EDM, which stands for ‘Electronic Dance Music,’ is a genre of music that blends electronic instruments, pop vocals, synths, and some amazing beat drops. The result? Some pretty freakin’ amazing music.
Whether you are having you’re own house party or going to a club with your peeps, let our list of the best EDM songs be your soundtrack for the night. There are more bangers here than a BBQ :-).
Contents
- I Took a Pill in Ibiza – Mike Posner (Seeb Remix)
- Don’t You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia ft. John Martin
- Where Are Ü Now – Jack Ü, Skrillex, Diplo ft. Justin Bieber
- It Aint Me – Kygo & Selena Gomez
- Levels – Avicii
- Eat Sleep Rave Repeat – Fatboy Slim & Riva Starr ft. Beardyman
- Promises – Nero
- Clarity – Zedd ft. Foxes
- Cinema – Benny Benassi ft. Gary Go
- Bangarang – Skrillex ft. Sirah
- Let Me Love You – DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber
- Love Me Now – Kygo
- Strobe – Deadmau5
- Summer – Calvin Harris
- Adagio for Strings – Tiësto
- Language – Porter Robinson
- Wake Me Up – Avicii
- Blah Blah Blah – Armin Van Buuren
- Animals – Martin Garrix
- Just Feels Tight – Fisher
- Calling (Lose My Mind) – Sebastian Ingrosso, Alesso ft. Ryan Tedder
- Fire Stone – Kygo ft. Conrad Sewell
- Sun & Moon – Above & Beyond ft. Richard Bedford
- How You Love Me – 3LAU ft. Bright Lights
- Alive – Krewella
- Disarm You – Kaskade ft. Ilsey
I Took a Pill in Ibiza – Mike Posner (Seeb Remix)
This song takes a look into the downsides of fame and how it can change a person for the worse. Mike Posner seems to be getting caught up in the fast paces and questionable choices of celebrity life, and he warns that being famous isn’t always as glamorous as it seems. He even seems to encourage the audience to avoid fame, singing, “you don’t wanna be high like me, never really knowing why like me.”
Don’t You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia ft. John Martin
‘Don’t You Worry Child’ is a message from father to son, encouraging him not to be controlled by his anxiety because God always has a plan. Even if you’re not religious, the message is still inspirational. It doesn’t serve you to worry constantly, no matter how valid your concerns are. Life tends to have a way of working out one way or another. The uplifting instrumental breaks give you a taste of what a life free from fear can feel like.
Related: Age gracefully with the best songs about getting older.
Where Are Ü Now – Jack Ü, Skrillex, Diplo ft. Justin Bieber
This emotional track features a catchy whistling riff and Justin Bieber’s smooth vocals. Bieber’s love and commitment are unreciprocated by the “you” of this song, and he is getting tired of it. It’s so draining to provide for someone else and get nothing in return constantly. Bieber has given this person comfort, faith, and the shirt off his back, but now that he’s the one that needs help, they are nowhere to be found.
Related: Listen to more unreciprocated love songs.
It Aint Me – Kygo & Selena Gomez
Though Selena Gomez is mostly known for her early 2010s pop music, her style is clearly versatile based on her appearance in this great EDM song. Her vocals are soothing, and her high notes clear her frustrated feelings. Gomez deals with the difficult situation of having a partner that expects too much of her. This person has been drinking too much, and she is exhausted by having to take care of them. She is fed up, saying, “who’s waking up to drive you home when you’re drunk and all alone…it ain’t me.”
Related: Here is our playlist of songs about being used.
Levels – Avicii
This hype, feel-good track is inescapable at the clubs, and we aren’t complaining. ‘Levels’ features a vocal sample from a 1962 Etta James song called ‘Something’s Got a Hold on Me.’ The retro vocals and modern synths combine into something special in this song, which will surely lift your mood.
Related: Dance the night away with the best dance songs of all time.
