EDM music has successfully made its way into just about every city, big multi-genre music festival, radio station, and nightclub. Sure, there aren’t any instruments involved at a Calvin Harris or Bassnectar show, but that’s not what the EDM concert experience is about. EDM concerts are about visually and audibly captivating the audience, matching the biggest drops with the best light shows, and tapping into that instinct to dance. The EDM genre has a huge range—from trance to dubstep—and some shows are not for the faint of heart. Lucky for EDM lovers of all kinds, it’s looking like 2016 will be a beautiful year for EDM concerts and album releases.
Check out our rundown of the best DJs with EDM albums set to release in 2016, in addition to upcoming EDM concerts in 2016.
Upcoming 2016 EDM Album Releases
Steve Angello: Wild Youth
Album Release Date: January 23, 2016
The first big EDM album release we’ve seen in 2016 has been none other than the former Swedish House Mafia member Steve Angello and his record Wild Youth. Even though the record isn’t brimming with festival bangers, it seems that the 2012 break-up of one of EDM’s biggest performing artists has served Angello well. Wild Youth is coined by melodies rooted in pop structures, while allowing some tracks to seep into a more 90’s retro-dark approach to electronic music. Wild Youth aims to tell the history of Steve Angello as a DJ and artist as it sways between prog-dubstep synth to atmospheric walls of sound. Wild Youth is already considered an acclaimed effort from Steve Angello, and will certainly stick with us into the warmer months where it will color our Summer playlists.
Kygo: TBA
Album Release Date: February 12, 2016
Similar to The Chainsmokers, Kygo is another young DJ that has experienced widespread amounts of success in just a very short amount of time. Now, after producing Avicii-inspired remixes of Seinabo Sey’s “Younger”, Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” and Ed Sheeran’s “I see Fire”, it seems like the only thing left for Kygo to do is drop a full-length record. According to a recent interview with Billboard, Kygo’s debut record will consist of 15 tracks all in varying genres. Kygo attempted new territory for his debut record, clearly confident that he doesn’t need to be genre-conscious in order to produce great music. Collaborations on Kygo’s upcoming album include John Legend, Tom Odell, and Labyrinth. The record is due to drop in the next few months, with some songs making early appearances at Kygo’s upcoming tour dates.
Santigold: 99 Cents
Album Release Date: February 26, 2016
It took awhile for Santigold to find her stride and place in the music industry, and decided, after a few failed production attempts with mainstream producers, that she was a better product when authentic and all her own. Though, in the process of vivacious frontwoman Santi White to find her performing identity as Santigold, White was able to work with several like-minded artists, such as M.I.A, who Santigold continues to draw comparisons to today. Santigold has announced that her forthcoming album, 99 Cents, will be released February 26th, 2016, and will include production credits from Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij, the West L.A Children’s Choir, Zeds Dead, and ILOVEMAKONNEN. Though she’s best known for her mad genius combination of reggae, grime, punk, and indie electronica, Santigold promises to explore even more new corners of music in her upcoming record 99 Cents. And paired with her experiential live shows and even higher stage production, Santigold’s upcoming tour will certainly be one to remember.
Miike Snow: iii
Album Release Date: March 4, 2016
Miike Snow, the Swedish house music trio that brought you the contagious single “Animal” back in 2009, is set to release a new record this Spring. The new album, titled iii, will include singles “Genghis Khan”, “My Heart is Full”, and their latest, “I Feel The Weight”. Though Andrew Wyatt and co. have been virtually silent on social media throughout the production of iii, the wide musical range of singles present on the upcoming album show fans that Miike Snow have been hard at work. The classic Miike Snow dance-pop style of “Genghis Khan” is set in contrast to the horn-filled “My Heart is Full”. The earlier iii singles are differentiated even further by “I Feel The Weight”, a slow melodic track that features Andrew Wyatt soliciting a lovesick hook. It’s exciting to see Miike Snow diversify their discography, besting themselves as EDM musicians who have already cracked the “hit single formula”.
Baauer: Aa
Album Release Date: March 18, 2016
Four years ago, Baauer’s underground internet hit “Harlem Shake” became a viral sensation, sparking overwhelming numbers of response videos and parodies. Football teams, firemen, and numerous groups of teens could all be seen rendering the “Harlem Shake”. Now, Baltimore native DJ Baauer is finally gearing up to release his debut record, which has called upon a number of guests including M.I.A, Future, and Pusha T. The new album is titled Aa (pronounced “double a), and will drop on March 18, 2016. It will contain Baauer’s latest single which dropped last month, “Day Ones” feat. budding rapper Novelist.
