Before inventing the T-Pain Effect, the Atlanta rapper/producer played a crucial role in introducing Auto-Tune into hip-hop. Soon it created a ripple effect into pop music, which had previously experienced Auto-Tune in a big way via Cher’s “Believe” in 1998. The trend simmered when Jay-Z – disturbed by the countless number of rappers jumping on the Auto-Tune bandwagon — took it upon himself to declare the trend dead via his track “D.O.A.” (“Death of Auto-Tune”) on “Blueprint 3.” It just hasn’t been the same for T-Pain’s Auto-Tune-filled career since then.
“Buy You A Drank”
T-Pain Feat. Yung Joc
It’s only fair T-Pain holds a slot on our list, after all he did revive the trend in the 2000s. T-Pain showed the world the power of Auto-Tune with his Hot 100 No. 1 “Buy You a Drank (Shawty Snappin’).”
“Bed Intruder Song”
The Gregory Brothers & Antoine Dodson
With hundreds of millions of YouTube views, it’s fair to say that behind T-Pain, Auto-Tune the Newsmay be the most well-known example of the vocal effect. The Gregory Brothers, who are behind the Auto-Tune the News series, created 2010′s biggest viral sensation by Auto-Tuning Antoine Dodson’s heated TV rant about “hiding yo’ kids, hiding yo’ wife.”
“Believe”
Cher
Long before T-Pain brought Auto-Tune “back,” Cher — the ultimate musical chameleon — had mastered it and moved on. In late 1998, her “Believe” single, which featured her oft-impersonated Auto-Tuned vocals, hit the airwaves. Soon enough, the single made its 4-week reign at No. 1 on the Hot 100, going on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time (1.8 million physical copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan).
“Love Lockdown”
Kanye West
Kanye West’s fascination with Auto-Tune was anything but subtle on his 2008 breakup album, “808s & Heartbreak.” He traded his rhymes for sung vocal parts on the electropop meets R&B release — a departure he made clear on the album’s first single, the tribal-leaning “Love Lockdown”
“Woods”
Bon Iver
On his 2009 “Blood Bank” EP, Bon Iver followed up the sweet folk jams of debut “For Emma, Forever Ago” with… Auto-Tune? Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon proved that the vocal effect is not just for rappers, creating an especially haunting effect on his track “Woods,” which, in turn, inspired a rapper (Kanye West’s “Lost in the World”).
“Lollipop”
Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne backed up partner-in-crime T-Pain and stamped his co-sign on Auto-Tune by using the software in his Hot 100 No. 1 “Lollipop.”
“Blow”
Ke$ha
Ke$ha has heralded the pop return of obvious Auto-Tune in recent years, first with her debut single “TiK Tok” and most recently with “Blow,” whose chorus would certainly falter from a lack of Auto-Tune.
“One More Time”
Daft Punk
Daft Punk’s 2000 single “One More Time” is certainly not the French DJ duo’s only foray into Auto-Tune, but it might just be their best. The tuned and compressed vocals from DJ/producer Romanthony seem an almost natural fit alongside heavy dance beats on the “Discovery” single.
“Boom Boom Pow”
The Black Eyed Peas
No surprise here, as will.i.am will try (almost) anything once. The mega-successful pop group gave a nod to Auto-Tune with the Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Boom Boom Pow.”
“Sensual Seduction”
Snoop Dogg
“Sensual Seduction” (unedited as “Sexual Eruption”) captures Snoop in a retro ’80s ‘fit, singing into a talk box. A perfect celebration to Auto-Tune.
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