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20 May 2021

nike ads

THE BEST NIKE ADS THROUGH THE AGES

ADVERTISING, OLD /
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    There must be very few people in this world who aren’t familiar with Nike, which has as much to do with the brand’s advertising as its unparalleled selection of products. Nike ads are known for their authenticity, high celebrity count and social and political bravery. They’re also amazing at evoking all kinds of emotions – from euphoria to sadness, empathy to inspiration.

    Today, we present the ultimate line-up of Nike commercials.

    From the Michael-Jordan-meets-Bugs-Bunny ad for the Air Jordan 6 Hare, to Colin Kaepernick’s feted ‘Just Do It’ statement piece, Nike has created commercials that will be remembered for decades to come. We explore how they do it and pick a winner in each category.

    Looking for some inspiration for your own television commercial? Make sure you take a minute to discover our Summer of Sport playlist, created to help you tell sports stories and soundtrack the best sporting moments.

    Each of our tracks can be sampled, downloaded and licenced for use across the world for any creative project.

    nike ads

    Nike Ads 2020

    You Can’t Stop Us

    During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Nike took a moment to celebrate the beauty of sport with their ad You Can’t Stop Us.

    Sport inspires, motivates and provides us with purpose, and in this ad Nike suggests people around the world will find a way to participate in sport, no matter what.

    To accompany the reflective visuals and voiceover, they opted for a track filled with emotion. The music features heartening strings, soft drums and gentle piano, which subliminally encourages the audience to identify with its message.

    Check out more 2020 ads by taking a look at our The Best Sports Ads of the Past Year.

    Nike Ads 2019

    Dream Crazier

    In 2019, Nike collaborated with Serena Williams to raise audience awareness of the hurdles female athletes must struggle to overcome – fundamentally, it proves that sportswomen will be criticised no matter what they do.

    The ad collates clips of epic athletic triumphs and concludes with the tagline: ‘It’s only crazy until you do it.’

    To underscore the campaigning tone, Nike opts for an impassioned track that builds to a peak, just like the athletes of the ad’s focus.

    Looking for a similar track for your next project? Take a moment to browse our Thoughtful/Reflective playlist.

    Nike Ads 2018

    Nothing Beats A Londoner

    The Nike ad that united music producers Mark Ronson and Tone P with British icons such as Skepta, Giggs, Jorja Smith, J Hus, AJ Tracey and Dave inner-city London setting was destined for success.

    Furiously fast-paced and wickedly funny, it’s got to be one of our favourite ads of all time.

    Throughout Nothing Beats a Londoner, the music switches up with each narrator. Our favourite musical moment comes at the beginning, when Skepta’s Shutdown plays as the British rapper strolls casually into a London corner shop.

    Tell your own story with a little help from one of our Storytelling Background music offerings.

    Nike Ads 2017

    The Roger Effect

    The Roger Effect focuses on tennis star Roger Federer and his outsize influence on fans.

    In the ad, the moment Federer serves his winning shot, everyone in the venue – including the umpire – spills out in a scramble to find the nearest tennis court.

    As the crowd swiftly empties from the stadium, the tune is Wicked One by The Hives, which works perfectly with the frenetic atmosphere and adds an extra layer of erratic energy to the visuals.

    Interested in incorporating a rock track into your next project? Take a look at our Rock Music playlist.

    Nike Ads 2016

    Unlimited You

    Nike 2016 advert Unlimited You inspires viewers to go above and beyond their potential.

    Starring the likes of Serena Williams, Zach LaVine and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (The Mountain from Game of Thrones), the ad opens quietly with a wide shot of a marathon runner appearing on the horizon and gradually builds to a peak of amped-up intensity – in fact, it becomes so disorderly that even the narrator can’t keep up.

    The music features a driving beat that keeps the story flowing. Along with the narration, the track provides an element of consistency that switches up every few seconds.

    Discover our Driving/Exciting/Exhilarating playlist to discover similar compositions.

    Nike Ads 2015

    Last

    We love an ad that aligns perfectly with its soundtrack. Every Little Bit Hurts by Aretha Franklin defines Nike’s 2015 ad Last – and for this reason, it’s one of our favourites ever.

    Last focuses on the final marathon runner struggling bravely for the finish line, the penultimate stragglers having finished way ahead of her; even the streetcleaners are starting to sweep up.

    She knows she’s still got a long way to go but she’s determined to finish what she started. It’s the age-old adage our parents drilled into us: it’s not the winning that counts, it’s the taking part.