Mat Zo: Self Assemble
Album Release Date: March 25, 2016
Mat Zo has been DJing in London since his teens, and though the process of being discovered spanned a decade, it was well worth the time it took. Even before Anjunabeats took on Mat Zo, his remixes were being praised by the likes of EDM superstars Above & Beyond. Producing catchy trance and progressive house music has been the primary focus of Mat Zo, but following the announcement of his upcoming record, Zo released a series of demos which did not make the record’s final cut, all of which range from drum n bass to metal. Mat Zo’s new album is titled Self Ensemble, and we’re expecting that it will reflect the recent diversity we’ve seen in Mat Zo’s music. Self Ensemble will arrive on March 25, 2016, and will certainly reflect the authenticity Mat Zo advocates in the EDM music industry.
Adventure Club: TBA
Album Release Date: TBA
Adventure Club, comprised of Canadian duo Christian Srigley and Leighton James, was majorly influenced by the music of Skrillex and Tiesto. Now, their music ranges from slick EDM to chest rumbling dubstep. Last month, they released the single “Limitless” feat. Delaney Jane, an upbeat, optimistic anthem that will certainly last into the summer months. Their upcoming EP is to be released sometime this year. According to the duo, we should expect more meshing of harsh dubstep sound effects with delicate vocals and at times, upbeat melodies. From remixing everything from Fetty Wap to Metric, Adventure Club continues to surprise and innovate the EDM music industry.
Zeds Dead: TBA
Album Release Date: TBA
Toronto based electronic music producers DC and Hooks first combined forces in 2004, and in 2009, released their debut. And by that time, they had also altered their ego, decidedly moving forward with their project under the name Zeds Dead, taken from a line in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. In each of their records, Zeds Dead tend to embrace both house music and the physical aspects of dubstep. Recently, they released the new original track “One Time” feat. Californian rapper Murs. The song, dubbed with vintage, controversial verses and a heavy bass drop, is a great precursor to what the duo will release sometime this year. With the exception of one performance at Red Rocks, Zeds Dead will only be touring in their home country of Canada.
The Chainsmokers: TBA
Album Release Date: TBA
Best known for their socially conscious hit “#Selfie”, EDM duo The Chainsmokers are pretty new to the scene, which is why they have yet to release a full LP. Comprised of Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall, The Chainsmokers have colored their approach to electronic music with upbeat, pop progressive sounds. Their “#Selfie” reputation has been followed by the release of “Roses”, a similarly contagious hit which quickly landed a top 10 spot on the Billboard charts back in June. To start off 2016, the duo decided to drop “Don’t Let Me Down”, a radio-pop ready anthem with a synth driven drop and vocals by Daya. According to Drew Taggart, the duo is very happy with “Don’t Let Me Down”, determining it to be one of the best songs they’ve ever recorded, and how it stands in stark contrast to “Roses”, though doubtfully it will be any less successful. Now with three super-hits beneath their belt, The Chainsmokers should be readying themselves for a 2016 full LP release.
deadmau5: TBA
Album Release Date: Sometime early 2016, TBA
Deadmau5, who hasn’t released a new record since 2012’s While(1<2), has spent most of his time in the public sphere shedding criticism onto other EDM producers including Diplo and Skrillex, but now we can finally expect something from Joel Zimmerman’s own arsenal of work. Fans were given updates on Zimmerman’s in house record studio, which finally neared completion at the end of last year. Now, there is little separating deadmau5 fans from a new record. So far, Zimmerman has teased four clips that are still unconfirmed for the upcoming record. The two uploads feature some aspects similar to past deadmau5 tracks such as ambient, atmospheric and melodic rhythms, but take a turn for the darker, eerie feels. We’re pretty excited for Zimmerman’s next record, and if he sticks to the project he’s been teasing, we can expect to see something that we’ve never seen from deadmau5 before.
Flume: Skin
Album Release Date: TBA
Flume’s debut studio album put him at the top of the pack, and now just about everyone is waiting to see how Streten will perform on his sophomore album, Skin. Flume, comprised of Australian music producer Harley Stretten, has tapped back into rap resources which helped propel his self-titled album track “On Top” to the top of the EDM charts. “Smoke and Retribution”, the first track we’ve heard in anticipation for Skin, features three verses by West Coast rapper Vince Staples, video game sounds, and a jerky beat that both molds to the rap and Flume’s hazy synth style. Best known for his production on Chet Faker’s “Drop the Game”, Flume continues to be a young talent in the industry with an ever growing following. And from the sound of “Smoke and Retribution”, it seems that Flume has expanded his already abounding creativity to include classical string, off-beat snare, and experimental percussion. Skin is due out sometime this year, hopefully sooner than later.
