Autoblog

The music you listen to impacts your driving safety

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Walking by any cardio class at the gym - or watching Iron Eagle - should be enough clue that music affects the tempo at which we do things. A study, admittedly a tiny one, by UK car and financial site Confused.com puts it in perspective behind the wheel. Using its MotorMate app to monitor driving behavior during a 500-mile road trip, it had the eight participants drive the first half without music, while the second half was accompanied by different genres of tunes from classical to heavy metal.

The results? Heavy metal caused a male driver to go "much faster," hip-hop made one of the female drivers crank up the aggression, and a classical playlist caused two other drivers to be more erratic than when there was no music. A psychologist at London University backed up the findings, accidentally sounding like one of those campy PSAs from the 1950s at the same time when he commented, "Music that is noisy, upbeat and increases your heart rate is a deadly mix," and, "Fast beats can cause excitement and arousal that can lead people to concentrate more on the music than on the road."

With the revelation that up-tempo tunes can lead to drivers matching the 'beat' with their driving, the "ideal" driving rhythm was said to be that which matches the human heart rate, about 60 to 80 beats per minute. On the top ten list of most dangerous songs to drive to was "Hey Mama" by The Black Eyed Peas at number one, followed by Fall Out Boy's "Dead on Arrival" and M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes." Ray Charles even made the list at number seven with "Hit the Road, Jack," as did Nickleback with "How You Remind Me," only slightly worse at number six.

A list of the ten best songs to safely drive to is a playlist straight from any easy listening radio station or Starbucks. Norah Jones took the lead with "Come Away with Me," groups like Coldplay, Elton John, Radiohead and Jason Mraz keeping her company. Interestingly, songs featuring Bruno Mars made both lists: you should stay away from "Young, Wild and Free" by Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa, feat. Bruno Mars, but Travie McCoy's "Billionaire Feat. Bruno Mars" is safe.

The music you listen to impacts your driving safety originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OK Go plays "Needing/Getting" with the Chevy Sonic

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Videos, Hatchback, Chevrolet

Chevrolet alluded to it in its "Stunt Anthem" Super Bowl commercial for the Sonic, and during this weekend's Super Bowl, the genuine article appeared. As promised, the Sonic tests out its musical chops by playing OK Go's "Needing/Getting."

Two miles of instruments were laid out in the Southern California desert, lots of practice and planning to get it just right. Of course, that was after four months of preparation, during which time OK Go's lead singer had to learn how to stunt drive.

Follow the jump to check it out, and follow the source link to get more behind-the-scenes tidbits on what went into it.

Continue reading OK Go plays "Needing/Getting" with the Chevy Sonic

OK Go plays "Needing/Getting" with the Chevy Sonic originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IFA 2011: Gracenote shows off the future of mood-based music

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Infotainment

After a particularly rough day, few things are more cathartic than getting in your car and reveling in some choice tunes to suit your mood. Sure, you could dial up one of the 'heads (Radiohead, Portishead, The Talking Heads...) and wallow in self-pity on your way home, or - if Gracenote has its way - you can simply pick your mindset and let the algorithm do the work.

That's exactly what the music cataloging service is working on for a few OEMs and we got some hands-on time with a beta version of the software while in Berlin for IFA.

The technology categorizes all the music on your device (in this case a Motorola Xoom) and based on a number of criteria (everything from artist to BPM), automagically groups the songs into different categories.

The UI uses a 10x10 grid with each axis representing a different mood. Looking for upbeat tracks while enjoying a twisty stretch of road? Move the illuminated pointer to Positive and Energetic. Lady-friend just dump you? Bring it down to the lowest point between Dark and Calm. It's very trick, could incorporate streaming music services, is set to arrive in vehicles within the next two years and you can check out our demo video after the jump.

Continue reading IFA 2011: Gracenote shows off the future of mood-based music

IFA 2011: Gracenote shows off the future of mood-based music originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet backs Spotify's U.S. launch, integration imminent

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:27:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Chevrolet, GM, Infotainment

Unless you've been living in tech-exile for the last 24 hours, you're undoubtedly aware of Spotify's launch in the U.S. The music streaming service has been going strong in Europe for the last two years and after a series of protracted negotiations with the music industry, Stateside audiophiles can finally get their all-you-can-eat fix by joining the service with free, $5 or $10 monthly plans.

Part of Spotify's revenue model is advertising, and Chevrolet has hopped in to be one of the services first supporters - and the only automaker to partner with the company at launch.

