ASDA to print song lyrics on T-shirts

Hard-Fi: now you can wear them.
Hard-Fi: now you can wear them.

If you're looking for evidence that the record industry will go to any lengths to try and make some cash these days, allow us to tell you about Universal Music's new deal with UK supermarket chain ASDA.

It's been announced that ASDA's clothing brand, George, is to release clothes emblazoned with lyrics from a selection of Universal-published songs, including The Boys Are Back In Town (Thin Lizzy), Love Cats (The Cure), Living For The Weekend (Hard-Fi) and Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf).

The promotion starts today, and we're told that there'll be more lyrics on more garments throughout 2009. Whether the range will have the same kind of impact as the 'Frankie Says Relax' T-shirt of the '80s remains to be seen, but we somehow doubt it.

Anyone who buys one of the items, which will be available in sizes ranging from baby to large adult, will be entitled to a free download of the relevant song via the George website.

(Via Popjustice)

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.