In the 2000s, producers mastered festival banger production and went on to work with some of pop music‘s most unique artists, leading to niche genres like Moombahton (created by Washington DC nightclub DJ Dave Nada).
“Smack My Bitch Up” seamlessly combined electronic, punk, and rock influences to become one of the decade’s most beloved tracks. Its unwavering success demonstrated how different styles could coexist together to expand electronic music‘s audience base.
1. Nirvana
Kurt Cobain’s death sent shockwaves through the music world in 1994, yet Nirvana remains one of the most influential acts in rock history. Their groundbreaking 1991 album Nevermind and hit single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” helped put Grunge (an amalgamation of Punk, Hardcore, Alternative Metal and Heavy Metal music styles from Pacific Northwest regions) firmly on the map.
Their second release In Utero found them abandoning the polished production style of Nevermind and working with outspoken producer Steve Albini instead, producing an album featuring raw, unadorned Punk songs that put Cobain’s emotionally raw lyrics front-and-center while offering minimal musical support.
Rape Me has become a go-to drill song over time, from MC Yung Ruckus’ Paramore cover to Triple01s remix of Calabria rhythm. On Billboard Pro’s Trending Up this week we take a look at new versions of classic Nirvana tracks.
2. Avicii
Tim Bergling – better known by his stage name Avicii – was instrumental in popularising electro music among mainstream audiences. By blending gospel with house music into an uplifting, energetic sonic blend that propelled EDM to prominence within pop culture, Avicii brought electro into mainstream consciousness and propelled EDM onto its path towards cultural ubiquity.
At its release 12 years ago, “Levels” remains one of the greatest dance music songs ever made. It introduced many people to Etta James while being seen as an anthem of EDM culture.
Avicii’s greatest work departed from dubstep, future bass and other global “EDM” trends to produce timeless styles which met existing expectations – often surpassing them! That is what made them truly remarkable.
3. Bassment Jaxx
Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe’s second album Urban Haze showcases this genre-hopping approach with its melodies and structured songs that go back into dance music.
Romeo is an engagingly upbeat song that captures the excitement and anticipation of an evening out, while Where’s Your Head At is their signature hit, sampling two tracks by UK New Wave icon Gary Numan and featuring catchy hooks and high-energy beats that have made it a dance floor staple.
At times other than dance music events, the duo’s more melancholy songs – such as vocalist Martina Sorbara’s orchestral rockabilly pop-house tune from Dragonette vocalist Martina Sorbara – display production finesse that could easily fill a major concert hall. Their third LP Kish Kash cemented their status as dance music powerhouses.
4. Caribou
Since releasing colorful sample-heavy tracks under the name Manitoba in the early 2000s, Canadian producer Dan Snaith has gradually transformed himself into Caribou; their music combines elements of both soaring and danceable electronica. Since 2007’s Andorra record they have continued their artistic evolution both studio-wise as well as with their live band performance.
“Home” showcases Snaith’s ability to seamlessly combine different genres into an infectious track with layers of pulsating synths and intricate percussion, earning critical acclaim as one of their finest works and one of the best songs from their expansive discography. Critics praise its emotive nature while remaining irresistibly danceable – definitely worth checking out!
5. Squarepusher
Tom Jenkinson, better known by his stage name Squarepusher, created music that transcended techno. His polyrhythmic ellipses and barely audible hums showcased a link between dance music and jazz composition – creating what was essentially his own version of Weather Report (minus Miles Davis) on “Don’t Go Plastic.”
After producing jungle EPs on Spymania and Worm Interface labels, Jenkinson soon met Richard D. James (better known as Aphex Twin). Both artists worked on Warp records together; Squarepusher’s groundbreaking drill ‘n’ bass has since had an enormous influence on electronic musicians worldwide.
Jenkinson is one of electronic music’s most dynamic experimentalists. His playful trance stabs hide behind an intense commitment to intelligent programming and visionary sound design, as well as using jazz-influenced elements in his compositions or even performing whole concerts featuring solo electric bass solo performances.
