Electronic dance music hits a groove

Will 2012 be the year for electronic dance music?

With dubstep artist Skrillex nabbing five Grammy Award nominations and superstar DJ deadmau5 landing three, all indicators say yes.

“Skrillex is a purely electronic artist, and getting a best-new-artist nomination is Grammy’s way of acknowledging the rise of EDM (electronic dance music),” says Keith Caulfield, associate director of charts at Billboard. The awards “have overlooked EDM artists in the past, like David Guetta and Moby. Skrillex is the face of all EDM at the Grammys.”

Who is Skrillex? With his eerie, spine-tingling samples and grinding bass lines, 23-year-old Sonny Moore — a diminutive, bespectacled Los Angeles-based DJ and producer — is the undeniable leader of dubstep.

“What makes this an incredible achievement is that he has been so successful by being off the radar,” Caulfield says. “Sure, kids know who he is, dance fans know him.” But when the awards show rolls around Feb. 12, “your average music fan won’t have the foggiest idea who he is.”

EDM is having its moment, says electronica pioneer Moby, who broke through to mainstream audiences in 1999 with album Play, which sold 3 million copies.

“For pop stars, their main currency is youth and the record label. For rock stars, their currency is songwriting and their ability to play live,” Moby says. “Electronic music artists are only as good as the last record they played, and their ability to play other people’s records. Luckily, there are a lot of good records out there.”

Last summer yielded a bumper crop of electronic dance festivals, from Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, which pulled in 250,000 attendees, to Live Nation-backed IDentity, the first electronica touring festival, which made 20 stops. Dozens more such fests are slated for 2012.

“If you go to a rock concert, there are four people standing onstage playing songs that sound nice,” Moby says. “You go see Skrillex or deadmau5 live, and there’s a huge production value, the lights, the sound. It’s hard not to be impressed.”

The audience for such spectacles is almost certain to get bigger.

“Pop music has become so aggressively uptempo, when people go to search for more of this kind of music, they’re discovering this whole world that exists,” Caulfield says.

Electronic dance music hits its stride

Uptempo hits by the likes of Skrillex and deadmau5 make their mark on modern music

Will 2012 be the year for electronic dance music?

With dubstep artist Skrillex nabbing five Grammy Award nominations and superstar DJ deadmau5 landing three, all indicators say yes.

“Skrillex is a purely electronic artist, and getting a best-new-artist nomination is Grammy’s way of acknowledging the rise of EDM (electronic dance music),” says Keith Caulfield, associate director of charts at Billboard. The awards “have overlooked EDM artists in the past, like David Guetta and Moby. Skrillex is the face of all EDM at the Grammys.”

Who is Skrillex? With his eerie, spine-tingling samples and grinding bass lines, 23-year-old Sonny Moore — a diminutive, bespectacled Los Angeles-based DJ and producer — is the undeniable leader of dubstep.

“What makes this an incredible achievement is that he has been so successful by being off the radar,” Caulfield says. “Sure, kids know who he is, dance fans know him.” But when the awards show rolls around Feb. 12, “your average music fan won’t have the foggiest idea who he is.”

EDM is having its moment, says electronica pioneer Moby, who broke through to mainstream audiences in 1999 with album Play, which sold 3 million copies.

“For pop stars, their main currency is youth and the record label. For rock stars, their currency is songwriting and their ability to play live,” Moby says. “Electronic music artists are only as good as the last record they played, and their ability to play other people’s records. Luckily, there are a lot of good records out there.”

Last summer yielded a bumper crop of electronic dance festivals, from Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, which pulled in 250,000 attendees, to Live Nation-backed IDentity, the first electronica touring festival, which made 20 stops. Dozens more such fests are slated for 2012.

“If you go to a rock concert, there are four people standing onstage playing songs that sound nice,” Moby says. “You go see Skrillex or deadmau5 live, and there’s a huge production value, the lights, the sound. It’s hard not to be impressed.”

The audience for such spectacles is almost certain to get bigger.

“Pop music has become so aggressively uptempo, when people go to search for more of this kind of music, they’re discovering this whole world that exists,” Caulfield says.

Skrillex is surprised about his 5 Grammy nods

NEW YORK — Many people were surprised when the name Skrillex was announced in the best new artist category, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj and The Band Perry, during this week's televised Grammy nominations special.

Count Skrillex as one of them.

A day after earning a whopping five nominations in total, the 23-year-old dance and dub-step producer is still taking it all in.

"It just hasn't really hit me yet," he said in a phone interview from Manchester, United Kingdom on Thursday. "I wouldn't have thought I would come this far in so many ways."

Skrillex scored the third-most nominations, matching Lil Wayne. Kanye West leads with seven nods; Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars scored six each.

The Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, may be best known for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" (he's also a producer on Korn's new album, "The Path of Totality," out next week).

Skrillex hasn't had much success on the Billboard charts -- he's more of an underground artist. He'll have some tough competition in the best new artist category: Besides facing The Band Perry and Minaj, who were both nominated for Grammys earlier this year and have dominated their respective fields and at other awards shows, he'll compete with Bon Iver, a critical darling, and J. Cole, who had a No.1 album and is the protege of Jay-Z.

Skrillex is nominated for best dance recording for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," and also nominated for best dance/electronica album for his EP, which shares the same name. In 2010, Lady Gaga earned those trophies, and Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)" was the winner of best dance recording earlier this year.

Skrillex will have to battle Toronto's Deadmau5, Robyn and David Guetta, acts who come from a similar background to his.

