plunderphonics
what it is
Plunderphonics is a term coined by composer John Oswald in 1985 in his essay Plunderphonics, or Audio Piracy as a Compositional Prerogative. It has since been applied to any music made by taking one or more existing audio recordings and altering them in some way to make a new composition. There is no attempt to disguise the fact that the sounds making up the composition have been "borrowed" in this way, and sometimes the sounds may be taken from very familiar sources.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make plunderphonics a playlist
turn these 21 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is plunderphonics?
Plunderphonics is a term coined by composer John Oswald in 1985 in his essay Plunderphonics, or Audio Piracy as a Compositional Prerogative. It has since been applied to any music made by taking one or more existing audio recordings and altering them in some way to make a new composition. There is no attempt to disguise the fact that the sounds making up the composition have been "borrowed" in this way, and sometimes the sounds may be taken from very familiar sources.
What are good plunderphonics albums to start with?
Try Since I Left You by The Avalanches, DREAMCAST SUMMER SONGS by Devon Hendryx, NONE OF THIS IS REAL by DJ Rozwell, and Floral Shoppe by Macintosh Plus.
Who are some women making plunderphonics?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/plunderphonics/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making plunderphonics, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20