The Romper Craze Is Certainly Entertaining, But It Isn’t New At All…
Men in rompers…it’s a movement.
Did you wake up one week ago to your Facebook and Instagram feed overrun with photos, posts, and memes showcasing men wearing male rompers, Bro rompers, Public onesies, short jumpsuits or yes, RompHims? Were you shocked by this? Did you immediately rush to your mobile phone and make an Amazon Prime purchase? Or, were you mortified into sheer disgust? No matter what your response was, it’s important to not look at this as an isolated fad, but rather the continuation of a decades-long trend that, in having roots as far back as the 1970s, certainly proves that everything old is new again.
The “RompHim” was launched as a $10,000 Kickstarter design project on Monday, May 15 by ACED Design, a suburban Chicago group whose are a self-described “group of business school friends who decided to try to bring something new to menswear.” Creating a mix and match of press clippings from outlets including Vogue, GQ, Esquire, Elle, CNN, USA Today and more, the “RompHim” is a “super fun and super fresh,” “comfortable and fashionable” fashion-forward look for those who have a “certain zest for life” and want to “[overthrow] the old order of men’s fashion” with this summer-ready look.
However, for as “modern” as the “RompHim” may seem, the romper-as-fashion has a much longer history, that, when thinking about how a garment typically worn by women has been popularly worn by men, it says a lot about where pop culture is right now and where it could be headed in the future.
Original RompHim Kickstarter – Official Video from tmo8283 on Vimeo.
The romper itself has been around since the 1900s, gaining initial popularity playwear for younger children because people thought they were ideal for ease of movement in children. By the 1950s, the garment had become fashionable for women as leisure and beachwear, and by the 1970s, the garment was made for casual and everyday wear, leading us to the modern day.
The romper’s attractiveness as leisure wear is what’s most important here. Intriguingly, 2017 isn’t the only time that men have worn rompers in American pop culture. Moreover, it’s when leisure was big business — namely in the disco loving 1970s, house and hip-hop loving 1990s, and festival-loving 2010s — that the romper (or variations on romper-like fashions) have gained in popularity. Apparently, when men want to relax when relaxing becomes an industry, the first thing that men do is attach their shirts to their shorts, and add a zipper from the fly to the neck for good measure.
In the 1970s, it wasn’t uncommon to see men on disco dancefloors worldwide wearing dressy, polyester, and pants-length jumpsuits. As well, there’s a definite link between the romper craze and the similarly adored by women and children overall craze that was men wearing jean overalls while raving or say, listening to Bell Biv Devoe sing “Poison” in the 1990s. Noting that the press for the aforementioned “RompHim” includes CNN calling it a “devil-may-care garment for young men with an abundance of money and/or self confidence,” and mention of “boat trips” and “Australian winter” (American summer) activities, this is definitely a reaction to a festival crazed male 18-34 demographic looking for something fun-loving and fanciful to occupy their time before shuffling off to the nearest open field.
Yes, very soon — likely as soon as Amazon Prime or your nearest favorite e-outlet can fulfill your order — men worldwide will be wearing collared short-suits. We live in an era where there’s everything from people driving recklessly in Times Square and any great number of social ills occurring on a daily basis. Maybe this once-more embrace of dancing and generally enjoying the lighter side of life via well, a man-romper, is exactly what’s necessary to keep things fun.
Is Calvin Harris The Best Dance/Pop Superstar Of All Time?
On June 30, 2017, Calvin Harris could begin the process of cementing his status as the greatest dance/pop superstar of all time. It’s on that date that he releases Funk Wav Bounces Vol. I, his fifth artist album, and what is likely to be his fifth global top five album. Pop stars (and expressly those who produce electronic music) making dance-friendly smash hit records is now rather commonplace. However, to be a producer who curates talent that appear on your releases, and moreover be a vocalist on your own hits is a skill all unto itself. As well, to then cross that over to being a pop sensation who dominates the tabloids, the Billboard charts and pop culture in general is what Harris has done. In being a star from Food Lion to the festival, the bedroom to the boardroom, and in both the underground and mainstream, Calvin Harris could indeed be the best of all time.
