There are so many remixes, often several for one song. But not every remix has what it takes to become a timeless classic.
It is popular to take a song that is not electronic and originally not backed with dance beats, which is not suitable for the clubs, and make it accessible to the dance community with the help of a remix.
But electronic dance tracks are also often remixed in several versions, preferably by popular remixers.
In the best case scenario, a remix is given an unmistakable individuality independent of the original version, but not too far removed from the original. It is a fine line to ensure that a remix hits this nuance as accurately as possible.
In this first ListenMusic.fm Remix Compilation I have compiled remix classics as well as newer remixes that have that special blend of timelessness.
1. Everything But The Girl - Missing (Todd Terry Remix)
The Todd Terry Remix of Missing has managed to become better known than the original song: a good 14 months after the release of the single Missing by the English music duo Everything But The Girl, the Todd Terry remix was released on October 16, 1995. Todd Terry is an American DJ and music producer.
2. The xx - On Hold (Jamie xx Remix)
The Jamie xx remix of On Hold by The xx debuted on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show in September 2017.[1]
The official remix music video for On Hold is filmed in black and white and shows young people at a party.
3. Disclosure - You & Me (Flume Remix)
4. DNA Featuring Suzanne Vega – Tom's Diner
5. Gorillaz feat. Robert Smith - Strange Timez (AURORA Remix)
6. Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)
In 2011, The Magician Remix of Lykke Li's song I Follow Rivers reached the top official single chart positions in numerous European countries. I Follow Rivers is the second track on Lykke Li's second studio album Wounded Rhymes.
7. Moloko - Sing It Back (Boris Musical Mix)
8. Run-DMC vs Jason Nevins - It's Like That
Thanks to the Jason Nevins remix version of Run DMC's It's Like This, the song was a big single chart success in many countries worldwide in 1997 - but not in the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
At the beginning of the official music video for the track you can also see Jason Nevins. He is in a large open hall and is carrying a boombox. Then he becomes aware of eight young women and eight young men walking confidently towards each other.
9. k.d. lang & Tracy Young - Constant Craving (Fashionably Late Remix)
10. Lana Del Rey vs Cedric Gervais - "Summertime Sadness" remix
On the YouTube channel of Spinning Records, the Cedric Gervais remix of Lana del Rey's track Summertime Sadness, which was released in 2013, now has around 175 million video views. Summertime Sadness was the fourth single from her second studio album Born to Die in 2012.
11. Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan - Silence (Airscape Remix)
The original version of the song Silence by Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan appeared on the 1999 album Karma and the single was released in the same year.
In 2000, the following year, an Airscape remix of the song was released, featuring much faster paced uptempo electronic dance beats.
12. Close to Monday - Time (Mollono.Bass Remix Radio Edit)
13. Elvis Presley - A Little Less Conversation (JXL Remix)
The Dutch DJ and music producer JXL was the first musician to receive the authorization to remix an Elvis Presley song.[2]
With the JXL remix of Elvis' 1968 song A Little Less Conversation, Elvis posthumously made it to the top of the international singles charts in 2002.
14. Little Boots - New in Town (Fred Falke Remix)
Little Boots' Fred Falke remix of New In Town can be heard in the second episode "To Sext or Not to Sext" from the second season of the American television series 90210, which aired in September 2009.[3]
The English singer-songwriter Litte Boots released her debut single New In Town on May 15, 2009.
15. The Killers - Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix)
Mr. Brightside by the American band The Killers is one of the most successful songs of the 2000s. As is typical for successful singles, remixes were also commissioned for this track. The 2004 European Maxi-CD of Mr. Brightside contains Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix. Jacques Lu Cont (Stuart Price) is also a member of the British band Zoot Woman.
16. U2 - Magnificent (Fred Falke Full Club Mix)
Fred Falke is represented on U2's 2009 Magnificient EP with two remixes of the Magnificent single, the Fred Falke Full Club Mix and the Fred Falke Radio Mix. The other Magnificient remixes come from Wonderland, Redanka, Adam K And Soha and Dave Audé.
17. Reflekt Feat. Delline Bass - Need To Feel Loved (Adam K & Soha Vocal Mix)
Specializing in progressive house, the Canadian DJ and record producer duo Adam K & Soha remixed the track Need To Feel Loved by Reflekt feat. Delline Bass in 2009. Adam K & Soha have released remixes almost every year between 2007 and 2016, including for U2, Shiny Toy Guns, Benny Bennassi and Chicane.
18. MGMT - Kids (Soulwax Remix)
The Belgian DJ and music production group Soulwax contributed a remix to the MGMT single Kids, which was released in 2008. The American indie rock band MGMT was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category for their song Kids at the end of 2009.
19. Tori Amos - Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funk Mix)
The mood, speed and audience of the Armand van Helden remix and the original version, namely the 1996 song Professional Widow by American singer Tori Amos, could hardly be more different. The remix of the song has created something completely new. The remixed track was particularly popular in Europe, even better known than the original.[4]
20. Sasha - Cut Me Down (Donatello feat. Arnas D Remix)
The first track on the digital release Cut Me Down (Burn Studios Remix Winners) by Sasha featuring Krister Linder is the Kastis Torrau, Donatello feat. Arnas D Remix. In total there are 13 remixes of Cut Me Down on the digital release.
If you like the downtempo series Café del Mar, you might want to check out the Café del Mar - Terrace Mix 2 compilation compiled by Toni Simonen, which includes the Donatello Feat. Arnas D. Remix as the 11th track.
21. Nina Simone - Feeling Good (Huff & Herb Remix)
According to the cover database SecondHandSongs, there are no fewer than 245 different versions of the song Feeling Good.[5] The most popular version is the one by the American singer-songwriter Nina Simone. However, the oldest version is not by Nina Simone; before her - around 2 months earlier in January 1965 - the singer-songwriter and actor Anthony Newley was the first to release Feeling Good.
