Kickback this weekend with some nostalgic Zune tunes

Remember Microsoft’s Zune line of multimedia players? I haven’t forgotten, and to this day, the Zune 120 GB Black "Brick" remains as one of my favorite pieces of hardware from the past. To help everyone relax, while bringing back some Microsoft nostalgia, below is a short video list of some of the rocking (and mellow) tunes used in the original commercials.

The playlist includes the following as of now:

Wanna Be a Star by Walter Meego

​With Microsoft’s launch of the third generation Zune, they wanted to show off what it could do with some punchy pop music. The commercial makes sure to show off the Zune’s FM radio, wireless PC syncing, music sharing with friends, and of course that gorgeous display on the 30/80/120 GB units.

This is Why I’m Hot (Rock Mix) by MiMs

One of Microsoft’s first Zune commercials kicks it off with some rock and isn’t afraid to show why it "rocks". Wireless music sharing, the FM radio, and gigantic display are front row in this ad.

Universal Mind Control by Common

Remember the Zune social? This commercial from the Redmond team aims to show the Social’s discover ability. This ad isn’t actually about the Zune device itself, but the 3.0 release of the Zune desktop software.

Trash by The Whip

Flashy and sexy – it all screams Zune HD. This quick sixteen second (and super widescreen) advertisement using some fast past music to get your adrenalin pumping.

Lake Michigan by Rogue Wave

Here is a mellower Zune commercial; a girl touches her device and enters, what I like to call, a "wicked acid trip". This is one of a few Zune commercials that really went far beyond what we expected to see from an MP3 player commercial. Specifically it focuses on the smaller 4/8/16 GB Zunes.

Sleeping Lessons by The Shins

This is another trippy Zune music commercial that takes a jump inside one guy’s mind and the creativity that comes with music. I find the song that accompanies this ad to be extremely disturbing, but hey, that is just me. One commenter on YouTube, says he has begun "sleeping to this song".

Check out the videos and sample the songs above, then head to your favorite streaming music service via the provided links below and start grooving. What was your favorite Zune commercial? If you have a “Zune tune” that we forgot, make sure to hit us up in the comments and I will be sure to add it.

Click here to launch the playlist in Spotify.

Click here to launch the playlist in Rdio.

(Sorry, we can’t share a playlist through Xbox Music - blame Microsoft not us!)

Have a great weekend!

Michael Archambault