Oftentimes, songs are overplayed for a reason: they’re actually good, usually. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but it certainly is for these three EDM tracks. When Daft Punk took electronic dance music to Coachella in 2006, the genre grew significantly into a festival market. Since then, these EDM songs have been overplayed, but they deserve the hype.
“turn down for what” by dj snake and Lil Jon
This might be the most overplayed EDM song of all time. It’s included in nearly every DJ’s set, used before drops or to merge tracks. The thing is, it absolutely works. Every single time, it’s effective. Just refer to the viral prank from the early 2020s, when a wedding DJ pranks a wedding attendee who is dancing on the dance floor. The DJ uses the iconic “Turn Down For What” transition, but instead of going into a heavy drop, he transitions into ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”. Though the wedding attendee looked disappointed, many noted that even this transition worked well despite being a prank.
“scary monsters and nice sprites” by skrillex
When Sonny Moore transitioned from metalcore to EDM in 2009, he completely changed the game. Skrillex revolutionized dubstep and invaded EDM festivals with a new sound. This sound mixed sudden heavy beats and electronic, robotic vocals, and dominated dubstep in the early 2010s. His 2010 Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites EP hit No. 49 on the US Billboard 200 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album.
“levels” by avicii
When you brilliantly use a sample of Etta James in the middle of your song, it’s sure to stick around. The legendary singer is heard during an intermission section of the track. A sample of her 1962 hit “Something’s Got A Hold On Me” serves as the perfect transition. Avicii scored a timeless EDM hit in 2011 when “Levels” went to No. 1 on the US Dance Club Songs chart. His blend of R&B attached to a then-modern EDM track proved to be the perfect recipe. Many EDM artists of the early 2010s followed suit, incorporating samples of classic R&B songs.
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