Major Lazer: TBA
Album Release Date: TBA
Major Lazer, the afro-punk, reggae influenced alter ego of EDM mogul Diplo, will be releasing new music this year. And not just one album, but an album plus five new tracks for the reissued version of last year’s Peace is the Mission. His latest effort, which contained the #1 Billboard Dance/Electronic hit “Lean On”, was extremely well received by critics, and will likely experience a resurgence of support for its re-release. In addition to adding five new mixes to Peace is the Mission, Major Lazer will also be dropping new material, including a track with The Weeknd, during Coachella. So, even though we have to wait until April to see the new Major Lazer record, the re-release of Peace is the Mission will include some great new material, including another collaboration with MO. There has been talk of Diplo in the record studio with Ariana Grande and Kiesza, so we wouldn’t be surprised if we see those collaborations surface sometime in 2016.
Upcoming EDM Concert Tours
Miike Snow
Miike Snow, comprised of Andrew Wyatt and Bloodshy & Avant, will be releasing their third studio album this Spring. The new record will be promoted on Miike Snow’s upcoming North American Tour, where fans will get to hear the diversified tracks on iii. Miike Snow’s upcoming record will include singles “Genghis Khan”, “My Heart Is Full”, and “I Feel The Weight”.
Tour Dates: March 3, 2016 – June 4, 2016
Santigold
For her upcoming record, Santi White, the charismatic front woman for the experimental hip-hop/EDM project Santigold, has enlisted help from ILOVEMAKENNON, former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmaglij, the West L.A Children’s Choir, and Zeds Dead. Judging by how diverse her guests are, we can only imagine the imagination Santi has put into her latest record. Not to mention, her experiential live shows are not to be missed.
Tour Dates: March 21, 2016 – May 6, 2016
Griz
Griz, the 25 year-old EDM artist hailing in from Detroit, has successfully brought vintage hip-hop and funk into electronic mainstream, generating a large following of fans who can appreciate these typically opposing genres. Having learned the alto saxophone and piano, Griz maintained and incorporated live instrumentation in his tracks and performances. His last record, Say It Loud, featured Talib Kweli, Ivan Neville, and an increasing amount of funk.
Tour Dates: February 12, 2016 – June 9, 2016
Madeon
Hugo Pierre Leclercq, known by his stage name Madeon, is one of the youngest electronic music talents, coming in from France. Madeon is best known for his incredible mash-up of 40 + songs titled “Pop Culture” which garnered millions of views within days. From then on out, Madeon’s fast moving journey to widespread fame included four major U.S music festival performances, touring with Lady Gaga, and several media franchise attributes. His debut record, Adventure, was promoted by a world tour and a trilogy of music videos.
Tour Dates: February 10, 2016 – February 21, 2016
Brillz
Brillz is continuing his “Twonk Di Nation” Tour into Spring, bringing several DJs with him along the way. Brillz first record TWONK broke into the Top 10 iTunes Dance Charts, and since, he’s been recruited by Diplo’s Mad Decent record label. For the “Twonk Di Nation” Tour, Brillz will continue to promote his famed debut album, in addition to Geekin EP, the artist’s first collection of material to be produced by Mad Decent.
Tour Dates: February 19, 2016 – March 12, 2016
Tiesto
To start off 2016, Tiesto released “The Right Song”, which features vocals from the R&B singer Natalie La Rose and Oliver Heldens. Prior to Natalie La Rose’s vocals, the future house collaboration between Tiesto and Heldens (“Wombass”) was already pretty great, but with the addition of La Rose, it truly becomes “The Right Song” *ba dum tss*. Tiesto will be performing minimally this Spring, but we hope to see more dates, or festival slots, for this iconic EDM DJ.
Tour Dates: February 13, 2016 – March 26, 2016
DJ Hardwell
Tiesto’s fellow EDM dutchman Robbert de van Copurt, known as DJ Hardwell, will embark on his “Revealed Bus Tour 2016” following what has been a truly incredible year for the artist. After releasing six compilation albums, his own documentary film, and being considered the No. 1 DJ in the World by DJ Mag, Hardwell finally released his debut record United We Are in 2015. For Hardwell’s upcoming “Revealed North American Bus Tour”, the DJ will be joined by fellow EDM artists Kill The Buzz and Thomas Newson.
Tour Dates: February 25, 2016 – March 4, 2016
Check out our Music Festivals Calendar for other EDM events that are happening this year!