"I feel very proud of where I come from," Skrillex said of being in the electronic music scene, a genre that has exploded on Top 40 radio in recent years. "I do feel like I represent something and I'm a part of something and it's an honour to be there."

Skrillex, who is also nominated for best remixed recording (non-classical) and best short form music video, says he hopes his Grammy love will give more attention to the dance music genre.

"I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general," he said.

The Grammys will be held Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.

David Guetta to Headline Ultra Fest, Skrillex Added to Bamboozle Lineup

Festival season seems to be shaping up for 2012! Not only was the lineup for Ultra Fest announced, but Bamboozle festival turns 10 this year, and they’re celebrating with one of the most eclectic lineups you’ll be able to hear for the price of a ticket in 2012. So far, the lineup includes Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Blink-182, and the recently added Skrillex.

The festival, which takes place May 18-20 in Asbury Park, N.J., will also host performances from Mac Miller and Incubus, among others.

Skrillex is keeping busy on the festival circuit this year — he’ll also be popping up at the Ultra Fest in Miami, Fla., which is slated to take place March 23-25. He joins an impressive slate of performers that already includes headliners David Guetta, Tiesto, Kraftwerk, and Justice.

If you plan on attending both festivals, you’d better start budgeting now. Purchasing a three-day pass for the Ultra Fest from the official site will run you $299.95, while the Bamboozle is charging $190 for their pass (plus $26 in fees). If you’re finding it difficult to choose between the two, just know that — for better or worse — your chances of hearing ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’ are much, much higher at Bamboozle.

In the meantime, Skrillex fans can enjoy his latest EP, ‘Bangarang,’ released Dece. 23, while Guetta is still promoting his most recent album, the top 5 U.S. hit ‘Nothing but the Beat.’

EDM’s Breakthrough Artists of 2011

2011 was a huge year for dance music. The dance music community saw a massive boom in interest, and the number of EDM fans–in America in particular–has spiked dramatically. This, of course, is great news for the community, and even better news for the artists. Many artists have emerged as some of the best in the game this year. Some of them were virtually unknown before 2011. Some of them were artists who were already established within the EDM community, but after a massive year in 2011, have achieved stadium status and mainstream popularity. Here is my list of the artists for whom 2011 served as a pivotal year in their journey to the top. 

Deniz Koyu 

When I first heard Deniz Koyu’s “Tung!” and “Hydra” this summer, there was no doubt in my mind that this man was going places. Sure enough, I was not alone in my sentiments, and 2011 saw some of the biggest names in the industry incorporating Koyu’s music into their sets. Later in the year, Koyu released his hits “Hydra” and his remix of James Blunt’s “Dangerous” with Johan Wedel, both of which were some of the most successful tracks of the fall 2011 season. Be on the lookout for big things in 2012 from Deniz Koyu. 

Quintino & Sandro Silva

Both of these artists are, well, ‘epic’ in their own right, but when the two producers came together to create a track, they produced one of the biggest hits of the year. “Epic” is an absolute banger, winning the hearts of fans worldwide. It even got to #1 on the iTunes overall charts in Holland. Music festival Tomorrowland put out an after-movie of the festival that went viral, featuring many songs, including “Epic”. The song has certainly generated a lot of attention this year, and its success is a testament to the great artists who produced it. 

Nervo 

Nervo is Olivia and Miriam Nervo, twin models, DJs, and producers. The duo has achieved worldwide fame and success, with 2011 being a huge year for their musical careers. Along with venerated EDM artists Afrojack, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, they produced the official Tomorrowland anthem, “The Way We See The World,” and toured around the United States for Identity Festival this year.

Nicky Romero

Nicky Romero is starting to become a household name after a massive year in 2011. With hits like “Camorra”, “Bootcamp”, “Beta” with Hardwell, and most recently “Toulouse”, Romero is becoming one of the most popular acts in the EDM scene. His remix of Green Velvet’s “Flash” was heard in almost every prominent DJ’s sets at EDC this summer, and David Guetta cited him as the top breakout performer of 2011 when he was named #1 DJ in the world by DJ Mag’s annual poll.

Porter Robinson

Everyone’s favorite high school aged producer, Porter Robinson, had a huge year. He quickly skyrocketed to fame, and by early 2011, he was known as one of the biggest DJs in the world. He released a massive EP entitled “Spitfire”, and even accompanied music legend Tiesto on his College Invasion Tour, drawing in huge crowds. I expect that more huge things are on the horizon for this talented young producer.

Avicii 

The Swedish sensation became one of the most beloved acts in dance music. At least one of his big room progressive house hits are heard in practically every major DJ set, and he is an absolute fan favorite. His song “Levels” is arguably the single biggest dance music song of 2011, and has been remixed by numerous artists; it was even sampled by Flo Rida for his song “Good Feeling.” Avicii is unstoppable.

Skrillex 

Skillex is largely responsible for the popularization of dance music, and has helped to bridge the gap between dance music and the mainstream. Seemingly overnight, he went from relatively unknown to one of the world’s most popular artists in 2011. From my 12 year old sister, to seasoned veteran dance music fans, it seems as though everyone is a Skrillex fan. Skrillex recently received an unprecedented five Grammy nominations, a huge feat for a dance music artist. Skrillex is undoubtedly a pioneer, and has made valuable contributions to the world of music.

