John Mellencamp says ads help classic artists sell albums

John Mellencamp makes no apologies for having his new song "Our Country" featured in the new ad campaign for Chevrolet pick-up trucks. He knows it's not always easy for classic artists to get their music heard, and commercials can help spread the message. In fact, Mellencamp told us that Bob Dylan owes his latest success to an ad campaign: "Look, Bob Dylan just had the biggest (chart) entry in his life -- came in at, I think, Number One. Never in his life has he entered the charts that way. And why did that happen? Because of the iPod commercial. There's no question about it. The iPod commercial looked cool, Bob looked great, (and) the song sounded great."

Mellencamp's right -- Dylan's latest album, which is called Modern Times, debuted at Number One on the Billboard album chart. He's had chart-toppers before, with Planet Waves in 1974, with Blood On The Tracks in 1975, and with Desire in 1976, but this is the first time Dylan has debuted in the top spot.

"Our Country" will be on the new Mellencamp album, titled Freedom's Road, which should be out early in the new year.