"Why don’t commercials use the original singer?" Topic

Some commercial which I will not identify uses Fleetwood Mac's "Go your own Way". The singer sounds like he is passing a kidney stone. I'm not the biggest fan of Lindsey Buckingham, but….

Another one uses "Just One Look". Made famous by the lovely Linda Ronstadt, originally recorded by the talented Doris Troy.
Do they use either one? Nope.

Why is this? Is it cheap to get permission but expensive to use the singer?

I am guessing you nailed this with the cost issue

So many reasons. There is no one easy answer.
Some singers are dead. Some songs have had the rights purchased so that the original singer cannot be used. Some commercials use parts of songs or change some words with and without permission. The original band may not want to do the altered songs. So many more reasons can be cited.

What's grating is listening to the commercial where the singer is soooooo close to the original, but not quite good enough.
The Just One Look commercial singer is just plain bland, but with the Doris Troy arrangement. Linda's is sassy. Doris's is edgy. The commercial is boring.

It's only about the money.

$$$$$$$ vs. $

Well sometimes the singer is dead, I've heard Johnny Cash well after he died so money & death (just need taxes for the trifecta!).

I have heard artists say that they are okay with selling the rights to the song, but not okay with themselves promoting the product by using their own voice/band.

What Yogi sez is probably the closest to reality but cost is 2nd

So, you actually listen to commercials?

Money.

But not all were,

Chevrolet "Like a Rock" promotion was sung by Bob Seger.

sometimes they do