(Guest) Are Fast Food Jingles Pop Music?

From our friends at Switched on Pop: Where were you when you
learned that the McDonald's jingle "I'm lovin' it" was originally
part of a full-fledged pop song by Justin Timberlake and Pharrell
that flopped on the charts but found staying power as a slogan? For
us, it was recording our live episode about sponsored content in
pop back in March 2024, and we have not been the same since. Shaken
by this revelation, we found ourselves asking, "What else don't we
know about fast food jingles?" Turns out, it's a lot. From Taco
Bell to Popeye's to Chili's, the music of fast food represent some
of the most familiar melodies in society, across state lines and
generations. But the stories behind those songs, and the way that
fast food production and pop music production often move in
parallel, was something we never saw coming. Since we are music
experts but amateur foodies, we invited the brilliant hosts of
Gastropod, Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley, to help serve up the
history of fast food and its changing role in culture. Tune in and
pig out with us as we listen and debate the artistic and ethical
implications of the sounds of fast food. Learn more about your ad
choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices