The golden era of vinyl keeps spinning inside today’s clubs, studios, and streaming playlists. Modern DJs search dusty crates for catchy hooks, punchy bass, and endlessly loopable riffs. Some 70s tracks appear in remixes so often that they feel brand-new to younger audiences discovering them on TikTok or festival stages. Using public Spotify remix counts, sample-credit databases, and Beatport chart history, we ranked the 10 most remixed 70s songs that refuse to quit.
Method in brief: We combined Spotify remix totals (original + remix streams), WhoSampled sampling data, and Beatport download rankings. Higher combined scores push songs up the list.
| Rank | Song & Artist | Year | Notable Modern Remix | Combined Remix Score* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Stayin’ Alive” – Bee Gees | 1977 | N-Trance Club Mix | 9.8 |
| 2 | “Superstition” – Stevie Wonder | 1972 | Todd Terje Edit | 9.5 |
| 3 | “Le Freak” – Chic | 1978 | Oliver Helden Bootleg | 9.3 |
| 4 | “September” – Earth, Wind & Fire | 1978 | Kygo Remix | 9.1 |
| 5 | “Dreams” – Fleetwood Mac | 1977 | Deep Dish Club Edit | 8.9 |
| 6 | “Boogie Wonderland” – EWF & The Emotions | 1979 | Purple Disco Machine Edit | 8.6 |
| 7 | “I Feel Love” – Donna Summer | 1977 | Sam Smith & Disclosure Flip | 8.4 |
| 8 | “Rapper’s Delight” – Sugarhill Gang | 1979 | DJ Jazzy Jeff Bounce Mix | 8.2 |
| 9 | “Rock With You” – Michael Jackson | 1979 | Frank Booker Rework | 8.0 |
| 10 | “Dancing Queen” – ABBA | 1976 | DJ Rebel Electro Mix | 7.8 |
*Score combines streaming totals, sample counts, and DJ chart positions on a 10-point scale.
1. Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
Barry Gibb’s falsetto rides an elastic bassline that begs for loop points. N-Trance fused the chorus with Eurodance in 1995, while DJ Snake teased a trap version on TikTok in 2023. Producers love those four instant drum hits at the start, a perfect splice for transitions. The track has over 1.4 billion stream equivalents counting remixes, edits, and covers.
2. Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Clavinet riffs rarely feel this chunky. From house pioneer Todd Terje to dubstep newcomer Subtronics, everyone flips Stevie’s funky keyboard stabs. The opening drum break remains a sampling staple, appearing in tracks by Dr. Dre and the Chemical Brothers.
3. Le Freak – Chic
Producer Nile Rodgers cooked up a guitar riff so addictive that DJs tuck it under modern four-on-the-floor beats with almost no EQ tweaks needed. Oliver Heldens’ 2019 bootleg introduced the hook to Gen Z festival crowds, pushing the remix family past 400 million streams.
4. September – Earth, Wind & Fire
The “ba-de-ya” chorus instantly lights up dance floors. Kygo’s tropical-house spin soared to Spotify’s Global Top 50 in 2020, proving a forty-year-old horn line can out-chart newer hits. DJs favor instrumental loops of the song’s bridge for smooth disco edits.
5. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
A viral TikTok by Nathan Apodaca revived the original in 2020, but club jocks have floated remixes since the early 90s. Deep Dish crafted a trance edit that still sneaks into sunrise sets at Burning Man thanks to Stevie Nicks’ ethereal vocals.
6. Boogie Wonderland – Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions
Layered handclaps, a thumping bass line, and stacked disco strings form remix gold. Purple Disco Machine added chunky house drums in 2017, giving the tune a second life in Ibiza beach clubs.
7. I Feel Love – Donna Summer
Giorgio Moroder’s arpeggiated Moog synth line birthed modern electronic dance music. Sam Smith and Disclosure revamped it with fresh vocals and thick side-chain compression, returning the song to UK charts in 2020. Remixers often isolate that relentless synth pulse and add heavier kick drums.
8. Rapper’s Delight – The Sugarhill Gang
The original lifts Chic’s “Good Times” bass groove, making the track a remix of sorts from day one. DJ Jazzy Jeff’s bounce remix extends the fun to six minutes, layering extra scratches over Sugarhill’s playful verses.
9. Rock With You – Michael Jackson
Rod Temperton’s chords glide under MJ’s silk vocals, offering ample loop fodder. Frank Booker’s nu-disco refix keeps the Rhodes keys intact while beefing up percussion for lounge sets.
10. Dancing Queen – ABBA
ABBA’s piano intro lights up wedding receptions worldwide. DJ Rebel’s electro mix nudges the BPM past 120 and adds filter sweeps for festival main stages. Official remixes by ALMA and Benny Benassi ensure the royalties keep rolling.
How DJs Flip 70s Tracks
- Isolate the hook: Producers sample recognizable riffs or vocal snippets.
- Layer modern drums: Punchy kicks, side-chained bass, and trap hi-hats drive club energy.
- Time-stretch wisely: Keep original key; shifting pitch can dull nostalgia.
- Add breakdown nostalgia: Drop out new elements so the vintage sample shines.
Legal Tips for Remixers
- Seek stems on official remix contests or buy multitracks when available.
- Use sample-clearance services before commercial release.
- Register remixes with publishing agencies to ensure songwriter royalties flow.
Playlist Starter Pack
Embed or build a Spotify playlist with the original versions plus one standout remix each. Encourage listeners to compare production tricks and share favorites on socials with the tag #70sRemixChallenge.
Where to Discover Fresh Remixes
Finding new spins on the most remixed 70s songs is easier than ever if you know where to look. SoundCloud remains a gold mine for unofficial edits; use advanced search filters like “remix” plus the year “1977” to surface hidden gems. On Bandcamp, many indie producers bundle extended disco edits into low-cost EPs with high-resolution downloads. YouTube channels such as DJ Supercuts and MixTake post weekly mashup premieres and often link to free downloads in the description. For licensed versions, check Traxsource and Beatport, which tag reworks as “Nu-Disco” or “Classic Remixed.” Finally, watch TikTok hashtags like #SeventiesRemix; clips that cross a million views usually point back to a full version on streaming platforms. Rotate through these sources monthly, and your playlist stays fresh without relying on the same few radio-safe edits everyone else already has queued.
