Assessing the Impact of Sampling, Remixes, and Covers on Original Song Popularity

TL;DR

This study investigates how sampling, remixes, and covers influence the popularity of original songs, revealing that such borrowings can causally boost interest and potentially support fairer compensation in the music industry.

Contribution

It introduces a novel empirical analysis using RDD and Granger Causality to quantify the impact of musical borrowings on original song popularity.

Findings

Borrowings can causally increase original song popularity.

Remixes and covers revive interest in older tracks.

Economic implications for fairer compensation in music.

Abstract

Music digitalization has introduced new forms of composition known as "musical borrowings", where composers use elements of existing songs -- such as melodies, lyrics, or beats -- to create new songs. Using Who Sampled data and Google Trends, we examine how the popularity of a borrowing song affects the original. Employing Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) for short-term effects and Granger Causality for long-term impacts, we find evidence of causal popularity boosts in some cases. Borrowee songs can revive interest in older tracks, underscoring economic dynamics that may support fairer compensation in the music industry.