While that doesn't mean much from a music-consumption point-of-view, General Motors' place on the Spotify bandwagon is a clear indication that the automaker is actively interested in bringing new music streaming services to its vehicles. Spotify integration would be a huge leap forward and we wouldn't be surprised to learn that the forthcoming Sonic will be the first product from the General to incorporate the service. Full details about Chevy's partnership with Spotify in the press release below the fold, and hit up the Sonic's Facebook page for a free invite to the service.

Continue reading Chevrolet backs Spotify's U.S. launch, integration imminent

Chevrolet backs Spotify's U.S. launch, integration imminent originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda hopes Civic will inspire you to write a song

Dan Roth — Fri, 20 May 2011 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Honda

Honda is casting the Sounds of Civic social media-based contest as a fun way for you to whip up a little song and possibly win a 2012 Honda Civic of your own. You might accept it at face value, or you may see it as a contrived and cynical attempt at being current and/or relevant. If the ninth-generation Honda Civic excites you into musical rapture, great, submit your song on the Honda Civic Facebook page before June 5th.

Honda has faith in your song-writing abilities. "We know our talented fans will show off their skills and submit some great Civic-inspired tunes," says Steve Center, American Honda Motor Company's Vice President of National marketing Operations.

Once the submission window closes, voting begins and runs through July 17th. Eight finalists will be chosen to receive $2,500 in music gear from Sam Ash music stores. The single finalist that receives the most votes will get the car, which could be a handy way to get to Los Angeles to perform as part of the 2011 Honda Civic Tour.

Honda has solicited songs from several artists already, and you can find them on the Honda Civic Facebook page and the Honda YouTube channel. Pointing Twitter at the #soundsofcivic hashtag can also help keep you updated. Check it out, brush up on your scales and arpeggios and have at it with your own composition. Check out the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Honda hopes Civic will inspire you to write a song

Honda hopes Civic will inspire you to write a song originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 May 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top 10 car songs picked by AOL Radio listeners; Do you agree?

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

AOL Radio's top car songs - Click above to see the list

UK company HPI recently put out a list of top ten road trip songs as chosen by its customers, with Lynyrd Skynyrd über alles. Now AOL Radio has put together its own list of car songs chosen by listeners, but these are songs about cars, not necessarily the ones you'd choose to play in cars.

Not quite as oddball as the HPI list, it still runs through eras and categories: Tracy Chapman (Fast Car), Foghat (Slow Ride), Metallica (Fuel) and the Clash (Brand New Cadillac) are among the chosen, as well as Gary Numan - who's been popular lately - with Cars. At number one: War's Low Rider. Take a little trip to the link below for the rest of the list and to have a listen.

[Source: AOL Radio]

Top 10 car songs picked by AOL Radio listeners; Do you agree? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You're Doing it Wrong: UK survey shows favorite summer driving song is... Sweet Home Alabama?!

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., UK

UK firm HPI has some of the most intriguing customers in the business. The firm, akin to CarFax, provides a vetted history of a used car so buyers know what they're really getting. It has just concluded a survey of its customers to find out what they like most for road trip jams, and out of all the classic rock tracks being laid down in 1974, Lynyrd Skynyrd's distinctly non-British Sweet Home Alabama took the top spot.

Right behind Skynyrd came hometown favorite Katrina and the Waves with Walking on Sunshine, one of only three English acts on a list that zooms through genres and has only one song from the last twenty years: The Killers' Mr. Brightsides. Follow the jump for the rest of the songs, and if you take a trip with an HPI user, get ready for anything...

[Source: HPI | Image: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty]

Continue reading You're Doing it Wrong: UK survey shows favorite summer driving song is... Sweet Home Alabama?!

You're Doing it Wrong: UK survey shows favorite summer driving song is... Sweet Home Alabama?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Beat stars as centerpiece of European young artists competition [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:40:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Videos, Chevrolet, UK, Design/Style

Young Creative Chevrolet awards - Click above to watch video after the jump

Just as Toyota rocks a lot more hip in Australia than it does in the U.S., Chevrolet's got far more groove in Europe than it does domestically. That kind of juice gives rise to things like the fourth annual Young Creative Chevrolet competition that's grown from eight schools in eight countries to 135 schools in twenty countries.

The challenge for entrants this year was to find the coolest way to insert the Chevy Beat into five media: fashion, music, photography, video and visual arts. Winners came four countries, the UK taking photography, Austria grabbing music, Portugal owning visual arts, and France unsurprisingly nabbing fashion and video. Winners get "behind-the-scenes" experiences with their respective category judges.

