Nate Harrison's 2004 video history of the Amen Break, a six-second drum sample from a 1969 b-side that became the basis of hip-hop sampling, jungle and drum and bass. It is also a meditation on cultural ownership and creativity.
Why Hacker News points people here: A perennial HN recommendation, brought up whenever sampling, copyright or music history comes up, often described as a must-watch.
“this is an excellent 20-minute video about the history of the Amen Break”HN comment, 2013
“If you've got 20 minutes, I can't suggest this video enough for everyone”
Shows Amen Break used everywhere without royalties
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I wish you the best of luck Mdotstrange (if you didn't see it, he posted in this thread claiming BFM actively claimed copyright over the sound of wind.) Yes, piracy and copyright infringement is rampant, but by both individuals and corporations. A great example is the Amen Break. If you've got 20 minutes, I can't suggest this video enough for everyone: this video It's in everything from old hip hop, to Oasis' "D'You Know What I Mean?" to the original Futurama theme song! And all used with, according to the creators, absolutely zero royalties. (And they're fine with it, having been told. They get it.)
Strongly recommendsjoezydecoApr 2013
“this is an excellent 20-minute video about the history of the Amen Break”
Excellent 20-minute history of Amen Break and sampling
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If you want to go farther down the rabbit hole, this is an excellent 20-minute video about the history of the Amen Break, the "six-second clip that spawned several entire subcultures" and the rise of sampling: this video
Strongly recommendsjmarinJun 2014
“I highly recommend this video on the Amen break”
Thoughts on copyright and culture via Amen break
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For anyone interested in more thoughts on copyright and (the killing of) culture, I highly recommend this video on the Amen break: this video Additionally, this comic is informative and fun: link
Strongly recommendsDiabloD3May 2015
“here is the most important documentary ever done”
Introduces the Amen Break
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For those who don't know what the Amen Break is, here is the most important documentary ever done: this video
Strongly recommendsjsmthrowawayMay 2015
“there's a wonderful video explaining the Amen Break that I suggest everybody watch at least once”
Wonderful explanation of the Amen Break
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The TR-808 is up there with samplers and the Amen Break in terms of defining modern music. If you have twenty minutes, there's a wonderful video explaining the Amen Break that I suggest everybody watch at least once: this video
Strongly recommendsatlanta90210Sep 2023
“17 Years ago this audio/video explained it all.”
Explained it all with audio examples from a record
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17 Years ago this audio/video explained it all. Props to the artist Landon for laying down the audio to a record and playing the audio (with examples) from the record. 6.8 millions views - the Winstons will never be forgotten. this video
Strongly recommendssecuringsincityApr 2025
“This is my favorite video on the Amen break”
History and context of the Amen break
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This is my favorite video on the Amen break from about 20 years ago that explains the history and more of the context this video
Strongly recommendsfred_is_fredApr 2026
“Here's the video to watch on the history of the Amen Break.”
In-depth history of the Amen Break
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Here's the video to watch on the history of the Amen Break. It's very in-depth and I highly recommend it. I just noticed it's 20 years old too! this video
RecommendsRyanMcGrealAug 2011
“My favourite is the story of "Amen Brother”
Story of a b-side break that spawned genres
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My favourite is the story of "Amen Brother", a forgettable (?) b-side instrumental by sixties funk band The Winstons that just happened to feature a really sweet break beat ... which went on to spawn an entire musical genre. this video
RecommendsMiguelHudnandezJun 2012
“here is a great video explaining the prevalence of the "Amen Break" sample”
Great explanation of the Amen Break's prevalence
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For anyone with 20 minutes to spare, here is a great video explaining the prevalence of the "Amen Break" sample. this video
RecommendsgluelogicNov 2015
“This is a very informative video on the "Amen break”
Informative video on the ubiquitous Amen break
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This is a very informative video on the "Amen break" this video I am sure most readers have heard it somewhere. It really is ubiquitous.
RecommendsyklMar 2026
“here’s a now classic 18 minute documentary on the Amen Break and its origins and evolution”
Classic documentary on Amen Break origins and evolution
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If you aren’t familiar with the Amen Break, here’s a now classic 18 minute documentary on the Amen Break and its origins and evolution: this video
RecommendstlynchpinMar 2026
“great deep dive into the Amen break”
Great deep dive into the Amen break
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this video great deep dive into the Amen break. this video is from the yt days of yore, nice to see the yt algo still propping it up.
RecommendsefortuneMar 2026
“is how I learned about the Amen Break and it's immense influence on the music of the 80s and 90s”
Taught commenter about the Amen Break's influence on 80s and 90s music
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This documentary from 2004 (uploaded to YouTube in 2006(!)) is how I learned about the Amen Break and it's immense influence on the music of the 80s and 90s: this video
RecommendsbayindirhJun 2026
“here's a great documentary about this”
Great documentary about the Amen Break
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...and here's a great documentary about this: this video This is a video about Amen Break, read from a wax disc which can't survive more than 5-6 plays.
Cites itjdietrichApr 2017
Linked as background on the Amen Break's importance
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That's substantially overstating the case. The TR-808 is an iconic drum machine, but you're far more likely to hear a cut-up sample of the Amen Break or the Funky Drummer Break. The importance of the TR-808, TR-909 and TB-303 is largely accidental. These units were a commercial failure and gained cult success largely because they could be bought cheaply. In much the same way, grunge musicians tended to use whatever horrible old guitars were languishing at the back of pawn shops - Fender Jaguars and Jazzmasters, Mosrites, Teiscos and Danelectros. In my opinion, by far the most important work done by Roland was the development of the MIDI standard. Ikutaro Kakehashi and Dave Smith moved mountains to get the industry to agree on a common standard. MIDI was the starting pistol for the modern age of music production. linklinkthis video
Cites itneilharbingerAug 2018
Related to music history theft theme
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and that, in turn, reminds me of The Most Important 6 Second Drum Loop this video and Raiding the 20th Century link
Cites itkortexNov 2018
Linked to illustrate the Amen break's influence
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Speaking of Wilhelm Screams of music, the Amen break is nearly as ubiquitous as the 808 clap. It helped catalyze Hip-hop, while Rave, and then Jungle and dnb, were virtually born out of that loop as Athena was born from Zeus' skull. this video
Cites itDragonL80Mar 2023
“This is how copyright law is broken.”
Example of copyright failing artists
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This is how copyright law is broken. It offers artists next to no protection. this video Edit: it really only benefits large companies who have managed to exploit it.
Cites itzer00eyzNov 2024
Amen break video shared in jungle music discussion
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Amen! this video The very best of jungle was "UK Apache with Shy FX - Original Nuttah". It got a bit of re-release for its 25th birthday (5 years ago) with an intro by Idris Elba. link Ali G gave jungle a moment to shine: link And jungle isnt dead its just evolved a bit! Nia Archives - Off Wiv Ya Headz from last year: link Amen brother, Amen!