“What do I have to offer that they don’t?,” Harris noted to Beats 1 Radio personality Zane Lowe in 2016 regarding the key to his crossover success and what has fueled his decade-long run as a dance/pop sensation. In fact, he offers a ton.
In the past 11 years, Calvin Harris has released 23 Top 10 worldwide singles. For sake of comparison, in that same span of time, Beyonce has released 13, Lady Gaga has released 16, and Harris collaborator Rihanna has 44. Calvin’s in amazing company. Speaking of collaborators, Harris has worked with 25 different artists to create some of these 23 Top 10 hits, spanning genres as disparate as Haim’s soft rock to Migos’ sing-song trap rap, and more. Impressively, his 2012 Rihanna pairing “We Found Love” was one of American Billboard’s top-selling pop songs of 2012, and has sold ten million plus singles since its release, making it rank at the same level as Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time” and Los Del Rio’s “Macarena” as one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Harris has had such impressive success while also staying underground-to-mainstream pop relevant at all times as well. In the same Zane Lowe interview quoted above, he continued, “I believe I had the last EDM song that was successful and it was “Summer” that was the last song that sounded like EDM that got in the charts. That’s the last EDM riff that was successful. Those are the years. It’s those three years and to hear just honest, honesty.” To this fact, his 2007 indie electro debut album was entitled I Created Disco, and by 2011, his US pop breakout single “Feel So Close” definitely shared a vibe alongside the hits of stars of that era like Swedish House Mafia. 2014’s “Summer” was a hook-driven pop song with a driving electro thump, thus making it right in line with that era’s festival boom. One year later, “How Deep Is Your Love” is a house-style crossover record primed for not the festival, but the dancefloors of clubs worldwide. And now with 2017’s “Slide,” Harris is yet again moving a step ahead by merging house and trap in a manner most unique.
Of course, if curating the progressive sound of an electro-pop generation behind the microphone and the boards wasn’t enough, he counts Chris Brown, Pitbull, Kylie Minogue and more in his songwriting credits, too. Add in his infamous washboard abs, his non-drinking, that time he dated Taylor Swift for 15 months, and his rumored wealth nearing a quarter of a billion dollars to the mix, and he’s on a whole other level.
Sure there’s stars nipping at his heels. The Chainsmokers have seven top 10 hits in four years and have only just recently released their debut artist album. As well, there’s someone like Diplo, who whether with his own work/productions for others, collaborations with the likes of Skrillex for Jack U, or in Major Lazer, has 22 hits to his credit. While not the streamlined path of Harris, it’s differently impressive.
Pop and electronic music’s current connectivity feels different from prior eras in the sense that we’re now welcoming in an era of producers who are simultaneously singer/songwriters, strong collaborators, and moreover, willing to emerge from behind the decks as rock-star like pop culture icons. Thus, for as much as Calvin Harris could be the best dance/pop superstar, it’s quite obviously likely that he’s far from the last.
Five Things You Might Not Know About Galantis
There’s solid reason to believe that if you were just a fan of EDM festivals and entertaining big room bangers that Swedish duo Galantis (who headline at Echostage on June 2 — tickets available here) popped up on your radar in a significant way with their back-to-back 2014 and 2015 hits “Runaway (U & I)” and “Peanut Butter Jelly.” However, upon a deeper look, it shouldn’t necessarily be surprising that Linus Eklöw and Christian Karlsson were so successful. In fact, if you look back at various aspects of their career, their success (and the level which it has reached so quickly for them as Galantis), shouldn’t be shocking at all. In fact, in listing five “things you might not know about Galantis,” there’s a lot of secret keys to their success that are “revealed.”
1. Have you ever heard of techno producer Style of Eye? If you have, do you remember the track “The Big Kazoo?”
Prior to being in Galantis, duo member Linus Eklöw was known for his more techno aimed productions under the moniker Style of Eye. Intriguingly, he was responsible for “The Big Kazoo,” one of 2008’s biggest tunes on the underground scene in that genre. Also of note regarding the track is that it was an early release on Claude Vonstroke’s Dirtybird Records. Yes, that’s the exact same indie dominant Dirtybird known currently as the label home of producers Justin Martin and Justin Jay, as well as the label’s festival-esque worldwide Dirtybird BBQ events. Described as a “bomb” track by Vonstroke himself, it’s easily one of the first truly universally beloved tracks released by the label.
