The genius of a mashup is taking pre-existing structures and creating something new. It's not the beauty of Christina Aguilera's voice or carbonated rhythm that make a stroke of genius a good mashup. There are amazing mashups where the source materials are just awful. What makes for a good A versus B mash, and why?
Two records from 1983 achieved minor novelty fame, and then faded away, only to emerge 20 years later as the originators of a curious genre of pop music in the age of social media. This peculiar genre raises questions about how we should think about genre, musical aesthetics, and artistry in the time of industrially-produced music and digital reproduction. Guest voices include Jordan Roseman, aka DJ Earworm, Steve Stein, aka Steinski, philosopher Chris Bartel, and musicologist Christine Boone.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices