Super Bowl commercial of the year: NFL Networks charity team-up with Arcade Fire

Even if you knew in advance about the deal that ARCADE FIRE cut with the NFL Network, it was still really odd -- during a Super Bowl geared towards showcasing fogey rock  -- to hear "Wake Up" nearly once a commercial break. Arcade Fire frontman (and former Porter Square shoe salesman) WIN BUTLER allowed the cable-network arm of Jock USA's largest corporate entity to use the band's signature hit to hype such upcoming indie-friendly programming as . . . the NFL Draft? Fear not: it was part of a deal that saw AF's licensing fees go directly to Haiti relief efforts -- specifically, to the efforts of Boston's PARTNERS IN HEALTH. The irony? Arcade Fire threatened legal action two years ago after the NFL reportedly used an Arcade Fire song without permission during the 2008 Super Bowl. 

Alas, for this year's ad we have no visual: the NFL has posted online video of every Super Bowl commercial . . . except its own. 

IN OTHER NEWS: Metallica -- who, once upon a time, agonized over whether to stoop so low as to make a music video for "One" -- have licensed "Master of Puppets" to an ESPN NASCAR commercial. And as far as we know, not for charity.