Portrayals of the media in songs
Special thanks to
Roy O. Yamanaka, Scott Williamson, and Mark Bonani
(Please add to these lists by using the form at the bottom of the page)
Songs about radio
| Title | Artist | Year | |||
| (You're On My Mind Like A) Song On The Radio | Al Stewart | 1979 | |||
| American Music | The Pointer Sisters | 1982 | |||
| Around The Dial (One Of Our DJs Is Missing) | The Kinks | 1981 | |||
| Ballad Of A D.J. | The Del Satins | 196? | |||
| Black Stations White Stations | M+M [Martha & The Muffins] | 1984 | |||
| Blame It On The Radio | John Parr | 1986 | |||
| Border Radio | The Blasters | 1982 | |||
| C.B. Savage | Rod Hart | 1977 | |||
| Capitol Radio One | The Clash | 1977 | |||
| Caravan | Van Morrison | 19?? | |||
| Clap For The Wolfman | The Guess Who | 1974 | |||
| Convoy | C.W. McCall | 1976 | |||
| D.J. | David Bowie | 1979 | |||
| Dear Mr. DJ. Play It Again | Tina Robin | 1961 | |||
| Devil's Radio | George Harrison | 19?? | |||
| Drug Store Truck Driving Man | The Byrds | 1969 | |||
| Far Away Eyes | The Rolling Stones | 1978 | |||
| FM | Steely Dan | 19?? | |||
| Free Man In Paris | Joni Mitchell | 19?? | |||
| H.A.P.P.Y. Radio | Edwin Starr | 1979 | |||
| Having A Party | Sam Cooke | 1961 | |||
| Heard It On The X | ZZ Top | 19?? | |||
| Hit Single | Joe Jackson | 19?? | |||
| I Can't Live Without My Radio | L.L. Cool J | 1988 | |||
| Just An Old Fashioned Love Song | Three Dog Night | 19?? | |||
| Lip Radio | Senseless Things | 19?? | |||
| Mexican Radio | Wall of Voodoo | 1983 | |||
| Mohammed's Radio | Linda Rondstat | 19?? | |||
| Mohammed's Radio | Warren Zevon | 19?? | |||
| Morning Man | Rupert Holmes | 1980 | |||
| Mr. D.J. | Aretha Franklin | 1975 | |||
| Mr. Radio | Electric Light Orchestra | 197? | |||
| Mt. Vernon And Fairway [concept EP] | The Beach Boys | 1973 | |||
| On The Air | Peter Gabriel | 19?? | |||
| On The Radio | Cheap Trick | 1979 | |||
| On The Radio | Donna Summer | 1980 | |||
| On Your Radio | Joe Jackson | 19?? | |||
| Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) | The Raspberries | 1974 | |||
| Panic | The Smiths | 19?? | |||
| Pilot Of The Airwaves | Charlie Dore | 1979 | |||
| Portable Radio | Hall & Oates | 198? | |||
| Radio Days | World Party | 19?? | |||
| Radio Free Europe | R.E.M. | 1983 | |||
| Radio Ga Ga | Queen | 1984 | |||
| Radio Girl | Marshall Crenshaw | 19?? | |||
| Radio Head | Talking Heads | 19?? | |||
| Radio Nine | Buzzcocks | 19?? | |||
| Radio Radio | Elvis Costello | 1978 | |||
| Radio Song | R.E.M. | 19?? | |||
| Radio Spiteful | Senseless Things | 19?? | |||
| Radio Thestrvm | Joakim Thestrvm | 1991 | |||
| Radio Waves [concept album] | Roger Waters | 1985 | |||
| Radios In Motion | XTC | 19?? | |||
| Rock And Roll Radio | Ramones | 19?? | |||
| Sell Out [album] | The Who | 19?? | |||
| Something's Wrong With My Radio | The Stray Cats | 1983 | |||
| Song Seller | The Raiders | 1973 | |||
| Teenage Radio Stars | Dyan Diamond | 1979 | |||
| The Dedication Song | Freddie Cannon | 1966 | |||
| The Ghost At Number One | Jellyfish | 19?? | |||
| The Old Payola Roll Blues | Stan Freberg | 1960 | |||
