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© Getty Images
0 / 28 Fotos
James Brown
- The self-proclaimed "hardest working man in show business" is the most sampled artist of all time, being sampled over 8,000 times.
© Getty Images
1 / 28 Fotos
Public Enemy
- The American hip-hop group have been sampled over 3,000 times.
© Getty Images
2 / 28 Fotos
Run-DMC
- Run-DMC have been sampled over 2,250 times.
© Getty Images
3 / 28 Fotos
The Notorious B.I.G.
- The late hip-hop icon has been sampled something like 2,000 times.
© Getty Images
4 / 28 Fotos
Michael Jackson
- Michael Jackson has been sampled over 1800 times in 2021.
© Getty Images
5 / 28 Fotos
Kool & the Gang
- The band have been sampled over 1,700 times. 'Summer Madness,' for instance, was sampled for 'Summertime' by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) in 1991.
© Getty Images
6 / 28 Fotos
Jay-Z
- Jay-Z is one of the youngest on this list of most sampled artists. He's been sampled over 1,600 times.
© Getty Images
7 / 28 Fotos
Nas
- New York rapper Nas has been sampled over 1,545 times.
© Getty Images
8 / 28 Fotos
N.W.A.
- Hailing from the Compton, California, the famous hip-hop group have been sampled over 1,340 times.
© Getty Images
9 / 28 Fotos
Snoop Dogg
- Snoop Dogg has been sampled almost 1,300 times.
© Getty Images
10 / 28 Fotos
Isaac Hayes
- Isaac Hayes' music has been cut up, chopped, and sampled in over 1,200 songs.
© Getty Images
11 / 28 Fotos
Beastie Boys
- The hip-hop trio have been sampled in almost 1,200 songs.
© Getty Images
12 / 28 Fotos
Big Daddy Kane
- Big Daddy Kane has been sampled almost 1,200 times.
© Getty Images
13 / 28 Fotos
Marvin Gaye
- No surprise that Marvin Gaye makes the list. He's been sampled over 1,140 times.
© Getty Images
14 / 28 Fotos
Kanye West
- Hate him or love him, Kanye West is one of the most influential musicians of the 21st century. He's also been sampled over 1,140 times.
© Getty Images
15 / 28 Fotos
LL Cool J
- The legendary LL Cool J has been sampled over 1,125 times.
© Getty Images
16 / 28 Fotos
Dr. Dre
- Dr. Dre has been sampled over 1,110 times as a solo artist.
© Getty Images
17 / 28 Fotos
Funkadelic
- This eclectic funk group have been sampled over 1,080 times.
© Getty Images
18 / 28 Fotos
The Beatles
- The Beatles aren't as prolific in this area of music as one might expect. Still, they've been sampled over 1,075 times.
© Getty Images
19 / 28 Fotos
A Tribe Called Quest
- A Tribe Called Quest have been sampled around 1,025 times.
© Getty Images
20 / 28 Fotos
Drake
- Drake is the youngest man in the top 30 people to be sampled the most. He's been sampled over 1,010 times already.
© Getty Images
21 / 28 Fotos
The Winstons
- This funky early 1960s outfit has been sampled over 5,350 times.
© Getty Images
22 / 28 Fotos
Eric B. & Rakim
- These hip-hop legends feature in over 1,875 samples. Paid in Full from 1987 was
© Getty Images
23 / 28 Fotos
Doug E. Fresh
- His track 'La Di Da Di' is one of the most sampled (and influential) tracks of all time. Elements of the song has been sampled in over 1,000 songs.
© Getty Images
24 / 28 Fotos
Bob James
- Jazz musician Bob James has been sampled over 1,400 times.
© Getty Images
25 / 28 Fotos
Bobby Byrd
- This man's soulful voice has been chopped up over 1,020 times.
© Getty Images
26 / 28 Fotos
Lyn Collins
- 'Think (About It),' originally released in 1972, has been sampled over 3,000 times. Sources: (WhoSampled)
© Getty Images
27 / 28 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 28 Fotos
James Brown
- The self-proclaimed "hardest working man in show business" is the most sampled artist of all time, being sampled over 8,000 times.
© Getty Images
1 / 28 Fotos
Public Enemy
- The American hip-hop group have been sampled over 3,000 times.