2. Remember Miike Snow’s single “Animal?”
Similar to Linus Eklöw, Christian Karlsson had massive initial success as an artist under another moniker prior to working as a a member of the Galantis tandem. 2009-released single “Animal’”s massive horns, melodious synths and happily soulful vocals were described by BBC Music as “[taking] approximately one play for its catchiness to cluster bomb your memory bank,” while Pop Matters noted that the track “[hit] immediate pop pay dirt.” Easily one of the most beloved of songs of the blog hype-driven indie electro era, it’s success is a clear indicator of Galantis’ success-to-come.
3. 90’s pop superstar Cathy Dennis is the female vocalist on “Runaway (U & I).”
1991’s biggest house-to-pop crossover was Cathy Dennis’ single “Touch Me.” Hitting #2 on the Billboard pop charts and #1 on the Billboard dance charts. 25 years later, Dennis is still active as a pop vocalist, her addition to Galantis’ breakout single keyed the single’s massive success. As well, importantly, Dennis has songwritten for Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and yes, Galantis.
4. Just how many different international pop stars have the guys from Galantis worked with over the past decade?
As Bloodshy, Christian Karlsson worked with the following artists: Americans like Madonna, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, and Chiristina Milian, UK stars including Kylie Minogue, Ms. Dynamite, and Sky Ferreira, Korean icons Girls Generation, and BoA, plus Japanese hitmakers Utada.
While in Miike Snow, Linus Eklöw worked with: Depeche Mode, Passion Pit, Peter Bjorn and John, Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, and more.
Even furthermore, Galantis counts A-Trak amongst the stars with whom they have created hits.
5. Just how many amazing producers have remixed Galantis and Galantis member related projects so far?
There’s appeal for the sounds that Linus and Christian make that stretch across numerous genres. Big room crushers Dillon Francis, DJ Mustard, KSHMR, Kaskade, GTA, Sebastian Ingrosso and Dirty South have remixed their material. As well, electro and techno creators like Treasure Fingers, Crookers, Tiga, deceased legend DJ Mehdi, and blogosphere faves Hood Internet have worked with their tracks. Moreover, if that’s not enough, iconic top 40 craftsmen Benny Blanco and Mark Ronson have remix credits with tracks the tandem have created as well.
Five Things You Might Not Know About A-Trak
DJing legend and producer extraordinaire A-Trak returns to Soundcheck on May 25 as he celebrates his 20th professional year. Alongside names including Diplo and Skrillex, the Canadian turntablist born Alain Macklovitch is easily one of the most visible modern North American electronic music superstars. However, when it comes to understanding just how important of an icon he is, it’s oftentimes difficult to truly understand what makes him such a superstar of the present age without understanding how impressive his rise to excellence actually was. Therefore, here’s a list of “five things you might not know about A-Trak,” and why these facts are important.
1. A-Trak was the first DJ to win all three major DJ competition titles (DMC, ITF and Vestax)
Winning either the DMC, ITF, or Vestax competitive turntablism competitions just once is a highlight of break-adoring a scratch-loving DJ’s career. Impressively, A-Trak won all three by the time he was 17 years old. Even more impressive is the fact that in 2000, he paired with Craze, another exemplary scratch master, and won the tag-team DJing championship, too.
2. A-Trak inspired Kanye West’s “Stronger”
In 2004, A-Trak took a job as Kanye West’s touring DJ. For the next five years, the two soon-to-be icons extensively worked together offstage as well. Intriguingly enough, while attempting to find unique samples for his 2007 album Graduation, A-Trak suggest to Kanye that he listen to Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” 75 mixes by eight different audio engineers and eleven different mix engineers around the world later, and Mr. West had a breakthrough single that went seven times platinum, selling five million plus copies worldwide.
3. A-Trak has been running labels for 20 years
Impressively, while holding down a well regarded DJ and production career, A-Trak has also co-run the labels Audio Research (until 2007) and currently Fool’s Gold. Between those labels and over 20 years, A-Trak has had a hand in the rise of artists including Danny Brown, Kid Sister, Kid Cudi, Crookers, Little Brother and more.
