A re-recording is a recording produced following a new performance of a work of music. This is most commonly, but not exclusively, by a popular artist or group. It differs from a
reissue
In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions.
Reasons for reissue
New audio formats
Reco ...
, which involves a second or subsequent release of a previously-recorded piece of music.
Re-recordings are often produced decades after the original recordings were released, usually under contract terms more favorable to the artists. This is especially common among acts who originally agreed to
contracts
A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, services, money, or promise to transfer any of thos ...
that would be considered unfair and exploitative today.
When re-recordings are issued under newer contracts, artists can collect far higher royalties for use in films, commercials, and movie trailers.
Other artists re-record their work for artistic reasons.
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is the co-founder and, latterly, sole member of the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) which was formed in 1970. He has written all of ...
of the
Electric Light Orchestra
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangement ...
released
a solo best-of album with new versions of previous hits like "
Mr. Blue Sky", the original of which Lynne described as "
otquite how I meant it".
Some artists, such as
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drummer), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar, ...
and
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
, re-recorded their music because of disputes with their labels; Swift's re-recordings have become massive successes, both critically and commercially.
Re-recordings commonly appear in
online music store
A digital music store is a business that sells digital audio files of music recordings over the Internet. Customers gain ownership of a license to use the files, in contrast to a music streaming service, where they listen to recordings withou ...
s and
streaming
Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downl ...
services, such as the
iTunes Store and
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...
.
Recording contracts
Recording contracts are a way in which the ownership of sound recordings can be legally recognised.
[Papadopoulos, T. (2004). Are music recording contracts equitable? An economic analysis of the practice of recoupment. ''MEIEA Journal'', 4(1), 83-104.] Recording contracts are often between an artist and a record label and stipulate terms relating to royalties, performance rights and recording costs.
The motivation behind the re-recording of music is often associated with the legal ownership of the music and how that ownership can bring financial gains to an artist, especially if initial contract terms are financially unfavourable.
Different types of recording contracts exist, and a newer model that focuses on paying the artist a prolonged salary for limited ownership of their music is becoming favourable with high profile artists such as
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
. This new model is often seen as fairer to artists, especially financially. The internet has also given artists more power in negotiating fairer recording contracts, or even self-publishing music directly onto streaming platforms. An element of risk associated with record labels and up-and-coming artists is offered as an explanation for why record contracts can often be seen as unfavourable but necessary to avoid financial losses over time.
Recording contracts are a fundamental part of the music industry and recording music, especially for commercial purposes. They serve as a way for artists to negotiate ownership of their music and for profits to be made and leveraged.
Even though recording contracts are between an artist and the record label, they often involve the ownership of rights to specific recordings of music, as is the case with
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
.
Swift signed with her first record label,
Big Machine Records
Big Machine Records is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by former DreamWorks Records executive Scott Borchetta and ...
, in 2005, when she was not even considered an adult, and released six albums under that contract.
Her record contract expired in 2018 and she signed with a new record label,
UMG.
Big Machine Records
Big Machine Records is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by former DreamWorks Records executive Scott Borchetta and ...
was sold one year later and Swift’s master recordings for her first six albums followed the sale, leading Swift to re-record those albums.
A similar record label contractual dispute is evident with
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
.
He was unable to own his master recordings, so he went so far as to change his name to a symbol and tried to release music under that in hopes that he would own the master recordings for those albums if his name was not Prince.
This did not work but in 2014 the record label gave Prince back his master recordings after he held a public campaign shaming them.
Prince was also one of the first artists to utilise the internet as a way to release music without the involvement of record labels.
In using the internet as a way of controlling the release of his music, Prince acted as inspiration for other artists to think about how they want to release their music, particularly in the face of contractual battles, even extending to re-recording of music.
Music copyright
Music copyright refers to protecting a recorded piece of music so that it cannot be reproduced or used without permission of the artist or copyright holder.
