The Modern Wave of Reimagined Music
Remixes, otherwise known as re-imaginations or re-recordings of songs, seem to be trends that come and go in the musical landscape. In recent memory, many artists are releasing previously released music under a new rendition of the track.
The rendition can be anything from an acoustic or full-band variation of it or the same song with a featured vocalist. The most notable example of this was in 2019 with Old Town Road by Lil Nas X. Given that Old Town Road was such a massive hit, Lil Nas X released countless re-mixes of the track with different artists featured on it.
Outside of the mainstream appeal that births new remixes for more attention to a specific hit, many artists remix songs in a different light. For example, we saw it with Turnstile and Mall Grab releasing electronica versions of three previous tracks from Turnstile’s Time & Space.
Even in the 1970s, we saw artists re-release songs acoustically or through live performances. Whether the older model of remixes or the modern wave of re-imagining is your preference, it’s interesting to see trends come and go. With either scenario in mind, why do people remix or re-release music?
Hear the Music in a Different Light
The primary reason any artist will tell you they’re remixing a song for release is to express it in a different light. Whether they’re telling the truth or not, the vast majority of artists seem to exude this reasoning.
From a music fanatic point of view, who doesn’t want to see their favorite artist re-do some of their favorite tracks? Some of the best renditions of songs are their acoustic or re-mixed variation.
On the other hand, a song that ultimately transforms into a new genre or a dissimilar style is fascinating in and of itself. When people support an artist, they don’t mind if the artist remixes songs in a new form. Considering Lil Nas X proved that with his endless slew of Old Town Road remixes, that should show a fan’s support regardless of what people think of remixes.
Way to Release Music Before Recording a New Album or EP
The other reason musicians will turn to remixes before anything else is because it’s a way for them to release music before they dive into recording a new album or EP. Since the songs are already established, it’s a bit easier to remix a song that’s already in existence than it is to create an entirely new piece of music.
Plus, if a song or record is already extremely prevalent, why not re-release for people to check out? Generally speaking, it’s moderately straightforward to transform a full-band song into an acoustic track or a hip-hop track to have a new featured verse.
Either way, it’s interesting to see this modern trend of remixes be as strong as it is today. Practically every genre sees it from the hardcore end of the spectrum to pop music. Whether you think negatively or positively about remixes, the vast majority of us can come to an agreement that new music to any degree, whether it’s a remix or not, is always a good thing.
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