EDM artists around the world. Notable Western EDM artists.

The NightsAvicii

Avicii – The Nights

Who is the most successful artist in EDM? If we made a ranking like that, the Swedish superstar Avicii would undoubtedly land in the top three.

He brought a country music flavor into EDM, widening the genre’s appeal even further.

Yet behind that massive success, he became exhausted and retired from touring in 2016 at the young age of 27.

He created numerous hit songs, but “The Nights” is the one that encapsulates Avicii’s charm in a single track.

It’s a masterpiece that fuses lively acoustic guitar with EDM to create a distinctive sense of melancholy.

We Found Love feat RihannaCalvin Harris

Rihanna – We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris

The DJ currently regarded as the best in the world is Calvin Harris.

In fact, Forbes magazine named him the “highest-paid DJ in the world” for five consecutive years, and he reportedly earned close to 5 billion yen in 2017.

He’s a genius at energizing audiences with flashy, straight-down-the-middle EDM arrangements and sets that seamlessly string together hit after hit.

Mosh PitFlosstradamus

Flosstradamus feat. Casino – Mosh Pit (Official Video) [Explicit]

In recent years, a genre that has been drawing attention in the EDM and club scenes is “trap.” It’s popular for its distinctive, lumbering beats and a musical style that boldly incorporates rap.

One of the popular trap acts is Flosstradamus.

With their aggressive tracks, they’ve even performed at rock festivals and get crowds hyped.

Good TimeOwl City

Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen – Good Time

Owl City, a popular American electronic group.

They weren’t exactly a huge seller at first, but their collaboration with the popular female singer Carly Rae Jepsen became a breakout hit and ended up being played in clubs around the world.

It’s truly the quintessential party tune—you can have fun just singing along with the “oh-oh-oh-oh” even if you don’t understand the lyrics!

Would You EverSkrillex & Poo Bear

Skrillex & Poo Bear – Would You Ever (Official Music Video)

“Would You Ever” is a new track by Skrillex released in July 2017 on OWSLA and Atlantic Records, a summer-anthem tune created in collaboration with Poo Bear.

The music video is unique, featuring a skater gliding effortlessly down the road and dancing to EDM and deep house sounds, with beautiful sunset scenes and a brief appearance by Skrillex.

Poo Bear is known as a songwriter on the 2015 hit single “Where Are Ü Now” by Justin Bieber and Jack Ü, making this a reunion of sorts with Skrillex.

Wave Your FlagAfrojack / Luis Fonsi

AFROJACK – Wave Your Flag ft. Luis Fonsi

“Wave Your Flag” is a single by Dutch artist Afrojack, released in February 2017.

Featuring guest vocals from Puerto Rican Latin musician Luis Fonsi—whose “Despacito” is currently a huge hit—the track is a Latin-flavored summer tune.

The music video was filmed in places like Mexico City and the Yucatán Peninsula, offering visuals that feel like a travel trip through Latin America.

HeroesAlesso

Alesso – Heroes (we could be) ft. Tove Lo

Alesso is a DJ from Sweden.

He’s one of the leading artists in the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) genre, which has seen a huge boom in recent years, and his shimmering, sparkling synth phrases are especially popular.

One of Alesso’s signature tracks is “Heroes.” It starts off restrained, builds together with the melody, and then explodes at the drop—the chorus where the melody is carried by synths rather than vocals—making it a textbook example of an EDM track.

The lyrics are moving as well.

“You and I can be heroes…” The words are simple, but for a young middle schooler, they might offer hope for the future; for an adult, they may evoke a slightly bittersweet nostalgia for the youthful days when anything seemed possible.