| The Spirit Of Radio | Rush | 1980 | |||
| The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat) | The Doors | 1970 | |||
| The White Knight | Cledus Maggard | 1976 | |||
| This Is Radio Clash | The Clash | 1981 | |||
| Top 40 (Of the Lord) | Sha-Na-Na | 1971 | |||
| Top 40 News, Weather And Sports | Mark Dinnin | 1961 | |||
| Top Of The Pops | The Smithereens | 19?? | |||
| Turn On Your Radio | Nilsson | 1972 | |||
| Turn Up the Radio | Autograph | 1985 | |||
| Turn Your Radio On | Ray Stevens | 1971 | |||
| Voice On The Radio | Conductor | 1982 | |||
| W.O.L.D. | Harry Chapin | 1973 | |||
| W.P.L.J. | The Mothers of Invention | 1970 | |||
| We Built This City | Starship | 1985 | |||
| Who Listens To The Radio? | The Sports | 1979 | |||
| You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) | Dead Or Alive | 19?? | |||
| You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio | Joni Mitchell | 1973 | |||
Songs about television
| Title | Artist | Year | |||
| (My Baby Loves The) Western Movies | The Olympics | 1959 | |||
| 57 Channels (And Nothing On) | Bruce Springsteen | 1992 | |||
| Along Came Jones | The Coasters | 1959 | |||
| Bandstand Boogie | Barry Manilow | 197? | |||
| Candy Everybody Wants | 10,000 Maniacs | 1993 | |||
| Channel Z | B-52's | 19?? | |||
| Deep In The Heart Of Texas | Dave Edmunds | 198? | |||
| Dirty Laundry | Don Henley | 1983 | |||
| Give Me News I Can Use | Steppenwolf | 1987 | |||
| I Saw It On TV | John Fogerty | 19?? | |||
| Johnny Carson | The Beach boys | 1977 | |||
| Kansas City Star | Roger Miller | 1966 | |||
| Living on Video | Trans-X | 1986 | |||
| Money for Nothing | Dire Straits | 19?? | |||
| Plan 9 Channel 7 | Damned | 19?? | |||
| Prime Time | Don McLean | 19?? | |||
| Roy Rogers | Elton John | 1973 | |||
| Sleepinig With The Television On | Billy Joel | 1980 | |||
| Star On A TV Show | The Stylistics | 1975 | |||
| Tele-Vee-Shun | Stan Freberg | 195? | |||
| Television Eye | John Mayall | 1971 | |||
| Television Man | Talking Heads | 19?? | |||
| The Sun Always Shines on TV | A-ha | 1986 | |||
| TV | Flying Lizards | 19?? | |||
| TV Age | Joe Jackson | 19?? | |||
| TV Caesar | Procol Harum | 19?? | |||
| TV O.D. | The Normal | 1978 | |||
| TVC15 | David Bowie | 19?? | |||
| Twilight Zone | The Manhattan Transfer | 1980 | |||
| Video Killed The Radio Star | The Buggles | 1980 | |||
| Video! | Jeff Lynne | 1984 | |||
| Watching The Detectives | Elvis Costello | 19?? | |||
| Where's Captain Kirk? | Athletico Spizz '80 | 19?? | |||
| Zooropa | U2 | 19?? | |||
Songs about film
| Title | Artist | Year | |||
| Act Naturally | Buck Owens | 1964 | |||
| Act Naturally | The Beatles | 19?? | |||
| Ballad Of Billy The Kid | Billy Joel | 19?? | |||
| Bette Davis Eyes | Kim Carnes | 19?? | |||
| Candle In The Wind | Elton John | 1973 | |||
| Celluloid Heroes | The Kinks | 1972 | |||
| Citizen Kane | The Byrds | 1971 | |||
| Cracked Actor | David Bowie | 19?? | |||
| Debaser [based on Un Chien Andalou] | Pixies | 19?? | |||
| Drive-In Saturday | David Bowie | 19?? | |||
| Film | The Church | 19?? | |||