[Sanchez, R. (2012). Unfair? The unique status of sound recordings under U.S. copyright law and its impact on the progress of sample-based music. ''MEIEA Journal'', 12(1), 13-41.] Unlike copyright for films, music copyright focuses on the author of the piece of music and the sound within the music, not moving images.
This means that another individual or machine can reproduce a piece of music without causing copyright infringement, as long as the original recording is not used.
This is particularly relevant to re-recording of music as it allows artists to record the same song later as a newer version or a special edition and own that independently.
As the internet has evolved, copyright in music has been put at risk and forced to adapt. The digital landscape has changed the way in which music is shared and for what price, leading to music piracy threatening the legitimacy and control that copyright holders have over their music. Piracy has enabled the sharing of music with the click of a button for no monetary value.
This has forced copyright laws to adapt to circumstances such as piracy to protect an artist’s intellectual property.
Music copyright can provide an artist with freedom to license and re-record music but is constantly open to vulnerabilities from evolving technology.
Notable examples
Stereo re-recordings
Stereo or
hi-fi
High fidelity (hi-fi or, rarely, HiFi) is the high-quality reproduction of sound. It is popular with audiophiles and home audio enthusiasts. Ideally, high-fidelity equipment has inaudible noise and distortion, and a flat (neutral, uncolored) ...
recordings gained immense popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with mono recordings gradually being completely phased out by record companies by the end of the 1960s. With recordings having been made and issued in single-channel mono up to that point, some artists re-recorded some of their most famous songs so they would be available for purchase in the new stereo format. Sometimes these artists re-recorded their material for the same label, as with
June Christy
June Christy (born Shirley Luster; November 20, 1925 – June 21, 1990) was an American singer, known for her work in the cool jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals. Her success as a singer began with The Stan Kenton Orchestra. She pursued ...
, whose 1955 album ''
Something Cool
''Something Cool'' is the debut solo album by June Christy, released on Capitol Records first as a 10-inch LP of seven selections in August of 1954, and then as a 12-inch LP of eleven selections the following August, both times in monophonic ...
'' was entirely re-recorded in stereo for Capitol in 1960, or Ray Conniff, who in 1969 re-recorded a stereo version of "
S'Wonderful", a song he had recorded for Columbia in mono in 1956. As well in the late 1950s, a number of dance bands (including the bands of
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombone, trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-to ...
,
Harry James
Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band to great commercial success from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947, but ...
,
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially.
From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...
,
Artie Shaw
Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction.
Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...
and others) issued stereo re-recordings of their best-known songs for a range of different labels.
Perhaps the most commercially successful stereo re-recording was
Tommy Edwards
Thomas Jefferson Edwards (February 17, 1922 – October 23, 1969) was an American singer and songwriter. His most successful record was the multi-million-selling song " It's All in the Game", becoming the first African-American to reach No. 1 ...
' "
It's All In The Game". Edwards' original (mono) 1951 version reached No. 18 on the ''Billboard'' Records Most Played by Disk Jockeys survey dated September 15, 1951.
By 1958, Edwards had only one session left on his
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
contract, and it was decided to cut a stereo version of "It's All in the Game" to have a stereo master available of the artist's most well-remembered recording. The re-recorded performance was issued as a single in July 1958 and became a hit, reaching number one for six weeks beginning September 29, 1958, making Edwards the first African-American to chart at number one on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. In November, the song hit No. 1 on the
UK Singles Chart.
The Everly Brothers
In 1960,
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close-harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, ...
left
Cadence Records
Cadence Records was an American record company based in New York City whose labels had a picture of a metronome. It was founded by Archie Bleyer, who had been the musical director and orchestra leader for Arthur Godfrey in 1952. Cadence also ...
, where they had recorded a string of hits from 1957 to 1960. One of their earliest actions for their new label, Warner Brothers, was to re-record new versions of their most popular Cadence songs. The new versions of their Cadence songs were joined with their first hits on the WB label to form a new "Greatest Hits" album issued on WB, the album being the 1964 release "The Very Best of the Everly Brothers."
