We all had that feeling when you heard a track that sounds so familiar, but you get that “Jack Daniels” face as soon as the bass drops: what happened here!? They totally destroyed that one song you really loved. With this post “10 Worst Sampled EDM Tracks Of All Time” we will highlight the 10 worst sampled tracks we feel are doing more harm than good to the original track. Fun fact: 9 out of 10 times rappers are ‘borrowing’ EDM samples…
Intro
For those who do not know what sampling is, we can summarize is like this: In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a sound recording in a different song or piece. Sampling is not something that is new. House producers have been doing this since the start of Disco Music (one of the founding genres of the EDM we know today). Though some artists push sampling to the limit, for example “Smack My Bitch Up” by The Prodigy is sampled for 75% out of samples by others:
One could ask themselve is this an original EDM track or do the artists lack on creativity? Though we feel that the track is well put together but we can understand that it has raised some eyebrows when the track came out.
Lets get back on track and found which 10 tracks have been absolutely disasters (though some have had commercial success) when it comes to using samples from third parties:
1. Daft Punk – Harder Better Faster Stronger
“Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” is a song by French duo Daft Punk. The single was first released on 13 October 2001. A live version of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” was released as a single from the album Alive 2007 on 15 October 2007. This version won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2009. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 132 on its list “150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years”.
Sampled in: Kanye West – Stronger
Kanye West made his own version of “Stronger”, in our opinion this track has no body, no soul and the whole groove of the original track has been removed by the team of Kanye. We still Prefer to listen to the original!
2. Nightcrawlers – Push The Feeling On (The Dub of Doom)
“Push the Feeling On” is a 1992 song recorded by the Scottish house music group Nightcrawlers. It was the first single from its album Let’s Push It. The song was initially issued in the United Kingdom, but it was only a hit in the US when it was released there in 1993. It proved to be a greater success internationally when it was re-released in 1995. The song was remixed featuring John Reid as a vocalist. It reached the top 10 in various European countries, including the UK, where it peaked at #3.
The song was released again in 2003 and 2007, in other remixed versions. In 2008, Bob Sinclar interpolated the track for his remix of Rihanna’s hit single “Don’t Stop the Music.” In May 2009, Miami rapper Pitbull sampled the song in his song “Hotel Room Service”, which was by far the worst sampled track ever!
Sampled in: Pitbull – Hotel Room Service
Though we feel that the crown for the king of sampling should go to Pitbull (and we can fill spot 2 till 10 with his tracks) we feel that wouldn’t be fair, though we hope that mr. Pitbull will make more original music in the future!
3. Lil’ Louis – French Kiss
“French Kiss” is a song by American artist Lil Louis. The song became an European and American hit in early-1990. The song also was a hit in dance clubs around the world, and it spent two weeks at #1 on the American dance chart in October 1989. It was a crossover pop hit as well, peaking at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a mainstream pop hit in the UK, where it peaked at #2. The lead vocals on the track—recorded after the track was picked up for distribution by major labels—were performed by Chicago native and noted female house-music singer Shawn Christopher, although another vocal version exists in Europe with vocal duties performed by a woman named Pasquale.
Sampled in: Lil’ Kim – Custom Made (Give It to You)
Maybe we must say it is not fair to call this track “sampled”. To be honest the track is just dubbed in the background and playing while Lil’ Kim is doing “her thing” on it…Welcome to #3!
4. Layo & Bushwacka! – Love Story
“Love Story (vs. Finally)” (also known as “Love Story”) is a song written and released by British duo Layo & Bushwacka! It was originally released in 2002 under the name “Love Story”, charting at number 4 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart. The remix single was released in January 2003 and peaked at number 8 in the United Kingdom, spending one week in the top 10. The song uses samples from Nina Simone (Rags & Old Iron), and from Devo (Mongoloid). The “Finally” portion of the single is a vocal from the single “Finally” by the American house music project The Kings of Tomorrow featuring Julie McKnight, which reached number 17 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in 2000.
Sampled in: Boladona – Tati Quebra Barraco
Though we feel its a must to share this, but we want to advice you not to press play, we even wonder if the british duo Layo & Bushwacka! know that “Boladona” has done her thing on one of most well known EDM tracks in history… Though we welcome her with positive vibes at #4 in our charts!
