Here’s my mix of favorite EDM and Dance tracks of 2016. I’m sure I’m missing some really great songs…if so, please let me know. This includes a bit of everything, from commercial EDM to trap-y stuff to straight up festival bangers. It also includes a handful of excellent remixes of popular tunes that came out the year before and are well worth listening to.
Banger of the Year: Dope Girlz, Steve Aoki & Shaun Frank. This track just rocks.
Banger of the Year II: Sweet Memories, CID & Kaskade. Hooray Kaskade!! The music video is boss and features dancing Asian children dressed in suits completely crushing it:
Remix of the Year: There were a ton of good remixes in 2016, but my favorite is a remix of a track that is already one of the best of the year: Anywhere, Dillon Francis & Will Heard (A-Trak remix). A-Trak up tempos an already great track and makes it an even dancier. It’s perfect. Also be sure to check out the Roses, Closer, and Cold Water remixes.
Chill Track: Roadkill, EDX. Love this deep house track from the Swiss producer.
Best Remix of a Song That Kinda Sucked to Begin With: My Way, Calvin Harris (Tiesto remix). I hated My Way when it debuted and Tiesto did some good work to toughen and bouncify this track into something worth listening to.
Best Dutch House Track: Dutch House is practically it’s own genre, with a huge output from so many good producers. Don Diablo and Oliver Heldens are at the very top of my list of favorite Dutchies. My #1 Dutch track came out way back in the beginning of January: Waiting, Oliver Heldens & Throttle. It never fails to get my ass shaking.
Best Track: This is a tie.
I) Hung Up by Tritonal. Chainsmokers had a lot of great Top 40 type output in 2016, but this is the track they wish they made that Tritonal made instead and thank goodness for that. I listen to Hung Up over and over and it always moves me.
II) Shelter by Madeon & Porter Robinson is amazeballs and such a unique track. Also, what? A 6 minute anime video with a little girl getting shot into space and living in the Matrix?