When I was hauling crates of heavy vinyl through underground club circuits in the late 2000s, the concept of a DJ achieving billionaire status felt like pure science fiction. We were playing in sweaty, unventilated basements for the love of the groove and enough cash to pay rent. Today, the electronic music industry has mutated … Read more
When we look back at the golden era EDM DJs who defined the 2010s, very few managed to maintain their cultural relevance—and their immense wealth—quite like Anton Zaslavski. Better known to the world as Zedd, the 36-year-old Russian-German producer has evolved from a classically trained pianist into one of the most bankable musicians on the … Read more
For over a decade, the electronic music community has asked the same question: Where is Pretty Lights? Following the release of 2013’s Grammy-nominated masterpiece A Color Map of the Sun, Derek Vincent Smith essentially vanished from the studio radar. While many golden era EDM DJs shifted into pop crossovers or commercial residencies, the pioneer of … Read more
If there is one absolute truth about the electronic music landscape in 2026, it is that Sonny Moore refuses to sit still. While we recently highlighted how Skrillex survived and evolved beyond the golden era EDM DJs, nobody could have accurately predicted his current trajectory. Just days ago, the internet caught fire when Tier-1 news … Read more
If you look closely at the European festival circuit this summer, a distinct shift is happening. While the multi-million dollar mainstages continue to blast the same calculated, algorithm-friendly anthems, the real energy has retreated to the shadows. In 2026, the electronic music underground is experiencing a massive creative renaissance. Frustrated by the homogenization of streaming … Read more
As a journalist who has covered the global electronic music circuit for over a decade, I have witnessed stage collapses, sudden thunderstorms, and logistical nightmares. But what happened at the Holy Grounds in Biddinghuizen this past weekend is a watershed moment for festival culture. The 2026 edition of Defqon.1, the undisputed mecca of global hardstyle, … Read more
For the human artists sitting comfortably on our DJ Rich List, streaming platforms are the lifeblood of their modern wealth. But what happens when the biggest DJ on the platform isn’t actually human? In early 2026, the music industry was rocked by an unprecedented digital heist. Apple Music officially disclosed that it had identified and … Read more
For the global Hardstyle community, the annual pilgrimage to the Holy Grounds in Biddinghuizen is the absolute pinnacle of the year. Tens of thousands of “Weekend Warriors” prepare for months to experience the sheer magnitude of Defqon.1. But the 2026 edition of the world’s leading hardstyle festival will forever be remembered as a historic heartbreak. … Read more
I was up late the other night, letting YouTube’s autoplay algorithm take me down a deep electronic music rabbit hole, when a very familiar, heavy kick drum started to build through my studio monitors. Suddenly, the iconic ticking-clock percussion hit, followed by the most famous vocal sample of 2013: “We’re the fucking animals.” I was … Read more
If you close your eyes, you can probably still hear it. But for me, it wasn’t just about hearing the music it was about feeling it. Back in the early 2010s, my nights were entirely consumed by watching low-res YouTube live streams of Ultra and Tomorrowland. I was so obsessed with the euphoric energy of … Read more