Originally released in 1984 as an a cappella track on her album Solitude Standing (1987), “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega is a minimalist storytelling masterpiece. Written by Vega and produced by Steve Addabbo and Lenny Kaye, the song paints a vivid picture of mundane life in a New York diner, which later turned out to be Tom's Restaurant in Manhattan — famously used in the TV show Seinfeld. In 1990, UK producers DNA remixed the track by adding a beat, giving it a new lease on life and making it a global hit. The remix marked one of the earliest mainstream successes of sampling and remix culture.
James Brown’s “Funky Drummer”
Released in 1970, “Funky Drummer” is one of the most sampled tracks in music history. Drummer Clyde Stubblefield laid down the iconic breakbeat that became foundational in hip hop. Artists who sampled the track include Public Enemy (“Fight the Power”), N.W.A (“Fuck Tha Police”), Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, and Nas.
