What do David Bowie, NWA, and the theme song to Futurama all have in common? They’ve all used the Amen break, a four-bar drum solo that has become the most sampled loop in recorded music. The six second sample originates from the 1969 song “Amen, Brother” by a band called The Winstons. For years, the solo was buried deep in the musical archives, until hip-ho ... Show More
Sep 2020
The Hidden History of Hollerin'
Back in the days before electricity, a peculiar tradition rose out of southeastern North Carolina. Over vast swaths of farmland, voices would ring out to say good morning, ask for help, or just to share a ditty. The old timers called this tradition “hollerin’.” Part singing and p ... Show More
21m 47s
Apr 2021
The Score: Fugees In the Lab
<p>So much of hip-hop is built on the notion of creating something from something. Call it covering, call it borrowing, call it sampling, but don't call it unoriginal. For decades, samples have helped musicians turn some of greatest hits into even <em>greater</em> hits.</p>
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26m 16s
Aug 2023
Selects: How Music Sampling Works
Today music sampling is a common practice, especially in electronic or hip-hop music. But how does it work? After all, other artists made the original music, and most of them would presumably like to be paid. Tune in to this classic episode to learn more about music sampling.See ... Show More
44m 24s
Oct 2021
The beauty of sampling with Anchorsong, Loraine James, Gold Panda and Sandunes
Anchorsong, Loraine James, Gold Panda and Sandunes discuss what song they'd make it they knew billions of people were going to listen to it, being guided by samples, the importance of keeping in the mistakes, and the art of making organic sounds.Masaaki Yoshida is better known as ... Show More
28m 59s
Aug 2022
“Hey Ya” by Outkast: Everything You Didn't Know
Alex and Jordan go deep on the idiosyncratic hip hop mainstay, often cited as one of the best songs of the 21st century. They get into the deceptively heartbreaking lyrics, the unexpected musical inspirations, the brain-crushingly complex music video, and the science of why it’s ... Show More
1h 5m
Sep 2023
Whomst Among Us Let the Dogs Out AGAIN
<p>All kinds of songs get stuck in your head. Famous pop tunes from when you were a kid, album cuts you've listened to over and over again. And then there's a category of memorable songs—the ones that we all just kind of know. Songs that somehow, without anyone’s permission, snea ... Show More
38m 42s
Apr 2023
A History of Sampling, Part One: An Origin Story
In the world of music, sampling is somewhere between an art and a science. In this week's special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the strange, fascinating evolution of sampling, from the early days of cutting physical tape to the dawn of hiphop and more. (Spoiler, we ... Show More
52m 47s