4. Just how important of a track was A-Trak’s remix of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs 2009 single “Heads Will Roll?”
If there were a list of tracks that defined the blog-driven era of indie-to-mainstream EDM, A-Trak’s hard-driving electro remix of this track would absolutely make the list. A-Trak was already a star on the rise before this mix was released, but this one inarguably put him over the top. In 2009 Pitchfork noted, “A-Trak’s take turns the original riff into a rave clarion call and blows the track out to six-and-a-half dizzy minutes. It seems custom-built to ensure general dancefloor insanity,” while Discobelle noted that then BBC Radio 1 and current Apple Music DJ Annie Mac called it “[A-Trak’s] best work to date.”
5. He and Armand van Helden combined to create the “Duck Sauce” tandem of “Barbra Streisand” fame. Who’s Armand van Helden and why is that important?
Before the age of Diplo, Skrillex, and A-Trak, Armand van Helden was one of the DJs responsible for the underground-to-mainstream emergence of house music. 13 top ten singles worldwide including Dizzee Rascal collaboration “Bonkers,” and groundbreaking solo hits “Witchdoktor,” “Funk Phenomena,” “My My My,” and his 1996 remix of Tori Amos’ “Professional Widow” made him a superstar extraordinaire, and Duck Sauce’s smash “Barbra Streisand,” cemented his modern era status.
Top 10 All-Time Armin van Buuren Anthems
Intriguingly enough, it was the promoters behind DC’s noted Glow event who were the first promoters to book Dutch trance superstar Armin van Buuren in America. In the past two decades, van Buuren’s growth as a mainstream DJ and production superstar has mirrored the growth of both trance as a musical genre and DC as a premium electronic music destination. Thus, when van Buuren visits DC to play Echostage on May 26, it’s likely to yet again be a banner event for both the progression of electronic music and for the Nation’s Capital as a city growing in renown as a leading national and global electronic music hub. In celebration of all of this, here’s ten of the most significant — whether via chart topping status or in the hearts of Armin’s many fans worldwide — songs he’s ever released.
10. Waiting For The Night (2013) (check it out)
“Waiting for the Night” is is a trance anthem that doubles as the theme for romantic Dutch beach comedy Verliefd op Ibiza. Fiora’s yearning vocal performance is a highlight here, as the fourth single from Armin’s progressive fifth studio album was a European and US dance chart smash.
9. Drowning (2011) (check it out)
“Drowning” is the fourth single from van Buuren’s Mirage album and features UK vocalist Laura V “translating the roller coasting feel of falling in love.” When the song is remixed by then rising superstar DJ/producer Avicii, it turns into a hyper-charged big room piano house banger.
8. Feels So Good (2011) (check it out)
This bounding and thumping love anthem features Pakistani-American vocalist Nadia Ali, and is the third single released from Armin van Buuren’s album Mirage. Ali’s breezy and seductive vocal adds significantly to the track itself and makes it an overall winner.
7. Unforgivable (2009) (check it out)
Hot on the heels of becoming the world’s #1 DJ, Armin’s album Imagine included this track featuring Jaren. This eight minute trance heater pairs a Balearic Ibiza feel with thumping mega-massive club vibes for a peak hour champion sound.
6. Another You (2015) (check it out)
“Power pop-styled festival banger” might be the last thing you’d expect from trance icon van Buuren. However, the marathon set-loving veteran plays everything from clubs to stadiums of late, so jams like these are necessitated. A sonic evolution supreme, it’s an impressive showcase of the breadth of sounds and styles van Buuren’s set expectation now encompasses.
5. Going Wrong (2008) (check it out)
Poppy, uplifting, and endearing are three adjectives that are best used to describe this 2008 Armin van Buuren collaboration with DJ Shah and Chris Jones. On the strength of the song’s success, British vocalist Jones traveled the world with Armin in Australia, Romania, Poland, Belgium and the Americas.
