Remix a Song: Why it's a Good Idea

To grow as an artist and musician, you must take some risks. This might mean creating cutting-edge tracks, designing innovative new albums, or even concocting an attention-grabbing personality. But another way to take a risk and flex your artistic muscle is to remix a song — it might be just what you need to reignite your career.

In this article, we’ll explore a few reasons why remixing one of your existing tracks might be a good idea, plus some pitfalls to avoid in the process. Let’s get started.

What’s a Remix, Anyway?

When you remix a song, you reinterpret and reimagine previously released material by creatively modifying the tempo, structure, feel, and even the genre to create a totally new song. The goal is to create something fresh based on tried and tested material.

Remixes can range from subtle tweaks to total overhauls and can include fresh context, recasting, genre variations, re-recording, re-arrangements, featured artists, mash-ups, and more. Source material can be from any part of the production process, including the final mix, master, remaster, or original raw audio — whatever works for your new vision.

The definition of a remix is somewhat vague. Most would agree that a dance remix counts, but what about an acoustic version? How about a rock version? Are these remixes or re-releases? Don’t get hung up on the details. The key question is, should you take a previously released song, change it, and release again? We think so.

Reasons to Remix a Song

Here are some reasons why a remix is a good idea:

1. Refresh without starting over

You’ve already done all the hard work of writing the lyrics, composing the melody, and creating the soul of the song. Remixing is an opportunity to breathe new life into this existing material without starting from scratch, which saves you time — no late-night writing sessions required.

2. Reconnect with your fans

If you have a fan-favorite track, a remix is a great way to give your fans something new while reminding them why they love your work. You can release the track as a single or include it as a bonus track on a new album.

3. Remix a song to discover a new audience

If your remix crosses into new genre or style territory —say, transforming a pop song into lo-fi acoustic — you can potentially connect with a brand-new audience who may have otherwise never heard the original version.

4. Revive forgotten tracks

Sometimes a great song never quite lands with your audience the way you hoped. If you have a good track that never reached its full potential, a remix is a great way to help it see the light of day. You've already done most of the hard work, so find a new way to connect the song with fans.

5. Showcase your growth

Artists must be in a state of constant evolution. Remixes are a good way to demonstrate how you’ve grown by creating a comparison with earlier work, and it shows fans you’re not afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new.

6. Remix a song to expand your portfolio

Even if you don’t intend to release the final version, the remixing process is an opportunity to add depth and variety to your portfolio. No matter the result, this process will make you a better artist in the long run — and your future work will benefit.

7. Collaborate with other artists

Remixes give you the chance to connect and collaborate with other artists. The collaborative remixing process can be mutually beneficial for you and your collaborators as it allows for audience sharing and cross-pollination. Everybody wins.

8. Remix a song to develop new skills

Beyond the artistic aspects, remixing a song requires technical skills such as sound design, mixing, arrangement, and mastering. This project might be the excuse you need to finally explore and learn key audio production and engineering skills that can help you now and throughout your career.

9. Generate new ideas

While working through a remix, you could be inspired both technically and artistically, inspiring new ideas for your next project. Forcing yourself to think outside the box with a remix might help you dream up track ideas you wouldn’t have otherwise considered.

Mistakes to Avoid

While remixing a song is mostly upside, there are a few pitfalls to avoid:

1. Don’t ruin something fans love

Music fans can be finicky, so if you decide to remix a song, it better be good. You must be sure your fans are going to like it, or at least not hate it. Take risks with your new material but play it a little saf(er) when remixing proven tracks. Remember, a terrible remix is worse than no remix at all.

2. Avoid over-saturation when you remix a song

If you only have one successful song, creating a remix looks lazy and uninspired. The last thing you want is a budding audience to dismiss you as a stagnating artist avoiding the difficult process of creating new material.

3. Beware of comparisons

Of course, this is inevitable, but it’s something to be aware of. Sometimes comparisons can be good, especially if you have two compelling yet distinct versions of a song. What’s bad is if the remix is universally hated and constantly compared to the superior original.  Again, this makes it seem like you’re going backward as an artist.

4. Consider the time and effort to remix a song

While remixing a track gives you a head start over making new material, it still takes serious time and effort to get it right. Be sure you’re not avoiding the hard work of creating new tracks by staying in your comfort zone.

5. Know your limitations

Some remix versions are firmly within your technical and artistic capabilities, others are not. You need to know the difference. For example, if you’re not an experienced DJ, it might make sense to ask a real pro for some help with your dance remix.

Conclusion

Remixing songs is more than just a technical challenge — it’s an opportunity to experiment, expand your audience, and strengthen your creative voice. If you have a great song, it makes sense to share it with the world in as many versions as the market will tolerate. Just be sure it’s good, and don’t use the remixing process as an excuse to avoid progress. While your success as a musician will ultimately depend on your ability to continuously generate new and innovative tracks, remixes are a great bonus for fans along the way.

If you’re an aspiring musician and you’re ready to take your music to the next level, it’s important to partner with an experienced distributor you can trust. Sugo Music Group has been helping artists distribute their musical recordings worldwide for over 30 years. By working with one of the industry’s top leaders, you can get your music the exposure it deserves and become the musician you’ve always wanted to be.