Mashup (music)

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A mashup (also mesh, mash up, mash-up, blend, bastard pop [1] or bootleg [2] ) is a creative work, usually a song, created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, typically by superimposing the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another and changing the tempo and key where necessary. [3] Such works are considered "transformative" of original content and in the United States they may find protection from copyright claims under the "fair use" doctrine of copyright law. [4]

Contents

History

The 1967 Harry Nilsson album Pandemonium Shadow Show features what is nominally a cover of the Beatles' "You Can't Do That" but actually introduced the "mashup" to studio-recording. [5] Nilsson's recording of "You Can't Do That" mashes his own vocal recreations of more than a dozen Beatles songs into this track. Nilsson conceived the combining of many overlaying songs into one track after he played a chord on his guitar and realized how many Beatles songs it could apply to. [6] This recording has led some to describe Harry Nilsson as the inventor of the mashup. Other recordings regarded as early examples of, or forerunners to, the mashup include Buchanan and Goodman's "The Flying Saucer" (1956), [7] [8] Marshall McLuhan's The Medium Is the Massage (1967), [9] the John Benson Brooks Trio's Avant Slant (1968), [10] Grandmaster Flash's "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" (1981), [11] [12] [13] Paul McCartney's "Tug of Peace" (1983), [14] the "Hip Hop Mix" of Climie Fisher's "Rise to the Occasion" (1987), [15] Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers' Jive Bunny: The Album (1989),. [16] and Coldcut's Journeys by DJ: 70 Minutes of Madness (1995). [17] [18]

Although described as a medley in its title, "Do It Again Medley with Billie Jean" by Italian music project Club House could be described as one of the first ever commercially released mashups in 1983. [19] The song combines elements of "Do It Again", a 1973 top 10 hit in the US and Canada by Steely Dan, with Michael Jackson's number one hit from earlier in the year, "Billie Jean". It reached number 11 in the UK, [20] and the top 10 in Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands.

Another early mashup appeared in 1985, when The Tubes released their studio album, Love Bomb . The second side of the album contained the track "Theme from a Wooly Place", which combined the tunes "Wooly Bully" in one channel and "Theme from A Summer Place" in the other. [21]

In 1990, Norman Cook reached number one in the UK Singles Chart with his act Beats International with "Dub Be Good to Me", [22] essentially a mashup of re-recorded vocals of the SOS Band's "Just Be Good to Me" with the Clash's "The Guns of Brixton", making it the first mashup to achieve significant mainstream success. [23]

The 1990 John Zorn album Naked City features a version of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" set over the bassline of Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman". [24] [ importance of example(s)? ]

In 1991, the Source featuring Candi Staton released "You Got the Love", based on a mashup created by DJ Eren Abdullah that had been an underground club hit since 1989, placing a Candi Staton a cappella over an instrumental version of Frankie Knuckles and Jamie Principle's house track, "Your Love". [23] It reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, [25] and had continued success over subsequent years with several remixes and a cover by Florence + the Machine.

In 1994, the experimental band Evolution Control Committee released the first modern mashup tracks on their hand-made cassette album, Gunderphonic. These "Whipped Cream Mixes" combined a pair of Public Enemy a cappellas with instrumentals by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. First released on home-made cassettes in early 1992, it was later pressed on 7" vinyl, and distributed by Eerie Materials in the mid-1990s. The tracks gained some degree of notoriety on college radio stations in the United States. [26] [ third-party source needed ]

The name Pop Will Eat Itself was taken from an NME feature on the band Jamie Wednesday, written by David Quantick, which proposed the theory that because popular music simply recycles good ideas continuously, the perfect pop song could be written by combining the best of those ideas into one track. Hence, "pop will eat itself". [27] [ importance of example(s)? ]

Pre-empting the rise of the mashup in the 2000s, German trance act Fragma reached number one in the UK and the top 10 in Australia and across Europe with "Toca's Miracle", a mashup of their previous single "Toca Me" and Coco Star's 1996 single "I Need a Miracle", initially created by British DJ Vimto in 1999. [28]

The mashup movement gained momentum again in 2001 with the release of the 2 Many DJs album As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2 by Soulwax's Dewaele brothers, which combined 45 different tracks; the same year a remix of Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle" was also released by Freelance Hellraiser, which coupled Aguilera's vocals with the guitar track of "Hard to Explain" by New York's the Strokes, in a piece called "A Stroke of Genie-us". [29]