| Girls On Film | Duran Duran | 19?? | |||
| Hollywood | World Party | 19?? | |||
| I've Seen That Movie Too | Elton John | 1973 | |||
| James Dean | The Eagles | 1974 | |||
| Key Largo | Bertie Higgins | 1981 | |||
| Lady Godiva | Peter & Gordon | 1966 | |||
| Like An Old Time Movie | Scott McKenzie | 1967 | |||
| Making Movies [album] | Dire Straits | 19?? | |||
| Michael Caine | Madness | 19?? | |||
| More Like the Movies | Dr Hook | 19?? | |||
| Movie Star | Harpo | 1976 | |||
| Pornography | The Cure | 19?? | |||
| Reel By Real | XTC | 19?? | |||
| Robert DeNiro's Waiting | Bananarama | 1984 | |||
| Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) | Sue Thompson | 1961 | |||
| Saturday Night At The Movies | The Drifters | 1965 | |||
| Seedy Films | Soft Cell | 19?? | |||
| Show biz Kids | Steely Dan | 19?? | |||
| Sitting In The Balcony | Eddie Cochran | 1958 | |||
| The Medicine Show | Big Audio Dynamite | 19?? | |||
| Touched By The Hand Of Cicciolina | Pop Will Eat Itself | 19?? | |||
| Vera | Pink Floyd | 19?? | |||
| Whatever Happened To Randolph Scott? | The Statler Brothers | 197? | |||
| Winona | Matthew Sweet | 19?? | |||
Songs about the telephone
| Title | Artist | Year | |||
| 634-5789 | Wilson Pickett | 1965 | |||
| 777-9311 | The Time | 1982 | |||
| 853-5937 | Squeeze | 1987 | |||
| 867-5309/Jenny | Tommy Tutone | 1982 | |||
| Alexander Graham Bell | Sweet | 19?? | |||
| And Through The Wires | Peter Gabriel | 19?? | |||
| Beachwood 4-5789 | The Marvelettes | 1963 | |||
|
Breaking Up Is
Hard On You (Don't Take Ma Bell Away From Me) |
The American Comedy Network | 1984 | |||
| Call Me | Al Green | 1973 | |||
| Call Me | Aretha Franklin | 1970 | |||
| Call Me | Blondie | 1980 | |||
| Call Me | Chris Montez | 1966 | |||
| Call Me | Dennis DeYoung | 1986 | |||
| Call Me | Go West | 1985 | |||
| Call Me | Johnny Mathis | 1958 | |||
| Call Me | Ringo Starr | 1974 | |||
| Call Me | Skyy | 1982 | |||
| Call Me Back Again | Wings | 19?? | |||
| Chantilly Lace | The Big Bopper | 1958 | |||
| Don't Hang Up | 10CC | 19?? | |||
| Don't Hang Up | The Orlons | 1962 | |||
| Don't You Put Me On Hold | Romantics | 19?? | |||
| Dream Operator | Talking Heads | 19?? | |||
| Echo Valley 2-6809 | The Partridge Family | 1971 | |||
| Hanging On The Telephone | Blondie | 1978 | |||
| He'll Have to Go | Jim Reeves | 1960 | |||
| He'll Have to Stay | Jeanne Black | 1960 | |||
| It Only CostsA Dime | The Everly Brothers | 1965 | |||
| Just Seven Numbers | The Four Tops | 1970 | |||
| Little Marie [sequal to Memphis] | Chuck Berry | 1964 | |||
| Little Red Telephone | Strawberry Zots | 19?? | |||
| Memphis | Johnny Rivers | 1964 | |||
| Midnight Caller | Badfinger | 19?? | |||
| Operator | The Manhattan Transfer | 1975 | |||
| Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels) | Jim Croce | 1972 | |||
| Party Line | Shriekback | 19?? | |||
| Party Line | The Kinks | 1966 | |||
| Pennsylvania 6-5000 | Glenn Miller Orchestra | 194? | |||
| Ring, Ring | Abba | 197? | |||
| She May Call You Up Tonight | Left Banke | 19?? | |||
| Switchboard Susan | Nick Lowe | 1979 | |||
