Joy Williams’ “Don’t Let Me Down” -- a cover of The Chainsmokers’ No. 3 Billboard Hot 100 hit featuring Daya -- climbs to No. 1 on Billboard & Clio’s Top TV Commercials chart, powered by Shazam, for April, after its appearance in State Farm’s “Following” commercial.
Using tagging data from Shazam, as well as sales and streaming information tracked by Nielsen Music, Billboard partners with Clio Music each month to present a chart ranking the top songs in commercials. Rankings exclude any song that has recently charted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 or top 10 on a genre chart.
“Don’t Let Me Down” leads all songs with 36,000 Shazam tags, 11,000 downloads sold and 846,000 U.S. streams during the month of April, according to Nielsen Music.
In an interview with Billboard in March, Williams, who is best known for her acoustic folk music as one half of The Civil Wars, said she had been a fan of The Chainsmokers’ original version and was specifically approached by State Farm to cover the dance hit.
The ad first aired in March during CBS’ telecast of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, helping the song debut at No. 2 on the Top TV Commercials chart in March. The commercial has been an all-around success, garnering 9 million global views on YouTube since its posting March 13.
Meanwhile, Joe Cocker debuts at No. 4 with his 1968 rendition of The Beatles’ 1967 song “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
Thanks to its appearance in Walmart’s “A Chain Reaction” ad, the commercial earned 13,000 Shazam tags, 13,000 downloads sold and 770,000 U.S. streams in April, according to Nielsen Music.
Cocker’s version reached No. 68 on the Hot 100 chart dated Dec. 14, 1968. The Beatles’ recording didn’t chart until 1978, when it was finally released commercially as a single, peaking at No. 71 on the Hot 100. Cocker’s version was later used as the opening theme song for the TV show The Wonder Years during its run from 1988 to 1993.
Finally, Dean Martin makes his debut on the Top TV Commercials chart, as “The Birds and the Bees” debuts at No. 7. The song is a cover of Jewel Akens’ original 1964 recording, which reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1965.
The song was featured in Volkswagen’s “Luv Bug” commercial and tallied 10,000 Shazam tags, 3,000 downloads sold and 275,000 U.S. streams in April, according to Nielsen Music.
Martin’s version of the song appeared on his 1965 album (Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You, which hit No. 12 on the Billboard 200 that same year.