In re-recording their music,
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close-harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, ...
set a precedent that is still widely used in recording contracts today.
Taylor Swift
A notable example of a musician re-recording their music is the American singer-songwriter
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
. When Swift originally signed to her prior record label,
Big Machine, in 2005, she forfeited ownership of her
master recordings
Master recordings, or simply masters, are the original recordings—including post-recording mixes and production edits—of audio performances, from which all analog and digital copies of the audio are derived from. The term refers only to the r ...
.
Swift was a teenager when she signed away the ownership of those recordings, and has since expressed feelings of resentment and frustration as she feels her music should belong to her.
Swift was advised by her lawyers that she could start the process of re-recording her old albums and release them as newer versions, after her contract with Big Machine expired in 2018. Following the American businessman
Scooter Braun
Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun ( ; born June 18, 1981) is an American businessman, investor, and record executive. Since 2023 he has served as chief executive officer (CEO) of Hybe America, the North American subsidiary of South Korean entertain ...
's purchase of Big Machine (and the ownership of the masters along with it) after Swift moved to
Republic Records
Republic Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Based in New York City, it was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially ...
, she announced that she would re-record her first six studio albums.
This coincided with the release of her seventh studio album,
''Lover'' (2019), the first she owns the masters of.
Swift has been an advocate for artists to own their music and be aware of contractual terms that are unfavorable towards them, based on her own experiences. Her dispute with Big Machine and Braun was highly publicized and triggered an industry discourse on ethics, musicians' rights, and
intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, co ...
.
Swift's re-recorded albums consist of ''
Fearless (Taylor's Version)
''Fearless (Taylor's Version)'' is the first re-recorded album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on April 9, 2021, by Republic Records, as part of Swift's re-recording project following the 2019 dispute over t ...
'' (2021), ''
Red (Taylor's Version)
''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is the second re-recorded album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on November 12, 2021, by Republic Records, as part of Swift's re-recording project following the Taylor Swift masters d ...
'' (2021), ''
Speak Now (Taylor's Version)
''Speak Now (Taylor's Version)'' is the third re-recorded album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on July 7, 2023, by Republic Records, as part of Swift's re-recording project following the 2019 dispute over the ...
'' (2023), and ''
1989 (Taylor's Version)
''1989 (Taylor's Version)'' is the fourth re-recorded album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on October 27, 2023, by Republic Records, as part of Swift's re-recording project following the Taylor Swift masters disput ...
'' (2023). In addition to re-recordings of songs featured on their respective original records, the albums also contain previously-unreleased songs which are noted "From the Vault". The re-recordings have become critical and commercial successes. The ownership of Swift's albums under Big Machine was sold back to her on May 30, 2025; that same day, the singer revealed that she had finished re-recording ''
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
'' (2006) but hadn't "even re-recorded a quarter" of ''
Reputation
The reputation or prestige of a social entity (a person, a social group, an organization, or a place) is an opinion about that entity – typically developed as a result of social evaluation on a set of criteria, such as behavior or performance.
...
'' (2017); both the ''Taylor Swift'' re-recording and the ''Reputation'' "From the Vault" tracks remained up for a possible release.
Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drummer), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar, ...
believed they were not receiving adequate remuneration for the digital versions of their albums and songs, and they also believed that an artist should receive the same amount of royalties from digital copies that they receive from physical copies of CDs and vinyl records sold.
The band states they have paid back the money owed to their record label
UMG and that modifications made to their recording contract over the years have given them the unique position of being able to control via an approval process the way in which their music is sold and distributed.
The band feels as though they have not been treated fairly by their record label, so in a move to reassert their power they have decided to re-record their popular hits and release them digitally so as to provide themselves with a fair share of the profits compared to what their record label was willing to offer them in negotiations.
