Eminem “Lose Yourself” iPod and iTunes Commercials

The 2003 sing-along commercial

In 2003 Apple ran an iTunes Music Store campaign in which people sang aloud to songs playing on their iPods. One spot, broadcast on MTV in July 2003 and posted on Apple's website, showed a ten-year-old boy singing Eminem's "Lose Yourself". In February 2004 Eight Mile Style, Eminem's music publisher, filed suit in the US District Court in Detroit against Apple, TBWA\Chiat\Day, MTV and Viacom, alleging that the song had been used after permission was refused. The case was settled in May 2005; the terms were not disclosed.

A silhouetted Eminem, 2005

A separate commercial followed in October 2005. Steve Jobs played it twice at Apple's special event on 12 October, and it featured Eminem himself performing "Lose Yourself". An advertising-industry blog describes an animated, silhouetted Eminem moving through red, yellow and black Detroit streets with graffiti-style graphics, and credits Mark Romanek as director. Apple removed the spot from its website within hours without giving a reason; AppleInsider later reported that it had aired on network television. In early November 2005 the footwear company Lugz sent Apple and TBWA\Chiat\Day a cease-and-desist letter, arguing that the ad resembled its 2002 "Arrow" commercial. No public resolution of that complaint has been confirmed.

Background: the 8 Mile single

"Lose Yourself", from the soundtrack to the 2002 film 8 Mile, was released on 28 October 2002 and spent 12 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It became the first hip-hop song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Browse more iPod history

Browse iPod Advertising for more commercials. Explore the yearly pages for 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, or visit iPod Classic, iPod Mini, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Touch.