The endless dance remix business: from Bryan Adams to Kate Ryan

The endless remix business: when classics go dance

How many times can a classic die before becoming a club hit? Judging by current trends, as many times as the market allows. A catalog of dance and eurodance versions spanning Bryan Adams to Bonnie Tyler proves that 80s and 90s nostalgia is an inexhaustible goldmine. The pattern repeats: take a recognizable track, add a four-on-the-floor beat, and release it to clubs. What was theoretically a DJ experiment has become a parallel industry.

From DJ Sammy to Kate Ryan: the genre's dominant names

The starting point is a version of Heaven by Bryan Adams signed by DJ Sammy, which defines the style of the entire compilation. From there, the trail multiplies: the same DJ Sammy covers Boys of Summer by Don Henley, and remixes of Moonlight Shadow by Mike Oldfield appear in versions by DJ Mystik and Missing Heart. The pattern is not accidental. Some tracks work better than others when translated into the language of the kick drum.

Kate Ryan emerges strongly. She is described as the queen of covers, with versions of Mylène Farmer (Libertine), France Gall (Ella Elle L'a), Desireless (Voyage Voyage) and Cock Robin (The Promise You Made). That is, one face for half a dozen European classics. The remix business does not require a new artist: it requires an old catalog and a voice that interprets it with a modern accent.

Why do dance remixes of classic songs work?

The mechanics are simple, which is why they work. The listener recognizes the melody, reducing the risk of rejection. The dance rhythm guarantees functionality on the floor. And the licensing cost of a known track is usually lower than producing a hit from scratch. The result is a low-risk product with quick returns.

The catalog of examples is overwhelming. Phil Collins' Against All Odds appears in a Deja Vu version with Tasmin and in a Euro Radio mix by Kira. Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart has metal and techno covers. Steve Winwood's Higher Love receives a Safri Duo remix. David Bowie's Let's Dance passes through The Peine' hands. Fiction Factory's Feels Like Heaven crosses with Camino. Dead or Alive's You Spin Me Round becomes techno with Gigi D'Agostino. Cutting Crew's (I Just) Died In Your Arms goes through Komodo. Savage's Don't Cry Tonight receives a John.E.S. remix. Alphaville's Forever Young has its dance remix. Bette Davis Eyes appears in a Milk Inc. version. Richard Marx's Right Here Waiting has its techno remix. The list does not stop.

The goldmine of compilations: Replay Dance Mania

The Replay Dance Mania compilations are highlighted as a mine. Versions like Words 2002, The Best or Hard to Say I'm Sorry come from there. The compilation format is key: it groups the product, labels it, and sells it as a package. The listener does not need to know the artist; recognizing the song is enough.

The phenomenon is not limited to European dance. Starship's We Built This City has a version by Djs 4 Life. David Bowie's Rebel Rebel goes through A Kay BJ. Sleeping In My Car has its version by A Kay BJ. I Would Die 4 U has an extended club mix. Prince's Little Red Corvette goes through The Quilz. Patti Smith's People Have the Power is covered by Bliss Team. Because the Night appears in a Co.Ro. version with Taleesa. A-ha's The Sun Always Shines On Tv has a Milk Inc. version. Blue Savannah has a Moon's Girl version.

Nostalgia as a business model

The dance remix business rests on a paradox: the older the track, the cheaper the memory and the wider the audience. The generation that grew up with those classics now has spending power and a desire to relive them. Those who did not know them discover them in danceable versions. The result is a dual market.

Some argue that these types of versions are minor products, soulless rehashes. Counter-arguments weigh that popular music has always worked this way: covering, adapting, recycling. What changes is the estimulante ilegal and industrialization of the process. Before, it was an artist who covered; now, it is a label looking for the next classic that withstands the kick drum.

The catalog is so broad that it is hard to find a classic that has not gone through the dance shredder. Torn has its dance mix. Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On has a club remix. Fotonovela has a 2004 version. Maniac has an A.R. Remix. Tainted Love has its remix. The list continues.

The question is not whether the phenomenon is good or bad. The question is how long it can sustain itself. As long as there is an unremixed classic and a dancefloor demanding it, someone will be willing to do it. The dance remix business has no known bottom.