The band referred to these re-recordings as “forgeries” and the first to be released were two of their most popular songs “
Pour Some Sugar on Me
"Pour Some Sugar on Me" is a song by the English rock band Def Leppard from their 1987 album ''Hysteria''. It reached number two on the US US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart on 23 July 1988. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" is considered the band's signatu ...
” and “
Rock of Ages Rock of Ages is an epithet that is used in some translations of Isaiah 26, Isaiah 26:4 and may refer to:
Films
* Rock of Ages (1918 film), ''Rock of Ages'' (1918 film), a British silent film by Bertram Phillips
* Rock of Ages (2012 film), ''Roc ...
”, which they re-recorded in their own home studio. These songs made over $40,000 for the band from online sales alone and the option of use in advertising, television and movies is listed as a possibility for the band to further capitalise on the re-recorded material.
Further examples
*In 1947,
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...
re-recorded "
White Christmas" as the master of the original version had been damaged. The re-recording is the version commonly heard on Christmas radio today.
*Throughout the 1960s and 1970s,
K-tel
K-tel International Ltd is a Canadian company which formerly specialized in selling consumer products through infomercials and live demonstration. Its products include compilation music albums, including ''The Super Hits'' series, ''The Dynamic ...
released music compilations including re-recordings of songs by the original artists.
["The New K-Tel". by Matt Ashare. in ]
*
Cleopatra Records
Cleopatra Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label that has the sub-labels Hypnotic Records, Goldenlane, Stardust, Purple Pyramid, Deadline and X-Ray Records.
History
Founded in January 1992 by Brian Perera, it specializes in go ...
is an American record label that has also released compilation albums with re-recordings of songs, through its sublabels X-Ray Records and Goldenlane Records.
*
Curb Records
Curb Records (also known as Asylum-Curb and formerly known as MCG Curb) is an American record label started by Mike Curb, originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963. From 1969 to 1973, Curb merged with MGM Records where Curb served as President of M ...
has also released re-recordings of songs by country singers from the 1960s and 1970s.
*In 1981, UK glam rock band
Wizzard
Wizzard were an English rock band formed by Roy Wood, former member of the Move and co-founder of the Electric Light Orchestra. ''The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits'' states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings was Paul McCar ...
re-recorded their Christmas classic "
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", sometimes written as "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day", is a Christmas song recorded by English glam rock band Wizzard. It was first released in December 1973 and, as with most Wizzard songs, was ...
" as the 1973 original was lost.
*In 1990,
The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the L ...
' 1965 recording of "
Unchained Melody
"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. North wrote the music as a theme for the prison film '' Unchained'' (1955), hence the song title. Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack.Robert ...
" was featured in the movie ''
Ghost
In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...
'' and released as a single by
Verve Records
Verve Records is an active American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ca ...
, but only on vinyl. The Righteous Brothers then re-recorded the song for
Curb Records
Curb Records (also known as Asylum-Curb and formerly known as MCG Curb) is an American record label started by Mike Curb, originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963. From 1969 to 1973, Curb merged with MGM Records where Curb served as President of M ...
which released the re-recording as a cassette single. Both recordings charted in the top 20 of the
Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...
simultaneously, the Verve recording charting primarily based on airplay and the Curb re-recording primarily based on sales.
*A few artists have re-recorded their songs for the ''
Guitar Hero
''Guitar Hero'' is a series of rhythm games first released in 2005, in which players use a guitar-shaped game controller to simulate playing primarily lead guitar, lead, bass guitar, bass, and rhythm guitar across numerous songs. Players match ...
'' video game franchise, including
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock music, rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992. T ...
,
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...
,
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
,
MC5
MC5 was an American rock music, rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The classic lineup consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis (bassist), Michael Davis, and drummer ...
,
Motörhead
Motörhead () were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Kilmister was the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band a ...
,
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind is an American rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1993. After years of lineup changes in the early and mid-1990s, the songwriting duo of Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan signed the band's first major-label reco ...
,
Spacehog
Spacehog is an English-American alternative rock band, formed in 1994 in New York City by four British men who were living in the city (lead vocalist and bassist Royston Langdon, rhythm guitarist Anthony Langdon, drummer Jonny Cragg and lead g ...
