25 Mashups to Get the Party Playlist Started

“When I find myself in times of trouble, mashups come to me. Speaking Taylor Swift vs. Kendrick Lamar remixes, let it be.”

One of my dream jobs has always been to DJ for a day in Ibiza. This was inspired from when I was 13 years old and stayed up late watching MTV2 one Friday night. At about 1 AM, they started a three-hour block of dance and electronica music videos in a program called “MTV2 Dance” and it was total ear candy for me. I had albums from some of my favorite DJs on the scene from the early 2000’s – Paul van Dyk, Felix da Housecat, Tiesto, and BT – and a stack of Ultra and Ministry of Sound CDs loaded with over an hour of remixes. Dance music was built for me. I loved the beat, the drop, the texture and layers to the genre and how you could feel as though it was pulsating throughout your body. But it wasn’t until I was 22 that I would meet the real love of my musical life – my introduction to mashups.

Mashups are exactly what they sound like: pre-recorded songs snipped and overlaid together into a 3-4 minute composition. I think they’re one of the most efficient and infectious way to listen to music and it never fails to excite me how many DJs out there are finding new and innovative ways to mash songs up in bigger and better ways.

Reading lesson time is over – we’re here for these 25 mashups that title promised, amirite? The next time you’re at a holiday party with a blah background sound or want to pull together a playlist for a wedding reception that will get even your 90-year-old grandma on the floor, refer back to this list. And as an added bonus, you can play all of these mashups one after another and it really works. Click each title to listen and let the good times roll.

1) “Feed the Animals” – Girl Talk

The basics of music sampling wouldn’t be the same without a little Gregg Michael Gillis action in it. Girl Talk has five albums and this one is the fourth but it’s worth kicking the playlist off with first.

2) “Stayin’ Hot” – Lobsterdust (Nelly vs. Bee Gees)

Two crazy good songs that can stand the test of dancefloor time united together.

3) “Paid for My Doorbell” – Party Ben (Eric B. & Rakim vs. The White Stripes)

This mashup could open and close a coming of age movie trailer easy.

4) “Gucci Gucci Girl Power” – A plus D (Kreayshawn vs. Toni Basil vs. Le Tigre vs. The Ting Tings vs. The Trashwoman vs. The Go-Gos)

Lots of “versus” names here, but the Bootie albums have yet to steer me wrong – bring it on.

5) “Pour Some Hot Sugar” – A plus D (Mims vs. Def Leppard)

Attn: all high school homecomings nationwide – get into this one.

6) “The Safety Booty” – DJ Topcat (Bubba Sparxxx vs. Men at Work)

“Get it right, get it right, get it tight.”

7) “Snow White Girl” – (Seven Dwarves vs. E-40 vs. Juelz Santana vs. Kanye West)

It is still a personal dream of mine that we’ll get a mashup album of ‘80s and rap songs combined with all Disney tunes.

8) “Dancing in Houston” – (Robyn vs. Whitney Houston)

“How Will I Know” meets “Dancing on My Own” and it’s perf that way.

9) Michael Jackson “The Legendary MEGAMIX” – Robin Skouteris

Nobody makes a playlist without MJ and this one is sharp.

10) “House of Holland FW12 Mix” – The Misshapes

Straight off the runway from the Opening Ceremony London Fashion Week show, this is close to 11 minutes of pure Santigold, Azealia Banks, Kraftwerk, Queen, and M.I.A. goodness.

11) “All Tequila Ladies” – DJ LK (Beyonce vs. The Champs)

A+ work.

12) “Siri Cruise” – Super Mash Bros.

Always here for mashups featuring the Backstreet Boys, Ying Yang Twins, Moby, and Phil Collins within the first minute playing. Being named after famous offspring is a bonus.

13) “Royals” – Lorde (The Weeknd Remix)

I’d be remiss to make this list without including at least one nod to The Weeknd.

14) “Nothing Compares to Wrecking Ball” – Robin Skouteris (Miley Cyrus vs. Sinead O’Connor)

No, you’re crying. Say what you will about Miss Cyrus, but this is flawless.

15) “Deep Dream Control” – DJ Maya Jakobson (Missy Elliott vs. Adele vs. Britney Spears vs. Tchaikovsky)

Impossible to listen to without getting shivers down your spine, I swear.

16) “We Love Hustlin’ Drugs” – Titus Jones (Weezer vs. Rick Ross vs. Ke$ha vs. Katy Perry vs. Afroman)

*raises the roof until it’s in the stratosphere*

17) “Rematch” – The White Panda

Now that you have your Girl Talk basics down, it’s time to hit the intermediate levels with some White Panda. You’re welcome.

18) “Party and Bullsh*t in the USA” – Hathbanger (Notorious B.I.G. vs. Miley Cyrus)

Instant classic in the mashup world.

19) “DJ Got Us Falling in Hot Stuff” – DJs from Mars (Usher vs. Donna Summer)

EVERYBODY DANCE NOW

20) “Midnight Scrubs” – Lobsterdust (TLC vs. M83)

An unexpected, but absolutely delightful, pairing.

21) “Kreayshawn the Insomniac” – The White Panda (Kreayshawn vs. Faithless)

Little over a minute long but it’s one helluva minute.

22) “Work B*tch” – (RuPaul vs. Britney Spears)

I retract that Disney statement – we need RuPaul in all the mashups, pronto.

23) Spice Girls “Megamix” – DJ Berry.E

We’re so blessed to have this megamix in our lives.

24) “United States of Pop 2013 (Living the Fantasy)” – DJ Earworm

The year that was, in under six minutes.

25) “Don’t Stop Believing in This Heaven on Earth” – Titus Jones

When you listen, you’ll know why I saved it for last. Enjoy the surprise of finding out who all is featured in this mashup – it’s a solid lineup.

Girl Talk album cover image courtesy of illegal-art.net.