The Trend of ‘Sped Up’ Versions: Reflecting Society Through Music
Just like life seems to move faster than ever, music does too
Many of today’s hit songs owe their popularity to the sped-up versions we hear on social media. These ‘sped up’ tunes have been around for ages, but they’ve really taken off in 2023, becoming a staple in the music industry. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are flooded with songs that sound like they’ve been fast-forwarded, reminiscent of WhatsApp voice notes played at double speed.
@karolgcanciones karol g – amargura (speed up) #karolg ♬ amargura speed up – 𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙊𝙇𝙄𝙉𝘼 ⛅️
What started as a quirky trend has now become a reflection of our fast-paced lifestyles. Our impatience extends to music as well. Instead of taking the time to enjoy a full song, we’re eager to hear the chorus right from the start. And if a song doesn’t grab us in the first minute, we’re quick to skip to the next track.
This trend mirrors our everyday lives. We’re so used to getting things instantly that we struggle to slow down and appreciate the moment. Ironically, by rushing through everything, we’re missing out on the richness and depth of the experiences around us.
Fans Were The Original Creators Of ‘Sped Up’ Versions, But Now Artists Are Taking Over
It’s no longer internet users who create ‘sped up’ versions; now it’s the artists themselves who release music in this way. They know that someone out there will speed up their music without them getting anything in return, so the game has changed, and now they’re putting out all kinds of versions of the same song themselves. We’re not satisfied anymore with just the original track and its remixes; now we’ve got sped-up versions and even extended ones, as if that wasn’t enough already.
@rivierababe #lanadelrey #stargirl #stargirlinterlude #sped #spedup ♬ original sound
It’s pretty obvious that nowadays we’re all about getting to the catchy part of a song as fast as possible so we can move on to the next track right away. That’s why singers have also become the ones who are creating their own modified versions of their songs. The latest one to jump on this trend is Ana Mena. Even though «Madrid City» came out last September, she just dropped a whole new EP with different versions of that same song.
@iamanamena MADRID CITY TREND!! @maarta_diaz Quién se anima a hacerlo??? 🌃🎹 #nuevamusica #newmusic #musicaentiktok #madridcity #fyp #parati ♬ Madrid City – Ana Mena
Blame it on TikTok?
Other artists like Tate McRae with «Greedy,» Iñigo Quintero with «Si No Estás,» Rosa Linn with «SNAP,» or Troye Sivan with «One Of Your Girls» have jumped on the bandwagon too. Why? Well, unofficial, fast-paced versions of these songs went viral on social media. So, these artists decided to release their songs in ‘sped up’ versions officially on platforms like Spotify, hoping to cash in on the trend.
It might be too early to say goodbye to songs longer than three minutes, but one thing’s for sure: there’s a real shake-up happening in the music world, all thanks to social media.
Original article in Spanish for LOS40.