In an attempt to build hype surrounding Walk The Line . . .

the film about the life of Johnny Cash and June Carter . . .

Universal Music paid a number of buskers at London tube stations to play Cash songs.

The strategy aimed to remind commuters of the music, and increase the sales of The Best Of Johnny Cash.

The ploy was first used by Scottish band Travis, who hit the streets to busk themselves while promoting an album.

The quirky marketing idea was picked up by Working Title Films upon the release of the movie Love Actually. That company paid 25 buskers to wear Love Actually t-shirts and sing 'All You Need Is Love'.

Since then, UK record companies have paid buskers to sing Elvis songs to promote his Number 1s album. Last Christmas Sony BMG used the idea to promote Eurythmics' Greatest Hits. Paul Bursche of Sony BMG UK told the Sunday Tribune that he contacted an agency that regulates busker quality on the London Underground and paid 30 buskers £30 each to play songs during their twohour sets. "It was to back up a very concentrated marketing campaign for Eurythmics, " explained Bursche. "The songs are highly identifiable to a great number of people, so the recognition factor is quite high for the commuter market, and it makes them smile."

The idea of importing the market strategy to Ireland is possible, thanks to the high number of buskers in our cities. Freddie Middleton, marketing director of Universal Music in Ireland said, "We do pay for every other advertising, so I don't see it as being miles away from that." But the strategy depends on a high recognition factor, one only a handful of bands would be suited to.

Sony BMG in England cited U2 as a band that could benefit from busker bungs upon a pending album release.

Michael McDermott from V2 records in Ireland is dubious as to how the Irish public would handle such covert commercialism, while admitting it was a smart marketing mechanism. "If you're looking for a saturation marketing strategy, it might make a little bit of sense, " McDermott said.

"You could conceive of hiring a team of buskers to play a song like 'You're Beautiful' [by James Blunt] around town."

As for the buskers themselves, could working in a tough profession tempt them to become record label staff?

"It depends on what the songs are, " said Grafton Street busker James Quinn, "although there are some I still wouldn't do, even if there was a gun to my head".

Quinn has busked with his guitar for 12 years. Adamant that the busking scene in Dublin is bigger than London, Quinn said he would take record label cash to belt out a few numbers. "If someone asked me, I'm not going to say no, " he admitted. "It's a good idea, as long as you don't become a jukebox for record companies."

But commercialism already appears to be a part of a busker's daily life. "If you need a photo, you can just take one from my website, " he smiled.