Eat Sleep Rave Repeat – Fatboy Slim & Riva Starr ft. Beardyman
The title says it all—raving is all you need for a great life. This song shows how addictive this type of music can be and how inviting the clubs that play this music are. The line “eat, sleep, rave, repeat” is repeated countless times throughout the song, giving us a look into a life of never-ending nights out.
Promises – Nero
Promises’ has an intense and disorienting beat, which matches the narrator’s insecurity in her relationship. The person she’s with is constantly reassuring her that they’ll stay with her always, as long as the pair doesn’t break their promises to each other. But, for some reason, she feels unworthy of this unconditional love, saying that the promises “feel all so wasted on” herself.
Related: Find similar tunes on our playlist of feeling inferior songs.
Clarity – Zedd ft. Foxes
The only consistent thing about love is that it is confusing, which is probably why it’s the muse of so many songs. In ‘Clarity,’ singer Foxes wonders why she is so drawn to a complicated love. She asks, “if our love’s insanity, why are you my clarity?” The long, high notes of the chorus are punctuated by reverberating drum crashes, adding to the song’s raw emotion.
Cinema – Benny Benassi ft. Gary Go
Benny Benassi compares being with the person he loves to watch a movie he loves. This person is the perfect piece of art, and he will never get tired of watching them exist. “You are my cinema. I could watch you forever.” The lyrics are romantic, and the beat is invigorating, giving us that same excitement Benassi feels when seeing his love.
Bangarang – Skrillex ft. Sirah
‘Bangarang’ is filled with references to Peter Pan, specifically the mischievous lost boys, who are actually symbolized in the music video. The line “shout to all my lost boys, we rowdy” compares the narrator’s friends to the lost boys, probably because the group wants to hold on to the fun times of youth. Record scratching and synths are the group’s soundtrack, and “bangarang” is their battle cry.
Let Me Love You – DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber
‘Let Me Love You’ is the perfect merge between pop and electronic music. The song’s sections follow a standard pop format, and the instrumental breaks add that extra catchy dance element. Justin Bieber sings to his partner, begging her not to give up on the relationship because they’re having a hard time. He wants them to be in it together, singing, “don’t you give up, I won’t give up, let me love you.”
Related: Keep your chin up with these perseverance songs.
Love Me Now – Kygo
Zoe Wees’ thick and modulated vocals are filled with emotion as she lets us into her fears of being alone. It seems that she recently went through a breakup and is terrified that no one will ever be able to love her like that again, asking, “who’s gonna break these walls, tell me I’m bеautiful? Who’s gonna love me now?” It’s not all despair, though, as the encouraging instrumental sections remind us that things can always turn around.
Strobe – Deadmau5
‘Strobe’ opens with what sounds like water glasses being played, accompanied by a deep synth. It’s a bit ominous and makes you wonder what is coming next. Slowly, the synth becomes more prominent, and a kick drum is added, quickly picking up the pace and energy. The song is just over ten minutes, but despite its length, there is never a dull moment.
Summer – Calvin Harris
‘Summer’ was a huge hit in 2014 and has a nostalgic quality that will transport you back to that summer. Calvin Harris sings about a pure love that began in the summer but soon turned sour. He wants to go back to the time when everything felt right, even though he knows the relationship can’t survive into the winter. “We could be together, baby, as long as skies are blue.”
Related: Enjoy your summer with our playlist of summertime songs.
Adagio for Strings – Tiësto
‘Adagio for Strings’ was originally an orchestral song composed by Samuel Barber in 1936. Tiësto reimagines the piece as an EDM song, changing the tempo and adding in drums and synth. It’s a cool example of how a past piece of music can be honored in a completely new style that the original composer would’ve never imagined.
Language – Porter Robinson
‘Language’ has contrasting musical sections, but they all work together to create a unique listening experience. Some sections feature just a dubstep beat, some center around the piano, and some are filled with transcendent synth. The whole song is meant to create a feeling of chasing something. It builds for a few minutes straight, letting the listener anticipate the release and comedown of a tension-filled song.