4. Fine Without You (2009) (check it out)
One of the standouts from van Buuren’s massive Imagine album, “Fine Without You” makes masterful use of a charging lead guitar and techno vibes. Hard stompicks kicks fill the production’s bottom end and make it one of the legendary producer’s most inherently immediate dance-ready hits.
3. Not Giving Up On Love (2010) (check it out)
Armin’s collaboration with vocalist Sophie Ellis-Bextor stands as one of the true musical victories of his career. His 2010 album Mirage elevated his stardom to yet before seen heights, largely on the back of this massive mainstream/festival-aimed production. Regarding the track, Armin himself once noted, “The Nervo Sisters, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and me met up to write the vocals for ‘Not Giving Up On Love’. I was thrilled to work with them on this. We gave it a more analog feel with some real drums, to give it a pop-rock feel. We also put a piano top line on the track and then the vocals of Sophie, which I think is a win. It’s a lush summer tune with an epic vocal that gets stuck in your head and cheers you up!”
2. This Is What It Feels Like (2013) (check it out)
American top-40’s recent love of electronic music has made breakout stars of the likes of Skrillex and Diplo. However, it’s also allowed for established stars like Tiesto and Armin van Buuren to achieve American pop crossover acclaim. Trevor Guthrie’s vocal is a star addition to this Billboard chart-reaching triumph.
1. In And Out Of Love (2008) (check it out)
The highest selling single from Armin van Buuren’s breakout 2008 album Imagine is also likely van Buuren’s most mainstream and underground popular trance hit. The collaboration between the then rising superstar producer and Dutch singer Sharon den Adel is the most viewed Armin van Buuren video on Youtube, while also being a top 10 pop chart hit throughout Europe.
Top 10 Kaskade Singles Of All Time
As the most recent generational worldwide explosion of electronic music gives way to a surge of new underground names ready to make a splash, it’s intriguing to think about the names that have risen to acclaim that are certain to have a legacy. Among those names is Kaskade, the American electro house and trance legend who visits Echostage on May 12 as part of his Spring Fling tour. In the 2010s, Kaskade’s name became synonymous with progressive, yet pop-aimed sounds with house to the point that in 2011 and 2013, he was named America’s Best DJ by DJ Times. The producer born Ryan Raddon has been busy at work since 1995, and in the time since his career’s genesis, he’s undoubtedly had more than ten star-making production moments. In highlighting just these ten, it will ideally either make you want to buy a ticket to the event on May 12 (while they still last), OR, you’ll dig in and search deeper through his voluminous collection of hit electronic anthems.
10. Angel On My Shoulder (2008) (check it out)
Irish vocalist Tamra Keenan’s worked alongside numerous dance icons including Paul Oakenfold, Davis Morales, BT, and more. However, she may be at her absolute best when she’s singing feverishly over a melodious electro production about how she has “an angel on [her] shoulder, “but a devil in [her] head.” A pop moment supreme that worms deep in your head, it always wows the crowd.
9. Everything (2005) (check it out)
“Everything” is the final single released from Kaskade’s second studio album In The Moment and given its 2005 release, unquestionably a sign of greater things to come from the icon-to-be. Electro-meets-disco in a most thumping and crowd-pleasing manner.
8. Never Sleep Alone (2015) (check it out)
Tess Comirie’s ethereal vocal combines with a breezy melody and undulating bassline on this 2015 Kaskade hit. Eventually unfolding into a zippy and funk-filled heater, this one feels like the soundtrack to quite the massive party.
7. Lessons In Love (2014) (check it out)
Spacey synths dot the aural atmosphere of this production that is significantly aided by a rave-ready top-line. A thunder boomer of an anthem, it packs a stomping energy that feels more than in line with any amount of shuffling or leaping the production incites.
6. Atmosphere (2013) (check it out)
Maybe one of the best examples of progressive house at its feel good best, this one glides along light as a feather but hits your body with the energy of something as stiff as a board, immediately getting your feet and entire body in general moving with the melody. A true champion of a floor filling track, it’s forever an absolute joy.
5. Disarm You (2015) (check it out)
Warner Brothers describes the single as being “a sincere plea for uninhibited or honest love with the beautiful vocal stylings of Ilsey set to a bed of music that is intense and powerful.” Big room horsepower is aided by Kaskade’s deft touch on how to mix a majestic top line vocal, and it’s a winner that is likely to have legs as a Kaskade favorite for years to come.