    Browse, sample and download our collection of soul music over on our Soul Playlist page.

    Controversial Nike Ads

    Just Do It: Colin Kaepernick

    Over the years, Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ tagline has been interpreted in manifold ways – but, by far the most powerful is Colin Kaepernick’s turn’ in 2018.

    Nike famously supported the athlete after he protested against racial injustice by refusing to stand for the national anthem.

    Just a few weeks later, he narrated a ‘Just Do It’ ad motivating viewers to believe in themselves and exceed their ultimate ambitions. As he speaks a gentle, captivating piano track plays, helping viewers empathise with his words.

    Keen to use a similar track for your next project? Explore our collection of piano production music.

    Vintage Nike Ads

    I Am Not A Role Model (1993)

    In the early 90s Nike released an ad starring basketball player Charles Barkley to remind audiences that sports players like him don’t necessarily choose to be idolised.

    ‘I am not a role model,’ the Phoenix Spurs player says directly to the viewer. ‘I’m not paid to be a role model. I’m paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models. Just because I dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.’

    Nike chose not to use a background music track to ensure viewers focused on Barkley’s short speech, but sound effects evoke the raw, thought-provoking nature of his words.

    Discover some of our favourite sound effects over at our Miscellaneous playlist.

    Famous Nike Ads

    One Day We Won’t Need This Day (2020)

    Nike threw a curveball to celebrate International Women’s Day in 2020 with the One Day We Won’t Need This Day commercial.

    The advert challenges the very concept of the annual event, looking forward to a world where the knowledge and acceptance of women’s achievements is so commonplace, we won’t need to celebrate.

    The music is uplifting – an orchestral strings motif that builds and builds, as the visuals exhibit the strength and resilience of female athletes around the world.

    Explore an array of similar songs over in our Warm/Uplifting playlist.

    Funny Nike Ads

    Just Do It (1988)

    The original Just Do It commercial is one of the best Nike ads of all time, and also one of the silliest.

    The ad focuses on 80-year-old runner Walt Stack – a well-known figure in San Francisco – crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, as he does every day. ‘People ask me, how do I stop my teeth from chattering in the wintertime,’ he says. ‘I leave them in my locker…’

    The music is fitting for its 80s era; the bright, slightly exotic retro sound enhances the sunrise aesthetic and gives the viewer a lovely sense that all is right with the world.

    Discover a slew of uplifting songs from our catalogue over in our Bright/Optimistic playlist.

    Kobe Bryant Nike Ad

    Mamba Forever (2020)

    Kobe Bryant and Nike shared a special relationship, and seven months after his passing the Swoosh released one of the most moving ads of all time.

    Narrated by rapper Kendrick Lamar, the Mamba Forever ad focuses on the key lesson the basketball player taught us – be better.

    The ardent piano track is a modern take on Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and highlights the intensity of the message.

    Lebron James Nike Ad

    Come Out of Nowhere (2016)

    Hollywood directors such as Alfonso Cuarón and David Fincher sometimes opt for a black and white aesthetic to prompt the audience to focus on the characters, dialogue and the moral of the story – and this is exactly what Nike did with their 2016 ad Come Out of Nowhere.

    The narrative of basketball hero LeBron James inspires youngsters to defy expectations. He reminds the audience he’s just as human as the rest of us and that anyone, from any background, has a shot at becoming a legend.

    The music that runs throughout the commercial features vocals, keyboard and effects with an almost ecclesiastical feel, which heightens the message and also makes LeBron appear borderline celestial.

    Want to incorporate cherubic sounds into your next production? Take a moment to check out our Angelic/ Heavenly Choir playlist.

    Michael Jordan Nike Ads

    Bugs Bunny Ad (1992)

    Ever wonder how Space Jam – a film that amalgamates the worlds of Looney Tunes and the NBA – came about? Wonder no more as we present the early 90s ad that brought Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan together on screen for the first time.

    To advertise the ‘Hare’ Air Jordan 6, the cartoon rabbit and the basketball icon are on court together.

    The two go up against a group of basketball bullies (while wearing the new Jordan silhouette, of course), playing until all the opposition is knocked out. At the end, Bugs hints at the future collaboration with the line: ‘This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.’

    The music has a cinematic feel – grand, vibrant and literally animated. Listen closely and you’ll hear a lot of brass, wood percussion and cartoon sound effects. Plus, the world-renowned Looney Tunes theme is incorporated at the very end to put a smile on the faces of the audience.

    Listen to our Cartoon/Animation playlist to discover similar tracks for your next project.

