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Greatest EDM Artists Of All Time

Published

3 years ago

January 8, 2022

Over the last several decades, Electric Dance Music (EDM) has steadily grown to become one of the most popular genres of music. Within EDM are the artists that have created some of the most unique sounds and beats the world has ever heard. Rappers and pop artists want a little EDM flavor in their music and are teaming up with DJs and collaborating on new tracks and remixes, further pushing EDM into the mainstream. EDM artists’ impact on music culture is immense, and with their talent, they play a hand in society’s evolving taste in music. Who’s the best of the best? Check out our list of the greatest EDM artists of all time.

Seven Lions

Source: Instagram/@sevenlionsmusic

From Santa Barbara, California, Jeff Montalvo is his actual name. Known for his exciting mixture of trance, dubstep, and house, Seven Lions comes in at number 50 of the greatest EDM artists.

Zeds Dead

Source: Instagram/@zedsdead

The Electronic Duo from Toronto, Canada, consists of Dylan Mamid and Zachary Rapp-Rovan. Worldwide they are known for their unique deep house style. Zeds Dead comes in at 49 on our list.

Jauz

Source: Instagram/@jauzofficial

Based out of San Francisco, Jauz was born Sam Vogel. Having founded his own EDM label, Bite This, Jauz comes in on our list at 48.

Madeon

Source: Instagram/@madeon

Hugo Pierre Leclercq, the French DJ, is better known by his on-stage name Madeon. His unique blend of electropop, house, and nu-disco is what has him sitting nicely at the 47th greatest EDM artist of all time.

Nero

Source: Facebook/NERO

The British trio made up of Dan Stephens, Joe Ray, and Alana Watson, Nero gets the crowd jumping with dubstep, electronica, and future house. The Grammy Award-winning group that comes in at 46 on our list is soon to be touring various cities around the US as well as Belgium and the Netherlands.

Disclosure

Source: Instagram/@disclosure

Brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence make up the English EDM duo. Leaning into a particular style of alternative indie and deep house, Disclosure slides into the lineup at 45.

Eric Prydz

Source: Instagram/@ericprydz

The Swedish DJ, also known as Pryda and Cirez D, Eric Prydz, consistently puts out hits in EDM. From “Call on Me” in 2004 to “Opus” in 2015, his bangers took him to the top, where he won DJ of the year in 2017 and sits proudly at 44 on our list of awesome EDM artists.

Axwell

Source: Instagram/@axwell

Swedish DJ born Axel Christofer Hedfors, Axwell is a member of Swedish House Mafia. He’s also the owner of Axtone Records, which probably explains why he’s at 43 on our list of the top EMD artists.

Benny Benassi

Source: Instagram/@bennybenassi

The Italian DJ Benny Benassi is the pioneer of electro house. The award-winning artist has consistently topped the charts in his solo career as well as with his cousin, Alessandro “Alle” Benassi, to form the Benassi Bros. He sits steadily on our list at 42.

Krewella

Source: Instagram/@krewella

Hailing from Chicago, the electronic duo consists of sisters Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf. From dance-pop to dubstep and trance, you can find them spinning just about every genre under the big EDM umbrella, which is why they’re at 41 on our list.

Above & Beyond

Source: Instagram/@aboveandbeyond

Jono Grant and Tony McGuinness are DJs from England, while Paavo Siljamäki is the DJ from Finland. These three guys make up Above & Beyond. Adding Rock and J-Pop to their bag of tricks, the trio hits our list at number 40.

Nicky Romero

Source: Instagram/@nickyromero

Born Nick Rotteveel, the Dutch DJ spins psychedelic trance, techno house and progressive house, to name a few. Hailing from Amerongen, Utrecht Province, Nicky Romero has the support and respect of many other DJs mentioned on our list. Romera lands within the top 40 at 39.

Afrojack

Source: Instagram/@afrojack

Nick Leonardus van de Wall is the Dutch DJ born in Spijkenisse. Otherwise known as Afrojack, his particular spin on hip hop, pop, trap, and a whole slew of other EDM genres is why you’ll find him on our list at 38.

Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike

Source: Instagram/@dmitrivegasandlikemike

The Belgium/Greek duo consists of brothers Dimitri and Mike Thivaios. From 2014 to 2020, they have either come in at #1 or #2 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs, which is why you’ll find them here at 37.

Don Diablo

Source: Instagram/@dondiablo

Another Dutch DJ, Don Diablo, was born Don Pepijn Schipper in Coevorden. Touted as one of the pioneers of future house, he likes to spin his way around the EDM world, and that’s why you’ll find him 36 on our list.

Knife Party

Source: Instagram/@knifepartyinc

At 35 is an electronic duo from Australia. The duo consists of Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen, who mix complextro with dubstep and electro house to create a definitive sound. It’s that unique sound that has them known worldwide.