In 2001, English producer Richard X had created a bootleg mashup of Adina Howard's "Freak Like Me" and Tubeway Army's "Are "Friends" Electric?", titled "We Don't Give a Damn About Our Friends", which became a successful underground dance track under his alias Girls on Top. He could not get permission to use the original vocals to release the mashup commercially, so he enlisted the English girl group Sugababes to re-record the vocals. It was released in April 2002, giving the group their first UK number one single, and drawing further recognition, acclaim and mainstream success for the mashup genre. Richard X had continued success with two more mashups reaching the UK top 10: "Being Nobody" (number 3), with pop group Liberty X combining vocals of Chaka Khan and Rufus's "Ain't Nobody" with the Human League's "Being Boiled", and "Finest Dreams" (number 8), featuring American vocalist Kelis singing the vocals from the SOS Band's "The Finest" over an instrumental of the Human League's "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of".

At the 2002 Brit Awards held on 20 February 2002, Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue performed a mash-up version of her number one hit "Can't Get You Out of My Head", combined with New Order's song "Blue Monday". The live performance is cited as one of the first by a mainstream recording artist to utilise a mashup, and was ranked at number 40 on The Guardian's 2011 list of 50 Key Events in the History of Dance Music. [30] The mashup, titled "Can't Get Blue Monday Out of My Head", was later released as the B-side to "Love at First Sight" and was included on Minogue's 2008 remix album Boombox . In the years that followed, mash-ups became more widely used by major artists in their live performances, particularly to update previous material to meld with the themes and sounds of their more recent work. For example, on her 2006 Confessions Tour, Madonna incorporated elements of the Trammps's "Disco Inferno" in the performance of her 2000 hit "Music", to assist the song in blending in with the tour's disco theme. On her 2008 Sticky & Sweet Tour, she performed a mash-up of her 1990 hit "Vogue" with the instrumental of her recent single "4 Minutes", to update it with the more urban sound of her Hard Candy album.

In August 2003, Madonna's single "Hollywood" was remixed with "Into the Groove" and performed with Missy Elliott under the title "Into the Hollywood Groove" as part of a promotional campaign for clothing retailer GAP, prompting criticism for exploiting the underground culture of the mash-up for commercial gain. [31]

The mid-2000s saw a massive surge in popularity for the mashup, including single releases that climbed high into the dance charts and even the mainstream top-40 charts. Such hits include Linkin Park and Jay-Z's "Numb/Encore", Party Ben's "Boulevard of Broken Songs", Alex Gaudino's "Destination Calabria", Mousse T. vs the Dandy Warhols' "Horny as a Dandy" (originally mixed and produced by Loo & Placido) and Mylo vs Miami Sound Machine's "Doctor Pressure". In 2001, "Every Breath You Take" by the Police was mashed up with "Peter Gunn" by Henry Mancini, for the 27th episode of The Sopranos , "Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood". The Grey Album , which mashed up recordings by Jay-Z and the Beatles, also became notoriously popular.

With the release of Guitar Hero in 2005, Rock Band in 2007, and those games' sequels, numerous mashup artists discovered that every song in the games had multitracks with instrument stems and acapellas, meaning that these songs could easily be sampled and kept uncompressed and clear. Among others, American comedian Neil Cicierega used this method to produce his four mashup albums, Mouth Sounds , Mouth Silence , Mouth Moods and Mouth Dreams .

DJ Earworm's annual "United States of Pop" mashups became season events, with his 2009 edition alone garnering critical acclaim as well as racking up more than 53 million views on YouTube. Mashups also helped launch the careers of acts such as Girl Talk and Madeon, with the latter's "Pop Culture" accruing more than 55 million views. Acts such as DJs from Mars and Mashd N Kutcher would go on to make mashups a huge part of their creative output.

Launched in San Francisco in 2003, Bootie was the first recurring club night in the United States dedicated solely to the burgeoning art form of the bootleg mashup, and as of 2019 hosted monthly parties in cities around the globe, including Los Angeles, Paris, Boston, Munich, and New York City. The party's slogan, "Music for the A.D.D. Generation" also inspired the creation of "A.D.D", Israel's first mashup-dedicated party. [32] The Best of Bootie mashup compilation series is produced by Bootie creators A Plus D. Released every December since 2005, the compilations are annual Internet sensations, with each album requiring 5,000 GB+ of download bandwidth. [33]

Even though mashups mostly remained underground and barely got noticed aside from a few exceptions (notable examples include Bill McClintock [34] ), people have never stopped remixing other artists' music without getting their prior agreement. It's been increasingly difficult to get noticed in the music industry due to a combination of relative obscurity and an increasing difficulty in keeping them available online due to automatic copyright detection (through Content ID) and cease and desist orders from the original artists. [35]