    Christiano Ronaldo Nike Ad

    The Switch (2016)

    Nike’s six-minute-long epic, The Switch, released in 2016, takes inspiration from the identity-swap film Freaky Friday, as football legend Christiano Ronaldo and a young London fan change bodies after colliding at a football match.

    As the young northern lad enjoys Ronaldo’s flashy lifestyle, the boy’s teammates are amazed by his newly acquired football prowess...

    The upbeat theme throughout is Turn Up by The Heavy; the rock track’s electrifying atmosphere immerses viewers in the fun-filled narrative.

    Browse, sample and download similar songs over in our Rock & Metal playlist.

    Feeling Inspired? Explore Our Production Music Catalogue

    As you can see from the above ads, music plays a vital role in Nike commercials: this is one of the key reasons they’re so memorable and effective. If you’re looking to produce your own television commercial, we recommend choosing a high-quality track from our expansive catalogue to help you stand out from the crowd.

    Start exploring our music catalogue today by diving into our mood and genre playlists or exploring our edit and expertise pages.

    Looking to read more about sports? Here are some other articles you might like...

    The Best Sports Ads of 2021

    The Best Bud Light Commercials

    Need Music for Your Project?

    At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

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    THE HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC

    HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC

    MUSIC, OLD /
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      Welcome to our expert article all about the history of rock music and origins of rock and roll. How has rock music changed over time you ask? Keep on reading to find out everything you need to know about the history of rock music.

      We love rock ’n’ roll: well, it’s hard not to, with its sexy, totally exhilarating back story, and the way it continues to evolve and remain relevant.

      Almost 80 years after it burst on to the scene in the United States, the jury’s still out on who actually invented it. The truth is, rock ’n’ roll is a mash-up of genres that aligned at the perfect time, just as people emerged from the trauma of the Second World War craving a complete break from the recent past, and with money to spend.

      Join us on a journey through the different ages of rock ’n’roll and along the way, check out the great rock music in our catalogue on our Discover page.

      The History of Rock ’n’ Roll

      What is Rock Music?

      A melding of such as rhythm and blues, jazz, boogie-woogie, blues, gospel and rockabilly, coupled with raunchy lyrics and punchy performance styles, rock ’n’roll is a truly American genre with a rich and complex history, marked by musical experimentation and an anti-establishment attitude.

      Rock ’n’ Roll: The Early Years

      During the late 1940s to early 1950s elements of the major genres of the time aligned – sparked largely by black musicians – to include raunchier lyrics and performance styles. The term rock ’n’ roll supposedly derived from an African-American slang for sex, and the musical term stuck.

      Rock ’n’ roll catered, first and foremost, to teenagers. It came to the fore in a combination of postwar permissiveness and new spending power, especially among white suburban youngsters – it’s no coincidence that the word ‘teenager’ also came into popular use around this time. Rock ’n’roll’s immortal alignment with sex and drugs were all part of this heady mix.

      The Fifties

      The influential Cleveland-based DJ Alan Freed became an evangelist for rock ’n’roll, and along with DJs in Memphis and Nashville, played a huge role in popularising the genre. Suburban American teens had never heard anything like it, and with its raw energy and sexualised lyrics, it was soon being blamed for the erosion of traditional values. Naturally, it spread like wildfire and by the end of the 1950s, anyone who was anyone was listening to it.

      Artists such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Fats Domino made undeniably contagious music that was perfect for dancing, with its stomping 4/4 beats and simple, memorable chord structures. And Elvis Presley, who was deeply influenced by black music and became an early musical sex symbol, was immortalised as ‘the King of Rock ‘n’Roll.’

      Find out more about rock ‘n’ roll’s black roots in our timeline video below. Interested in rock ‘n’ roll music for an upcoming project? Make sure you check out our 1950s rock ‘n’ roll playlist.

      The Sixties

      During the 1960s, rock ’n’ roll split into two disparate genres: pop and rock music. Pop was the bubbly offshoot designed for mass appeal, while rock retained more of the gritty essence of the original.

      Over in the UK, skiffle bands (a unique subculture with a DIY ethos, inspired by American folk, jazz and blues) had been looking enviously across the pond for years. New bands such as The Beatles were formed in Liverpool while The Rolling Stones, heavily influenced by blues and R&B, emerged in London.

      During the Swinging Sixties and the Summer of Love, rock music took cues from the hallucinogenic drug scene. The Beatles released their trippy Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, while Pink Floyd dropped their ultra-experimental studio album, Ummagumma.

