Top Ten Mashups Of All-Time

Yes it is another list. Following on from the 'Top Ten Movies Of All-Time' post; comes the top ten mashups of all-time. Once again there was no official voting, there was no polls taken, and there was no panel discussion. It is merely my own personal choice.

But before I jump in to the list I better describe a mashup. Although if you have followed me on Twitter for more than a year you should have seen a link to a mashup (or a few dozen) by now.

Wikipedia defines a mashup as: "A mashup or bootleg (also mesh, mash up, mash-up, blend and bastard pop/rock) is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another. To the extent that such works are "transformative" of original content, they may find protection from copyright claims under the "fair use" doctrine of copyright law."

Unfortunately, Wikipedia makes it all sound so simple. You get the vocals from one track and put them over the instrumental of another track. Nice idea but it never works out quite like that. Mashups are an art form. The vocals are corrected so that they match the instrumental, things are sped up (or slowed down) to match, and a whole host of other editing goes on before the mashup is complete.

But if you have no clue what a mashup is; the best option is to listen to some. So, without further ado here is my top ten mashups of all-time.

10. Loo & Placido - Future Sound

A mashup featuring Gorillaz, Nero, Knife Party, and Bassnectar. The first of two Loo & Placido mashups in the list. No there is nothing saying the same artist can't appear twice. Loo & Placido have put out so many top notch mashups they could have a top 10 all of their own. This is just one of many; but it is one of my favorites.

09. LeeDM101 - Roxanne's Tainted Fly

A mashup featuring The Police, Soft Cell, and Miley Cyrus. I'm guessing that the Miley Cyrus influence must have been an instrumental part because you cannot hear her attempts at singing anywhere in the whole track - luckily. Take two major, major, 80s tracks and mash them together to create a dancefloor track. Once again that is what LeeDM101 has done; and done it so well. As one comment on the Soundcloud page read: "The dogs bollocks".

08. A+D - Beethoven's Fifth Gold Digger

A mashup featuring Beethoven, Kanye West, and Walter Murphy. Come on. Any mashup involving classical music has to make the top 10 somewhere. And this mashup is just a classic.

07. Apollo Zero - When Radioactive Doves Cry

A mashup featuring Prince, Kraftwerk, and the Pet Shop Boys. Take the brilliant Prince track and add splashes of Kraftwerk and Pet Shop Boys, mix a bit of Apollo Zero genius in, and you have this mashup. This may have been one of the very first mashups I listened to. And I'm still listening to it.

06. BRAT Productions - Bring Me To My Shadow

A mashup featuring Evanescence and Unkle. I really like the original "Bring Me To Life". Amy Lee's vocals on that track are simply awesome. What does this mashup do? Well, it takes them awesome vocals and lays them on top of Unkle's "Burn My Shadow". It is a great mashup that does justice to the vocals. I have heard other mashups featuring the Evanescence track which totally kill the vocals. This mashup leaves the vocals as intended and somehow enhances them.

05. Loo & Placido - Rigby Dubstep

A mashup featuring: The Beatles, Doctor P, Does It Offend You Yeah?, and Bar 9. Admittedly I had never heard of any of the artists other then The Beatles. I now own Doctor P's "Circus One" CD and my iPod has tracks from some of the other artists. A brilliant new take on a Beatles classic.

04. DJ Flashard - War And Confusion

A mashup featuring: Edwin Starr, Genesis, Public Enemy, and Beyonce. I first listened to this because I have always liked Genesis' Land Of Confusion. Admittedly I thought a mashup might destroy the original. But this mashup just takes the original and makes it a whole lot better.

03. Ms Doll - Bonfire Barbie


A mashup featuring: Knife Party and Aqua. It takes the vocals of Aqua's annoying Barbie and slices them into Knife Party's Bonfire. If you have to listen to Barbie this is the way it should sound.

02. g4gorilla - This Is The New Step

A mashup featuring: Skrillex and Marilyn Manson. I'm not a Manson fan by any means but this ties Marilyn Manson with Skrillex so well that it really does make Marilyn Manson sound completely different; and enjoyable. And its not so heavy on the dubstep that you have to be a basshead to listen to it.

01. Ryan Nellis - 4A


A mashup featuring: Skrillex, LMFAO, Outkast, Tag Team, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Daft Punk, Van Halen, and Fergie. Working out? This track can make you run faster, jump higher, or lift more weight. It is that good.

Well, that is the list. It is just my personal top 10. Best thing to do is to get out there and explore the world of mashups and find your own favorites.

I've tried to attribute the mashups with the original mashup artist. If anyone finds any mistakes - let me know and I'll adjust as necessary.

Notice: At closing I'd like to point out that all these people are artists. Not anybody can create a mashup. I have tried and failed in the past. The musical compositions that these people create is art; and as such is covered by the 'fair use' doctrine. And the other thing to remember is that mashups actually encourage sales of the original artists. IT DOES NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE ORIGINAL ARTIST.