Skrillex RE:GENERATION Interview

The RE:GENERATION project has become one of the most interesting collection of collaborations of the year. With all of the videos and music finally being released Hyuandai sat the performers together for a little chat. Here is a clip from the interview with one of the hottest names in electronic music for 2011, Skrillex. Sonny gives some insight of what it was like to work with musicians he has been listening to as long as he can remember as well as what a surreal experience it was to find he was nominated for more than just one Grammy.

MTV Counts Down Top 10 EDM Artists of 2011

It’s been a huge year for Electronic Dance Music (EDM). Artists such as David Guetta, Skrillex, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, and Deadmau5 have become household names. EDM has become increasingly mainstream, and now MTV has recognized and honored some of the biggest names in EDM for their contributions to the world of music. When describing the new increasingly relevant role that EDM has come to play, MTV puts it best.

“Maybe you were at the grocery store when you found yourself singing along to Afrojack’s ‘Take Over Control’ for the hundredth time. Or maybe it was when Martin Solveig’s ‘Hello’ was suddenly on repeat on your iPod. Whatever your moment was, it’s fair to say the American appetite for electronic dance music surged in 2011, bringing ‘the rave’ to radio and festivals, touching every U.S. city (big and small). Even Grammy voters took notice this year, nominating Skrillex for Best New Artist and in four other categories.”

MTV put out the following list counting down the top 10 EDM artists of 2011. It seems pretty on point to me if we are speaking in terms of artists with the most widespread influence.

10. Martin Solveig

When Irv Gotti stopped by MTV News’ “RapFix Live” in October, he joked, “We’re just one record away from Kanye or Jay [being like]: [sings hook to Solveig's 'Hello'] ‘I just came to say hello — Hov!’ ” Gotti was kidding, but it’s true. Rap dudes beware: Songs like “Hello” and guys like Martin have seen such widespread success that the hip-hop industry, which has long enjoyed club and radio dominance, is shook.

In addition to being a technically superior producer and DJ, Solveig has also proven to the world that he has a sense of humor. His “Smash” video series — including “Hello,” “Initial S.H.E,” “Ready 2 Go” and “Big in Japan” — are some of the funniest and most well-produced clips of any genre. Kudos to Martin and his “manager” Lafaille for making us laugh and dance in 2011.

9. Tiësto

Veteran DJ/producer Tiësto might not be trance anymore, but judging by his popularity, fans don’t seem to care. How else do you set a record for the largest single DJ event — 26,000 fans attended his Carson, California, show — in U.S. history? T had hit collabos this year with Mark Knight, Hardwell, Diplo and, oh, Kanye West (sure, the Yeezy track hasn’t been released yet, but everyone’s heard it!). And if you can’t produce like Tiësto, at least now you can look like him: The EDM titan’s Club Life clothing line just hit select stores in New York and L.A.

8. Kaskade

Coming off a massive 2010 highlighted by Dynasty, Kaskade watched as his 2011 studio album, Fire & Ice, quickly became a staple in a healthy EDM diet. With features from Skrillex and Dada Life, and even vocals from rising star Skylar Grey, you’d be hard-pressed to find music lovers who couldn’t identify with or enjoy his breezy music in one way or another. The Illinois native pioneered the Identity Festival, which brought real-deal dance to America’s small cities. He also conquered Las Vegas’ day and nightlife and was named America’s Top DJ of 2011. Not a bad year for Mr. Ryan Raddon, not a bad year at all.

7. Calvin Harris

2011 was a marquee year for this Scotsman. Riding high on the success of Ready for the Weekend, Harris “Bounce”-ed and “Awooga”-ed with his adoring EDM fans the world over. He also infiltrated the mainstream by teaming up with Rihanna for a pair of hit collabos: the chart-topping “We Found Love” and “Where Have You Been.” As he gears up for his third studio album, Harris’ presence in EDM and pop culture is undeniable, and at this pace, he’ll be unstoppable in 2012.

6. Avicii

This year, Avicii underscored his place as dance music’s “Piano Man” (sorry, Bill Joel fans!). It started with “Blessed” (featuring Shermanology), continued with “Fade Into Darkness” (and Leona Lewis’ “Collide,” let’s be real) and capped off with the eagerly awaited release of “Levels.” Yes, Avicii’s keys and vocals went pop in ’11, and Flo Rida would certainly back us up on this as his Etta James vocal is sampled on Flo’s “Good Feeling.” To close out the year, Sweden’s Tim Bergling (stage names: Avicii, Tim Berg, Tom Hangs) is nominated for the Best Dance Recording Grammy with David Guetta for DG’s “Sunshine.” But before that Big Apple ball drops, Avicii will rock New York with a sold-out New Year’s Eve show.

5. Afrojack

Holland’s towering bleep-bender put on a spectacle of versatility in the past 12 months. Afro-beats scored monster mainstream U.S. radio singles for Beyoncé, Chris Brown and Pitbull. And then there’s his EDM game: Nearly a dozen collabos bearing his name charted in Beatport.com’s top 10, with Nervo, Steve Aoki, R3hab and Quintino onboard for a few. He wrapped up the year with a Grammy nom and the earth-shaking single “Lionheart,” and we can only pray he’ll deliver a video for it in ’12 … with a Jean-Claude Van Damme cameo.

4. Swedish House Mafia

Dubbed by MTV News as the “holy trinity of house music,” the rock stars of dance were everywhere this year, from “Miami 2 Ibiza,” Las Vegas to Brazil and all points in between. Not only did they succeed as a unified front, but Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso also soared as individual brands. And thanks to their Size, Axtone and Refune record labels, stellar acts like Thomas Gold, Swanky Tunes, Junior Sanchez, Third Party, Max Vangeli, AN21 and buzzworthy young rookie Alesso are on the verge of becoming household names. On the heels of a historic show at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden this week, and a 2012 Grammy nod for “Save the World,” the Swedish Flag has been firmly planted in the American EDM soil.

