Top 10 Skrillex Pop Remixes

The Best New Mixes of Pop Hits

By
Bill Lamb
Bill Lamb
Bill Lamb is a music and arts writer with two decades of experience covering the world of entertainment and culture.
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Updated on 05/24/19

Skrillex, aka Sonny John Moore, is an explosive DJ and remix artist. Born in 1988, he began his music career as lead vocalist for the post-hardcore band From First To Last. However, he is achieving even greater fame as a solo artist. Skrillex has generated controversy through his efforts to take dubstep and underground dance sounds to a massive audience. The result has been attacks from purists as well as a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist in 2012. Skrillex is well known for his own original works such as "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" as well as remixing pop hits. These are 10 of his best remixes of pop songs.

01
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2011 - Benny Benassi - "Cinema" featuring Gary Go

Courtesy Ultra

The original version of "Cinema" by Grammy Award winning Italian DJ Benny Benassi is a smooth, gliding dance track that was a top 20 pop hit single in the UK. Skrillex grabs the song and initially goes in a progressive house direction before breaking things down and rebuilding them. The overall effect is something truly epic, and the remix of "Cinema" became a 2011 club favorite.

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02
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2010 - La Roux - "In For the Kill"

For the remix of La Roux's breakthrough UK single "In for the Kill," Skrillex slows things to a dream pop style initially before working in grinding dubstep sounds. The ultimate effect is a slow, sensual, sexy re-interpretation of the La Roux song.

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03
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2010 - Lady Gaga - "Alejandro"

Lady Gaga - "Alejandro" Remixes
Lady Gaga - "Alejandro" Remixes. Courtesy Interscope

Skrillex gives Lady Gaga's original version of "Alejandro" a stuttering energy injection before easing into a quieter break then propelling back into a jagged edit. The overall effect feels like Lady Gaga on a massive sugar buzz.

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04
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2010 - Bruno Mars - "Just the Way You Are"

The remix of "Just the Way You Are" is relatively conventional uptempo house. It does an outstanding job of making the ballad ready for the dance floor. The vocal breaks give a stellar showcase to the singing talents of Bruno Mars.

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05
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2011 - Avicii - "Levels"

Avicii - "Levels" Remixes
Avicii - "Levels" Remixes. Courtesy Interscope

Skrillex takes on one of the biggest dance hits of 2011 from his fellow DJ/remix artist Avicii. Bass gets boosted and pulls "Levels" out of progressive house territory into dubstep. Vocals are speeded and the overall effect is enough difference to give "Levels" new club life.

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06
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2009 - Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance"

Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance" Remixes
Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance" Remixes. Courtesy Interscope

The Skrillex remix of Lady Gaga's massive hit "Bad Romance" is a mostly straightforward interpretation. It was included on the official remix single of the song.

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07
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2010 - The All-American Rejects - "The Wind Blows"

Skrillex remixed the All-American Rejects ballad "The Wind Blows" for the Download to Donate To Haiti charity project. The mix has a lighter feel than much of his work, but it does boost the song into bright, uptempo pop territory.

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08
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2011 - Nero - "Promises"

Skrillex takes the #1 UK pop hit "Promises" from electronic dance duo Nero and strips it apart to nearly bare vocals. The beat is slowed to a midtempo grind. Although it contains gritty interludes, the overall impact is a sweeter, dreamier interpretation of "Promises."

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09
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2011 - Lady Gaga - "Born This Way (Die This Way)"

Reportedly the Skrillex disc drives in which he had stored his early work on a remix of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" were stolen and then the contents were leaked. Although not finished, what is here is quite powerful and only indicates what could have been done with the landmark song.

10
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2011 - SebastiAn - "Love In Motion" featuring Mayer Hawthorne

The original "Love In Motion" from French electronic artist SebastiAn thumps along to a pounding beat. Skrillex applies a glowing sunrise effect to the opening while also including his trademark dubstep effects although with a lighter touch. Mayer Hawthorne's vocals are given more room to shine than on the original recording.

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