90s Megamix

Background

I have always considered a megamix a mix of (at least two) number of songs. Some say the minimum is actually three songs. The megamix uses a common backbeat to unify the songs together. Sound samples (from noises, instruments or tv/film quotes) can be used to enhance the megamix further Megamix is often associated with club and dance music but really can be any genre. In fact, The concept of mixing songs together goes further back in time in the form of medleys. (Note, I have excluded classical music medleys or symphonies)

The first ever medley might be Little Richard's "Kansas City/Hey hey hey hey" recorded in 1955 (later covered by the Beatles)>. However, there may have been some big band medleys such Glen Miller's rendition of "Jukebox Sautrday Night" (1942).

In the 60s/70s, mixing came forward from dance hall culture in Jamaica and the megamix really came through the extended mixes for clubs in the mid 1980s. One of earliest and best known master mixers is Ben Liebrand. In 1983, he got on local dutch radio with his "In the mix" show and created his "Grandmix" series. His Grandmix was variety of hits of the year.
His remixes of singles of Bill Withers' "Lovely Day" and Jeff Wayne's "Eve of the War" were UK Top 10 hits. One of my favourite mixes Rick Astley minimix (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiyRfGOcaEE) from Grandmix 87 and INXS "Need you tonight"

In the late 80s/early 90s, there were spate of megamixes hitting the charts including:

• Mirage - Jack Mix IV (UK#8 1987)
• Hithouse - Jack to the sound of the underground (UK#14 1988)
• LA Mix - Check this out (UK#6 1988)
• (Various Artists) - BRITS 1990 (UK #2 1990)
• Latino Rave - Deep Heat 89 (UK #13 1990)
• Megabass - Time To Make The Floor Burn (UK #16 1990)
• Bomb the Bass - Beat Dis (UK#2 1988)
• Bomb the Bass - Megablast (UK#6 1988)
• S'Express - Theme from S'Express (UK#1 1988)

This cumulated (and arguably turning the megamix as a single into a novelty) in Jive Bunny topping the UK chart in three times in 1989 with their dance music megamix of old songs with "Swing the mood," "That's what I like" and "Let's Party".
At the start of the 90s, someone bright spark came up with idea of megamix medley of hits (although the first instance may have been James Brown's Payback Mix which made UK#12 in 1988). To keep the momentum of recent sucess whilst waiting for new material in between studio albums). Leading the way on that was Alexander O'Neal, Bobby Brown and Paula Abdul. Other dance acts (particularly Eurodance) followed in this to varying success.

Top 25 90's Megamixes

1. Paula Abdul 1990 Medley Mix (1990)
2. Bobby Brown Freestyle Megamix (UK#14 1990)
3. C+C Music Factory MTV Medley (1991)
4. Sash! Megamix (2000)
5. Haddaway Megamix (1993)
6. Scatman Megamix (1996)
7. BRITS 1990 Dance Medley (UK#2 1990)
8. Jock Jam (US#31 1997)
9. Corona Megamix (UK#36 1997)
10. Culture Beat Megamix (1994)
11. Snap! Megamix (UK#10 1991)
12. KLF: Stadium House Triology (1991)
13. Reel 2 Real Megamix (1994)
14. La Bouche Megamix (1995)
15. 2 Unlimited Megamix (1992)
16. Technotronic Megamix (UK#6 1990)
17. Black Box: Total Mix (UK#12 1990)
18. Venga Boys Megamix (1999)
19. Crystal Waters Megamix! (UK#39 1992)
20. Whigfield Megamix (1995)
21. Alexander O'Neal Hitmix (The Official Bootleg Megamix) (UK#19 1990)
22. Livin' Joy Megamix (1997)
23. Gloria Estefan Miami Hit Mix (UK#8 1992)
24. N-Trance Megamix (2002)
25. Prince - Purple Medley (UK#33 1995)