3. deadmau5

“4×4=12″ cranked out hit after hit after hit. He nailed well over 100 live tour dates on the Meowingtons Hax Tour, earned RIAA gold with “Ghosts N Stuff” and headlined the traditionally all-rock Lollapalooza fest. Did we mention the wonder born Joel Zimmerman turned a skyscraper into a 4-D experience in London and bid farewell to a Playmate? I mean, who else can say they did that? The dude has balls N stuff.

2. David Guetta

David Guetta’s career has definitely gone pop this year — including the radio hits “Where Them Girls At” (featuring Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida) and “Without You” (featuring Usher) — but for EDM purists, his Nothing but the Beat had plenty to offer too, like stellar co-productions with Afrojack (“Lunar” and “The Future”) and Avicii (on the Grammy-nominated “Sunshine”). DJ Mag crowned Guetta the #1 DJ on the planet, and he headlined the world’s biggest festival’s, including Belgium’s Tomorrowland, Miami’s Ultra Music Festival and Las Vegas’ Electric Daisy Carnival. Guetta’s American Music Awards performance with Minaj seems to indicate that “Turn Me On” will be the next single from Nothing but the Beat, and fans can expect a shocking new video (and much more, we’re sure) early next year.

1. Skrillex

MTV’s EDM Artist of 2011 scored a whopping five Grammy nominations this year, including being the first DJ to land a Best New Artist nod. Indeed, Skrill’s musical background — both on his own and as a member of his former group, From First to Last — has carried over into his brand of fiery electronica. Skrillex has garnered an audience the world over that includes ravers, house heads and rockers alike. In today’s laptop generation of music, Skrillex is the new “rock.” From his remix of Benny Benassi and Gary Go’s “Cinema” to the recent Avicii pop song “Le7els” (not officially released yet), Skrillex dropped massive re-workings in ’11, in addition to his More Monsters and Sprites EP. He scored video games, produced records for Korn, launched his own OWSLA label and hit almost every major festival in the States, including Coachella and Lollapalooza. An exceptional catalog of releases coupled with an incessant touring schedule has made Skrillex the biggest EDM star of the year, and in 2012, he plans to tour 322 of the 365 days.

Famous DJs fill the house in Atlantic City's electronic dance clubs

ATLANTIC CITY — A single spotlight lit a path through the artificial fog of Mixx nightclub to the DJ booth where Tijs Michiel Verwest stood, his glittery headphones shimmering in the blue glow.

Behind him, massive screens flashing in sync with the pounding bass displayed his better-known stage name: Tiesto.

It was the second of two sold-out shows at Borgata earlier this month by the Dutch producer, who’s most often found globe-trotting to play packed stadiums.

“This is the closest we’re ever going to get to Tiesto,” said Paul Castro, of Atlantic City, a resident DJ at the club who was equally enthralled as he watched from the second level.

The show capped a year that brought a lineup of world-class DJs to Atlantic City as the popularity of electronic dance music surges in the U.S.

“There are so many people who are really embracing it that never did before,” said Gregg Coyle, director of nightlife for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.

Seeing this trend, Borgata started its “I Love House” music series earlier this year, “house” being the most popular style of electronic music’s countless sub-genres.

So far, the promotions featured a variety of premier electronic artists, including Tiesto, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Kaskade, Steve Aoki, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, Laidback Luke, ATB, A-Trak, Dirty South and more.

Every show in the series has sold out. Tickets for Tiesto’s performances, which were $75 each in advance, were selling online for more than twice that amount.

But Borgata hasn’t been alone in bringing the world’s best disk jockeys to its nightlife scene this year.

In May, Calvin Harris headlined a 14-hour, 30-act electronic party at The Pool at Harrah’s Resort. Harris produced Rihanna’s hit single “We Found Love,” a song that currently tops Billboard’s Top 100 chart.

In July, Skrillex, a DJ and producer recently nominated for five Grammy awards including best new artist, performed at the House of Blues.

And on Wednesday, The Pool also brought in Roger Sanchez, a Grammy-winning and internationally renowned DJ and house producer for its “Official House Beach Bash.”

For many of these artists, it was their first time in Atlantic City. Only a handful of internationally famous DJs played here prior to 2011, including Paul Oakenfold, Paul Van Dyk and Carl Cox.

Mixing live

The shows, whether in a concert hall or a nightclub, are more than the artists plugging in their iPods and loading a playlist.

The best can seamlessly mix the music live, controlling the speed and pitch, adding distortions and filters, and selecting songs based on the energy of the crowd.

People in the industry attribute its recent success to a variety of factors, leading among them a continued collaboration between electronic artists such as David Guetta and mainstream pop acts like The Black Eyed Peas and Usher.

Whatever the cause, the ability of popular DJs to draw crowds to their live shows is undeniable.

Example: Tiesto’s newest music video, “Maximal Crazy,” shows him performing at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas this summer, a festival of electronic DJs with an attendance of 230,000 people over three days.

He also regularly performs in the summer at Privilege in Ibiza, Spain, the largest nightclub in the world, with a capacity of 10,000.