,
Love and Rockets,
Alice Cooper
Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
, and
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American rock band who recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. Formed in 1975 in Los Angeles, the band released four studio albums and one live album during its run. Among their best-known songs are " Cherry Bomb", " Holl ...
. According to Sex Pistols vocalist
Johnny Rotten
John Joseph Lydon ( ; born 31 January 1956), also known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a British-born singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. He was the lead vocalist of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols, which was ...
, the original master tapes for "
Anarchy in the U.K.
"Anarchy in the U.K." is a song by English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released as the band's debut single on 26 November 1976 and was later featured on their album ''Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols''. "Anarchy in th ...
", which contained multitracks for the instruments, had been lost. For "
Kick Out the Jams
''Kick Out the Jams'' is the debut album by American rock band MC5. A live album, it was recorded at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit over two nights, October 30 and 31, 1968, and released in February 1969, by Elektra Records.
The album peaked at ...
", MC5 guitarist
Wayne Kramer
Wayne Stanley Kramer (''né'' Kambes; April 30, 1948 – February 2, 2024) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, and Film score, film and television composer. Kramer came to prominence in the 1960s as the lead guitarist of t ...
teamed up with guitarists
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to internatio ...
and
Gilby Clarke
Gilbert J. Clarke (born August 17, 1962) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is known for having a three-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your ...
to re-record the song using the original voice track of
Rob Tyner
Robert W. Derminer (December 12, 1944 – September 18, 1991), known as Rob Tyner, was an American musician best known as the lead singer for the Detroit proto-punk band MC5. His adopted surname was in tribute to the jazz pianist McCoy Tyner. ...
, who had died in 1991.
*In 2010, re-recorded vocal stems of
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the fir ...
were used in the game
Rockband 2. The main vocal lead adds echo and includes less of the original vocals, such as the 'heh' in the
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
"It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" is a song by American Rock music, rock band R.E.M., which first appeared on their 1987 album, ''Document (album), Document''. It was released as the album's second music single, single ...
vocal stem.
*In 2010, the British group
Squeeze re-recorded a selection of their singles which were originally released between 1978 and 1993. The resulting album title,
Spot the Difference
Spot the difference is a type of puzzle where players must find a set number of differences between two otherwise similar images.
Description
Spot the difference games are found in various media including activity books for children, newspap ...
, suggests a comparison to the original recordings. Squeeze co-founder
Glenn Tilbrook
Glenn Martin Tilbrook (born 31 August 1957, in Woolwich, London) is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is the lead singer and guitarist of the English new wave band Squeeze, a band formed in the mid-1970s who broke through in th ...
co-produced the new recordings using equipment he had saved from the originals. Former Squeeze member
Paul Carrack
Paul Melvyn Carrack (born 22 April 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter and composer who has recorded as both a solo artist and as a member of several popular bands. The BBC dubbed Carrack "The Man with the Golden Voice", while '' ...
returned to sing
"Tempted" for the project.
*After changing their name from Peterpan in 2012,
Noah
Noah (; , also Noach) appears as the last of the Antediluvian Patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5–9), the Quran and Baháʼí literature, ...
re-recorded most of their songs from the Peterpan era with the exception of songs written by former members, naming the project "Second Chance" and citing several reasons: wanting their old song to be released under Noah name, a desire to improve the recordings since some songs were not recorded the way they wished, and in order to properly adapt their old songs to digital format. The first album from the project, ''
Second Chance'', was released in 2014 and contained re-recordings of songs from Peterpan's albums ''
Alexandria
Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
'' and ''
Sebuah Nama, Sebuah Cerita''.
The re-recorded version of Peterpan's albums ''
Taman Langit
''Taman Langit'' is the first studio album by the Indonesian band Peterpan. The album was released on January 6, 2003, through Musica Studios and has sold over 850,000 copies in Indonesia.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Ariel, except f ...
