Boulevard of Broken Songs
A viral mash-up blending Green Day, Oasis, Travis, and Eminem.
"Boulevard of Broken Songs" (also known as "Wonderwall of Broken Songs" or "Wonderwall of Broken Dreams") is a mash-up mixed by American DJ and producer Party Ben in late 2004. The track combines elements from Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," Oasis's "Wonderwall," Travis's "Writing to Reach You," and Eminem's "Sing for the Moment" (which itself samples Aerosmith's "Dream On"). It gained widespread radio airplay without an official release and became one of the most-played tracks on hundreds of stations in 2004 and 2005.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Dean Gray (Party Ben)
- Album
- American Edit
- Released
- Late 2004
- Genre
- Mashup / alternative rock / Britpop / hard rock / rap rock
- Length
- 4:34
- Writer
- Billie Joe Armstrong / Mike Dirnt / Tré Cool / Noel Gallagher / Fran Healy / Eminem / Jeff Bass / Luis Resto / Steven Tyler
- Producer
- Party Ben
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Party Ben created the mash-up as the finale of his Sixx Mixx radio show on LIVE 105 on Friday, October 1, 2004. He used Eminem's "Sing for the Moment" instead of Aerosmith's original "Dream On" because he did not have the latter on hand and was on deadline. The track was posted as a standalone mp3 on his website a few days later and began receiving radio airplay, eventually airing on hundreds of stations worldwide despite having no official release.
Later versions replaced "Sing for the Moment" with Aerosmith's "Dream On." This version appeared on the compilation album The Best Mashups in the World Ever Are from San Francisco. A third version, which samples Aerosmith and vocals by Missy Elliott from a remix of Madonna's "American Life," was included on American Edit, a full-length mash-up album of American Idiot produced by Party Ben and Team9 under the name "Dean Gray" (a spoonerism of "Green Day").
Reader's Guide
The mash-up is noted as an early example of material becoming viral, with Vice highlighting its "beauty" as lying "in its universality." Party Ben reported reaching an agreement with record label executives such that all radio plays of the mash-up counted as plays of the original Green Day song, which led to that original charting a second time. The track's widespread airplay and lack of official release made it a landmark in the early 2000s mash-up culture, demonstrating how unauthorized remixes could achieve mainstream reach and influence chart performance through negotiated arrangements.
Did You Know?
- The mash-up was created because Party Ben did not have Aerosmith's 'Dream On' on hand and was on deadline for his radio show.
- It was first aired as the finale of Party Ben's Sixx Mixx show on LIVE 105 on Friday, October 1, 2004.
- A version with Missy Elliott's vocals from a Madonna remix appears on the album American Edit under the name 'Dean Gray'.
- Radio plays of the mash-up were counted as plays of Green Day's original song, helping it chart a second time.
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