      The end of the decade also marked a major coming-of-age for the genre when Jimi Hendrix, a former soldier, created one of the defining cultural moments of the decade with an incendiary performance of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ in protest against the Vietnam War.

      The Seventies

      By the 1970s even more rock subgenres split from its original roots: soft rock, heavy metal, hard rock and more. The psychedelic, trippy sounds of the early 60s gave way to darker, heavier sounds with the holy trinity of British bands, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. Once they too went mainstream, rebellious subcultures began to pop up on a global scale.

      Glam rock also developed in the UK in the early 70s, marked by outré clothes, makeup and hairstyles, and artists such as the ever-inventive David Bowie and other ‘arty’ offshoots such as Roxy Music.

      Queen released their game-changing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in 1975, with an ultra-experimental music video that kick-started the MTV age.

      By the mid-1970s, punk picked up the DIY ethic where the skiffle bands had left off, inspired by the widely misquoted mantra that ‘if you can play three chords, you can form a band.’ The Sex Pistols brought punk to the masses by swearing on the BBC – remember, this was back when hearing the word ‘f**k’ on TV was enough to prompt questions in Parliament. Other notable UK punk bands were The Clash, The Slits and The Damned. In the states The Ramones, The Stoodges (whose lead singer, Iggy Pop, was dubbed the ‘Godfather of Punk’) led the charge, while Patti Smith fused punk rock with poetry.

      Interested in punk? Why not check out our punk production music playlist.

      The Eighties

      In the 1980s, rock music became increasingly commercialised. Stadium Rock, spearheaded in the previous decade by the likes of Led Zeppelin, set the tone with driving drums, screaming guitar solos and testosterone-fuelled lyrics. The iconic hard rock band Guns N’ Roses released Appetite For Destruction, which became the best-selling debut album of all time.

      Bands such as The Police and Blondie absorbed even more influences, such as reggae, avantgarde, and hip hop into the rock ’n’ roll sound.

      As hard, pop and classic rock charted, heavy metal and alternative rock splintered off, with metal and alternative musicians such as Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica also finding mainstream success by the end of the decade.

      The Nineties

      Grunge, which emerged at the start of the 90s in Seattle, was a guitar-led, feedback-heavy hybrid of heavy metal, hard rock and alternative rock. Bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and The Smashing Pumpkins produced heartfelt, angst-ridden songs with choruses that demanded to be chanted – loudly.

      Grunge made a major musical impact in the UK, and although there were notably no home-grown bands, the grunge look heavily influenced British fashion, and the ‘waif’ look swiftly shot a teenage Kate Moss to global superstardom.

      In Britain, by the mid-90s, a brighter, more pop-driven answer to the US grunge scene and UK ‘shoegazer’ bands crossed over in a fusion genre dubbed Britpop. Bands such as Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Suede and Elastica created the sound of ‘Cool Britannia’ that resonated with fans around the world.

      The Noughties

      Since the 90s, things have splintered even further, with fans embracing pop-rock (Blink 182 and Fall Out Boy), garage rock (The Killers and Franz Ferdinand), emo rock (Paramore and My Chemical Romance). At the same time there’s been a strong nostalgic throwback to classic rock.Rock Music for Creative Projects

      Now that you’re familiar with rock music’s history, we hope you’re inspired to incorporate rock music into your next creative project. Whether you’re working on a vlog, podcast, film, TV show or advertisement, we’ve got a high-quality rock background music track for you, so take a look at our rock playlist.

      Types of Rock Music

      Soft Rock/Light Rock

      Soft rock (also known as light rock) has positive, empowering and heartfelt lyrics, smooth structures and harmonious vocals. Soft rock songs (which are often power ballads) are ideal for daytime radio shows, as they have an easy listening, mass appeal.

      Hard Rock

      Hard rock features aggressive, disruptive vocals with heavy drums and strings. It's the kind of music that fans in skull T-shirts and bandanas have a penchant for: think AC/DC, Aerosmith and Van Halen.

      Metal Rock

      Metal rock dials hard rock up another notch. It’s always loud and features harsh-sounding vocals and distorted rhythms. Lyrically, it tends to focus on melancholy, disconsolate narratives.

      Blues Rock

      As we mentioned earlier, rock ‘n’ roll was largely inspired by R&B. The blues rock subgenre of the mid-60s is therefore deeply connected to the genre’s origin, with distinctive sounds that may come from anything from a vocalist to a blues instrument like a piano or harmonica.

      Need Music for Your Project?

      At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!

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      This page was last updated 07/03/2024 and 24/05/2024.

      HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC Read More »

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