Techno Music Creators You Need to Know
Techno music is a type of electronic dance music that originated in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid-to-late 1980s. The first techno artists were Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson, who are often referred to as the ” Belleville Three.”
Skrillex
Skrillex is one of the most popular and well-known techno music creators today. He first rose to fame as the frontman of the band From First to Last, but has since found great success as a solo artist. Skrillex is known for his unique style of music, which combines elements of techno, dubstep, and EDM. He has won numerous awards, including six Grammy Awards, and his music has been featured in films and television shows such as The Hunger Games and Sherlock Holmes.
Deadmau5
Joel Zimmerman, more commonly known as deadmau5 (stylized as deadmau5), is a Canadian electronic music producer, DJ, and musician. He is known for his innovative musical style that combines elements of house, techno, and electro. His tracks have been used in a variety of media, including films, television shows, and video games. Deadmau5 has released six studio albums and has won numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.
Avicii
In 2015, Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year. It lost to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” But that didn’t make the Swedish producer and DJ any less popular. In 2014, he was the fifth-highest-paid artist in electronic dance music, bringing in $28 million.
Born Tim Bergling in Stockholm in 1989, Avicii began making music at just 18 years old. He released his first single, “Seek Bromance,” in 2010 and shot to fame with his 2012 hit “Levels.” Since then, he’s collaborated with everyone from Madonna to Coldplay and has released two albums, 2013’s True and 2015’s Stories.
Despite his success, Avicii has battled health problems throughout his career. In 2014, he announced that he would be canceling several tour dates due to stress and anxiety. In 2016, he revealed that he had been suffering from pancreatitis due to excessive drinking. He died by suicide in April 2018 at age 28.
Tiesto
Tiesto is a world-renowned Dutch DJ and record producer. He is one of the most popular trance artists of all time and has exerted a huge influence over the genre. His 2002 album In Search of Sunrise 6: Ibiza was nominated for a Grammy Award and he has won numerous other awards throughout his career. Tiesto has also collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, including Katy Perry, Coldplay, and U2.
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is a Scottish record producer, DJ, and singer. His first album I Created Disco was released in 2007 and contained the top-ten singles “Acceptable in the 80s” and “The Girls”. His second studio album, Ready for the Weekend (2009), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and includes the chart-topper “I’m Not Alone”, as well as the top-ten singles “Ready for the Weekend” and “Flashback”. Harris released his third studio album, 18 Months in October 2012. Topping the UK charts, the album became his first to contain three top-ten singles, “Bounce”, “Feel So Close”, and “Let’s Go”. He achieved his fourth consecutive number one album with Motion in November 2014. It marked a new creative direction for Harris, drawing inspiration from synth-pop and dance music. The album’s first three singles—”Under Control”, “Summer” and “Blame”—topped the UK chart.
He has received ten Brit Award nominations—three for Best British Male Artist—winning one in 2013 with Harris also becoming one of only two dance musicians to win such an award since 1997. Additionally, he received five Grammy nominations; winning Best Music Video for “We Found Love”, which also earned him a MTV Video Music Award. Outside of his musical career he has had little success as an actor but is still notable for appearing as himself in two episodes of The Inbetweeners.