Sped-up songs are a trend right now. People love fast songs so much that Spotify has a playlist devoted solely to “150%” fast songs. Why though? Who knows – trends come and go because something in the zeitgeist bubbles up. But the fact is, listeners want sped-up songs right now. So what does this mean for you, an indie artist?
Why a Sped-Up Song Can Benefit You
The sped-up version of your song acts kind of like a remix. It’s a new take on a song your fans are already familiar with. This is one reason people like live concerts – they can hear slightly different versions of songs they already know and love.
Also, the sped-up version can drive listeners back to the original studio version. It can act as a reminder to current fans to revisit the original. And if someone discovers you through the sped-up version, their curiosity will probably lead them to the original.
Many times, the fast version of a song is more popular with fans than the original recording. For example, the indie artist kurffew has been releasing the “haste” versions of every new song. And his top two most streamed songs are sped-up versions.
Plus, creating a sped-up version of your song is super easy (more on the below). So it’s a simple way to re-engage your fans and hook new listeners.
Which of Your Songs Should You Speed Up?
There are a couple of ways to choose which of your songs to speed up…
You could simply release a sped-up version of your most popular song. It’s the song most of your fans already know, so there’s a bigger target audience for the sped-up version. I did this and, although it has definitely now blown up, current fans have been enjoying it and sharing it on social media.
Another option is to find one of your slower songs, regardless of its streaming performance, and speed it up. Because it’s faster, listeners may enjoy it more. And again, it could drive people to the original version.
How To Speed Up Your Song
Speeding up your song is super easy…
- Drop the final master of your song into your digital audio workstation (DAW)
- Increase the Playback Rate to your liking (sped-up songs are usually 25-50% faster)
- Bounce the track
- Distribute it using the same song title and list the track version as “Fast,” “Sped Up,” or similar terminology of your choosing
- Promote the release like you would a new song
And that’s it. It’s fun. Listeners like it. And it’s easy to do. Might as well give it a shot!