Although I am not the biggest fan of mash-ups, I won't hesitate to say that Jordan Roseman better known as DJ Earworm cooked up a hot mix for this winter season with his fourth annual year-end mash-up, "United State of Pop 2010 (Don't Stop the Pop)."
The epic mash-up which was released at the end of December features the top artists of the year, ranging from Lady Gaga to Usher. Roseman even manages to make the songs I couldn't stand from 2010 (such as Rihanna's pop anthem "Rude Boy") immensely listenable.
Each year, Roseman creates a "United State of Pop" mash-up that essentially recaps the Top 25 Billboard songs of the year. Roseman is able to draw many thematic and stylistic parallels among the year's most popular tunes, revealing yearly trends that might not otherwise be evident.
Roseman released his first "United State of Pop" mash-up in 2007. In contrast to Roseman's earlier mash-ups, which combined hits from different decades, "United State of Pop 2007" covered the most current tunes and radio staples. The mash-up quickly became a YouTube sensation, and Roseman has been churning out similar mash-ups ever since. The songs cost Roseman little to make, but garner attention from listeners and artists alike.
The music of 2010 was all about letting go partying with abandon and refusing to worry about tomorrow. To highlight this theme, Roseman used clubby, reckless and hyper-active beats in this year's edition of "Don't Stop the Pop."
Roseman creates his mixes with the mindset of a songwriter, constructing fresh verses and combinations from hits while simultaneously key-matching and adding his signature touch to the melodies. Utilizing the skills he gained at the University of Illinois where he double majored in music theory and computer science Roseman edits and produces innovative, melodic mash-ups.
After hearing Roseman's creations, many artists asked him to put a new spin on their hit songs.
Roseman has employed his mashing skills to pay homage to popular artists, such as his Annie Lennox composition "Backwards/Forwards" and the Nelly Furtado-inspired "Free at Night."
Although all of Roseman's work is very promising, his "United State of Pop" mash-ups are eagerly awaited by fans each year. "Don't Stop the Pop 2010" already has over 6.6 million views on YouTube.
In addition to being an incredible disc jockey, Roseman (or, as I like to call him, "the Mash-up King") also published a book titled "Audio Mash-up Construction Kit: ExtremeTech," which gives readers step-by-step instructions on how to legally make mash-ups.
In the past, I believed that music was meant to be created and listened to as a series of separate songs, and that mash-ups seemed like a cop-out stealing others' painstakingly crafted work rather than creating your own.
Roseman, however, has really changed my mind about mash-ups by elevating mash-up creation to an art form. He pays homage to established artists with "United State of Pop" and demonstrates his own musical genius by arranging the songs artfully.
I highly recommend checking out more of Roseman's creations online. I guarantee that you will catch the same earworms (songs constantly replaying in your mind) that I have and maybe you'll even try to create some of your own.
