ABSTRACT
This chapter shows how music in commercials compares to music in other types of television programs and to music in other commercial settings. It describes the characteristic of commercials and the context in which they appear. The chapter provides an overview of different types of channel music and discusses the promotional functions of this music for programming. Two basic subcategories of channel music can be observed: music in "nonprograms" and music in scheduled programs. It concentrates on two settings: music in web ads and music in stores. The chapter also highlights three functions of sounds in relation to modes of user activity: the supportive, mood-enhancing, and announcing functions. It also provides several cases to understand and analyze music in commercials. From perspectives of transtextuality, one can learn that music in commercials can relate to products categories in various ways, and that music can play different roles in the context of marketing.
