Armin van Buuren

Since 2001, Armin van Buuren has hosted A State of Trance, the weekly radio show that became a central outlet for his work as a DJ, producer and broadcaster. Transmitted on more than 100 FM stations, the programme reaches nearly 40 million listeners in 84 countries. DJs and Festivals has credited the show with propelling van Buuren to stardom and helping cultivate worldwide interest in trance music.

Born Armin Jozef Jacobus Daniël van Buuren on 25 December 1976 in Leiden, Netherlands, he works across trance and progressive electronic music, while his recordings have also moved through pop, house, techno and dance-oriented styles. He has released music under several aliases, including Rising Star, Perpetuous Dreamer, Gimmick and Gaia. Alongside Maykel Piron and David Lewis, he co-founded Armada Music, the independent dance label based across Amsterdam, New York City and London. Armind and A State of Trance have also been important outlets for his releases and the music connected to his radio programme.

Van Buuren has been ranked No. 1 in DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll five times, including four consecutive years, a record in the poll. He placed third in 2017, fourth in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020, and fifth in 2022. In the United States, he holds the record for the most entries on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums chart, with 21.

His single “This Is What It Feels Like,” featuring Trevor Guthrie, received a 2014 Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording, making him the fourth trance artist to receive a Grammy nomination. His releases have included the albums Imagine, Mirage, Intense, Embrace and 2019’s Balance, his seventh artist album. Songs including “Another You,” “Sunny Days,” “Blah Blah Blah,” “Wild Wild Son,” “Therapy,” “Sex, Love & Water” and “I Need You” expanded his catalogue beyond the club-focused trance sound associated with A State of Trance.

His Armin Only productions have developed into large-scale touring shows, with editions linked to Imagine, Mirage, Intense and Embrace, followed by The Best of Armin Only in 2017. He has also performed at major electronic festivals including Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival and Tomorrowland.