5. 20 FINGERS (feat. Roula) – Lick It
“Lick It” is a song recorded by American dance music group 20 Fingers featuring singer Roula. It was released in February 1995 as the second single from their album On the Attack and More. It also appears on 20 Fingers’ self-titled second studio album. The song achieved success in many European countries. It was a top ten hit in France, Austria, Belgium (Wallonia) and Germany. However, its sales were less high than 20 Fingers’ previous hit “Short Dick Man”. Its chart positions were especially disappointing in UK, where it stayed on the chart for three weeks and peaked at #48. The song, which was credited to Roula as vocalist, contains explicit lyrics that refer to cunnilingus.
Sampled in: Stereo Palma – Lick It (Official Video)
Hardly anything has been done to the mix, add some percussion, pump up the vocals a little bit more and add a fancy videoclip. Hit or miss? We feel it didn’t worked out that well and the original track is still doing its job! Welcome to #5 Stereo Palma!
6. Lil’ Louis – The Original Video Clash (starts at: 0:19)
Once again Lil’ Louis is in the charts, but that is (of course) no surprise, he is one of the founds of Electronic Dance Music! Not only his fans and the scene know this, but apparently also the producer of John Legend…
Sampled in: John Legend – Made To Love (starts at: 0:45)
If they removed the sample in John Legend’s track “Made To Love” it would have been a better record…
7. Rhythm Controll My House (starts at: 0:27)
This particular vocal has been one of the most used samples in the history of sampling, we have heard it in so many bootlegs and mash ups (2013 edit, 2014 edit, 2015 edit, etc) that we cannot stand it anymore. Let’s keep it to the original track shall we!
Sampled in: Carte Blanche – Jack On The Moon (starts at: 0:16)
one of the latest official releases with the vocals, though we don’t think it was a chart topper. Welcome to spot #7 Carte Blanche!
8. Inner City – Good Life (starts at: 0:17)
“Good Life” is a song by American electronic music group Inner City, featuring vocals by Paris Grey. The song was written and produced by Kevin Saunderson. It is often remembered for being played at nightclubs and on radio stations. It reached number 4 in the United Kingdom in January 1989. In 1999 the song was rerecorded and remixed by producer Tommy Onyx and a Spanish language version was also released. The 1999 version hit number 10.
Sampled in: Kim Fai – Good Life
A nice try, but we feel the original is an all-time classic which you cannot beat. The vocals have been edited in a cool way but the whole feeling and energy of the drop have been done in a wrong way, sorry Kim Fai but you are at #8 of the worst sampled EDM tracks of all time!
9. CeCe Peniston – Finally (starts at: 0:16)
“Finally” is a 1991 song by the musician CeCe Peniston. A dance mix of this song was made, and this remixed version was used in many dance music compilations. “Finally” became Peniston’s first (and biggest) hit song, peaking at number five on the US Hot 100 in January 1992 and becoming her only U.S. top-ten hit to date. Prior to that, it was also successful on the US Dance chart, where it spent two weeks at number one in late 1991. In addition, the song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in a remixed version.
Sampled in: Mr Belt & Wezol – Finally (starts at: 0:08)
Some people might think it’s a cool edit but we will clearly disagree with you, The whole House vibe of the track has been removed and the track is missing body. Some tracks just have to be left alone, just like Finally. Though we like the tracks MR Belt & Wezol put out there we just have to welcome them at #9 in this chart, sorry guys!
10. Audio Bullys – We Don’t Care
not only did we like the track itself, but the videoclip is also as original as the tune itself! Though some people always think they can make a better version out of it..
Sampled in: Rascals ft. Big Narstie – My Different
Lets be honest, this is the ‘perfect’ track to close this top 10. We feel that this is one of the worst edits of a track that has been a classic for ages! With Rascals feat. Big Narstie we close this top 10 of the worst top 10 sampled EDM ever!
If you think a different track should be in the top 10, or you have a title of a sampled track yourself you cannot stand (or maybe you just love) please leave a comment bellow and let us know! If you are a producer yourself and you want to sample music don’t forget there are rules and (copyright)laws that protect the original artists. If you are using samples by third parties you need to know what you are doing, a full write up that gets you started can be found here.