We could tell you more about it here, but the gallery of high-res images below and the three videos after the jump do a much better job of it (there's a press release back there, too). Congratulations to all of the winners. We hope the Beat/Spark is even half as cool when it reaches our shores... albeit maybe with a different soundtrack.

Gallery: 2010 Young Creative Chevrolet Awards

[Source: Chevrolet]

Continue reading Chevy Beat stars as centerpiece of European young artists competition [w/video]

Chevy Beat stars as centerpiece of European young artists competition [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: In Da Club Cherokee? Enterprising kids go all Jeep techno

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Humor

Jeep Cherokee beatbox - Click above to watch video

If your Jeep Cherokee has been sitting around for a while, it probably makes a few noises. You might not mind, though, if they were noises as well orchestrated as those in the video shown above.

British saxophonist Julian Smith spent a few hours with a Cherokee and an array of friends with rhythm and came up with a number that could be straight out of Stomp. Or an Art of Noise album. Follow the jump to see the vid, and as a bonus, there's another take on car beats with Snob Scrilla and a Toyota Yaris. Thanks for the tips, everyone!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: In Da Club Cherokee? Enterprising kids go all Jeep techno

VIDEO: In Da Club Cherokee? Enterprising kids go all Jeep techno originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a Shame: Songwriter Evan Dando reportedly suing GM over music copyright [w/VIDEO]

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, GM, Lifestyle

Bankruptcy is often not a clear-the-books-and-start-over process, but a continuation of one's troubles with people still piling on top of a business on its knees. Evan Dando, founder of alt-rock band The Lemonheads, is the latest to throw himself onto the GM scrum.

The songwriter is suing General Motors for allegedly copying the group's song It's a Shame About Ray for a series of Chevy and Buick commercials from 2008. Dando is said to be seeking damages and a share of the profits from the campaign. You can check out the commercials with the alleged ditty swipe after the jump.

[Sources: The Associated Press (via Google); YouTube | Image: Saltlick]

Continue reading It's a Shame: Songwriter Evan Dando reportedly suing GM over music copyright [w/VIDEO]

It's a Shame: Songwriter Evan Dando reportedly suing GM over music copyright [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electric female string quartet Bond creates mini-album for Peugeot [w/VIDEO]

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:17:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Marketing/Advertising, Peugeot, Lifestyle, UK, Celebrities

Bond String Quartet - Click above for a high-res gallery

To kick off the launch of the 308 CC, French carmaker Peugeot has enlisted the musical services of the high-heeled female string quartet Bond. Peugeot touts the car as "the only convertible in its class that is adaptable to every season" because of its Airwave Neck Heating System, à la Mercedes-Benz's Air Scarf on the SL Series.

To complement this notion, Bond's services have been retained to record its take on the four concertos that make up Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Think Vivaldi-meets-Ibiza, and you're pretty close. Bond will be begin to leg out a British tour with the car next month, so for now you can read the full press release and watch the video after the jump. Or you can download all of the tracks - after handing over some information and signing up for a newsletter - at www.opentoallseasons.co.uk.

Gallery: Bond and the Peugeot 308 CC

[Source: Peugeot]

Continue reading Electric female string quartet Bond creates mini-album for Peugeot [w/VIDEO]

Electric female string quartet Bond creates mini-album for Peugeot [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 May 2009 18:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More cowbell! Ford turns Focus into musical instruments

Chris Shunk — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:21:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford, UK

click above for more images of the all-Focus orchestra

The European Ford Focus is a big reason that Ford sells more vehicles in the UK than any other automaker, so you'll have to forgive the Blue Oval if it goes overboard in marketing one of its biggest stars. You may remember a Lexus campaign that used the sound systems from 12 Lexus LS 460s to create a virtual orchestra, but Ford has taken the musical theme a big step forward. Composer Craig Richey, sound designer Bill Milbrodt, and friends used a five-door Focus fresh from the factory floor, took it apart, then used the car's many parts to create 31 musical instruments. We're not talking flutes and trombones here, folks. The musical maestros used Focus parts to create such original works as a Rear Suspension Spike Fiddle and Door Harp. Ford will then hand over the Motorcraft-edition instruments to a full-blown orchestra to lay the sound track for the next Focus commercial. The ad will be aired on ITV in Europe on Feb. 4.

We may not have the Euro Focus on our shores, but we are hoping we can get the song on our iPods so that we can ask SYNC to play it when driving our less-dashing Focus. Check out Ford's press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

Gallery: Euro Ford Focus Instruments

Continue reading More cowbell! Ford turns Focus into musical instruments

More cowbell! Ford turns Focus into musical instruments originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honk? How 'bout "Move it, Sucka!"?

