Rolls-Royce Is the Most Mentioned Brand in Pop Music
Eight of the top 10 hottest brands by name in music are car companies.
Modern musicians and particularly rappers love to incorporate brands into their lyrics. It isn’t necessarily because of sponsored product placement, but because the brands they sing about are often symbols of status and success. The most recognizable of those brands—not just in the automotive space but across the luxury spectrum—is Rolls-Royce.
According to Bloomberg’s research, over the past three years Rolls-Royce or the name of a Rolls-Royce product was mentioned in 11 top-20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. A few artists who mention Rolls in their popular songs include Quavo, Future, The Weeknd, and Kodak Black. (If you haven’t heard of those guys, I hate to break it to you but I’m afraid you aren’t cool anymore.)
Ferrari came in a close second, with nine songs mentioning its supercars. Porsche tied with Hennessy, each with seven shout-outs, while Lamborghini and Chevrolet tied for six. Bentley, Cadillac, and Mercedes-Benz all tied, along with Jordan Brand, Rolex, and Xanax, with five mentions.
Migos's number-one song “Bad and Boujee” wins the title for most brands mentioned in a single song. Migos rapped about 19 different brands, including Lamborghini, Porsche, Ferrari, plus less premium brands like Subway and Crock-Pot—you know, the slow cooker your mom uses to make a roast.
For Rolls-Royce in particular, the company is just fine with its name being synonymous with luxury and wealth even if the names of its cars are sometimes mixed in with lyrics earning the infamous “Parental Advisory” label. Sometimes Rolls-Royce provides cars for music videos, but musicians aren’t getting paid by Rolls to name-drop its products. Considering about 20 percent of Rolls-Royce buyers are celebrities and musicians, names like “Wraith” and “Ghost” making their way to the top of the charts is a priceless way to keep the brand visible—and aspirational.