| Sylvia's Mother | Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show | 1972 | |||
| Telephone (Long Distance Love Affair) | Sheena Easton | 1983 | |||
| Telephone Line | Electric Light Orchestra | 1977 | |||
| Telephone Man | Meri Wilson | 1977 | |||
| The Call Up | The Clash | 19?? | |||
| The Girl's Song (If He Hasn't Changed His Number) | The Fifth Dimension | 1970 | |||
| The Phone | Records | 19?? | |||
| The Red Telephone | Love | 19?? | |||
| The Telephone Is Empty | Love and Rockets | 1987 | |||
| Why Haven't I Heard from You? | Reba McIntyre | 1997 | |||
| Witchita Lineman | Glen Campbell | 19?? | |||
Songs about print media
| Title | Artist | Year | |||
| A Day In The Life | The Beatles | 1967 | |||
| A Little Good News | Anne Murray | 1979 | |||
| Centerfold | The J. Geils Band | 1982 | |||
| Every Picture Tells A Story | Rod Stewart | 19?? | |||
| Freeze Frame | J. Geils Band | 19?? | |||
| If The Shoe Fits | Leon Russell | 1971 | |||
| Imposters Of Life's Magazine | The Idle Race | 19?? | |||
| Kodachrome | Paul Simon | 19?? | |||
| Magazine Woman | Gary Walker and the Rain | 19?? | |||
| New Lace Sleeves | Elvis Costello | 19?? | |||
| Pictures of Lilly | Kinks | 19?? | |||
| Put It In A Magazine | Sonny Charles | 1983 | |||
| Sunday Papers | Joe Jackson | 19?? | |||
| The Cover Of The Rolling Stone | Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show | 1972 | |||
| Want Ads | Honeycombs | 19?? | |||
| Yesterday's Papers | The Rolling Stones | 1967 | |||
Songs about other media
| Title | Artist | Year | |||
| Baby Come Back To Me (The Morse Code Of Love) | The Manhattan Transfer | 1985 | |||
| Hey Western Union Man | Jerry Butler | 1969 | |||
| Morse Code Of Love | The Capris | 1983 | |||
| Satellite E | lvis Costello | 19?? | |||
| Satellite Of Love | Lou Reed | 19?? | |||
| Telegram | Sam T. Rex | 1972 | |||
| Telegraph Road | Dire Straits | 19?? | |||
| Telstar | The Tornadoes | 1962 | |||
| We Don't Need Another Satellite | XTC | 19?? | |||
| Western Union | The Five Americans | 1966 | |||
Songs about messages and communication generally
| Title | Artist | Year | |||
| America Communicate With Me | Ray Stevens | 1970 | |||
| Arc-Lite | (Sonar) Loop | 19?? | |||
| Are You Receiving Me? | XTC | 19?? | |||
| Calling Occupants (Of Interplanetary Craft) | Klaatu | 19?? | |||
| Communication | Pete Townshend | 1982 | |||
| Communication | The Power Station | 1985 | |||
| Communication (Parts 1 and 2) | Paul Revere and the Raiders | 19?? | |||
| Communication Breakdown | Led Zeppelin | 19?? | |||
| Here Is The News | Electric Light Orchestra | 1981 | |||
| I've Got to Get A Message To You | The Bee Gees | 1969 | |||
| Kill The Messenger | John Wesley Harding | 19?? | |||
| Message In A Bottle | The Police | 1979 | |||
| Message Of Love | Pretenders | 19?? | |||
| Radar Love Golden Earring 1974 | Golden Earring | 1974 | |||
| Secret Messages | Electric Light Orchestra | 19?? | |||
| Sweet Talkin' Woman | Electric Light Orchestra | 1977 | |||
| The Message | Grandmaster Flash | 1982 | |||
| The Sound Of Silence | Simon & Garfunkel | 1966 | |||
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