Top 10 Best Glee Mashups
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’ll be looking through the many times that “Glee” decided to spice things up by mashing two songs together. We’ll occasionally be referencing plot details, so consider this your spoiler alert!
#10: “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”/“One Way or Another”
“Mash Off”
With the Glee club split into the New Directions and The Troubletones for much of season 3, mashups became a battleground for the music-loving teens. The rivalry was particularly strong between Finn and Santana, leading to a dodgeball competition coupled with the music of Pat Benatar and Blondie. These songs mesh well together with opposing lyrics; for each “hit me with your best shot” there’s an “I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha”, which makes for a fun juxtaposition. Santana's voice is a particular highlight, fitting perfectly with the original husky tone of Blondie's Debbie Harry.
#9: “It’s My Life”/“Confessions Part II”
“Vitamin D”
The first ever mashup-focused episode comes in season one, with Mr. Schuester dividing the Glee club into two teams - boys vs girls. What follows is one of the show’s many unhinged plot points, with Will’s wife Terri providing the students with performance-enhancing substances. The boys then give an incredibly overly energetic performance, much to the astonishment of the girls. Mike Chang also reveals his skills in his first-ever dance solo. The enthusiasm coupled with this being the very first New Directions mashup earns it a spot on the list.
#8: “Bye Bye Bye”/“I Want It That Way”
“Feud”
It’s pretty surprising that it took Glee until season 4 to give us a fusion performance with songs from these renowned ‘90s boy bands. And what better way to tie it into the plot than through the rivalry between Mr. Schuester and Finn? Having started the season as best friends, with Finn preparing to be Will’s best man, the pair began an almighty feud when Finn kissed Emma. In classic Glee fashion, they duke it out through music, giving us boy band vocals, costumes, choreography and even the screaming fans.
#7: “Any Way You Want It”/“Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’”
“Journey to Regionals”
The final episode of season one had to go out with a bang, and that’s exactly what it did. We come full circle, with the first episode’s iconic “Don’t Stop Believin’” inspiring a Journey medley for the New Directions’ first Regionals performance. After a season of ups and downs, this the New Directions giving us their all. The audience is on their feet not even a minute in and it’s easy to see why. From strong vocal performances from Rachel, Finn, Puck and Mercedes, to joyful and energetic choreography, it’s hard to believe the New Directions only came third in this competition.
#6: “Start Me Up”/“Livin’ on a Prayer”
“Never Been Kissed”
Season two gives us the second ‘boys vs girls’ mashup competition, this time with each team having to perform songs traditionally sung by the opposite gender. While the boys give a good performance, it’s the girls who blow us away through a rock mashup. When it comes to effort, they’re far more than ‘halfway there,’ with a powerful entrance, iconic black leather outfits and some truly wild hairography. As if that weren’t enough, we also get two of the strongest singers taking the lead in the form of Rachel and Mercedes.
#5: “Thriller”/“Heads Will Roll”
“The Sue Sylvester Shuffle”
The perfect soundtrack for any Halloween party, this performance took its theme seriously and it paid off. The long term rivalry between the jocks and the glee club was a staple of the early seasons, but it seemed to finally be over when they came together for the championship football halftime show. With a pair of songs that fit perfectly together, atmospheric smoke, zombie makeup and creepy dance moves, the New Directions and the football players were so impressive that even Glee-hating Karofsky felt compelled to join in. New Directions for next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, anyone?
#4: “I Feel Pretty”/“Unpretty”
“Born This Way”
It was a rare thing in Glee to see Rachel and Quinn getting along, especially while competing for the affection of Finn, so it's no wonder this mashup is the only time in the entire show we see the pair sing a duet. But what a moment it is. Having broken her nose, Rachel considers getting hers remodeled to look like Quinn's and, as a result, we get a surprisingly tender moment between the two. You wouldn't think a ‘90s R&B hit would mix well with a Broadway staple, and yet the result is, for lack of a better word, pretty.
#3: “Singing in the Rain”/“Umbrella”
“The Substitute”
You know it's going to be a fun time when Holly Holiday is in town. Arriving at McKinley High as a substitute teacher, Gwyneth Paltrow’s character causes quite the ruckus when she temporarily runs Glee club. When Will returns, he asks for her help in adding a modern edge to the old school “Singin’ in the Rain” and she turns it into this masterpiece. With costumes inspired by both songs and a stunning set that had the cast completely drenched by the end of filming, this is certainly one of the most memorable mashups the show has ever done. While that Tom Holland “Lip Sync Battle” performance will always be iconic, never forget Glee did it first!
#2: “Survivor”/“I Will Survive”
“Hold On to Sixteen”
This is one of those mashups that makes you wonder why a remix with the two songs isn’t on every radio station. From stunning choreography to an outstanding showcase of the talents of the historically underutilized Mercedes and Santana, it's no wonder the Troubletones got a standing ovation. Splitting the Glee club in two may have been a controversial move, but this moment definitely softens the blow of that decision. Empowering, dazzling, and straight-up showstopping, this performance has it all, and it’s a crime they didn’t win the Sectionals.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“One Less Bell to Answer”/“A House Is Not a Home”, “Home”
Kristen Chenoweth Makes Everything Better
“Halo”/“Walking on Sunshine”, “Vitamin D”
The Chaos Is Impossible to Forget
“Hand In My Pocket”/“I Feel the Earth Move”, “Jagged Little Tapestry”
Because It Gave Us the Brittana Proposal!
“Anything Goes”/“Anything You Can Do”, “The Purple Piano Project”
Even Rachel & Kurt Were Blown Away
“Stop in the Name of Love”/“Free Your Mind”, “Never Been Kissed”
It Brought a Smile to Coach Beiste’s Face!
FakeOut #1: “Let’s Have a Kiki”/“Turkey Lurkey Time”
“Thanksgiving”
What could possibly be more worthy of the top spot than the most unhinged mashup of all time? Nah, we're just kidding, let's forget this moment ever happened.
#1: “Rumour Has It”/“Someone Like You”
“Mash Off”
One of Glee's most beloved storylines is Santana's coming out journey. Having always presented herself as stone cold, seeing her break down when she is outed by a political TV ad really hits hard. The emotional core of this moment continues into the mashup that immediately follows it, with Santana clearly still upset yet not letting it lessen her performance. The rest of the Troubletones can’t be ignored either, with impressive choreography and vocals. Mercedes’ voice is as powerful as ever, paying real tribute to Adele. In fact, this performance was so good that Adele herself tweeted about it.
What mashups would you have had the Glee cast perform if you were in charge? Let us know in the comments!