6. Darrell Fitton
Michael Fakesch of emDemon has created an infectious electro track that’s both gyrating and groovesome, perfectly embodying the quirky charm of IDM during its golden era in the 2000s. Fusing Squarepusher-style jungle detournement with breakcore, chiptunes, and ambient elements to great effect, this track shows off IDM at its most peculiar.
While their later work ventured more heavily into techno, Manchester producer Auxec had some incredible early work as well – such as this derelict techno cut with its organic melody structure, classic piano riffs, and hard-to-follow beats.
At the turn of the millennia, slightly damaged yet minimal techno was a relatively niche sound. Matmos were key players due to their deft handling of glitches and glitches; this stunning cut from their Neurokinetic LP proves just how accomplished they were at producing such tunes.
7. The Black Dog
At a time of false values and over-sized egos, The Black Dog – comprised of former naval radio operator Ken Downie and b-boys Andy Turner and Ed Handley from Sheffield – honored energy and creativity found outside mainstream culture. From early releases such as 1989’s ‘Virtual’ through cathedrals of electronic prophecy such as 1990’s ‘Techno Playtime’; they became one of the first intelligent dance music outfits under Warp Records.
Temple of Transparent Walls’ weirder album on GPR (originally entitled Balls until they had issues with the label) blends tinkler-toy melodies and disorienting electronics, creating an unusual blend that leaves listeners lost in sad metropolises or excitedly jumping for joy amid futuristic soundscapes – yet never loses its sense of adventure and limitless ambition.
8. Autoditacker
Autoditacker is a lively and entertaining album with a wide variety of beats and genres, such as slow, sludgy beats in X-Flies versus faster foot tapping in Twift Shoeblade (both by autoditacker). Perfect for electronica newcomers alike; Autoditacker provides something for all musical tastes!
Jan St. Werner and Andi Toma were pioneers of IDM during the 2000s. While most IDM artists focused more on atmospheric effects than songcraft, these duo unashamedly embraced its mind-swelling capabilities. Their songs changed and developed over repeated listens – often without clear logic at first. With cartoony sounds such as cartoony bleeps, squelches, and toots–their sense of humor enabled them to effortlessly blend analogue and digital, electronic and non-electronic sounds into an effortlessly mesmerizing and hypnotic whole; leaving an impressive trail behind. Jan St Werner & Andi Toma have paved a similar way paving the way for many other German and international sound villains to follow their lead.
9. Disclosure
At present, popular electronic music generally falls into one of two genres: dance-pop or EDM. While one type relies on fluorescent colors and fist pumping hysteria that would make The Beatles proud, another uses bass drops like Wile E. Coyote would deploy Acme anvils.
Guy and Howard Lawrence of Disclosure have been riding the waves of success ever since their shows sold out within hours, working with vocalists such as Sam Smith, Slowthai, Eliza Doolittle and AlunaGeorge.
Their latest EP release, You & Me, showcases their ability to combine technical dance elements with pop structures and catchy vocal melodies, producing a sound influenced by hip-hop producer J Dilla and dubstep necromancer Burial as well as their musician parents who share a deep knowledge of funk, soul and jazz music.
10. Ricardo Villalobos
Villalobos has garnered a stellar reputation as a minimal techno DJ and producer, but his work goes well beyond this genre’s limits. His 2004 release The Au Harem D’Archimede represents an extraordinary hermetic excursion into deep cosmological space: layering timbral techno textures over hand-drum runs and Balkan brass band samples reminiscent of ancient Mesopotamia.
In the early 2000s, several young producers quickly rose from obscure booth-hiding status to mainstream stardom in no time at all. Girl Talk, Skrillex and Avicii each found success with an electronic music style called dubstep that combined elements from crate-digging, hip hop and dance floor drum ‘n’ bass. Their music used house music speed instead of breakbeat madness while employing ticks and tricks from American R&B. Sampling opened up limitless sonic possibilities; few producers did it better than The Avalanches with their album-plus Since I Left You featuring over 900 samples!