Ernest Kohl's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING – THE REMIXES Hits #1 on Radio
The collection also earned airplay on Musical Theatre Radio and Matt Williams' Synthpop Symphony broadcast.
Ernest Kohl's latest release, 'THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING – THE REMIXES,' is quickly proving that a great song can find an entirely new life on radio and the dance floor.
Released worldwide July 10, 2026 by EMG/Universal Music Group Inc., the 35-remix full-length maxi-single has already generated significant momentum across the international dance music landscape.
The release has scored two #1 positions on NRG Radio FM, establishing an immediate radio impact for the new remix collection.
That momentum was evident almost immediately on the DJ side as well. Remixes from the collection began appearing on Masspool within 48 hours of their release, and by August 13, 2026, 21 of the 35 remixes were being featured on Masspool's 'Top 50 Dance' and 'Top 50 Mainstream' charts.
The project has continued to build momentum on other professional DJ platforms. The Fabio Ricci Extended Remix has landed on Digital DJ Pool's 'Top 50' chart for August, while the release is also being featured in the September mainstream club edition of PROMO ONLY, a major international music promotion service serving DJs, radio programmers and music professionals.
The release has also maintained a strong connection to its theatrical roots through Musical Theatre Radio, where 'THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING – THE REMIXES' has been featured on the station's Saturday Night Party every weekend since its release.
On August 11, Musical Theatre Radio presented a special Premiere Party dedicated to the remix collection, giving the release an additional spotlight with the station's audience.
Internationally, the release has received feature attention from stations including Radio Stad Den Haag and Trend Radio FM.
The project has also received featured airplay on DJ Matt Williams' 'Synthpop Symphony,' an internationally syndicated radio program heard on 70+ stations across more than 40 countries worldwide. The feature further expands the release's presence within the global synthpop, Hi-NRG and electronic music community.
Taken together, the response spans a broad section of the music industry—from mainstream dance radio and DJ charts to club promotion, musical-theatre programming and internationally syndicated genre radio.
A Song Revisited
At the center of it all is a song Kohl first recorded more than two decades ago.
Originally released in 1999 on Kohl's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING album and later issued as a limited double A-sided vinyl release on Unidisc Records, the composition has now been completely reimagined through 35 new remix interpretations.
The collection moves across Hi-NRG, EDM, Dance, Pop, House, Trance, Nu-Disco, Circuit, Eurodance, Progressive House and other club-oriented styles, allowing the song to reach contemporary audiences while retaining the emotional core of the original.
Kohl produced the project with international award-winning Billboard recording artist and producer Steve Skinner, whose credits include work with Bette Midler, Celine Dion and Chaka Khan, as well as serving as the original Broadway arranger of Rent. The song was written by Ernest Kohl and Jean McClain.
For Kohl, revisiting the composition offered an opportunity to look at the song from an entirely different point in his artistic life.
'When I first recorded 'THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING,' I was at a very different place in my life. Today I approach it with a deeper understanding, a broader perspective, and a renewed appreciation for its message.'
That message remains at the heart of the new release.
'As often when simple words cannot reach us, the great power of music can. When Words Fail, Music Speaks.'
The sentiment is particularly fitting for a song that has traveled from its original 1999 recording to a 2026 collection designed for radio, DJs, clubs and streaming audiences.
35 New Interpretations
The remix team includes Fabio Ricci, Ian Coleen, Steve Franklin, JTV, Samus Jay, DJ Sies, Miky Studio, Ultra, Cliff Motko, DJ Minino, DJ Moracl, DGA, Stephen L., Kyler Dayne & Matt Karris, as well as Steve Skinner and Ernest Kohl.
The 35-track collection includes radio edits, extended mixes, airwave versions, vocal dubs, circuit interpretations and club-focused productions, giving DJs and programmers an unusually broad selection of versions from which to choose.
The release is also part of Kohl's larger DISCOFIED Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 project, but 'THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING – THE REMIXES' has clearly established a momentum of its own.
With its growing presence across radio, DJ charts, club promotion and international programming, the remix project continues to demonstrate the lasting power of Kohl's composition—and the ability of a classic song to find a new audience through a fresh musical vision.
For a composition first introduced more than 25 years ago, its current trajectory is a striking reminder that a great song can transcend its original era.
And in 2026, Ernest Kohl is giving 'THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING' a very big one.