By comparison, the capacity at Borgata’s Event Center is 3,200. At Mixx it’s 732.“

As it relates to our customer base, these guys are extremely loyal,” Coyle said. “They buy tickets way in advance, and they get here first in line even if they have tickets. They’re so passionate about what they do.”

Howard Weiss, the regional director of nightlife operations, strategy and development for Caesars’ eastern division, said that means some of the biggest names in the business can be expensive to book. Some DJs making $40,000 a night last year are charging twice that now, while the biggest make $150,000 or more for a performance.

From his perspective, Atlantic City is actually just now catching up to the scene’s meteoric rise.
“In Vegas about five years ago, it was popping in and out, but it really started taking off in 2010,” he said. “This past year really showed it could be steady.”

Always plugged in

Of course, that hasn’t stopped smaller clubs throughout the city from fueling their dancing floor with house music. Lesser-known DJs are armed with many of the same hits and remixes, and they work them into their sets on a nightly basis.

This summer, The Chelsea Hotel worked with the Philadelphia-based promotion company Art of Electronica to debut “Delicious Sundays,” a weekly daytime party around its fifth story rooftop pool with regionally-known house DJs.

“It used to be more underground, but I see it actually taking over different clubs and getting larger,” Chelsea nightlife manager Darryl Logan said about the genre. “No doubt about it.

”The hotel’s C5 nightclub also debuted “Euro Night” on Sundays this past summer, featuring electronic music that’s big with foreign crowds.

Similarly, Dusk nightclub at Caesars has made house music a focus of the “Global Fridays” promotion it began in 2010. On Tuesday, Dec. 20, singer John Martin will appear at the club and perform “Save the World,” the Grammy-nominated hit song he recorded with the DJ supergroup Swedish House Mafia.

Logan said the crowds that usually fill electronic shows are out-of-towners, coming from New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., which Coyle and Weiss said is largely true of their shows as well.

Todd Rodeghiero, who co-founded Art of Electronica last year, said the city can easily attract electronic music fans from those cities if they market events the right way.

“Atlantic City stays open all night, and you have a lot more to do after the show,” he said. “At some point, New York shuts down, whether you want it to or not.”

Rodeghiero and Coyle both said they have big acts planned for 2012, but declined to name names.“

I think 2012’s going to be the strongest year ever,” said Weiss, who predicted that the new clubs at the Revel casino will focus on the house music market.

DJ Paul Castro agreed. In August, he opened at Mixx for Kaskade, who was recently voted America’s best DJ in a contest sponsored by Pioneer DJ.

Castro started DJing in 1991, and he’s been a fan of house music for a long time. Lately, he said he’s been getting a better crowd response from house than a lot of the mashed-up hip-hop and pop that dominated DJs’ playlists for years.

“I think this music has a lot more energy,” Castro said, “and I think America is ready for it.”

MTV names Katy Perry its 1st artist of the year

NEW YORK (AP) — Katy Perry's run of No. 1 singles has earned her the distinction of becoming MTV's first artist of the year.

Perry topped Adele after a spirited discussion among MTV's internal panel of experts, the network said Thursday. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was chosen top song of 2011, said Amy Doyle, the network's chief of music programming.

MTV also declared Skrillex its electronic dance music artist of the year over David Guetta.
Different parts of MTV would make "best of" lists in the past, but the network wanted to establish a franchise that brought all its online and TV arms together and emphasized MTV's music roots, Doyle said. The network, established in 1981, hopes it becomes an annual thing.

Seven panelists made the final choice, and their deliberations were featured in MTV programming this week.

"Rolling in the Deep" was an obvious selection as top song, Doyle said. Runners-up were Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Rihanna's "We Found Love."

"I loved the song the moment I wrote it," Adele said. "The melody and the beat added some conviction to it. I think that's why people connected with it."

Perry's achievement of tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" as the only albums to yield five No. 1 singles was particularly impressive, Doyle said. Along with the title cut, "California Gurls," ''E.T.," ''Firework" and "Last Friday Night" (T.G.I.F.) all topped the charts. She's trying to beat the record with the current single "The One That Got Away."

"You just really felt her presence in pop culture throughout the year," Doyle said.

Skrillex, whose real name is Sonny Moore, describes his music as a combination of "dubstep, electro and glitch." MTV included the category of best electronic dance music artist to pay tribute to the way the style is taking off with its young viewers, she said.

MTV also asked its viewers to vote on their choice of the best live performances shown on MTV all year. Their choice was "Hurricane" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.

Scene & Heard: Grammy grab

What do local lads Cut Copy have in common with multi-million selling acts Foo Fighters, Kanye West, Radiohead and Lady Gaga? The answer? They’re all nominees at next year’s Grammy Awards.

The Melbourne electro outfit celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, and has been nominated in the Best Dance/Electronica Album category for its third album Zonoscope – released to rave reviews in February.

The band will battle David Guetta, Deadmau5, Robyn and Skrillex for the award at the annual ceremony, to be held on Los Angeles on February 12.

They may be at long odds to win, but if they do, they will join an exclusive list of Australian Grammy-winning acts that includes Kylie Minogue, Keith Urban and Wolfmother.

Having scored a prime timeslot at Meredith last weekend (sandwiched between Icehouse and Grinderman), Cut Copy will take a break over summer. So plenty of time to work on that acceptance speech, then.

Slamming nationally

Last February, more than 20,000 Melburnians took to the city streets in support of live music – and to save Collingwood’s iconic Tote Hotel. Next year the event, known as SLAM (Save Live Australia’s Music), will go national.

