Released 9 Years Ago: Avicii – Wake Me Up

When you’re one of the most recognizable DJs and producers in the world; when you’ve sold millions of records, had billions of downloads and 11 billion streams, bested the globe’s biggest stages and worked your way from upstart to celebrated icon, your life looks like a blockbuster movie – from the outside.

On the inside, Tim Bergling, aka Avicii, who is naturally shy, struggled with life on the road. Even as international chart-toppers ‘Levels’ and ‘Wake Me Up’ catapulted him to brighter stardom, he became an ever more elusive character of dance music myth. His announcement that he was retiring from touring in mid-2016 sent shock waves through the community, but the silver lining was a renewed conviction, inspired energy, and much more time to get back to what Avicii does best – create music.

Nine years ago, on the 18th of June, 2013, Avicii took one of the biggest risks of his career and in turn revolutionized his sound by combining country and dance music for the lead single from his debut album. ‘Wake Me Up’  was an instant success peaking at number one in much of Europe and charted well in various countries. The song has been described as a “summer anthem” by Variance Magazine and throughout the 2013 festival season, Avicii included it as part of the opening or closing sequence of his sets at EDC Las Vegas, Tomorrowland, Creamfields, Electric Zoo, and the iTunes Festival.