The Best Electronic Dance Music of 2016

Looking for the best electronic dance music of 2016? Look no further than our list of the top tracks of the year! From house to techno, there’s something for everyone here.

Best Overall Tracks

2016 was an excellent year for Electronic Dance Music (EDM). Many new artists emerged and established themselves as leaders in the genre, while veteran producers continued to churn out top-quality music. The following tracks represent the best that EDM had to offer in 2016, whether it be in terms of pure innovation, catchy hooks, or bombastic production values.

Best Remixes

1. “All Night” (Jean-Michel Jarre & Tangerine Dream)
2. “Alone” (Alan Walker)
3. “Breathe” (The Prodigy)
4. “Californication” (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
5. “Children” (Robert Miles)
6. “Closer” (The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey)
7. “Fade” (Alan Walker)
8. “Fast Car” (Tracey Chapman)
9. “Feels” (Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean)
10. “Final Song” (MØ)
11.”Formation” (Beyoncé)
12.”Gentleman” (Psy)
13.”Get Lucky” (Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers)
14.”Green Light” (John Legend feat. Andre 3000)
15.”Hotline Bling” (Drake)
16.”I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” (Zayn & Taylor Swift)

Best Debut Releases

In 2016, there was an outpouring of excellent new electronic music, much of it coming from artists releasing their debut albums. Here are some of the best debuts of the year.

For anyone who’s into electronic music, 2016 was a great year. We saw veterans like Aphex Twin and LCD Soundsystem come back with new albums, and we saw established stars like Grimes and Kanye West explore new sounds on their latest releases. But 2016 was also a great year for newer artists, with a number of them releasing their debut albums to critical acclaim. Here are some of the best debuts of the year.

1. Mura Masa – “Mura Masa”
2. Flume – “Skin”
3. Kaytranada – “99.9%”
4. Disclosure – “Caracal”
5. Glass Animals – “How to Be a Human Being”

Best Label Compilations

In 2016, there were plenty of good label compilations, but a few stood out from the pack. Here are some of the best.

-Ibiza Voice’s 2016 Top 50 Compilations
This was a tough list to put together, as there were so many great compilations released this year. But we managed to narrow it down to our top 50. Included are plenty of essential Ibiza anthems, as well as tracks that will get any party started.

-Mixmag’s Best Compilations of 2016
We’ve rounded up the best compilation albums released this year, featuring a mix of techno, house, garage and more from the likes of Bicep, Nina Kraviz, Daphni and beyond.

-RA’s Top 50 Compilations of 2016
We asked our reviewers to pick their favourite comps of the year. The results are in…

Best Live Sets

The best live sets of 2016 by some of the biggest names in EDM.

-Martin Garrix at Tomorrowland
-Tiësto at Electric Daisy Carnival
-Zeds Dead at Northern Lights Music Festival
-Calvin Harris at Coachella
-Alesso at Governors Ball Music Festival