshanly said:
Steve Jobs is well known to have an extremely good taste in music, I wish I could see what is on his iPod.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Bob Dylan's on there somewhere.

jellomizer · Dec 10, 2008

PCMacUser said:
All this means is that someone put a few songs on his desk and he went - 'okay, that one'. Someone else is doing all the legwork.

People must think he sits in his office all day with nothing better to do.

He can also say he doesn't like any of them. Or offer a better choice, if he has one already in his head.

lofight · Dec 10, 2008

DanielJvdBerg said:
I think the mix for the ad is way better than the actual song.

Yes, but that's what's needed for an ad.

Steve Jobs Personally Picks Songs for Apple iPod Touch Ads

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