According to the American Brandstand poll, Mercedes received almost double the number of mentions than the second-placed brand Cadillac. Mercedes-Benz was mentioned 112 times in the lyrics of songs that made the top 20 of US singles chart the Billboard Hot 100, including four times by rapper 50 Cent.
Cadillac was mentioned 64 times, while another car marque, Lexus, shared third place on the chart with Hennessy cognac, both receiving 48 mentions.
In the world of music, Mercedes-Benz is most famous for Janis Joplin's song in which she laments "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends".
Several fashion labels made the top 20, with Gucci in the lead at number five and Burberry, the brand trying to shake off its "chav" status in the UK, at number six. Italian labels Prada and Dolce & Gabbana were at number eight and number 10 respectively.
Bizarrely, the number 12 brand on the "bling bling" list was the decidedly downmarket shoe chain Payless Shoe Source. It was namechecked, although not necessarily in a good way, by 50 Cent and Missy Elliott.
Agenda, the branding agency behind the American Brandstand poll, said: "Hip-hop has always been about defining your status. Aligning yourself with brands in lyrics are the best short cuts to do that -- especially if you want to be understood by a global audience; Gucci is the same whether you're in the US or anywhere else. And that works the same for anti-bling brands like K-Mart and Payless Shoes too."
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