“Who’s Martin Garrix?” Said no one ever… especially after DJ Mag announced its annual Top 100 DJs list, in which Garrix was ranked numero uno. The Dutch DJ posted at No. 40 in 2013, and spiked in the votes to manage the No 1. spot in 2014, the No. 3 spot in 2015, and- after another wild year- the No. 1 spot in 2016.
There’s been allegations made by DJs like Dillon Francis and 3lau stating that the votes, said to be based off of fans’ analysis of artists, didn’t matter as much as the amount the artists were willing to pay. Despite the fact that the contest exceed one million votes for the first time ever this year, the lingering theory is that because Asia is relatively new to the dance scene, there is no solid following or previous ticket sales to determine a DJ’s worth and their booking fee. Unlike other countries where a DJ’s magnitude can be deciphered based on social media followers and internet presence, places like China have limited to no social media access, and therefore determine a DJ’s fees based on their ranking. After the 2016 list was released, 3lau tweeted that DJs pay DJ Mag thousands of dollars to maintain a high chart position, but didn’t point fingers at any artists specifically.
Anyone who has listened to 30 seconds of Garrix’s work can attest that even if he didn’t give a dime to DJ Mag, he deserves his top dog spot based on all he’s accomplished in his career and his pure producing talent. Here’s why Martin Garrix deserves his title as the No. 1 DJ of 2016:
He’s only 20 years old. A strong five-year stint in the EDM business is a great feat, and Garrix certainly isn’t capping his career anytime soon. Getting his start in 2012 at just 15 years old, Garrix has accomplished more before he’s legally allowed to drink than most of his fellow DJs have in their lifetimes.
He’s no stranger to headlining. The Dutch DJ has hit basically every major festival a DJ wants to hit; Coachella, EDC, Ultra, Tomorrowland, Lollapalooza…the list goes on. He’s performed at major festivals and if he wasn’t headlining the first time, made sure he went back for round two. In March he’ll be on the Australian leg of Justin Bieber’s Purpose Tour… and although he’s not headlining, that implies he’ll crank out a track with the legendary JB to add to his impressive list of collabs including Christina Aguilera, Usher, Tiesto, Bebe Rexha and Afrojack.
He’s racked up the awards and No. 1s. He’s won titles like “Best Live Performance (2014)” and “Beat Guru (2016)” and everything in between. Whether it be from MTV, the Dance Music Awards, YouTube or the NRJ DJ awards, Garrix has proven his dominance since 2013 in all possible categories. He’s placed No. 1 on the Beatport Top 100 chart three times, and for two consecutive weeks with “Helicopter.” He also nabbed the Apple Beats No. 1 spot for his weekly radio show.
He owns his own record label. It’s an amazing feat to cut a deal with Dutch label Spinnin’ Records, but that wasn’t enough for the headstrong Garrix, who split from them in 2015 due to alleged “differences in opinion and reasonableness of agreements.” It took the young artist just four months to announce the start of his very own label, STMPD RCRDS. Launched early this year, the first song released on the label was “Now That I’ve Found You” in March. It’s Martin’s way or…Martin’s way, take that Spinnin’ Records.
He’s optimistic and inspirational. At just 20 years old, Garrix’s journey to the main stage and beyond is the epitome of inspirational. He was drawn to being a DJ after seeing Tiesto perform at the Olympics in 2004 when he was just eight years old, and just 8 years later he made his own dream come true. What separates him from other successful DJs is his positive attitude and humbleness. Between his beach trips with Justin Bieber and hangouts with Dillon Francis, Garrix is continuously thanking his fans for their support through every platform he can, and is always in the studio working on his next project.
He’s got a deal with Sony Music. In July of this year, Garrix announced a worldwide deal with Sony Music International. The first track he delivered: In the Name of Love ft. Bebe Rexha. After a year of independent work, he celebrates by joining RCA Records in the US and Columbia Records in the UK. Adam Granite, President, Northern & Eastern Europe & Africa, Sony International, commented: “Martin is one of the pre-eminent DJ/producers and songwriters in the world today and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him and his team to the Sony Music family.” If you live under a rock and haven’t heard MG’s hit with Bebe, here it is:
“In the Name of Love”- Martin Garrix ft. Bebe Rexha
One word: Animals. The 2013 breakthrough hit that launched Garrix onto the DJ Mag Top 100 Charts in the first place. It also was the track made MG the youngest person ever to reach the No. 1 spot on Beatport. Without exaggeration, everyone in the world knows this song, and knows it’s one that we’ll never get tired of. It’s debatably more iconic than “Sandstorm” or “Levels.” Ever since the release of this catchy and brilliant beat, Garrix has been absolutely unstoppable. Let’s state the obvious: Garrix has pure talent. Every song he’s produced is a hit and there’s nothing he can’t mix into musical magic. “Animals” reminds us of that, and that’s why he’s the top dog in EDM.
“Animals”- Martin Garrix
Fast forward to 2016. He’s the proud owner of STMPED RCRDS, just dropped his new album “7 of 7,” absolutely killed a THREE HOUR set at the Amsterdam Dance Event last week, and performed live for the first time with Bebe Rexha. Oh, and dominated the entire EDM industry, beating out legends Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike for the title of No.1 DJ in the World.
And the young and energetic Martin machine certainly won’t stop here.
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