The Best Electronic Dance Music Bands of the 2000s
Contents
These are the best electronic dance music bands of the 2000s. This list includes some of the most popular and influential EDM artists of the decade.
The Best Electronic Dance Music Bands of the 2000s
The early 2000s were a golden age for electronic dance music. Groups like Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, and Underworld dominated the charts and the clubs with their innovative and often mind-bending sounds. But which band was the best of the best?
Daft Punk
Daft Punk is a French electronic music duo consisting of producers Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. The duo achieved significant popularity in the late 1990s as part of the French house movement and had successful singles such as “One More Time”, “Around the World” and “Get Lucky”. Daft Punk also released two Grammy Award-winning studio albums, Homework in 1997 and Discovery in 2001.
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo composed of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, originating in Manchester in 1989. Along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and other acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the mainstream. Their debut album Exit Planet Dust (1995), entered the UK Top 40 at number nine and peaked at number four in 1996; it was certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The album’s first five singles were top 30 hits in the UK between 1995 and 1997, including two number ones.”Setting Sun” also peaked at number eight in Australia, number six in Italy, and number two in Spain.
LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002. The band is fronted by musician and producer James Murphy, who co-founded DFA Records with Jonathan Galkin. They are perhaps best known for their hit single “Losing My Edge”, as well as their acclaimed 2005 debut album LCD Soundsystem.
The band began by creating a mix of danceable disco-punk and rock songs that were influenced by early house music. They released their debut double A-sided single, “Beat Connection/Yeah”, in June 2002. Their self-titled debut album was released in February 2005 to critical acclaim, and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album. In 2007, they released their second album, Sound of Silver, to similar acclaim. In 2010, they toured extensively in support of This Is Happening, which was available for streaming on their website prior to its official release. In 2011, Murphy announced that the band would be disbanding after a series of farewell shows that culminated in a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden on April 2, 2011.
The band’s farewell tour concluded in early April 2011 and LCD Soundsystem played their final show at Madison Square Garden on April 2, 2011.
Hot Chip
Formed in London in 2000, Hot Chip is an electronic dance music band that achieved success in the mid-2000s with their blend of synth-pop andelectro house. The band’s 2004 debut album, Coming on Strong, was well-received by critics and spawned the hit single “Over and Over,” which was remixed by fellow electronic dance music artist Justice. Hot Chip’s follow-up album, The Warning (2006), was even more successful, reaching #12 on the UK Albums Chart and earning the band a prestigious Mercury Prize nomination. Hot Chip’s most recent album, In Our Heads (2012), debuted at #5 on the UK Albums Chart and has been praised by critics as the band’s best work to date.
Soulwax
Soulwax is a Belgian group from Ghent, formed in 1995 by David and Stephen Dewaele. The band’s musical style mixes rock, alternative, hip hop and electronica. They were first noticed after the release of their album Much Against Everyone’s Advice in 1998. The album contained the song “Too Many DJs”, which became a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom and led to a number of remixes for other artists.
The Best Electronic Dance Music Bands of the 2010s
The 2010s were a decade of change for the electronic dance music industry. The rise of streaming services and the popularity of social media platforms like SoundCloud and YouTube helpED to create a new generation of EDM artists. This decade saw the rise of genres like dubstep and trap, and the popularity of EDM festivals like Ultra Music Festival and Tomorrowland.
Disclosure
Disclosure is an English electronic music duo consisting of brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence. The brothers grew up in Reigate, Surrey. Their debut album, Settle, was released on 3 June 2013 by PMR Records and Island Records. It reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, and was nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards. The album had four singles that reached the top ten of the UK Singles Chart: “White Noise”, “You & Me”, “Latch”, and “Grab Her”. “Latch” peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2014.
Caribou
Caribou is a Canadian electronic music group formed in 2001, originally as a solo project by Dan Snaith. He released his debut album, Start Breaking My Heart, under the stage name Manitoba. The album received critical acclaim and led to Snaith being nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. After changing his stage name to Caribou and signing with Merge Records, he released The Milk of Human Kindness in 2005; the album was similarly successful, and he won the Polaris Music Prize for it in 2006. His next two albums, Andorra (2007) and Swim (2010), both won the prize as well.
Snaith has also released music under the moniker Daphni; his self-titled debut album was nominated for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize. Caribou’s music incorporates elements of pop, rock, folk, hip hop, psychedelia, techno and house.
Four Tet
Four Tet is a British electronic music band that formed in 1999. The band is known for their experimental and abstract approach to music, and have been praised by critics for their innovative style. Four Tet has released eight studio albums, the most recent of which, New Energy, was released in 2017.
Floating Points
British electronic music band Floating Points was formed in 2009 by Sam Shepherd, a mathematician and music producer. The band has released three studio albums and a live album, and their music has been described as “a heady mix of house, techno, jazz, funk, and soul.”
Mount Kimbie
Mount Kimbie is a British electronic music duo consisting of DominicMaker and Kai Campos. The duo’s debut album, Crooks & Lovers, was released in 2010 to critical acclaim, and they have since released two more albums, 2013’s Cold Spring Fault Less Youth and 2016’s Love What Survives. Mount Kimbie is considered one of the leading lights of the so-called “post-dubstep” movement, and their music incorporates elements of dubstep, hip hop, techno, and ambient music.
