Nashville's expanding universe of lucrative stars highlighted in Super Bowl commercials

Sunday's Super Bowl matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs will not only be significant for Music City because of all the hoopla surrounding tight end Travis Kelce's "Anti-Hero" girlfriend (and former Nashville resident) Taylor Swift, who is expected to be in attendance.

Nashville's country and related musical communities had a resurgent 2023, yielding increased commercial visibility in 2024.

From Miley Cyrus and Swift to Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Jordan Davis, Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen and Bailey Zimmerman, one in three songs in Billboard's all-genre and year-end Hot 100 for the past 12 months featured artists with Music Row in their roots.

Thus, artists like Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and now frequent Music Row visitor Post Malone will be featured in commercials on Super Sunday.

These spots represent a significant investment, and a growing recognition of the popularity and marketability of country music artists.

Simply put: These commercials are not inexpensive. Last month, a report in The Seattle Times placed the average cost of a 30-second ad for the 2024 Super Bowl is $7 million.

Jelly Roll for Uber Eats

After four decades, the CMT and Country Music Association award-winning "I Need A Favor" vocalist finally has questioned his plentiful facial tattoos.

In a 15-second spot for Uber Eats, the artist born Jason DeFord shuts the door to his bathroom's medicine cabinet. Upon seeing his reflection in the mirror, his eyes open wide and his jaw drops comically. As he slowly touches his face, he asks, "What happened to my face? Are these tattoos?!?!?"

"They're everywhere," he declares. "And they're horrible."

"Whatever you forget this Sunday, remember Uber Eats," says the advertisement.

It's part of a larger ad campaign featuring celebrities like Victoria and David Beckham, also showing themselves being forgetful.

On the contrary, it is a memorable look for Jelly Roll's ascendant stardom.

Post Malone for Bud Light

Alongside singing Joe Diffie tunes with HARDY and Morgan Wallen at the recent Country Music Association Awards, multi-platinum "Rockstar" vocalist Post Malone will sing "America The Beautiful" at Super Bowl LVIII.

However, for over the past half-decade, Malone has been a pitchman for the Bud Light brand, including memorable moments like having Bud Light-branded sweatshirts and sweatpants sold at a New York City pop-up and online (while engaging in a Garth Brooks-style "Dive Bar" mini-concert tour), plus having his face emblazoned on Bud Light beer cans.

Bud Light is also the official Super Bowl beer sponsor. In a commercial entitled "Easy Night Out," a scene familiar to Super Sunday (or any Sunday in Nashville) unfolds: Malone enjoys a Bud Light at a rowdy watering hole.

This will be Malone's third time in a Bud Light Super Bowl ad.

Lainey Wilson for Coors Light

The Country Music Association's 2023 Entertainer of the Year isn't sipping "Watermelon Moonshine" in her debut Super Bowl advertising appearance.

Instead, it's one of many instances in her forthcoming year of having many parts of her creative year -- including her "Country's Cool Again" tour (which kicks off May 31 at Nashville's Ascend Amphitheater -- sponsored by Coors.

In the ad, the country superstar is shown covered in ice as the Coors Light Chill Train passes her by at over 900 MPH.

"I was doing a photo shoot with my old trusty guitar and a horse that Coors Light hooked me up with. We had some really cool frosted makeup effects and we got to do a lot of fake snow in my hair and eyelashes and stuff," Wilson told Billboard. "I got to do something that I've never done and got to be creative in different kind of ways, which is always fun for me."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville's expanding universe of lucrative stars highlighted in Super Bowl commercials