4. Stars Align (2006) (check it out)
Stomping old school UK house vibes combine with OG American disco feels on this immense vocal banger. This is much heavier than what many associate with Kaskade’s sound, but as the lead single from his fourth artist album Love Mysterious, it was certainly a table setter for his eventual mega-massive stardom.
3. Be Still (2006) (check it out)
Gargantuan extended builds and a lilting vocal highlight an intentionally disjointed sound that Kaskade has used to great success. The amount of liveliness apparent in this production is in so many ways due to the ability of Kaskade as a producer to pay equal attention to the subtleties of creating engaging top lines and bottom ends.
2. Steppin Out (2014) (check it out)
There’s an argument that says that pianos are the most powerful organic instrument oftentimes used by house music producers. “Steppin’ Out’s” voluptuous and warped guitar line over a strong bassline would beg to differ. Attempting to not dance to this is a recipe for immediate failure. This one is an overall heater.
1. I Remember (feat. Deadmau5) (2008) (check it out)
The thumping power of club-aimed house combines with trance and top-40 aimed pop vocals for Kaskade’s largest ever career single. There’s something for every stripe of Kaskade fan from his near two decades on top of the electro house game. A deep as it is mainstream, it best highlights the aspects of style and appeal that makes Kaskade seemingly iconic and relevant at all times in any electronic music conversation.
Spring Fest Bottle Specials
Echostage Is The Top Venue In North America!
For the better part of 50 years, Washington, DC has always been one of many American cities at the leading edge of the United States’ ascendance to being a top-tier North American and global electronic music destination. Cities like New York, Chicago, and Miami — and not DC — arguably surged to the forefront of being considered places where America best showcased its excitement about electronic music. In previous eras, clubs like Studio 54, Warehouse, Liv, and more defined excellence in musical presentation and experience delivery. Recently however, Washington’s Echostage was named by DJ Mag as having both one of the top 10 overall nightclubs in the world and North America’s number one electronic music venue. Thus, like so many lasers aimed from the stage during a Tiesto or Eric Prydz set at the now internationally vaunted space, the perception of the present and future of where electronic music is headed in America has been brilliantly highlighted. There were once many cities sharing the lead regarding how America’s presentation of dance is judged worldwide. Now, there may, via this achievement, arguably be only the District of Columbia at the forefront.
Echostage’s rise as a world leader in electronic music and its associated nightlife could not have occurred without reflecting something of the growth of concerts in general as must-attend live events in the Nation’s Capital. Moreover, the ability for venues in the city in general meeting the expectations of that demand is also noteworthy in understanding the reasons as to why Echostage’s significant success has occurred.
From 2007-2012, the 9:30 Club won the “Top Club” award as presented by Billboard Magazine. As well, underground electronic music bass-bin U Street Music Hall has achieved significant acclaim as a top-ten venue nationwide from Rolling Stone and Beatport. As well, Verizon Center continues to be a premium mega concert destination, while newer venues like brand new house and techno friendly venues like Soundcheck and Flash, plus SW DC’s soon-to-be-built 6,000 capacity Anthem offer the promise of continuing this now established expectation of worldwide acclaim for District-based concert halls.
Importantly, there’s also a legacy in how DC has been one of many cities key in the development of both the industry and culture of electronic music in America that Echostage expands upon, improves, and redefines.
In the 1990s it was in spaces like Zei Club, Fifth Column, Eighteenth Street Lounge, Nation, and Tracks where DC’s scene achieved a greater level of national renown than ever before. Zei was a three-level industrial space in an alley located behind McPherson Square that fostered numerous scenes from then-exploding techno to the ascendance of trance, while Eighteenth Street Lounge has ownership ties to DC-based and hybrid funk/house/electronica legends Thievery Corporation.
