You’ve seen TikTok or Instagram reels of sped-up or slowed-down songs, and new mixes of popular titles that end up getting millions of views. But despite that virality, the original artist never ends up getting paid. Deezer is trying to change things with its new Remix Lab. It’s a new in-app feature that lets fans remix songs with the explicit consent of artists and rights holders. The feature is launching first in France through Deezer Club, with the company saying it could expand to other countries in the coming months.
A remix toy with rules
According to Deezer, Remix Lab lets users find remix contests through Deezer Club or select artist pages. After this, fans can tweak participating tracks using built-in tools. Simple changes include things like adjusting speed or adding reverb, while more elaborate options can alter genre and style.
You can even stream these remixes, add them to playlists, and share them like regular tracks inside Deezer. Contest winners will be announced in early September, with winning remixes featured in a dedicated Deezer playlist. Winners also get two tickets to a Deezer Purple Door event and artist merchandise. The first wave includes select tracks from artists such as Céline Dion, Tiakola, Alonzo, Ronisia, Mosimann, Zaho, and Alain Souchon.
Artists still get paid
Every remix is created with artist approval, streams are attributed to the original work, and artists are compensated for every listen. Remix Lab a very different play from the AI-remix direction other streaming platforms are exploring. YouTube has tested AI remix tools, while Spotify has been working with Universal Music Group on AI-generated covers and remixes from participating artists. Deezer, meanwhile, has spent months positioning itself as one of the louder anti-AI-slop voices in music streaming.
The company has already said AI-generated music makes up a huge chunk of daily uploads on its platform, and it has launched tools to detect AI tracks in playlists.