Wake Me Up – Avicii
Avicii was one of the most well-known EDM artists, and ‘Wake Me Up’ is probably his most iconic song. The song is slightly different from standard EDM music, featuring more piano than synth and even some folk elements. But this is what made the song so special, drawing in a wider public audience and earning tons of radio play. It’s a moving song about wanting to skip all the painful growth and self-discovery of youth, opting to immediately be the fully formed version of yourself. “Wake me up when it’s all over when I’m wiser, and I’m older.”
Related: Good morning! Start your day with these waking up songs.
Blah Blah Blah – Armin Van Buuren
‘Blah Blah Blah’ has traces of the trance genre, which is a branch of EDM that centers around techno and electronic elements. This song is a great one to help empty your mind when your overthinking runs rampant. The chorus features lyrics like “blah blah blah” and “yah yah yah,” and singing along helps block out all the things you want to forget. It’s easy to lose yourself in the beat of this song and use dancing as a respite from reality.
Animals – Martin Garrix
‘Animals’ features a slow but steady culmination of classic EDM instruments. First, it starts with a snappy beat, adding in drums and synth-covered bass as it moves along. Each build-up features a kick that doubles in tempo, and each beat drop is followed by an addictive riff you just have to dance to. It’s no wonder why this song is constantly played at clubs.
Just Feels Tight – Fisher
Like many EDM songs, ‘Just Feels Tight’ is lyrically sparse, repeating the title just a few times throughout the song in preparation for the beat drop. The absence of lyrics can give your mind a chance to rest. You don’t have to think about what the song is trying to tell you; you just have to let your body feel the music and decide for yourself.
Calling (Lose My Mind) – Sebastian Ingrosso, Alesso ft. Ryan Tedder
This song is about wanting to forget the realities of the world and just be with the person you love. Relationships are hard and become even more so when the pressures of family, friends, or society start to seep in. This song asks, “can we just for a night let the stars decide where we belong?” The references to heaven and space pair beautifully with the mystical synth.
Related: Enjoy our playlist of songs about stars.
Fire Stone – Kygo ft. Conrad Sewell
‘Firestone’ was Kygo’s debut single, beginning an impressive and game-changing career. The song features vocals from Conrad Sewell, whose crisp voice hooks you from his first note. Throughout the song, there’s a metaphor present that compares fire and love. We see this is a passionate love in the line “our hearts are like firestones, and when they strike, we feel the love.” The pair needs each other to light up, but once they do, they are unstoppable.
Sun & Moon – Above & Beyond ft. Richard Bedford
‘Sun & Moon’ has all the classic elements of dubstep, centering around syncopated drums and thrumming bass. Lyrically, the song tells the story of the end of a relationship. It’s unclear exactly why the breakup happened, but both parties are devastated based on the line “I’ll never get over you, you’ll never get over me.”
Related: Listen to more sunny songs on our sun songs playlist.
How You Love Me – 3LAU ft. Bright Lights
The way people treat us determines how we show up for them. This idea is the basis of this hypnotic song. The singer wants someone who is going to accept her and be there for her through anything in life, but she refuses to settle for someone who doesn’t treat her right. She sings, “I could be your curse or your angel; it’s all in how you love me,” making it clear that she will only return the kind of love she is given.
Alive – Krewella
Alive’ is about wanting that undeniable feeling of being alive. That feeling you find in little moments of joy and love makes you marvel over the fact that you get to exist. The builds and drops of this song replicate that feeling, and you know that being “all alone” with “just the beat inside [your] soul” is more than enough to sustain you.
Disarm You – Kaskade ft. Ilsey
The tinny vocals of ‘Disarm You’ give it an electronic feel, which builds throughout the song to prepare you for the synth-filled beat drop. This song is about wanting to break down someone’s walls. They aren’t prone to vulnerability, and you want to disarm their defenses and get to know them. The intense instrumental sections give the same satisfaction you get when you finally get through to them.
