Great Big Story

The Most Sampled Loop in Music History


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What do David Bowie, NWA, and the theme song to Futurama all have in common? They’ve all used the Amen break, a four-bar drum solo that has become the most sampled loop in recorded music. The six second sample originates from the 1969 song “Amen, Brother” by a band called The Winstons. For years, the solo was buried deep in the musical archives, until hip-hop pioneer “Breakbeat Lou” Flores and his partner featured it on their compilation, “Ultimate Breaks and Beats.” Once producers caught wind of the solo, it took off and changed the course of music history.

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Great Big StoryBy CNN Podcasts

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