Medley (music)

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In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces, played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumental. A medley which is a remixed series is called a megamix, often done with tracks for a single artist, or for popular songs from a given year or genre. "Medley" is also used colloquially to mean any song.

[edit] List of medleys

Some examples of medleys:

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness.

Revisions and sourced additions are welcome.

"Stars on 45 Medley" (1981) single by Stars on 45.
"Whole Lotta Love" was often made into a medley lasting up to 45 minutes in live shows by the band Led Zeppelin
"Beatles Movie Medley" (1982) single by The Beatles.
"My Generation" by The Who from their Album Live at Leeds (1970).
"Beach Boys Medley" (1981) single by The Beach Boys.
"Ageless Medley (EP)" (1983) by Amy Grant.
"The Grease Megamix" (1991) by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
"Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley (Free Baby)" (1988) by Will to Power.
"Purple Medley" (1995) by Prince.
"Never Too Far/Hero Medley" (2001) by Mariah Carey.
"Instrumedley" (2002) by Dream Theater from their live album Live at Budokan.
"Medley" (2003) by Five Iron Frenzy from their live album The End Is Here.
"HELL-O Medley" (2006) by GWAR from their From the Bloodbath and Beyond.
"Weird Al" Yankovic has had a medley played as a polka on every album except his debut, Even Worse and Alapalooza. Most often, Yankovic's polka medleys feature snippets of hit songs that are popular at the time he records an album, though he sometimes chooses songs of a similar genre (and in one case, different songs recorded by a single group) for a themed medley.
- "Polkas on 45" (1984) from his album In 3-D.
- "Hooked on Polkas" (1985) from his album Dare to be Stupid.
- "Polka Party!" (1986) from his album Polka Party!.
- "The Hot Rocks Polka" (1989), a medley of The Rolling Stones songs, from his album UHF.
- "Polka Your Eyes Out" (1992) from his album Off the Deep End.
- "The Alternative Polka" (1996) from his album Bad Hair Day.
- "Polka Power" (1999) from his album Running With Scissors.
- "Angry White Boy Polka" (2003) from his album Poodle Hat.
- "Polkarama!" (2006) from his album Straight Outta Lynwood.
"The Queen Is Dead" by The Smiths

Dream Theater frequently performs medleys of other bands live. In various medleys, Dream Theater has covered works by Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Journey, Elton John, Queen, Kansas, and Dixie Dregs, occasionally using some of their own work to smooth the transition between bands.

In 2003, Sum 41 did a medley of Metallica songs at MTV Icon Metallica.

Metallica did a medley of Mercyful Fate songs on their album Garage Inc.

Metallica did a medley of "A National Acrobat" and "Sabbra Cadabra" of Black Sabbath on their 1998 covers album Garage Inc.

The Japanese website Nico Nico Douga does a medley of anime songs.

Metallica did a medley of "Orion", "To Live Is to Die", and "The Call of Ktulu" (all composed primarily by late bassist Cliff Burton) at a 1993 concert. These were all songs that were rarely or never played live.

The famous side-two medley on Abbey Road (1969) by The Beatles.

Black Sabbath performed a medley on their album Past Lives, consisting of "Wicked World", "Supernaut", "Sometimes I'm Happy", and "Into the Void", along with a guitar and drum solo.

Rage & Prague Symphonic Orchestra - Medley - Don`t Fear The Winter (instrumental), Black In Mind, Firestorm (instrumental), Send By The Devil, Lost In The Ice (instrumental)