'', ''
Bintang di Surga
''Bintang di Surga'' is the second studio album by Indonesian alternative rock band Peterpan. ''Rolling Stone Indonesia'' magazine ranked the album #116 on "The 150 Greatest Indonesian Albums of All Time" list., A song from this album, "Kukatakan ...
'', and ''
Hari yang Cerah
Hari Yang Cerah... is Peterpan's fourth album. The highly anticipated album was released on May 25, 2007. This was their first album without their former members, Andika (Andika Naliputra Wirahardja) and Indra. So far it has four hit singles. (Me ...
'' was planned to be released in 2015,
[ but the release got delayed until December 2021–February 2022.
*]Namie Amuro
Namie Amuro ( ; ; born September 20, 1977) is a retired Japanese singer. She rose to prominence as a Japanese idol, teen idol, and transitioned into a leading Pop music, pop artist due to her versatility across music styles and visual presentatio ...
re-recorded 39 singles for her 2017 compilation album ''Finally'' before retiring from the music industry.
*In 2018, JoJo re-recorded her Blackground Records
Blackground Records 2.0 (legal name Blackground Records, LLC, formerly known as Blackground Records, also known as Blackground Entertainment) is an American record label founded and owned by Jomo and Barry Hankerson. Initially named Blackground ...
albums because of a dispute with the label, which involved her first two albums being withheld from streaming and digital services. However, in 2021, her original catalog has been made available after the revival of the label.
*Car Seat Headrest
Car Seat Headrest is an American indie rock band formed in Leesburg, Virginia, and currently located in Seattle, Seattle, Washington. The band consists of Will Toledo (vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizers), Ethan Ives (guitar, bass, backing voca ...
's 2018 album ''Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)
''Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)'' is the eleventh album by American indie rock band Car Seat Headrest, released on February 16, 2018 through Matador Records. It is a complete full band studio Re-recording (music), re-recording and reworking of the ...
'' is a re-recording of 2011's '' Twin Fantasy''. The 2018 version is a full band recording in a studio, with updated production. The latter was subtitled (Mirror to Mirror) after the former's release.
*American duo Aly & AJ
Aly & AJ is an American pop rock duo consisting of sisters Aly Michalka, Alyson "Aly" Michalka (born 1989) and AJ Michalka, Amanda Joy "AJ" Michalka (born 1991) from Torrance, California. They signed with Hollywood Records and in 2005, they rele ...
have re-recorded three songs from their albums with Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by the Disney Music Group which focuses on pop, rock, alternative, hip hop and country genres, also specializing in recordings for a more mature audience not suitable for the flagship Wal ...
, including an explicit
Explicit refers to something that is specific, clear, or detailed. It can also mean:
* Explicit knowledge, knowledge that can be readily articulated, codified and transmitted to others
* Explicit (text), the final words of a text; contrast with inc ...
version of their 2007 single "Potential Breakup Song
"Potential Breakup Song" is a song co-written and performed by pop rock duo Aly & AJ and is the first single from their third studio album, '' Insomniatic''. It was released on June 26, 2007, going on to top many video countdowns, and becoming ...
" after widespread use on TikTok
TikTok, known in mainland China and Hong Kong as Douyin (), is a social media and Short-form content, short-form online video platform owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which may range in duration f ...
and requests by fans.
*In 2021, Paula Cole
Paula Dorothy Cole (born April 5, 1968) is an American singer and songwriter. After gaining attention for her performances as a vocalist on Peter Gabriel's 1993–1994 Secret World Tour, she released her first album, '' Harbinger'', which suffe ...
re-recorded her 1997 single "I Don't Want to Wait
"I Don't Want to Wait" is a song written, recorded, and produced by American singer-songwriter Paula Cole. Cole wrote the song in mid-1996 and released it as second single from her second studio album, '' This Fire'' (1996), on October 14, 199 ...
