From Trance to Big Room House to Techno to even a bit of Gabber, it goes without saying that Tiesto has left his mark on the global electronic music scene. Let’s take a closer look at the musical evolution of Tiesto starting from the very beginning to today where he is known as the “Godfather of EDM”.
1984-2003
Tijs Verwest who we now know today as the one and only Tiesto, got his start in the electronic music scene by DJing in local clubs in his hometown of Breda in the mid 1980’s to early 1990’s. During this period Tiesto known as Da Joker spun Gabber, an electronic sub-genre founded in the Netherlands infamous for it’s high beats per minute and distorted and heavy kick drums.
Tiesto founded his first record label, Black Hole Recordings in 1997. This label is still widely renowned today for his ‘In Search of Sunrise’ CD series. From there Tiesto became a household name in the Trance scene with the classics we know and love today such as ‘Flight 463’ and ‘Adagio For Strings’.
In 2002, Tiesto received the number one spot on the coveted DJ Mag Top 100 list. He then went on to hold the title for three consecutive years. Just a year later in 2003, Tiesto performed at the iconic Gelredome in Arnhem in the Netherlands for more than 25,000 people. This historic event marked the first time a DJ held a solo concert in a stadium.
2004-2012
Tiesto’s career skyrocketed following the release of his second album ‘Just Be’. He even performed live at the 2004 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Athens Greece. Breaking another world record of being the first DJ ever to perform at the Olympics. It was also during this time that some of our favorite tracks we still hear consistently on the dance floor were conceived such as ‘Traffic’, ‘Adagio for Strings’, and ‘Lethal Industry’.
Tiesto took to the radio in 2007 with his own show Tiesto’s Club Life on the popular station Radio 538 in the Netherlands. From there he released his third album ‘Elements of Life’ which even nominated for a Grammy Award. From this moment on it was clear Tiesto was destined for stardom as his tracks were played not only the radio in the Netherlands but around the world. Tiesto released his fourth album in 2009, ‘Kaleidoscope’ and from that moment on it’s safe to say he became an EDM icon.
During the period of 2010-2013, often referred to as the Golden Age of EDM, electronic music began to blow up in the United States. Electronic music was no longer just underground and found in tunnels and in dark warehouses but was on the radio even at your local grocery store. Moreover, it’s important to note that Tiesto held a position in top three of DJ Mag all the way from 2002 to 2013!
2014-Present Day
Reflecting upon the last decade of Tiesto’s music his legacy lives on from winning the Grammy’s in February 2015 in the category of Best Remixed Recording, Non Classical of John Legend’s ‘All of Me’ to even retuning to his roots under his VER:WEST alias.
Tiesto continues to put out bangers and uphold mainstream success with some hits we know and love such as ‘Red Lights’, ‘Secrets’, and most recently, ‘Boom’.
Now in 2023, Tiesto‘s journey through the electronic music landscape has reached new heights of success. His latest album, ‘Drive’, boasts chart-topping singles like ‘The Business’, ‘The Motto’, and ‘Don’t Be Shy’, which have collectively garnered over 1 billion streams. These hits have solidified Tiesto‘s enduring relevance and continued dominance in the EDM scene, proving that even after decades of innovation and exploration, he remains a force to be reckoned with.
Today, Tiesto’s tracks can be heard across the dance floor, and he continues to rock the stage at some of the biggest electronic music events in the world such as Tomorrowland, Electric Daisy Carnival, Creamfields, and Ultra Music Festival.