February 23 will be a nationwide celebration of live music. Venues and musicians are being encouraged to curate ‘‘national SLAM Day’’ gigs.

Music lovers can become fans of the event on Facebook and keep up to date with the latest news and, closer to the date, comprehensive gig listings. Visit facebook.com/SLAMrally

W ith a bullet

If you’re on to a good thing, why change it? Melbourne blues-rock troubadour Jordie Lane had such a good time in the US recording his second album Blood Thinner (which hit stores in July) that he’s decided to take his latest batch of songs back to the States and try it again with album number three.

Before he leaves the country, Lane will play a farewell show at the East Brunswick Club on February 12. Tickets are on sale now. Visit eastbrunswickclub.com

Mu st see

Future of the Left
Fresh from a set at Meredith, Welsh four-piece Future of the Left (pictured) brings its high octane live show to the Corner tomorrow. The band will preview tracks from its third album, The Plot Against Common Sense, due out early next year.

D: Friday
V: Corner Hotel
$: $44 plus booking fee

Harmony
The self-titled debut album by local band Harmony – the latest project by ex-Nation Blue singer Tom Lyngcoln – is set to top plenty of ‘‘best of 2011’’ lists. Intense and atmospheric, the six-piece will launch new single Heartache on Saturday.

D: Saturday
V: Phoenix Public House
$: $10 plus booking fee

The Rechords
Haven’t heard Melbourne trio the Rechords? Think a little bit hillbilly, a little bit R&B and a little bit western swing – and you’re halfway there. Having only formed in mid-2009, the band has been turning heads for all the right reasons.
D: Sunday
V: Northcote Social Club
$: $12 at the door

Grammy surprise: Who's that? His name is Skrillex

Many people were surprised when the name Skrillex was announced in the best new artist category, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj and The Band Perry, during this week's televised Grammy nominations special.

Count Skrillex as one of them.

A day after earning a whopping five nominations in total, the 23-year-old dance and dub-step producer is still taking it all in.

"It just hasn't really hit me yet," he said in a phone interview from Manchester, United Kingdom on Thursday. "I wouldn't have thought I would come this far in so many ways."

Skrillex scored the third-most nominations, matching Lil Wayne. Kanye West leads with seven nods; Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars scored six each.

The Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, may be best known for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" (he's also a producer on Korn's new album, "The Path of Totality," out next week).

Skrillex hasn't had much success on the Billboard charts — he's more of an underground artist. He'll have some tough competition in the best new artist category: Besides facing The Band Perry and Minaj, who were both nominated for Grammys earlier this year and have dominated their respective fields and at other awards shows, he'll compete with Bon Iver, a critical darling, and J. Cole, who had a No.1 album and is the protege of Jay-Z.

Skrillex is nominated for best dance recording for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," and also nominated for best dance/electronica album for his EP, which shares the same name. In 2010, Lady Gaga earned those trophies, and Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)" was the winner of best dance recording earlier this year.

Skrillex will have to battle Robyn, Deadmau5 and David Guetta, acts who come from a similar background to his.

"I feel very proud of where I come from," Skrillex said of being in the electronic music scene, a genre that has exploded on Top 40 radio in recent years. "I do feel like I represent something and I'm a part of something and it's an honor to be there."

Skrillex, who is also nominated for best remixed recording (non-classical) and best short form music video, says he hopes his Grammy love will give more attention to the dance music genre.
"I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general," he said.

The Grammys will be held Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.
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Online:
www.skrillex.com
www.grammys.com

Levels (Skrillex Remix) – Avicii

This is absolutely incredible. I cannot even wait for Skrillex to release the HQ of this track. 10/10. Must watch.

Skrillex gets nominated for 5 Grammy's then does a funny dance!!

If you didn’t already hear the breaking news, Skrillex was nominated for 5 Grammy’s on November 30th, 2011 at the official Grammy nomination ceremony. The biggest nomination of all is the Best New Artist category, which puts him against the likes of The Band Perry, Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, and  J. Cole. This is a huge turning point for EDM, and is a big deal for all electronic music producers across all genres.

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Skrillex is the fastest growing producer in EDM history, and It just goes to show how EDM is taking over- check out this really good, kind of long article about how “Electronic Music Moved the Masses in 2011″.

There are some other producers nominated for Grammys, which is dope as well. Deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta and others figure in the list, check the full list at the Grammy’s site here. So, does this mean dubstep is going mainstream?

These are the 5 awards Skrillex received Grammy nominations for :

• Best New Artist
• Best Dance Recording (Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites)
• Best Dance/Electronica Album (Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites)
• Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical (Cinema Skrillex Remix)
• Best Short Form Music Video (First of the Year)

Once Skrillex  realized was nominated he started doing this funny dance! Everyone laughed at his seizure-sh dance moves and it was kind of an awkward moment.. But everyone stills loves him (or hates him for that matter) because he makes banging tunes. thanks r/electronicmusic for the gif



So what do you think? Do you think this nomination is good for EDM, or do you think that Skrillex getting Nominated for  5 Grammys is going to continue to bring Dubstep and EDM to the mainstream, and turn it into some poppy, over done, over marketed, over produced  garbage?

