The Best Dance Songs Are A Sample Away
The best dance songs, the ones shooting to the top of the charts, are the ones making use of creative sampling in new and interesting ways. Music sampling, a process by which a snipped section of music is played in a loop as a back beat to a song, has risen in popularity as technology grows and changes. With all the new computers and sound equipment a modern DJ has at his disposal, it is natural to turn to futuristic sources to produce new best dance songs to keep the vibe in the clubs at a fever pitch. While the normal cycle of a song is to rise into popularity and fade to obscurity, sampling is breathing new life into the longevity of songs, borrowing pieces of one another to keep a perpetual flow of music going back and forth.
In this same genre, some of the best dance songs of the last few years are called “mash ups”. These mash ups are a combination of two or more songs, often completely different in tone or rhythm. Vocal qualities are adjusted so that, say, the two singers sound to be in the same key, and the music can be sped up or slowed down depending on what the song may need. Mash ups can be seen as a tribute to one of the best dance songs, or it can be used as a joking musical insult, pairing the song with an artist of lower quality or different ideals.
If you have a favorite selection from the best dance songs of a few years ago, try running a search on the song name or artist and the words “mash up” or “mashup”. Chances are, some innovative DJ has sampled your favorite song, and you can get a chance to enjoy it in a whole new light.
