Beats spot featuring Hozier

HOLY COMMUNION: It isn’t often that a TV commercial gives us goosebumps, but that’s what happened yesterday when a Beats spot for Powerbeats wireless headphones starring LeBron James premiered during NFL football programming. What makes the spot so compelling is the pairing of the strikingly cinematic footage and the nakedly soulful sound of Hozier’s “Take Me to Church.” The usage comes at the pivot point for the track, which Columbia carefully nurtured during the course of the entire year, believing that if it were allowed to grow organically and free of hype, “Church” would connect in a much deeper and more long-lasting way. They’ve now pulled the trigger, and if this deft move doesn’t put the artist and record in orbit, nothing will. Since the commercial began airing, “Take Me to Church” has climbed to #3 on the iTunes chart, while Hozier’s self-titled album is #4. Here’s the long-form version. (10/20a)