Dan Roth — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, I.C.E.

It'll cost you about the same as an iPod, but it's so much cooler. Or obnoxious. Mike Kosco dreamed up a way to make his Hummer growl, as well as sing whatever nuggets that could be crammed into 256 megabytes, too. If you're driving around a Hummer with the Incredible Hulk on the hood, you should probably expect verbal abuse. That's just what happened to the San Clemente, California resident at a coffee shop when teenagers gave Kosco a good heckling over his airbrushed mural. Fast forward two years, and the Horntones system made its debut at CES in Las Vegas.

The system consists of a player, and amplifier and a speaker. It costs $250, and it's light years beyond the old musical horns of the late '70s that would play horrid renditions of songs without the gift of polyphony. The player has a control unit that can navigate through your themes and tones and the entire setup looks high quality and well-designed. There's a website where you can custom organize and configure your sounds and songs, and then load the file onto a thumb drive that you then use to transfer the goods to your FX-550 rig. If you've just got to have Rico Suave at the ready, units are available and shipping, and look for Horntones at SEMA.

check the press release after the jump

Continue reading Honk? How 'bout "Move it, Sucka!"?

Honk? How 'bout "Move it, Sucka!"? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh

Dan Roth — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:53:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Trends, Etc., I.C.E., Technology

A few short years ago, getting a CD player or better yet, a multidisc changer in your car was an upgrade. Now, the little silver disc has taken up residence with cassettes as cast-off technology. Even with the cheap digital to analog converters that are in car stereos, CDs have a sound advantage over lossy data codecs like MPEG, but only us geeks seem to care that hi-hats sound like someone whisking an egg. Besides, portability and flexibility easily trumps esoteric sound quality. Truth be told, even though the original CDs sound better, my mp3 player is so much more convenient that I'll be adding an auxiliary input to my factory stereo - no small feat on some cars.

Ward's Automotive Interior show, currently underway at the Cobo center, is allowing automakers to show their wares to the masses over the next few days, with the realization that future vehicles are bound to dispatch that awkward center control unit for something more intuitive and user-programmable. Several automakers have already realized that people have all sorts of portable devices, and as such, new car interiors bristle with input jacks and 12-volt power sockets.

[Source: Detroit News]

Continue reading Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh

Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW + LG = MP3

Noah Joseph — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Audio, Gadgets, Technology, Volkswagen

You might say that, in terms of broad market appeal, the iPod is the VW of personal electronics. If that's the case, then what happens when Volkswagen comes out with a digital media player of its own?

The German automaker has teamed up with LG to produce a special MP3 player designed and branded as the Beetle of personal music devices. Rather than simply slapping a Vee-Dub logo on any old contraption, LG designed a fresh product for Volkswagen. Although the shape is the same rounded-corner block as any other on the market, it has a user interface said to be inspired by the New Beetle and is offered in Volkswagen colors including Salsa Red, Shadow Blue and Sunflower Yellow. Of course, it also comes emblazoned with Volkswagen logos, but it seems the designers couldn't fit a bud vase anywhere on the unit.

[Source: Computer World via Motorpasion]

VW + LG = MP3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jam Session: Automotive Orchestra

Dan Roth — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:33:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Etc.

One of the curses I've faced as a recording engineer is that the symphony of every day life drills itself through my skull. It can be quite distracting. People try to converse with you, and all you can focus on is the groovy rhythm coming from a rattly interior bit. Avant-garde musicians and composers have been attuned to the music life creates for many years. John Cage, for instance, wrote pieces that use big fans as an orchestral section. Cage's 4'33 would be the perfect cellphone ringtone, but until that's available, I'd settle for a piece penned by University of Maine music professor Philip Carlsen.

Inspired by Cage's work, professor Carlsen came up with "Car Life: a traffic jam session for automobile orchestra." There aren't too many traffic jams at the Framingham, ME campus where the performance occurred, but for a fleeting moment in time, you could close your eyes and imagine yourself in Manhattan. Initially, the idea was to arrange the automotive orchestra by the timbre of their horns and also incorporate warning buzzers and alarms, but it ended up as a more random affair. There was a "chorus" of Toyotas, however. Like many modern artistic endeavors, not everyone will get it. It's as much a cacophony as incidental music or musique concrete ever was, but we definitely appreciate Carlsen's goal of encouraging people to tune in to the sounds of the world as a type of music.