In November 1997, the two British DJs Huff & Herb sampled Nina Simone in a remix of Feeling Good.
22. David Lynch - Good Day Today (Underworld Classic Remix)
23. Gabriels - Love and Hate in a Different Time (Kerri Chandler Remix)
24. Candi Staton - Hallelujah Anyway (Larse Vocal)
The track Hallelujah Anyway Larse Vocal by Candi Staton samples the song Hallelujah Anyway originally featured on Candi Staton's 2002 album Proverbs 31 Woman.
The German DJ and music producer DJ Larse contributed his Larse Vocal remix version to the Hallelujah Anyway (Remixes) EP in 2012.
25. Moby - Forever (Armageddon Turk Remix)
26. Two Door Cinema Club - Sun (Gildas Kitsuné Club Night Short Remix)
To mark its tenth anniversary, the French-Japanese lifestyle label Maison Kitsuné released the Kitsuné Maison Compilation 14 - The 10th Anniversary Issue with several remixes in 2012. Among them is the Gildas Kitsuné Club Night Short Remix of the Two Door Cinema track Sun.
27. New Order - Jetstream (Richard X Remix)
From the 2005 New Order song Jetstream, in which Scissor Sisters member Ana Mantronic is also involved, British producer Richard X contributed this approximately seven and a half minute remix to the official single.
Jetstream made it to number 3 in the American Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart.[6]
28. Josh Wink - Talking to You (Carl Cox Remix)
29. The Egg - Walking Away (Toscadisco Remix)
30. William Orbit - Barber's Adagio for Strings (Ferry Corsten Remix)
William Orbit, the English musician specializing in electronic music, released his sixth album Pieces in a Modern Style in 1995, on which he reinterpreted classical pieces of music in a modern version. The Ferry Corsten Mix of the classical piece Adagio For Strings by Samuel Barber became a club hit in discotheques.
31. Antena - Camino Del Sol (Todd Terje Remix)
32. Azzido da Bass - Dooms Night (Timo Maas Remix)
The track Dooms Night by Azzido da Bass was best known and successfull in the UK. In 2000, the UK CD single of Dooms Night with the remix by Timo Maas reached number 8 in the Official Singles Chart (UK).[7]
33. Dido - Take My Hand (Rollo & Sister Bliss Remix)
34. Ella Fitzgerald - Blue Skies (Maya Jane Coles Remix)
35. Depeche Mode - Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix)
36. Lustral - Everytime (Nalin And Kane Mix)
The CD Single Everytime by the British trance music duo Lustral contains several remixes of the song in addition to the original track. The Nalin & Kane mix of Everytime is the longest at 8:34 minutes. The single was released in 1997 and re-released in 1999.
37. Binary Finary - 1998 (Kay Cee 1999 Remix)
In 1999, the British trance music project Binary Finary made it to number 11 in the Official Singles Chart (UK)[8] with 1999, a new edition of their single 1998, that was release in the year 1998. The new edition of the song 1999 (released in 1999) included 1999 remixes (single CD1) by Kaycee and Gouryella as well as 1998 remixes (single CD2) by Paul van Dyk and Matt Darey.
38. Nalin I.N.C. - Planet Violet ('97 Bruce Norris Remix)
The 1997 maxi single of the track Planet Violet by Nalin I.N.C contains the Clubmix as well as the '97 Bruce Norris Remix. Behind Nalin I.N.C. is the remixer duo Nalin & Kane, who are best known for their 1997 Ibiza club hit Beachball. In terms of musical genre, the '97 Bruce Norris Remix can be classified as trance and house music.
39. Supershy feat. Roberta Flack - Feel Like Makin' Love
Supershy aka Tom Misch, an English musician and record producer, released 2023 the house music track Feel Like Makin' Love (Feat. Roberta Flack). It's a remix of Bob James' Jazz version of Feel Like Makin' Love and the voice of Roberta Flack over the top[9]. Feel Like Makin' Love was a big single chart success for Roberta Flack in 1975, especially in the USA and Canada.
40. Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, Laolu, Irfan Rainy - Too Much Information (Lalou Remix)
References
[1] Yoo, N. (2017, September 12). Listen to Jamie xx’s New “On Hold” Remix. Pitchfork. https://pitchfork.com/news/listen-to-jamie-xxs-new-on-hold-remix/
[2] BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Elvis makes chart history. (2002, June 16). BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Elvis makes chart history. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2048610.stm
[3] “90210” To Sext or Not to Sext (television episode 2009) - Soundtracks - IMDB. (n.d.). “90210” To Sext or Not to Sext (television episode 2009) - Soundtracks - IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1469898/soundtrack/
[4] Petridis, A. (2023, August 17). Tori Amos’s 20 greatest songs – ranked! The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/aug/17/tori-amos-20-greatest-songs-ranked
[5] Feeling good by Nina Simone. (n.d.). https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/284/versions
[6] Billboard. (n.d.). New Order | Biography, Music & News | Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/artist/new-order/chart-history/dsi/
[7] Official Charts. (n.d.). DOOMS NIGHT – AZZIDO DA BASS | Official Charts. https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/azzido-da-bass-dooms-night-0/
[8] Official Charts. (n.d.). 1999 – BINARY FINARY | Official Charts. https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/binary-finary-1999/
[9] Bound,C. (2023, July 10). Supershy collaborates with Roberta Flack on 'Feel Like Makin' Love' | Mystic Sons. https://www.mysticsons.com/article/supershy-collaborates-roberta-flack-feel-makin-love