Gryffin

Source: Instagram/@gryffinofficial

From San Francisco comes Dan Griffith, or as his fans know him, Gryffin. The melodic house artist started just wanting his friends to like his music but became a massive sensation with hits such as remixes of Tove Lo’s “Talking Body” and Maroon 5’s “Animals.” He’s a Las Vegas nightclub regular as he hits our charts at 34.

Dillon Francis

Source: Instagram/@dillonfrancis

Best known for popularizing moombahton, Dillon Francis isn’t just a DJ but also a comedian and an actor. However, no one’s laughing when he blends dubstep and trap with his moombahton flavor, which is why this Los Angeles-born DJ is on our list at 33.

Flux Pavillion

Source: Instagram/@fluxpavilion

First known in England as Joshua Steele, Flux Pavillion hits our list at 32 because he’s a world-class act with headline tours in America and the UK. He’s a favorite at festivals like Coachella and EDC, which is why he’s one of our favorites here.

R3hab

Source: Instagram/@r3hab

Fadil El Ghoul is a Moroccan/Dutch DJ born in Breda. R3hab brings his EDM to hip hop, rap, and pop, making him one of the sought-after remix DJs. That’s why he’s here at 31.

Bassnectar

Source: Instagram/@bassnectar

Lorin Ashton is one of the older DJs on our list. Better known as Bassnectar, the Santa Cruz native brings breakbeat and nu skool breaks to dubstep and electronica. Bassnectar creates amazing sounds, and that’s why he’s at 30.

Kaskade

Source: Instagram/@kaskade

Another Chicago DJ, Ryan Gary Raddon, likes going by his stage name Kaskade. His mix of lo-fi with downtempo and several different subgenres of house makes him one of the best in the business and lands him within the top 30 on our list.

The Chainsmokers

Source: Instagram/@thechainsmokers

The Chainsmokers are the dynamic duo consisting of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart. They started remixing indie music, which put them and the indie artists on the map. That ingenious move catapulted them to stardom and landed them right here are 28.

Kshmr

Source: Instagram/@kshmr

Niles Hollowell-Dhar is a DJ from Berkeley, California, more commonly referred to as Kshmr. His blend of psytrance with future bounce and big room house has elevated him on the charts year after year, and this one is no different as he shows up on our list at 27.

Axwell & Ingrosso

Source: Twitter/@axwellingrosso1

Axwell was already mentioned on this list at 43, but with Sebastian Ingrosso (another member of Swedish House Mafia), they share the shine at 26. Ingrosso brings his own style to the techno house flavor, making Axwell & Ingrosso better together than they are apart.

Odesza

Source: Instagram/@odesza

From Bellingham, Washington comes the electronic duo Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight. They are also known by their stage names Catacombkid and BeachesBeaches, respectively. They got together to make music in 2012 as Odesza. As Odesza, they make it to number 25 of the greatest EDM artists.

Hardwell

Source: Instagram/@hardwell

Born Robbert van de Corput, the Dutch DJ Hardwell was born in Breda. When he is not appearing on our list at 24, Hardwell can be found touring the world.

Alesso

Source: Instagram/@alesso

The Swedish DJ Alessandro Renato Rodolfo “Alesso” Lindblad hits our list at 23. His electro and progressive house fusion into pop have fans screaming his name when he’s on tour. Alesso has worked with the likes of Usher and Anitta.

Skrillex

Source: Instagram/@skrillex

Out of Los Angeles, Sonny John Moore reinvented himself as Skrillex. The Grammy Award-winning artist has dropped beats for sold-out crowds worldwide and hits our list at 22.

Major Lazer

Source: Instagram/@majorlazer

Originating from Kingston, Jamaica, Major Lazer is a trio consisting of Diplo, Walshy Fire, and Ape Drums. Their sound is unique, as it combines reggae, hip hop, rocksteady, trap, and so many other subgenres of EDM. The beauty of it all lands them on our list at 21.

Porter Robinson

Source: Instagram/@porterrobinson

Porter Robinson signed with Skrillex when he was 18. The Atlanta native brand of indie-pop and electro-house land him a spot on our list at number 20.

Alan Walker

Source: Instagram/@alanwalkermusic

The British/Norwegian DJ Alan Walker is quite the Youtuber with nearly 42 million subscribers. His hit “Faded” has garnered over 3.25 billion views. It was certified platinum in several countries, which is why Alan Walker has earned his spot within the top 20 on our list at number 19.

Steve Aoki

Source: Instagram/@steveaoki

The Miami, Florida DJ, Steve Aoki actually inherited the Benihana restaurant franchise from his father. But EDM was in his blood, which has made him the highest-paid artist touring in North America. If he sits on our list at 18, just imagine who else is on it.

