Armin Van Buuren
From: The Netherlands
DJ style: “Trance and progressive.”
Best known for: “ASOT.”
Fave tune of 2022: “Kryder ‘Piece Of Art’.”
Rising star DJ/producer of 2022: “Ahmed Helmy.”
Continuing his run as The World’s No.1 Trance DJ, as well as an incredible legacy of 21 years in the top five of the Top 100 DJs, Armin van Buuren tells DJ Mag that getting back to touring has been a highlight of his year. “It’s been great to be back on the road after the pandemic. If anything, I’m more thankful than ever to be on stage and to be able to share my music with the crowd. Because of corona[virus], I produced a lot of music, so it felt really good to finally see the crowd react to it.”
And he isn’t lying. The legendary Dutch DJ, producer and A State Of Trance (ASOT) boss scored a big hit in Holland with ‘Come Around Again’, and released his Billboard Dance No.1 hit ‘One More Time’ in July. That followed the first instalment of an album trilogy in June titled ‘Feel Again’, which landed just days after five sold-out shows at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome. He says other highlights of his time on the road include Ultra Miami, EDC Las Vegas, Tomorrowland, and Mysteryland, as well as returning to Ushuaïa, Hï Ibiza, and Brazil.
Outside of his busy touring and release schedule, Armin — who has ranked as the No.1 DJ in the Top 100 DJs poll a record five times, including four years in a row — remains a pillar of the trance scene. He describes his ASOT radio show, which is now well over its 1000th broadcast, as his “baby”, and this month he expanded his work in radio by taking charge of Dutch station Radio 538’s dance department. Amidst his hectic schedule Armin has also focused on wellness in 2022. In August, he shared a 10-minute meditation routine, designed to help people find balance. He also released a documentary titled This is Me in June — about his journey with mental health. Speaking about the film at the time of its release, he explained, “This film shows the transformation that I’ve experienced over the past three years, finding a way back to a place of balance by allowing myself to feel again.” Long may that continue.
What’s the best DJ set you’ve seen this year?
“Fred again..”
Name one great festival you played for the first time this year:
“Beats For Love, Ostrava, Czech Republic.”
What’s the longest DJ set you’ve ever played?
“12 hours 21 minutes in <<O>> The Hague, October 26th 2002.”
What’s one piece of studio hardware you wish you owned?
“ARP 2600.”
What’s the last tune you bought?
“Metal Master (Sven Väth) ‘Spectrum (Bart Skils & Weska Reinterpretation)’ on Cocoon Recordings.”
What’s the next big sound?
“Techno is bringing back trance!”