Video games

DJ Hero is a 2009 rhythm video game developed by Activision that includes over 90 pre-made mashups, where the player scores points by hitting notes on the turntable controller. [36]

Fuser is a 2020 video game developed by Harmonix that allows the player to create mashups of over 100 songs, using four instrument stems from the master recording. [37]

In December 2023, Fortnite introduced a new game mode titled Fortnite Festival . In the Jam Stage and Fortnite Battle Royale , players can make mashups of over 100 songs.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Evolution Control Committee</span> Experimental music band

The Evolution Control Committee is an experimental music band based in Columbus, Ohio. The ECC was founded by Mark Gunderson in Columbus in 1986. They create music that falls within the borders of the sound collage genre, typically using uncleared and illegal samples from various sources as a form of protest against copyright law. The ECC also produces numerous audio experiments that goes outside regular composition methods, including the disfiguring of compact discs in a live performance known as "CDestruction". They have produced a few video works as well, ranging from re-edited 50's corporate shorts to Teddy Ruxpin reciting the works of William S. Burroughs. Other activities include culture jamming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Nilsson</span> American singer-songwriter (1941–1994)

Harry Edward Nilsson III, sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal overdub experiments, a return to the Great American Songbook, and fusions of Caribbean sounds. Nilsson was one of the few major pop-rock recording artists to achieve significant commercial success without performing major public concerts or touring regularly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicane (musician)</span> English musician, DJ, composer, songwriter and record producer

Nicholas Bracegirdle, known professionally as Chicane, is an English musician, DJ, composer, songwriter, and record producer. Among his works are singles "Offshore", an Ibiza trance anthem included in many compilations in both chill-out and dance versions; "Saltwater", which featured vocals by Clannad member Máire Brennan, and the UK number-one hit "Don't Give Up", featuring vocals by Bryan Adams, which also became a top ten hit on singles charts across Europe and Australia.

Go Home Productions is the alter ego of Mark Vidler, a producer/remixer/DJ based in Northampton, England. GHP has produced well over 200 mash-ups since May 2002, many of which have been played on both national and independent radio stations around the world. He was born on May 4, 1967, in Barnet, Middlesex, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shitmat</span> British musician

Shitmat is an English breakcore artist and mashup producer, one of several monikers used by Henry Collins. Shitmat became known in the early 2000s for releases on the Ad Noiseam and Planet Mu labels. He also set up his own label, Wrong Music and put on parties in Brighton. His 2012 project Mash Hits remixed every UK number one single from 1952 onwards. He then stopped the Shitmat project, restarting it again in 2016.

Richard Philips, better known by his stage name Richard X, is a British songwriter and music producer. Gaining attention as a pioneer of the bootleg craze, Richard X has earned success as a producer and remixer. He has helmed hit singles for artists including Annie, Kelis, Liberty X, Rachel Stevens and Sugababes. According to an early issue of the now defunct Popworld magazine, Philips' alias comes from a postcard which was sealed with a kiss misinterpreted for the letter X.

Fragma is a German vocal trance music group, originally comprising three producers. The group was successful in the early 2000s when they released several singles that charted successfully across Europe, especially the United Kingdom and Ireland, but also found some success in the United States and Australia. They continued to produce music until 2012 following the departure of vocalist Damae. After several years of hiatus, Fragma recruited a new vocalist in 2017, Tess, to front the group.

Candy Flip were an English electronic music duo from Stoke-on-Trent, who were associated with the indie dance music scene in the early 1990s. They are best remembered for their cover version of the Beatles song "Strawberry Fields Forever", which was a No. 3 hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1990.

<i>American Edit</i> 2005 remix album by Dean Gray

American Edit is a mashup album released by Party Ben and Team9 under the shared alias Dean Gray. Its primary basis is the Green Day album American Idiot—the name "Dean Gray" is a spoonerism of "Green Day".

Bob Cronin, better known by the stage name dj BC, is an American disc jockey and mashup producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel</span> 1981 single by Grandmaster Flash

"The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" is a single released by American disc jockey Grandmaster Flash in 1981. It is a live DJ mix recording of Flash scratching and mixing records from various groups using three turntables. The musician employed several DJ techniques in the recording, including crossfading, cutting, rubbing and backspins.

Bootie is the first club night in the United States dedicated solely to mashups and bootlegs, and was founded in San Francisco, California. It is now the biggest and longest running all-mashup party in the world, with regular parties in several cities.

