The New York City subway is known for many things: its colorful branding, its iconic subway cars, and its vibrant rat population. But one thing it’s not known for is its reliability—and now people are making music about it.
It all started with a video from a woman who, while waiting on the platform for the train to arrive, heard a glitch in the subway’s loud PA announcements. The user, who goes by the handle @meganesc, then turned to TikTok to share the sound, asking followers to use the glitch as a sample.
“Can someone use this subway announcement glitch as a looped sample in an amazing song. I have a vision but no means to execute,” the text on the video says. The caption adds, “Need a DJ or someone with Ableton to hop in here.”
The glitch in question sounds like—according to commenters on the TikTok video—the phrases “cat loaf” or “stack low” repeated over and over in a high pitch, which others agree sounds like a music sample with ripe potential.
“Lmao I heard it yesterday & was like who gon make a beat,” a user commented on the original video. Another added, “algorithm, please bring me to the remix when it drops.”
Social media quickly obliged, with a flurry of remixes flooding TikTok.
In one, music producer and composer So Wylie remixed the sound on a loop with bass drops in the background.
Shahab Moradi’s remix took it further, adding electronic drops and editing the original user’s face with AI, creating a video of aliens dancing in the subway beside her.
One speedy producer who goes by Zhod even got the song on Spotify.
While not all the remixes went viral, some did reach a large audience. Take the user Mortal Passenger, whose remix brought in 10,000 views.
“Her vision, your means to make it happen,” a user commented, referencing the original user’s caption.
The trend became a space for those interested in music to interact with one another.
“Great job! I tried making a beat with the same sample logic,” Mortal Passenger wrote on one user’s posted remix.
But for those without the music capabilities to remix the sample, the original sound bite served as a sort of reflection.
“Music is everywhere if you choose to listen,” the original user said in the caption. Another user replied: “The fact that you heard this and knew it was art worthy says a lot.”