An Elusive Tune Found

For nearly two decades, a passionate community of music enthusiasts dedicated their time and effort to uncovering a single elusive song known as "The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet." Just recently, on Monday, they announced the thrilling news that they have successfully identified the long-sought track.

The song, now confirmed to be "Subways of Your Mind" by FEX, was previously shrouded in mystery for an astonishing 17 years. Recorded off the German radio station NDR during the early 1980s, it remained an enigma until 2007 when it was digitized and shared across various platforms like Usenet newsgroups and music forums, prompting an internet-wide quest for its origins.

The Evolution of the Search

A 2019 article from Rolling Stone highlighted how the song's mysterious nature and nostalgic appeal helped forge a dedicated community of music lovers and amateur sleuths. This online group witnessed its own evolution, as conversations migrated from YouTube to Reddit, and eventually to Discord. Interest peaked when they interacted with Paul Baskerville, the DJ who originally played the song, yet he was unable to identify it from his extensive collection of over 10,000 vinyl records. Baskerville himself expressed confusion over the fuss surrounding the song, commenting, “I don’t know what all the fuss is about [...] I don’t think it’s a particularly interesting song.”

The Cultural Impact of Lostwave

The phenomenon of 'lostwave'—a term encompassing unidentified pre-internet songs—has flourished in light of this extensive search. Prior to the search for "The Most Mysterious Song," there was no dedicated niche for such tracks. However, for devoted music lovers who frequently utilize services like Genius and Shazam, the existence of an unidentified song represents not just a frustrating puzzle but a doorway into an undisturbed era of musical culture.

“Lostwave searches promote community collaboration and participation beyond the scope of digital platforms,” explains Josh Chapdelaine, a media studies professor at Queens College. “They provide people a chance to contribute to investigations that anyone with a critical approach can advance.” This illustrates a unique aspect of internet culture, where individuals unite to explore and celebrate obscure musical treasures, and now the community faces a new question: what does it mean to find lost media?

The search for "The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet" has not only resolved a long-standing mystery but has also sparked discussions about the significance of lost music in our digital age.

This article was originally reported by Wired.