Flume

Source: Instagram/@flume

Born in Sydney, Australia, as Harley Edward Streten, this artist likes to be called Flume on stage. His first album, “Flume,” went straight to double-platinum in Australia. Flume enters our list at 17.

Tiësto

Source: Instagram/@tiesto

If you’re a Dutch DJ on our list of greatest EDM artists, you may come from Breda like Tijs Michiel Verwest OO, otherwise known as Tiesto. According to Mix magazine, his fans already voted him “the Greatest DJ of all time” in 2011. Who are we to disagree with them as we place him on our list at 16.

DJ Snake

Source: Instagram/@djsnake

You might know DJ Snake by his massive hit “Turn Down for What.” William Sami Étienne Grigahcine is a French Algerian DJ known for producing Lady Gaga’s album Born This Way. With many other achievements, we find DJ Snake on our list at 15.

Deadmau5

Source: Instagram/@deadmau5

Joel Thomas Zimmerman is the Canadian DJ who breaks out his lit-up mouse mask on stage. His music has appeared in such movies as Polar and Runner Runner. With that, he is number 14.

Marshmello

Source: Instagram/@marshmello

Another mask-wearing DJ, Christopher Comstock, likes to don a marshmallow mask with “X’s’ for eyes. Marshmello continually produces multi-platinum singles that are certified in several countries. On a European tour at this moment, Marshmello hits our list at 13.

Galantis

Source: Instagram/@wearegalantis

The Swedish electronic duo consisting of Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklöw, Galantis, spins electropop against a slew of house subgenres. The Grammy Award-nominated power team is a favorite at Coachella and on our list at number 12.

Diplo

Source: Instagram/@diplo

The second time you’ve heard of Diplo on this list, he hits the list again because he’s world-renowned on his own. Known as Thomas Wesley Pentz off-stage, Diplo hit it big when he started touring with MIA in 2005, and then their hit “Paper Planes” appeared on the soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire. He wins a nice little seat at number 11 on our list of the greatest EDM artists.

Armin van Buuren

Source: Instagram/@arminvanbuuren

This Dutch DJ comes from Leiden, Netherlands and sports the long name of Armin Jozef Jacobus Daniël van Buuren OON when he’s not on stage. He has appeared five times in the number one position of the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll. Here, he comes in at ten on our list.

Swedish House Mafia

Source: Instagram/@swedishhousemafia

You’ve heard of Swedish House Mafia several times before in bits and fragments on this list. Here, the entire group consisting of Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastian Ingrosso comes within our top ten list.

Zedd

Source: Instagram/@zedd

When he’s not on stage, the Russian/German DJ Zedd is Anton Igorevich Zaslavski. Zedd sits at number 8 on our list. Beginning his career about 20 years ago, he’s an award-winning artist who toured the world and worked with such great artists as Katy Perry and Lady Gaga.

David Guetta

Source: Facebook/David Guetta

The French DJ is a major hit in EDM, with over 10 billion streams worldwide. He was voted to the top position in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll on more than one occasion, and now he’s number 7 on our list.

Illenium

Source: Instagram/@illenium

Another DJ out of Chicago, Nicholas D. Miller, prefers Illenium when he’s on stage. Nominated for a Grammy for his fourth studio album Fallen Embers, he takes a seat on our list at number 6.

Calvin Harris

Source: Instagram/@calvinharris

The Scottish DJ was born Adam Richard Wiles before recreating himself as Calvin Harris in the world of EDM. He spins himself into international fame with his hands in electropop. Harris breaks into the top 5 on our list.

Kygo

Source: Instagram/@kygomusic

Landing at the number 4 seat on our list is Norwegian DJ Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll, otherwise known as Kygo. In 2013, his remix of Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire” catapulted him into international fame, and Kygo hasn’t looked back since.

Daft Punk

Source: Facebook/ Daft Punk

The French duo Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo make up Daft Punk and are widely known for wearing their iconic helmets during performances. The Grammy Award-winning duo became popular in the 90s mainly due to the French house movement and now sit at number 3 on our list.

Martin Garrix

Source: Instagram/@martingarrix

At the number 2 position is Martin Garrix, the Dutch DJ from Amstelveen, Netherlands. With over 14 million Youtube subscribers and over 15 million Instagram followers, he has the formula to create hit after hit and get voted to the top of any DJ list. His blend of EDM involves several subgenres of house, including Dutch house, which has a flavor of reggaeton to it.

Avicii

Source: Instagram/@avicii

Of course, Avicii is number 1 on our list of the greatest EDM artists of all time. Very few will disagree with this ranking. Born as Tim Bergling, the Sweedish DJ’s release of “Levels” in 2011 brought him international fame. “Wake Me Up” is another riveting track. Unfortunately, Avicii took his own life in April of 2018.

Bon Voyaged