If you look at the charts today you’ll see that a significant amount of the top tunes have, in some way, been remixed by an artist other than the original. Take, for example, Lana Del Rey’s ‘Summertime Sadness’. Undoubtedly this is a great song and worthy of topping the charts all by itself. But then comes along Cedric Gervais, recognising an opportunity, and shoots his remixed version of the song right back up to the top of the charts. It is almost as if a song can have two lives now. Its first life where it is originally released in its pure form and then, once the hype about it dies down, its second life where it is re-released as a remix, normally by a DJ. Take DJs such as Avicii – a vast amount of his big hits (of which there are many) come from other people’s songs which he has adapted and made into something slightly different, often slightly ‘cooler’ and very often more popular.

What does this mean for the music industry? I think it can only be considered a good thing. The world of music is no longer dominated by star song writers and bands. DJs and remixers have been thrown into the mix and are more than holding their own.

Take, for example, the new game collaboration between Manchester band Swiss Lips and Philips Headphones. Swiss Lips’ latest single, Carolyn, acts as the backing to a car racing game in the retro style of the late 80s. However, there is something a bit different about this game. Whilst you play you can actually remix the song depending on how well you drive or what happens within the game. There are thousands of different possibilities for what happens with the song and essentially you are creating your very own remixed version of Swiss Lips’ Carolyn. This is probably just the beginning of the remixing revolution. I would guess that in the not too distant future, remixing will be available (in an easy way) to all of us. You won’t have to be an expert in the hundreds of different knobs and buttons a real DJ presses, you will just need the right software, or in this case a game, and you’ll be on your way to number one in the charts…! You can see the trailer for the game above.