mixtape
noun
mix·tape
ˈmiks-ˌtāp 
variants
or less commonly mix tape
plural mixtapes also mix tapes
1
: a noncommercial compilation of songs copied (as onto a cassette tape or a CD) from various sources
In high school, I'd be making mixtapes for friends and girls instead of doing my homework, spending hours perfecting how a Smiths song and Joy Division song and Pixies song would convey the way I feel.—
Aaron Axelsen, quoted at SFGate.com
Aaron Axelsen, quoted at SFGate.comWriters like Nick Hornby have imbued the cassette tape with considerable romance, in particular the mix tape created for a loved one. In practice, these were often recorded directly from the radio, requiring your typical suburban suitor to sit around for hours on end, waiting for the desired track to appear.—Richard Glover
Richard Glover2
: an album that is usually recorded and distributed without the involvement of a record label
The mixtape is an unofficial release. It might be tied to an imprint or a label, but it doesn't necessarily appear in stores. In fact, most of them can be purchased only on the streets, at the clubs, from the trunks of cars or from the artists themselves.—Lance Scott Walker
Lance Scott WalkerLong before rap got any radio love, mixtapes were the main form of distribution, the currency that kept everything in rotation as the culture evolved.—Sidney Madden and Rodney Carmichael
Sidney Madden and Rodney CarmichaelHigh-fidelity and laden with hits, So Far Gone had the sheen of a professional studio album, and it popularized the idea of mixtapes as low-pressure showcases for burgeoning artists.—Jonah Bromwich
Jonah BromwichExamples of mixtape in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Alphonse Pierre’s Off the Dome column covers songs, mixtapes, albums, scenes, snippets, movies, Meek Mill tweets, fashion trends—and anything else that catches his attention.
—Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 18 Apr. 2025
His 13 solo albums, five EPs, 30 or so mixtapes, and hundreds of features have earned him 187 appearances on the Billboard Hot 100.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
But after several mixtapes and a studio album, the four rappers went their separate ways in 2020.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Since 2019, Badu has opted for features on other artists' tracks and live mixtape releases, rather than a full studio album to join her catalog of five.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mixtape
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Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 18 Apr. 2025
His 13 solo albums, five EPs, 30 or so mixtapes, and hundreds of features have earned him 187 appearances on the Billboard Hot 100.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
But after several mixtapes and a studio album, the four rappers went their separate ways in 2020.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Since 2019, Badu has opted for features on other artists' tracks and live mixtape releases, rather than a full studio album to join her catalog of five.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mixtape
Cite this Entry
“Mixtape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mixtape. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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