<i>Love</i> (Beatles album) 2006 remix album by the Beatles

Love is a soundtrack remix album of music recorded by the Beatles, released in November 2006. It features music compiled and remixed as a mashup for the Cirque du Soleil show Love. The album was produced by George Martin and his son Giles Martin, who said, "What people will be hearing on the album is a new experience, a way of re-living the whole Beatles musical lifespan in a very condensed period."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toca's Miracle</span> 2000 single by Fragma

"Toca's Miracle" is a release by German vocal trance group Fragma featuring vocals from British singer Coco Star. Taken as the second single off Fragma's debut studio album, Toca (2001), the song is a mashup of Coco's "I Need a Miracle" (1996) and Fragma's own "Toca Me". The instrumental was written by Dirk Duderstadt, Marco Duderstadt, Ramon Zenker and the lyrics were written by Rob Davis and Victor Imbres, while the original music was produced by Zenker and the Duderstadts; the vocals were produced 3 years earlier by Imbres and Tim Orford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor Pressure</span> 2005 single by Mylo and Miami Sound Machine

"Doctor Pressure" is a mash-up song of the two songs by Mylo and Miami Sound Machine, from the re-issue of Mylo's debut studio album Destroy Rock & Roll (2004). The song was written by Elias Enrique Garcia and the producer Mylo. It was released by Sony BMG and Breastfed Recordings on 5 September 2005, as the sixth single from the album. Initially created as a bootleg recording by Phil 'N' Dog, the mashup contains a sample of the songs "Drop the Pressure" and "Dr. Beat" by Mylo and Miami Sound Machine respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shut 'Em Down (Public Enemy song)</span> 1991 single by Public Enemy

"Shut 'Em Down" is a song by American hip hop group Public Enemy. It was released in 1991 via Def Jam Recordings as the second single from the group's fourth studio album Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black. Recording sessions took place at The Music Palace in Long Island. Production was handled by the Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk, with The Bomb Squad serving as executive producers. An accompanying music video was directed by Mark Pellington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Earworm</span> Musical artist

Jordan Roseman, known professionally as DJ Earworm, is an American mashup artist from San Francisco, California, who has achieved recognition for his technically sophisticated, songwriting oriented music and video mashups. His annual “United State of Pop” mashup features the top 25 songs of the year, based in part on the Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 chart, in one mix.

<i>Jaydiohead</i> 2009 remix album by Minty Fresh Beats

Jaydiohead is the mashup project of the music of Jay-Z and Radiohead that was mixed and produced by New York producer Minty Fresh Beats. Tannone premiered the album Jaydiohead on his Myspace page on December 30, 2008, which was officially released to download January 1, 2009. The first album was followed by the July 12, 2009 release of Jaydiohead: The Encore, which featured five new mixes. The album Jaydiohead has been called an internet sensation.

Dave Abrams, better known as DJ Solo, is an American DJ, producer, rapper and visual artist. He is a part of the Cypress Hill affiliated Soul Assassins collective. His production credits include La Coka Nostra, Everlast, Planet Asia, GZA, B-Real, Adil Omar, Mitchy Slick and others. He has released several mash-ups, remixes and a compilation album of his production work, titled My MPC Is A Pipe Bomb, and produced on the Soul Assassins Soul Assassins: Intermission album. He also hosted 40's & Blunts, a weekly internet show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coco Star</span> English singer and songwriter

Susan Brice, better known by her stage name Coco Star, is an English singer and songwriter, who was signed to Universal Music and EMI. Brice has collaborated with artists such as Craig David, Artful Dodger and Fragma for the number 1 hit, "Toca's Miracle".

References

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  7. ↑ Banks, Dave (29 August 2018). "'Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig' Adds More Game to Your Gaming". GeekDad . Retrieved 16 April 2019.
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  21. ↑ "Love Bomb (The Tubes album)". Acearchive.org. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
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  23. 1 2 "The Pre-History Of Mashups, Medleys And Mixes". Radio Clash. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
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  26. ↑ [ dead link ]
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  28. ↑ "The Mashup that made Fragma Vs. Coco - Toca's Miracle (1999)". Steemit.com. 12 March 2018.
  29. ↑ Vine, Richard (15 June 2011). "Kylie mashes up Can't Get You Out of My Head with Blue Monday at the Brits". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  30. ↑ Margolis, Lynne (8 August 2003). "Sellout or smart marketing?". The Christian Science Monitor . Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
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  36. ↑ "Harmonix's new game Fuser lets you mash together pop songs". Theverge.com. 26 February 2020.

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