Remix albums: The Best, Biggest Top 5 Sellers   

 Editor Katie Watkin's  21st  August 2020 

   

The remix album is set for a massive comeback with artist and their record labels cashing in on the revival  so we take a look at some of best remix albums around.

  1- Michael Jackson – Blood On The Dance Floor: History In The Mix Released: 1997  

Eight snappy remixes and five original songs, including the title track, Blood On The Dance Floor was a big success in the UK, scoring two weeks at Number 1. It didn’t fair so well in America, where the public seemed both confused by the hybrid release and pre-occupied by controversial stories about him in the press, and stalled at 24. While its UK chart sales are 283,000, its global sales are reportedly six million, making it the most successful remix album ever   

2- Madonna – You Can Dance  Released: 1987    

Madonna first remix album set the bar for how it should be done. You Can Dance contains remixes from her first three albums (though the focus was on her self-titled 1983 debut) and a new track, Spotlight, all re-worked with the help of producer John “Jellybean” Benitez and True Blue producer Patrick Leonard. Many of the well-known tracks – including Holiday and Into The Groove – feature completely new elements, a relatively new concept at the time. You Can Dance reached Number 5 in the UK and is reportedly the second best-selling remix album of all time globally, with estimated sales of 5 million.  

 3- Beatles – Love Released: 2006     

 Produced by George Martin and his son Giles, Love remixed Beatles classics - including Eleanor Rigby, Strawberry Fields Forever and a mashup of Blackbird/Yesterday - for a Cirque du Soleil Vegas show of the same name. The collection debuted at Number 3 on the Official Albums Chart and is the UK’s biggest remix album of the last 20 years, with 864,000 chart sales.  

4- Massive Attack – No Protection Released: 1995 

 

For the most part, Massive Attack’s second album Protection – the much-anticipated follow-up to their highly influential debut Blue Lines – was well received by critics. For those who weren’t completely satisfied with it, the entire record was remixed by dub producer Mad Professor, who took the songs back to the band’s early sound. The remixes were quickly added on to the original album, sending it back into the Top 10, while its overall UK chart sales stand at 653,000.  

 5 -J To That L-O – The Remixes Released: 2002   

 Jennifer Lopez remix album was, in part, a savvy sidestep to place her in the popular US hip-hop market; featuring complete re-workings (in some cases, only the titled remained the same) of singles from her first two albums. Joining forces with Ja Rule and his Murder Inc. Records label, Jen launched the album with the Murder Remix of Ain’t It Funny, transforming the earthy latin-pop original into a sassy and strut-worthy R&B song, heavily aided by Ashanti, who provided new lyrics and backing vocals. That song, plus similar re-workings of I’m Real and I’m Gonna Be Alright, were all Top 5 hits in the UK, while the album topped out at Number 4. It’s UK tally stands at 452,000 chart sales.