How Music’s Past is Shaping Its Future Sound

The Past is the Hook: How Sampling is Shaping Today’s Hits

In today’s digital music landscape, artists have more tools than ever to reach into the past and pull sounds into the present. Thanks to powerful production software and sampling tech, reshaping yesterday’s hits into today’s chart-toppers has never been easier — or more popular.

What is Sampling, Exactly?

Sampling is the art of taking sounds — a beat, a riff, a lyric, or even a full instrumental — from an existing track and reworking it into something new. It exploded in the 1970s and ’80s when hip-hop pioneers in New York began blending soul, funk, and disco records into their own creations. Originally a core part of hip-hop’s DNA, sampling soon spilled over into other genres. By the 1990s, over 60% of sampled songs were borrowing from beyond their own genre.

From Archive to Algorithm

Fast forward to now, and sampling isn’t just a throwback — it’s a mainstay. Many of today’s biggest hits are remixes of familiar sounds. Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” flips Dionne Warwick’s “Walk on By” into a Gen Z anthem. Shaboozey’s viral “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” borrows from J-Kwon’s 2004 party classic “Tipsy”. Both of these tracks are available to request and play through the SUBTV app — bringing the old and new together, on demand.

Sampling has even built layered musical family trees. Daft Punk’s “Harder Better Faster Stronger” is based on Edwin Birdsong’s “Cola Bottle Baby”, which was later sampled again by Kanye West on “Stronger.” Meanwhile, Beyoncé’s iconic “Who Runs the World (Girls)” drew power from Major Lazer’s “Pon De Floor” featuring Vybz Kartel — a beat that became a feminist anthem.

A Familiar Soundtrack, Reimagined

What makes sampling so powerful is its ability to spark instant recognition while still sounding fresh. It bridges eras, connects genres, and keeps musical history in constant conversation with what’s next.

So the next time you hear a new hit and think, “Wait… this sounds familiar,” you’re probably right. Whether it’s a bassline, a hook, or a nostalgic vocal, chances are it’s a sample — reworked, reimagined, and ready for a new generation.