Who selects these songs??

[zew]

Does anyone know who is making these track selections for the adult swim bumps? Is it a music supervisor? Someone at stones throw?

As an aspiring music supervisor, I would kill to be able to chat with whoever it is who has this dream of a job.

[mongo]

It must be an internal music supervisor, either for Cartoon Network or specifically for Adult Swim. They build relationships with labels (like Stones Throw, Warp, Merck, etc.) and get licensing deals to utilize this music in their programming. I think it might be a Cartoon Network music advisor since I heard Bonobo and I think it was Flying Lotus on CN programming. Hope this helps!

[zew]

Thank you, that does help. But I need to keep trying to dig deeper. I can't sleep til I get a name! Someone I can write to, call up, try to become an apprentice. Or at least have an informational chat. Best job on earth.

[NumyMufn]

I don't think they want to be found >.>

The FAQs from the ASMB: #1 & #2 - How do I get a job? and How do I get an internship?
Unless you know somebody this is really your only avenue in.

[mongo]

And don't expect much help from that, either. Applying is a "don't call us, we call you" process, and they haven't followed up on my applications so far.

[zew]

Sad. This stuff is never easy. I just wish I could chat with "the guy" about his career, and any advice he might have. I would imagine cold-calling Williams Street/Adult Swim and asking for a contact would be a lost cause.

[mongo]

Sadly, they seem to be even more secretive and distant about information like that than other companies, or at least just as much. I've really wanted to land a gig there but no dice, and it's all through generic forms. However, there might be someone from another company out there who can help you with that. I mean, obviously it's not [adult swim], but the basic protocols are all the same. Most of the music on any channel will be Stock/Production Music, also known as Needle-drop, which they license for a specific period of time, allowing it to be used in whatever manner they see fit. The other part would be establishing similar contract deals with labels that allow them to use either the music of a certain artist or anything they can find across their catalog. That's pretty much it; Needle-drop music and, if the budget allows it, deals with labels. These deals are pretty costly, which is why you'll see [adult swim] has mostly minor, independent label stuff from labels more willing to cut a deal, or companies also property of AOL Time Warner, like Rhino Entertainment on that Erasure song. A company like Viacom, which already has deals with major labels, gets away with using more reknown music on MTV and VH1 and whatnot, but the deal is the same; you pay to us ethe music for an amount of time.