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Taco Bell

7 artists making waves in summer TV ads

Patrick Ryan
USA TODAY
Pop singer Halsey, whose cover of Tear For Fears' 'Mad World' soundtracks a Taco Bell commercial this summer.

They've got to make a dime somehow.

For as long as we can remember, major artists have been hawking everything from fast food to hotels to new cars in commercials. But the ones who truly stand to benefit are the up-and-comers, whose songs can reach new fans (Matt & Kim's Daylight) or climb the charts (The Ting Tings' Shut Up and Let Me Go) with the boost of national TV spots.

USA TODAY rounds up seven rising acts who are singing — and selling — in ads this summer:

HALSEY

Commercial: Taco Bell's Bacon Club Chalupa

Get to know her: A cover of Tear For Fears' bleak Mad World isn't typical fare for, of all things, a Taco Bell commercial, but pop starlet Halsey pulls it off with her smoky vocals. After becoming this year's most-mentioned artist on Twitter out of South by Southwest (besting the likes of Miley Cyrus and Cody Simpson), the neon-haired songstress is now supporting Imagine Dragons on their summer tour. She will release debut album Badlands Aug. 28.

ELLIPHANT

Commercial: Apple's iPhone

Get to know her: No, you won't hear her voice in this 30-second spot, which uses the wonky hook of her Major Lazer collaboration Too Original. But check out the full song, and you'll realize just how perfectly the Swedish singer is suited to dance-pop, having already collaborated with David Guetta (No Money No Love) and Lean On vocalist MØ (One More). Possessing the similarly defiant spirit of breakout stars Tove Lo and Charli XCX, Elliphant will release her North American debut Living Life Golden Sept. 25.

SOPHIE

Commercial: McDonald's Lemonades

Get to know him: Although many have confused this fizzy electronic track for a ripoff of Amy Schumer's NSFW Milk Milk Lemonade viral hit, Lemonade actually spilled onto the Internet last summer. A concoction of mysterious British beat-maker Sophie, the tune is taken off his two-song EP Lemonade / Hard, released last year. This past spring, he toured the U.S. and contributed production to Madonna's Rebel Heart (on Diplo's bombastic B**** I'm Madonna).

JUDAH & THE LION

Commercial: Nature Valley's crunchy granola bars

Get to know them: Not only does the Nashville natives' toe-tapping, banjo-strumming Kickin' Da Leaves perfectly complement the ad's great outdoors imagery, it's also the song they played for their biggest audience yet on the Late Show with David Letterman earlier this year. After releasing their first EP, Sweet Tennessee, in 2013, the folk-rock trio is finally gearing up for their second album, teaming with producer Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell) for the still-untitled effort, expected out early next year.

PHASES

Commercial: Hulu

Get to know them: Hulu sure knows how to pick 'em. As Børns' infectious Electric Love continues to soundtrack their frequent "You Know You Wanna" spots, the streaming service has selected a new indie-pop confection to ingrain itself into our heads. The hallmark of Hulu's summer campaign, Phases' '80s-influenced I'm in Love With My Life also is the first single off the Los Angeles band's debut For Life, out Sept. 18. After a handful of headlining shows next month, they'll support the album on tour with The Mowgli's and Lights this fall.

GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV

Commercial: 2016 Subaru Forester

Get to know him: Isakov's nostalgic, unassuming Time Will Tell goes hand in hand with the car company's misty-eyed ad, as a father literally watches his daughter grow up before his eyes. The folk track comes off the Colorado-based singer-songwriter's 2013 album The Weatherman, his most recent release. Preparing to open shows for Dave Matthews Band and Passenger this fall, Isakov is no stranger to TV crossovers: his songs also have appeared in episodes of Suits and Californication, and in a McDonald's commercial.

JAMIE N COMMONS

Commercial: Hyundai

Get to know him: Like the aptly-named commercial he's featured in, Jamie N Commons is "just getting started." After landing TV spots for Netflix and Pitch Perfect 2 with X Ambassadors collaboration Jungle (themselves the center of a Jeep Renegade campaign), the British blues-rocker's wailing Karma can now be heard in multiple Hyundai spots. As he continues to work on his first album (his last release was 2013 EP Rumble and Sway), the troubadour will next open for Catfish and the Bottlemen on their U.S. trek starting in September.

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