What a year 2012 has been. In just 12 short months electronic dance music, especially in the United States, has grown to a size many never thought was possible. In many peoples’ eyes the DJ has all but replaced the idea of the rock star; there is no telling to what size the music and culture surrounding it will continue to grow and morph. Despite some hard to ignore problems – Paris Hilton, Justin Bieber attempting dubstep, etc – I believe the thousands of producers and DJs pouring their energy and lives into the scene more than overshadow the negatives. I’ve compiled a few top lists to highlight who I think came out on top this year, and one for what I hope will improve next year.
Top 5 Artists of 2012:
5. John Dahlback
4. A-Trak
3. Bro Safari
2. Dillon Francis
1. Wolfgang Gartner
Top 5 Electro/Big Room House tracks of 2012:
5. No Body & Deth Hertz – Ready 2 Fly
4. Sandro Silva & Quintino – Epic
3. Hard Rock Sofa – Quasar
2. TJR – Ode To Oi
1. Wolfgang Gartner – Nuke
Top 5 Bass Music Tracks of 2012:
5. 12th Planet, Skrillex, Kill The Noise – Burst ft. GMCFOSHO
4. Baauer – Yaow
3. Zeds Dead – In The Beginning
2. Caspa – You Sell Out
1. Dillon Francis – Bootleg Fireworks (Burnin’ Up)
Top 5 Remixes of 2012, Any Genre:
5. SCNDL (Aus) – Acid Monday (J-Trick Remix)
4. Nero – Must Be The Feeling (Delta Heavy Remix)
3. Felix Cartal – Tonight (Autoerotique Remix)
2. Clockwork – Hulk (Dillon Francis Remix)
1. Major Lazer & The Partysquad – Original Don (Flosstradamus Remix)
Top 5 EP’s/Albums:
5. Knife Party – Rage Valley EP
4. Jack Beats – Somebody To Love EP
3. Gemini – Mercury EP
2. Eric Prydz Presents: Pryda
1. Feed Me – Feed Me’s Escape From Electric Mountain
Honorable Mention: The M Machine – Metropolis Pt. 1
Top 5 Festivals I Attended:
5. Sunrise Festival – San Jose, CA
4. I Love This City Festival – Mountain View, CA
3. Beyond Wonderland – San Bernardino, CA
2. HARD Summer Festival – Los Angeles, CA
1. Tramps Like Us Festival – San Diego, CA
Top 5 DJ Sets I saw:
5. Moby @ Tramps Like Us Festival
4. Datsik @ Tramps Like Us Festival
3. Dirty South @ The Palladium
2. Laidback Luke – Tie – Escape From Wonderland & I Love This City
1. Wolfgang Gartner @ Tramps Like Us Festival
Top Artists to Watch in 2013:
5. Tony Romera
4. gLAdiator
3. Valentino Khan
2. Candyland
1. Deorro
Top 5 Pet Peeves of 2012:
5. DJs other than Dada Life playing Feed The Dada.
4. Gotye, System of a Down, R.E.M., Linkin Park, or any other songs that are the antithesis of dance music being mixed into a set.
3. Commercial house music’s takeover.
2. Avicii claiming EDM is becoming too corporate.
1. All of the big name DJs only playing the same hits over and over. And over. And over.
Overall Favorite Track of 2012:
Duke Dumont – The Giver
First and Last Tracks From 2012:
First – Dada Life – Happy Violence (No Body Remix)
Last – Dirt Monkey – Deeper Love
I sincerely thank you for reading Your EDM and following our website. We’ve got a lot of great stuff planned for 2013, here’s to another great year!
-Derek Dellovo