9 Songs You Know From US Commercials, All By British Artists

Some commercials are worth watching, if only for the music.* And when advertisers want to get you hooked, they turn – where else? – to songs by British artists. So if you’ve been wondering “what’s the song from that commercial?”, we’ve got you covered. *(In fact, you don’t even have to watch these ads – since we're not in the business of endorsing products. Just enjoy the music.)

1. “Double Bubble Trouble” by M.I.A.

Where do I know that song from? An ad for Captain Morgan rum.

Who’s the artist? We don’t have to tell you who M.I.A. is. You already know the south west London native from a 3 million-selling little ditty called “Paper Planes.” Also her colourful sign language during a performance with Madonna at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012 (we think she wanted less “football” and more football).

2. “The Preacher” by Jamie N Commons

Where do I know that song from? An ad for the video game Dark Souls II.

Who’s the artist? Jamie N Commons was born in Bristol and raised in Chicago, where he got schooled in the blues. He returned to the UK to finish his music education at Goldsmiths College, where James Blake was a classmate.

3. “Jungle” by Jamie N Commons & X Ambassadors

Where do I know that song it from? The trailer for the new season of “Orange Is the New Black” (careful, strong language).

Who’s the artist? Jamie N Commons again. You can still say you liked him before he was popular, but not for long.

4. “I Got U” by Duke Dumont

Where do I know that song from? A Starbucks ad.

Who’s the artist? Born Adam Dyment in Harrow, north west London, he took on the name Duke Dumont and rose from the underground to dance music royalty.

5. "This Is Not the End” by Fieldwork

Where do I know that song from? The trailer for the new Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow.

Who’s the artist? Fieldwork is actually Johnny McDaid of the Northern Irish / Scottish band Snow Patrol. He has written and produced for the likes of Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran (who introduced McDaid to his girlfriend Courteney Cox. That’s what we call a ‘special relationship.’)

BRITISH BONUS: Edge of Tomorrow was filmed entirely in the UK, with a major action sequence in Trafalgar Square in the heart of London.

6. "Ooh La La” by Goldfrapp

Where do I know that song from? An iPhone commercial.

Who’s the artist? A graduate of Middlesex University’s school of art, Alison Goldfrapp has been making electronic music with her recording partner Will Gregory since the late ‘90s. If Goldfrapp’s latest album, Tales of Us, sounds like it was recorded in the English countryside, that’s because it was!

7. "She’s Not There” by The Zombies

Where do I know that song from? A Chanel ad with Keira Knightley. Also, the ‘60s.

Who’s the artist? The Zombies were one of the coolest groups of the British Invasion. “She’s Not There” was their first hit, reaching #2 in the US.

BRITISH BONUS: In a first of their 53-year career, the Zombies performed at the British Consulate General in New York in early May. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Zombies’ US radio debut.

8. "If It Wasn’t for You” by Various Cruelties

Where do I know that song from? A Zales ad.

Who’s the artist? Various Cruelties come from west London, with a sound that harks back to mid-60s Detroit. If you were lucky enough to be in LA last spring, you could’ve caught them at the BritWeek Music Festival.

9. "Haunt” by Bastille

Where do I know that song from? The official trailer for the film “The Book Thief.”

Who’s the artist? You know Bastille from their hits “Pompeii” and “Laura Palmer.” They also won the ‘British Breakthrough Act’ award at the 2014 BRIT Awards and have sold over 2 million records in the UK alone.

BRITISH BONUS: Bastille played at the British Embassy in Washington on 28 September 2013. Ahead of a concert at the 930 Club in Washington, the band stopped by the embassy to play a special acoustic set for fans. They’re not the only British band to have stopped by either – in 1964 the Beatles stopped by during their first US tour.