", popular for being the broadcast theme of the television series ''Dawson's Creek
''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. It aired from January 20, 19 ...
'', due to licensing issues that had prevented the song from being used on DVD and streaming services.
*In 2022, American group Echosmith
Echosmith is an American indie pop band formed in February 2006 in Chino, California. Originally formed as a quartet of siblings, the band currently consists of Sydney, Noah, and Graham Sierota, following the departure of eldest sibling Jamie in ...
re-recorded their 2013 hit " Cool Kids" after the song's resurgence on TikTok
TikTok, known in mainland China and Hong Kong as Douyin (), is a social media and Short-form content, short-form online video platform owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which may range in duration f ...
. The song, titled "Cool Kids (our version)" includes a new bridge and an indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
style.
* In 2022, R&B singer-songwriter Ashanti had plans to re-record her debut eponymous album after twenty years, following contractual conflicts over master and publishing rights with her record label and/or Irv Gotti.
* In 2022, Australian christian worship band Planetshakers
Planetshakers is a contemporary worship music band, a central part of Planetshakers Church in Melbourne, Australia.
With over 30 albums, the band toured annually to the US, UK, Europe, South Africa, Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealan ...
released a new popular song " Nothing Is Impossible" was re-recorded during a sold-out concert on September 8-11, 2022 in Manila
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
and Pasay
Pasay, officially the City of Pasay (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 Philippine census, 2020 census, it has a ...
, Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
.
Re-recording and historical preservation
Re-recording of music is useful in understanding how sounds and recordings from the past have influenced history and can also be a way to preserve history. Early sound recordings can be traced back to 1888 in England, highlighting the historical trajectory of recordings and scope available for preservation.[Welch, W. (1968). Recorded Music and Re-Recording Processes. ''The American Archivist'', 31(4), 379-383.] Due to the fragile nature of sound recordings, especially in the past on vinyl and tapes, historical artefacts have been lost including voice recordings of Emperor Franz Josef. Re-recording of music can help in aiding the reproduction of lost voice recordings and music, with many universities using the latest technology to try and preserve history from remnants that are left. Technological advances have enabled sound specialists to draw larger quantities of sounds from old recordings as time passes, making it possible for sounds to be heard that have never been heard before. Recordings from the past can also be improved thanks to re-recording of music, allowing sound specialists the chance to reduce background noise or noise from older style microphones to enable clearer understanding of speech and tone, providing greater understanding and meaning to the recordings. The process of re-recording is therefore attributed to enabling the historic preservation of the past in sound form for future generations to study. This is useful not only in a historical context, but additionally for law enforcement and legal fields where evidence is needed.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
in the United States is an example of an institution that is working to ensure that sound recordings, such as those with historical significance such as Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights movement from 1955 until his a ...
's "I Have a Dream
"I Have a Dream" is a Public speaking, public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist and Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In the speech, Kin ...
" speech are preserved for generations to listen to in the future. A department is in place at the library dedicated to the historical preservation of audio recordings and it has been working for decades. However, a problem that historians at the library cite is that often these recordings can be very old, and it is time critical that they be preserved before they are lost due to heat exposure or breakage from not being handled properly. The library is able to get past these problems and preserve them for future generations by digitising their collection, which preserves the audio if the original is lost and it allows for wider accessibility of the audio. The library is acquiring around 50,000 to 100,000 new audio sources for preservation from the general public each calendar year whilst it is only able to preserve and upload to the digital collection around 15,000 per year. The library staff are having to make sure that the rest are placed in environments that are able to conserve and slow down the deterioration of the original audio sources until they can digitise them, however many have been lost such as historical radio recordings that were dubbed an important piece of society's "sociocultural heritage".
See also
* Remix
A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...
* Remake
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...
* Cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
* Sampling (music)
In sound and music, sampling is the reuse of a portion (or sample) of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may comprise elements such as rhythm, melody, speech, or sound effects. A sample might comprise only a fragment of sound, or a l ...
References
{{Reflist
Music industry
Recorded music