Too Fast? We’re Curious: The sped-up remix phenomenon - ICYMI
Jan 2, 2024
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The podcast explores the trend of sped-up remixes on platforms like TikTok and discusses their impact, including the resurgence of older songs. They also delve into historical precedents such as DJ Screw's chopped and screwed music and the influence of Jamaican dub music. The popularity of slowed and sped-up remixes in music is explored, including their influence from YouTube culture and the rise of the vaporwave micro genre. They discuss the genre of Chipmunks soul, nightcore, and the effects of listening to sped up and slowed down remixes on the body.
25:52
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Quick takeaways
The trend of sped up audios, particularly on platforms like TikTok, has gained significant traction and popularity due to their ability to create an energetic and upbeat listening experience.
There has been a concurrent trend of slowed down remixes, known as slowed and reverb, which provide a relaxing and immersive listening experience and have gained popularity on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, with roots in DJ Screw's chopped and screwed music and Jamaican dub music.
Deep dives
The Rise of Sped Up Audios on Platforms like TikTok
Sped up audios, in which songs are accelerated in tempo and sometimes pitched up slightly, have become a popular trend on platforms like TikTok. These remixes have gained significant traction, with millions of videos being created using the sped up versions of songs. Artists like Ray and Oseman O'Shake have seen their popularity soar due to viral remixes of their songs on TikTok. The appeal of these sped up audios lies in their ability to create an upbeat and energizing listening experience, making them ideal for short videos on platforms like TikTok.
The Precedent of Slowed Down Remixes
Alongside the trend of sped up audios, there has also been a concurrent trend of slowed down remixes. This phenomenon, known as slowed and reverb, involves slowing down songs and adding layers of reverberation. Slowed and reverb versions of songs provide a relaxing and immersive listening experience, often leading to a dissociative and calming effect. The roots of this trend can be traced back to DJ Screw's chopped and screwed music in the early 2000s and the influence of Jamaican dub music from the 60s and 70s. These slowed down remixes have gained popularity on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
The Evolution and Impact of Remix Culture
The current popularity of sped up audios and slowed down remixes can be seen as an evolution of remix culture. The ease of creating these remixes using software like GarageBand or Audacity has contributed to their widespread production and consumption. TikTok, with its relaxed copyright policy and emphasis on user-generated content, has become a breeding ground for these remixes to thrive and gain popularity. Artists and labels have also recognized the potential of sped up remixes and have started officially commissioning producers to create remixes of their songs. The appeal of these remixes lies in their impact on the body, with sped up remixes eliciting energetic responses and slowed down remixes inducing relaxation and a sense of calm. Additionally, the trend of sped up remixes has resulted in increased streams and chart success for artists, making them a viable marketing strategy.
In case you missed it, last January, we published this story on the rising trend of sped-up music. It seems like the tempo-shifting isn't going anywhere, so we're rerunning our history and exploration into the phenomenon.
Original description below:
Over the past few months, you may have heard your favorite song pop up on the Internet – just slightly faster. You’re not alone: the phenomenon of the “sped-up” remix has taken over social media, with everyone from Lady Gaga to Thundercat getting the tempo treatment. The popularity of the craze has led to millions of TikTok videos, Billboard number ones, and songs becoming relevant again, decades after release. Ever since the proliferation of these “remixes,” the big questions remain: where did these songs come from and why are they here?
On this episode of Switched on Pop, we explore this exact phenomenon, tracing its roots from Thomas Edison to Cam’ron to vaporwave to nightcore.
Songs Discussed:
“Dream On” – Aerosmith (sped up)
“Escapism” – RAYE, 070 Shake (sped up)
“Bad Habit” – Steve Lacy (sped up)
“Miss You” – Oliver Tree (sped up)
“Say It Right” – Nelly Furtado (sped up)
“Bloody Mary” – Lady Gaga (sped up)
“Heat Waves” – Glass Animals (slowed down)
“Juicy” – Notorious B.I.G.
“Juicy” – DJ Screw
“Jolene” – Dolly Parton (slowed down)
“リサフランク420 / 現代のコンピュー |” – Macintosh Plus
“In Da Club Before Eleven O’ Clock” – DJ Rashad
“Monster [Nightcore]” – Meg & Dia, remixed by Barren Gates
“Concrete Angel” – Hannah Diamond
“Witch Doctor” – David Seville
“Oh Boy” – Cam’ron, Juelz Santana
“Cool for the Summer” – Demi Lovato (sped up)
“Them Changes” – Thundercat (sped up & Chopnotslop remix)