Click here to hear the symphony

[Source: Hemmings]

Jam Session: Automotive Orchestra originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch a Hyundai spot, get a free song

Dan Roth — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:33:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Hyundai

It's helpful if you like The Ataris. Hyundai is hoping to lure internet users with a banner ad that no doubt touts the free song. When clicked, the banner initiates a download, plays the song, and also pops up a 20-second commercial featuring the Elantra. You could also opt for the cellphone ringtone if you like the way music sounds over a 1/3" transducer. A second set of banners is going live as well, these to collect contact information on potential customers willingly fill out the form. A song by Secondhand Serenade is the prize for providing a free sales lead to the dealer organization.

Hyundai is angling to snag more of the 18-49 year old age group by running the banners at popular music sites like Pandora, Billboard, and Real Networks. Hey, a focused advertising effort is already better than the wide-net thing we all have to sit through on TV.

[Source: Brandweek]

Watch a Hyundai spot, get a free song originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slacker brings internet radio into your car

Dan Roth — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 11:05:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, I.C.E., Technology

It's like Pandora for your car! Slacker, a new web-based radio website has just launched this week. The channel selection is very similar to what's available on XM or Sirius, and we liken it to Pandora because the number of songs you can skip is limited, but the selection is large and the experience is flexible and customizeable. The website alone is a nice little diversion anywhere you've got a browser and bandwidth, but the exciting news is that there will soon be an iPod-like device so you can take your Slacker with you. That means never having to listen to the angry guy talk channel while stuck in a traffic jam again. It's also better than the four-song playlists each FM genre now spins, too. The portable device will store songs, and later this year Slacker will be unveiling a car dock that will be able to receive music from satellite signals.

Pulling down music from the birds is the same trick that Sirius and XM manage, but they cost money. Slacker is free once you purchase the hardware. How is that possible? Why, the very same way broadcast television and radio are free: advertising. If you're willing to sit through some ads, you get free music. In fact, the music is merely there to keep you interested enough that you'll continue to listen through the spots - of course, many of us are obsessive channel flippers (or worse yet, NPR junkies). You can have your Slacking and no commercials, too. For about half the price of Sirius, your $7.50 per month will keep the music rolling in and offer you unlimited skips and no ads. The price is so much lower because Slacker doesn't have big loans for satellites to pay off. The quality is in the MP3 realm, and sounds decent, which is encouraging. Some of us with finely tuned ears have a hard time listening to SatRad because of the digital compression artifacts. We'll see what happens if Slacker is able to popularize it's offerings, and deliver on the promise they're dangling tantalizingly in front of our noses.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Slacker brings internet radio into your car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Mar 2007 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Mercury's got Morningwood

Dan Roth — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Etc., Videos, Mercury

First, Mercury uses Spokesmodel Jill Wagner, who apparently leaves more of an impression on viewers than the cars she's shilling. Then there's the "youthful" music likely picked by a wonk in the ad agency. The band's name is Morningwood. Yup. The very same thing that is not likely to afflict the average Mercury customer (unless they're popping those little blue candies). Either way, it's a catchy little tune called Nth Degree, and at least there's signs of life in the Mercury spots.

Tipster Tracy has pointed us to a fun little video posted on YouTube. Someone's apparently got way too much time on their hands, and chooses to create crappy animation in the modern juvenile male motif. You will not get these minutes of your life back. You've been warned, now go waste 'em!

The homemade video and actual Nth Degree are after the jump.

Continue reading VIDEO: Mercury's got Morningwood

VIDEO: Mercury's got Morningwood originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Cruisin' Monte Carlo with Jay-Z, Dale jr. and Danica

Noah Joseph — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 14:24:00 EST

Filed under: Videos

It's not often that we post video footage from BET, but Jay-Z's latest music video for "Show Me What You Got" makes us wonder if we haven't been missing something.

The video puts some hip-hop flava' on the James Bond theme, set in Monaco with Jay-Z cruisin' the streets of Monte Carlo, ridin' the Mediterranean waves in a speed boat, layin' down some cards and cash at the casino and kickin' it at a seaside party.

The best part is right up front in the first minute, with Jay-Z riding shotgun in a Ferrari F430 Spider with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at the wheel, racing Danica Patrick in a Pagani Zonda Roadster down Monaco's unrestricted countryside roads. Whether you like rap music or not, this video's not to be missed.

[Source: Jalopnik]

VIDEO: Cruisin' Monte Carlo with Jay-Z, Dale jr. and Danica originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Oct 2006 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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