© Getty Images
2 / 28 Fotos
Run-DMC
- Run-DMC have been sampled over 2,250 times.
© Getty Images
3 / 28 Fotos
The Notorious B.I.G.
- The late hip-hop icon has been sampled something like 2,000 times.
© Getty Images
4 / 28 Fotos
Michael Jackson
- Michael Jackson has been sampled over 1800 times in 2021.
© Getty Images
5 / 28 Fotos
Kool & the Gang
- The band have been sampled over 1,700 times. 'Summer Madness,' for instance, was sampled for 'Summertime' by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) in 1991.
© Getty Images
6 / 28 Fotos
Jay-Z
- Jay-Z is one of the youngest on this list of most sampled artists. He's been sampled over 1,600 times.
© Getty Images
7 / 28 Fotos
Nas
- New York rapper Nas has been sampled over 1,545 times.
© Getty Images
8 / 28 Fotos
N.W.A.
- Hailing from the Compton, California, the famous hip-hop group have been sampled over 1,340 times.
© Getty Images
9 / 28 Fotos
Snoop Dogg
- Snoop Dogg has been sampled almost 1,300 times.
© Getty Images
10 / 28 Fotos
Isaac Hayes
- Isaac Hayes' music has been cut up, chopped, and sampled in over 1,200 songs.
© Getty Images
11 / 28 Fotos
Beastie Boys
- The hip-hop trio have been sampled in almost 1,200 songs.
© Getty Images
12 / 28 Fotos
Big Daddy Kane
- Big Daddy Kane has been sampled almost 1,200 times.
© Getty Images
13 / 28 Fotos
Marvin Gaye
- No surprise that Marvin Gaye makes the list. He's been sampled over 1,140 times.
© Getty Images
14 / 28 Fotos
Kanye West
- Hate him or love him, Kanye West is one of the most influential musicians of the 21st century. He's also been sampled over 1,140 times.
© Getty Images
15 / 28 Fotos
LL Cool J
- The legendary LL Cool J has been sampled over 1,125 times.
© Getty Images
16 / 28 Fotos
Dr. Dre
- Dr. Dre has been sampled over 1,110 times as a solo artist.
© Getty Images
17 / 28 Fotos
Funkadelic
- This eclectic funk group have been sampled over 1,080 times.
© Getty Images
18 / 28 Fotos
The Beatles
- The Beatles aren't as prolific in this area of music as one might expect. Still, they've been sampled over 1,075 times.
© Getty Images
19 / 28 Fotos
A Tribe Called Quest
- A Tribe Called Quest have been sampled around 1,025 times.
© Getty Images
20 / 28 Fotos
Drake
- Drake is the youngest man in the top 30 people to be sampled the most. He's been sampled over 1,010 times already.
© Getty Images
21 / 28 Fotos
The Winstons
- This funky early 1960s outfit has been sampled over 5,350 times.
© Getty Images
22 / 28 Fotos
Eric B. & Rakim
- These hip-hop legends feature in over 1,875 samples. Paid in Full from 1987 was
© Getty Images
23 / 28 Fotos
Doug E. Fresh
- His track 'La Di Da Di' is one of the most sampled (and influential) tracks of all time. Elements of the song has been sampled in over 1,000 songs.
© Getty Images
24 / 28 Fotos
Bob James
- Jazz musician Bob James has been sampled over 1,400 times.
© Getty Images
25 / 28 Fotos
Bobby Byrd
- This man's soulful voice has been chopped up over 1,020 times.
© Getty Images
26 / 28 Fotos
Lyn Collins
- 'Think (About It),' originally released in 1972, has been sampled over 3,000 times. Sources: (WhoSampled)
© Getty Images
27 / 28 Fotos
The most sampled musicians of all time
You've definitely heard a lot of their work
© <p>Getty Images</p>
Sampling isn't a new phenomenon in music. It's the process of taking a melody, a drum part, a rhythm, or basically any snippet of sound from one recording and putting it in another song. Usually, the snippet will be treated in some way. The pitch will be changed, or it could be slowed down or sped up so that it makes sense in its new musical context. This is huge in hip-hop music and in pop music, too.
Each time someone is sampled in another record, they receive (or should receive) a royalty on the new song, meaning they get paid. Whether we know it or not, samples are used in the music we listen to all the time. To discover the most sampled artists of all time, click through this gallery.
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