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Showing posts from February 21, 2016

Piece By Piece - Kelly Clarkson

Speed: 106 bpm Recommended bpm range: 100 to 105 bpm , 105 to 110 bpm The DJ's Take: Still a little torn as to whether this is something that plays during a montage in a romantic comedy, or a song you can legitimately spin at a pop gig. I'm leaning toward the former. Still, as of the moment I'm writing this, Piece By Piece is #1 on iTunes, so maybe there's a young lady out there who wants to hear it. Add it to the new music playlist just in case. If you're going up toward 110 bpm, try mixing with  Downtown - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Victorious - Panic! At the Disco . If you're going down toward 100, try mixing with tracks like:

Work From Home - Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign

Speed: 105 bpm Recommended bpm range: 100 to 105 bpm The DJ's Take: No wonder this track has become an instant hit - in today's 'gig economy,' more millennials are working from home than ever before , so they can totally identify (thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week). Seriously though, I like this one better than Worth It ; less whiny, and a nice, gentle bounce that should keep things moving. Try mixing with key-compatible songs like:

Hello Friday - Flo Rida ft. Jason Derulo

Speed: 100 bpm Recommended bpm range: 95 to 100 bpm , 100 to 105 bpm The DJ's Take: Safe to say you should get this in the rotation ASAP. Biggest indicator Flo Rida has hit a new level of popularity - he was a featured performer on the infamous Gronk party cruise . And I'm guessing Rob Gronkowski isn't exactly thumbing through his list of favorite indie artists, trying to musically educate his fans / fellow passengers. If you're around 95 to 100 bpm, try mixing with tracks like:

Throwback Thursday: It Was A Good Day - Ice Cube

Speed: 82 bpm Recommended bpm range: 80 bpm to 85 bpm The DJ's Take: Sure, not everyone can identify with everything Ice Cube's rapping about in this track. But we can all close our eyes and imagine what a perfect day in our own world would be like, right? Anyway, this is an anthem that anyone with a pulse should be able to wave their hands in the air to. Try mixing with Gone - Donnis if you're staying key-compatible. Download the song: iTunes Amazon

Kevin - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Leon Bridges

Speed: 95 bpm Recommended bpm range: 90 to 95 bpm The DJ's Take: Interesting combo here - legit, soul-infused rap beat, conscious storytelling, and inspired R&B interludes that bring to mind Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come . I think this has a chance to be a sneaky hit; maybe won't blow up right away, but we could see it creep up the charts at some point in the next few months. Probably better suited for a setting where there's no pressure to make people dance, since the singing parts have no percussion (unless you're an ADDJ mixing one minute cuts). If you're staying key-compatible, try blending with tracks like:

Good Girls Lie - Akon

Speed: 120 bpm Recommended bpm range: 115 to 120 bpm The DJ's Take: Hasn't panned out yet, but Akon's certainly putting in the effort during his recent comeback. And even if this one doesn't become a hit, it could serve as some decent filler during a pop set. Worth a spot in the new music playlist, even if it's only for a weekend or two. Try mixing or mashing up with tracks like:

Be As You Are (JordanXL Remix) - Mike Posner

Speed: 85 bpm Recommended bpm range: 80 bpm to 85 bpm , 85 bpm to 90 bpm The DJ's Take: Electro-oriented remixes don't work for everyone, but it looks like they're an elixir for Mike Posner. A remake turned I Took A Pill In Ibiza into a hit, and a new instrumental gives a serious original a fresh, inspirational, bouncier feel. Try mixing or making a key-compatible mashup with tracks like:

Hello (Adele Cover) - Conkarah & Rosie Delmah

Speed: 79 bpm Recommended bpm range: 75 bpm to 80 bpm The DJ's Take: Seems like random pop songs get the reggae remake-over, and this may be one of the biggest. It's generating buzz, and turns the original from something you brood to into something you can groove to. I could see this being a hit or a flop in a pop set, so consider slipping it in at the end of a night and see what happens. One cool thing is that this is the same key and bpm as Adele's version , so there's a mix / mashup possibility there, or you can go into tracks like Best I Ever Had - Drake and Dirt Off Your Shoulder - Jay-Z . Download or stream the song: Spotify playlist (songs with similar key & bpm) iTunes Amazon

Wild Things - Alessia Cara

Speed: 108 bpm Recommended bpm range: 105 to 110 bpm The DJ's Take: I think my favorite part of this song is when the drums kick in full force during the chorus. Feels more like a danceable pop track at that point. If you're staying key-compatible, try double-timing over Sex With Me - Rihanna or mix with tracks like The Monster - Eminem ft. Rihanna , Something In The Way You Move - Ellie Goulding , Cruel Summer - Bananarama , Turn Me On - Kevin Lyttle , Mo Money Mo Problems - Notorious BIG , and Ain't It Fun - Paramore . Download or stream the song: Spotify playlist (songs with similar key & bpm) iTunes Amazon