On the Charts: She and Him, the Killers Score With Christmas Pop

WINNER OF THE WEEK: Christmas music on iTunes. In a slow, post-Black Friday, pre-last-minute-shopping week, five albums on iTunes' Top 10 had holiday themes: the Killers' (RED) Christmas, She and Him's A Very She and Him Christmas, Glee's Christmas album and, of course, the lingering smashes by Michael Bublé and Justin Bieber. Interestingly, nary a holiday single made iTunes' top songs list, a phenomenon for which we have two theories. One is that cool, exclusive holiday singles such as My Morning Jacket's "When the Bells Start Ringing" and Kelly Clarkson's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" won't chart until next week. Another is that iTunes is packed with quality singles these days by specialists such as Bruno Mars, Rihanna, LMFAO and Katy Perry, so it's hard for Christmas novelties to squeeze them off the singles list. However, the week was pretty barren for hot new album releases.

LOSER OF THE WEEK: Rock music. Rather than knocking on Nickelback again – although, for the record, we did name the Canadian pop-metal goons "Winner of the Week" last time – we'll just use their album Here and Now as yet more evidence that the band's genre is no longer a chart  phenomenon. Over and over this year, from Cake to Coldplay, we've seen rock albums make strong Top 10 debuts then drop precipitously a week later. It's happening with Nickelback, too – with 78,000 in sales this week, the band dropped 66 percent, from Number Two to Number Five. That's despite a massive jump of 42 slots up the most recent Ultimate Chart, which measures online stuff such as YouTube views and Facebook likes, to Number Seven. Here's a clue to the big second-week decline: their "When We Stand Together" video landed more than 39 million YouTube views in its first week (it came out on November 23rd) but has slightly fewer than 41 million views today. To recap: 39 million in one week, two million the next. Not good.

THE GRAMMY NOMINATION BOOST?: Grammy nominations came out too late last week to place on the conventional charts, but we received an interesting list from Facebook regarding its "fastest-growing musicians, actors and songs." (We presume this refers to the fastest-growing popularity of musicians, actors and songs and not that, like, Rihanna is suddenly 75 feet tall.) The Top Three "most-listened-to songs" aren't too surprising – Rihanna, Katy Perry, LMFAO – but farther down the list are things such as thrash-dancer Skrillex's "First of the Year" and "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" and David Guetta's collaboration with Sia, "Titanium." This leads us to believe that the nominations served their purpose, at least in part, to help people learn about interesting new music that they might not have discovered otherwise amid the pop dominance of Lady Gaga and Adele.

Grammy surprise: Skrillex

Many people were surprised when the name Skrillex was announced in the best new artist category, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj and the Band Perry, during last week’s televised Grammy nominations special.

Count Skrillex as one of them.

A day after earning a whopping five nominations, the 23-year-old dance and dub-step producer was still taking it all in.

“It just hasn’t really hit me yet,” he said in a phone interview from Manchester, England. “I wouldn’t have thought I would come this far in so many ways.”

Skrillex scored the third-most nominations, matching Lil Wayne. Kanye West leads with seven nods; Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars scored six each.

The Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, may be best known for “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” (he’s also a producer on Korn’s new album, “The Path of Totality,” out this week).

Skrillex hasn’t had much success on the Billboard charts — he’s more of an underground artist. He’ll have some tough competition in the best new artist category: Besides facing the Band Perry and Minaj, who have dominated their respective fields, he’ll compete with Bon Iver, a critical darling, and J. Cole, who had a No. 1 album and is the protege of Jay-Z.

Skrillex is nominated for best dance recording for “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” as well as best dance/electronica album for his EP, which shares the same name. In 2010, Lady Gaga earned those trophies, and Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World)” was the winner of best dance recording earlier this year.

Skrillex will have to battle Robyn, Deadmau5 and David Guetta, acts who come from a background similar to his.

“I feel very proud of where I come from,” Skrillex said of being in the electronic music scene, a genre that has exploded on Top 40 radio in recent years. “I do feel like I represent something and I’m a part of something and it’s an honor to be there.”

Skrillex, who is also nominated for best remixed recording (non-classical) and best short form music video, says he hopes his Grammy love will give more attention to the dance music genre.

“I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general,” he said.

The Grammys will be Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.

Study playlist creates perfect exam cram vibe

There is a moment that occurs during a late-night study session when the deafening silence – broken only by the typing of keys, the sniffling and coughing of sick and tired collegiate souls, the crinkly of candy bar wrappers and the slurping of caffeinated beverages – drives any student to the brink of insanity.
Some students depend on absolute quiet to concentrate on their work, but others need background music. There is a reason tears are shed when an iPod battery dies in the middle of a late night; music can be a lifesaver.

But what music should one listen to while studying? People will, of course, gravitate toward their favorite bands or genres, but sometimes this isn’t ideal. While some students may possess the skills to be able to concentrate while blasting Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “Watch The Throne,” Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” or Skrillex’s “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” not all possess that kind of talent.

The ideal background music provides a sense of calm and stability for the student, while also providing the energy needed to power through a marathon session of hitting the books. Everyone has their own music tastes, but here are six different albums to consider for the next time you’re in the library.

Andrew Bird – “Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs”

For those who have not yet experienced an Andrew Bird listening/study session, it is simply a must. Like most of his music, his 2005 album utilizes soothing vocals, an overlapping array of instruments and A-plus whistling to create a truly unique and interesting sound. Bird’s music is relaxing and won’t compete against textbooks for the attention of one’s brain. But there may just come a time when the student – despite focusing very little on the music itself – will have a sudden realization of just how awesome this album is.

Avett Brothers – “I And Love And You”


If the stress levels are rising, play “I And Love And You.” This folk-rock album is more energetic than some of the band’s previous work and will – with perhaps the exception of a brief screaming episode at the end of the song “Kick Drum Heart” – succeed in calming any anxious studier.

