The Rise of Speed-Up Remix. Music’s hottest new trend

By editorial board on March 19, 2023

Sped-up versions of existing songs are becoming more popular than the original versions.

Who wants to listen to a song that sounds like a triple shot of espresso? Perhaps more people than you might think. (The Guardian)

The Escapism remix can be found on Sped Up Songs, a Spotify-produced playlist liked by more than 975,000 people. It runs over four hours and manipulates songs such as Steve Lacey’s recent TikTok anthem Bad Habits and older hits like Ellie Goulding’s Lights and Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey.

If you’ve opened TikTok recently, you’ve likely scrolled past a video soundtracked by a fresh take on Miguel’s 2010 single “Sure Thing” — the defining moodiness of the original replaced by a jaunty bounce, and Miguel’s voice, once sultry, turned infantile. Simply put, the initial recording has been drastically sped up.

For months, high-BPM (that’s beats per minute) versions like this have dominated social media, with everyone from Lana Del Rey to Yeat getting the quick-tempo treatment. A pop hit like Bruno Mars’ “24k Magic” might shine at its normal pace, but accelerated, it becomes glittery and Chipmunkian — more fit for Mario Kart than radio play. But, most of these sped-up versions, save for a few, feel the same: The songs are often pitched up ever so slightly, sometimes resulting in the shift from a minor key to a major. The technique is as easy as turning a record player knob from 33 to 45 RPMs (that’s revolutions per minute).

On YouTube, users upload hours-long videos of sped-up songs. One from last year has over 4.9m views and features 2000s pop songs loved by millennials – including Nelly Furtado’s Say It Right and Jennifer Lopez’s On the Floor – made faster to suit Gen Z’s preference for turbocharged beats.

On TikTok, the hashtag “spedupsounds” has 9.6bn views, as users dance along to I Wish by Skee-Lo and Thundercat’s Them Changes at whiplash-inducing BPMs. Wednesday Addams, Netflix’s massively popular series, kickstarted a trend where users recreated Jenny Ortega’s viral choreography. Their moves were set to a breathless, sped-up version of Lady Gaga’s Bloody Mary.

“People are discovering the main version from the sped-up or slowed one,” Nima Nasseri, global head of A&R strategy for Universal Music Group, told the trade publication. “Instead of spending $50,000 for a remix from a big-name DJ, you’re spending relatively minimal amounts [on a sped-up rendition] and getting much more in reach and return.”

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