Bob Dylan – “Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”

Sometimes, however, mellow music is the only way to go. If caffeine or other substances are preventing one from being tired, then there will be no harm in putting on “Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.” This is classic Dylan from 1963 with “Blowin’ In The Wind” and “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” being two of the most notable tracks. Like the Avett Brothers, Bob Dylan is a powerful cure to handle mounting anxiety and stress.


Fleetwood Mac – “Rumours”

In the late night hours when coffee is beginning to fail, “Rumours” is always a safe bet. The 1976 hit album has enough energy to jumpstart any tired college student and on the plus side, it’s just plain excellent music. Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie even provide an unintentional reminder to focus on work for future classes and tests when they sing, “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow. Don’t stop, it will soon be here.”

Lupe Fiasco – “Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor”


For fans of rap and hip-hop that are shaking their heads at this list so far, Lupe Fiasco’s first album may just do the trick. “Food & Liquor” uses very simple background tracks which make Fiasco’s clever rhymes easy to listen to, even during hours of cramming for that final.


Steely Dan – “Aja”

The search for the perfect study album of jazz and rock fusion is over; cue up “Aja” and prepare to be blown away. The 1977 album has the perfect mix of classic Steely Dan vocal magic and incredible jazz instrumental solos. The only downside to this album is that it’s only seven songs long. But the Steely Dan studying/jamming session can continue with their next album “Gaucho,” or with singer Donald Fagen’s solo album “The Nightfly.”

During finals time, the work can be plentiful and the tension high. Sometimes all it takes is listening to the right album to put any mind at ease and back on track.

David Guetta Congratulates Skrillex For Grammy Nomintations

David Guetta has praised fellow producer Skrillex for his Grammy and BBC Sound Of 2012 nominations.

The 'Who's that Chick' DJ claims the public recognition of Skrillex is good for the dance community as a whole.

"It's a statement: I think it's really good that an artist from our community is nominated just as 'an artist.' Not as a 'dance' artist, you know?" he said before adding "I think that it's good that [our] music is now getting the attention and the respect that all the other styles of music, like hip-hop, are getting."

Guetta, himself a multiple Grammy winner, seemed perfectly content being out of the limelight for once.

"He's extremely talented, and I'm very happy for him," he said.

Skrillex is on the longlist for BBC Sound Of 2012 and was nominated for five Grammys including Best New Artist.

David Guetta, Others Laud Skrillex For Grammy Noms

Last week, it was announced that Sonny Moore, the rocker-twisted-DJ/producer that has exploded onto the electronic music scene as Skrillex, has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. Included among the noms is Best New Artist, a initially in Grammy history for a “DJ.”

And while Skrill’s Grammy salutes may have come as a shock to him when he heard the news while in Manchester, U.K., his EDM cohorts say the recognition makes perfect sense.

“I am just so pleased for Skrillex, man!” his 19-year-ancient friend and former OWSLA tourmate, Porter Robinson said. “He certainly deserves it. I’ve been saying it all year, he’s the most influential musician of this year, in any genre. Incredible sound designer. Incredible songwriter. Incredible performer.”

EDM artist, friend and collaborator Sofi said, “He’s been in bands before. He’s an brilliant songwriter. He can sing. He’s just so versatile that I reckon that comes through in his music. He kind of brought this ‘rock,’ ‘raw’ element into electronic music. He’s the punk rock of the new generation.”

In 2011, Skrillex has whipped up hearty remixes (his remix of Benny Benassi and Gary Go’s “Cinema” remains a fan pet), unrestricted his EP More Monsters and Sprites, supplied songs for video games, launched his OWSLA record mark, played massive festivals, jumped on Kaskade’s new album and produced songs for Korn’s new album ? just to name a sliver of his endeavors.

Regardless of how Skrillex is categorized as an artist (he’s often called a “dubstep” artist ? a moniker he doesn’t agree with), fans, critics and artists alike, from niche to pop, all seem to be onboard the Skrillex train.

“He’s extremely talented, and I’m very pleased for him,” beamed dance music’s most well loved veteran, David Guetta. “It’s a proclamation: I reckon it’s really excellent that an artist from our community is nominated just as ‘an artist.’ Not as a ‘dance’ artist, you know? I reckon that it’s excellent that [our] music is now getting the attention and the respect that all the other styles of music, like hip-hop, are getting.”

To mark the Grammy recognition, Sonny’s friends questioned us to share their congratulations with him.

“Skrilly, congratulations, dude!” shouted Tommy Lee. “That’s so rad, man. I’m sitting here thinking a year ago we were sitting in my studio and you were playing me your new sh–, and Blam! Grammy nods like a muthaf—-! Congratulations, dude! Kill that sh–, brotha!”

“Sonny, man, I just want to congratulate you on the Grammys!” echoed Porter Robinson. “It’s been an absolutely insane year. The tour that we did together, the OWSLA tour, was without question the best time of my life. You deserve this like nobody else, so congratulations!”

“Skrilly, congratulations on your many nominations!” Sofi exclaimed. “I’m just really thrilled for you buddy. You’re awesomely talented and you know I’ve been a fan of yours since day one. I remember when you showed me your EP that came out on mau5trap (deadmau5′ mark) and I told you that you were going to get REAL busy! And guess what ? I can’t even get a hold of you anymore!” she laughed. “Excellent for you, buddy! Go get ‘em!”

What do you reckon of Skrillex, his nominations and what he’s been able to achieve this year? Sound off in the comments below!