As for Nation (aka the Capitol Ballroom), it was the home of Buzz, an influential underground party that was voted the number one party in America for four straight years in that decade. Iconic names including Moby, Little Louis Vega, and more were booked for those events. As for Tracks, it was open near the Navy Yard Metro Station from 1984-1999, and in 2013 was referred to as both “the legendary nightclub of Washington, D.C.” as well as “[attracting] a diverse cross section of the LGBT community, including whites, blacks, men and women, Latinos and Asians,” and “[meaning] considerably more to considerably more people for considerably more years than any other nightclub in D.C. history” by the Washington Blade.
By 2012 though, America’s electronic music fascination exploded via the EDM boom, expanding interest past typical club capacities and into arena-style settings. DC clubs immediately preceding Echostage including Lima, Fur, Ibiza, and the still-standing Ultrabar initially excelled at fostering the quickly developing EDM craze, but quickly grew too small to contain its appeal. Thus, Echostage, with its 30,000 square feet of space, top-tier sound design, advanced LED visual displays, laser shows, 60-foot bars and 30-plus bottle service tables a) allowed for a maximum capacity of all music fanatics to enjoy themselves, and b) ultimately put the Nation’s Capital over-the-top as America’s top electronic music destination and one of the must-visit electronic music locales worldwide.
One can only imagine what the future holds for electronic music, its culture, live concerts, and Washington, DC. Conservative estimates note that by 2025, the population of America’s capital city will exceed 800,000 residents, while the population for the DC Metropolitan area in general should top 6.25 million. As well, electronic music and its culture continue to resonate and expand worldwide, by the millions among fanatics old and young. Therefore, there’s likely a space, probably in Washington, DC, where this all continues to grow in the most amazing manner possible.
Top 10 Best Sia Anthems of All Time (Or Right Now…Your Choice)
Amazingly enough, it’s been 20 years since Sia, possibly 2017’s biggest mainstream female pop vocalist, released her debut album. It’s amazing in the sense that somehow, there’s a singer-songwriter with her level of undeniable talent that’s patiently waited for the opportunity to reach her own stardom, instead of writing songs for everyone from Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera to Beyonce, Maroon 5, Eminem, and more. Though she still writes many songs, it’s her ability in writing and singing, for the most part, her own songs where she’s surged to greater success than ever before. Following in a line from Britney Spears to Lady Gaga, she could easily be the music industry’s next superstar female pop icon. Here’s ten of her most impacting pop hits.
10. Sia – The Greatest (featuring Kendrick Lamar) (PURCHASE HERE)
Sia closed an impressive 2016 with “The Greatest,” an emotionally uplifting single featuring Kendrick Lamar. Perceived by many to be a tribute to those killed in the tragic Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, the song hit number one in ten countries and to date has sold 2.5 million singles.
9. Katy Perry – Chained To The Rhythm (PURCHASE HERE)
Though just-released, the potential of a Sia-written and Katy Perry sung tropical house song (with the aforementioned Furler providing uncredited guest vocals) in 2017 is quite high. It’s also a Max Martin production that features Skip, the latest Marley to join in the family’s musical legacy. Though for Sia, writing ever-so-slightly politically-motivated songs is nothing new, for Katy Perry, lending her vocal to these ideas is quite the progressive push, indeed.
8. Sia – Helium (PURCHASE HERE)
Sia’s latest artist release is “Helium,” which given its placement on the soundtrack of Fifty Shades Darker, the follow up to 2015’s successful film adaptation of novel Fifty Shades of Gray, should mean immense success. Already zipping to the top of the pop charts globally, its American success should be forthcoming, likely due to the oh so many remixes we should expect soon enough.
7. Kanye West – Wolves (PURCHASE HERE)
Kanye West’s 2016-released album The Life of Pablo had significant initial fanfare. Key to this excitement was the album’s build that included the Sia and Vic Mensa-featuring “Wolves” being used in a marketing campaign for the Balmain fashion house, as well as a performance on Saturday Night Live. Sia partnering with West is a massive look, and likely only scratching the surface of hip-hop collaborations to come.
6. David Guetta – She Wolf (Falling to Pieces) (PURCHASE HERE)
French electro production titan David Guetta’s modern career evolution into a pop superstar has been largely tied to female voices. From Kelly Rowland jumping on 2009’s “When Love Takes Over” to Fergie on the same year’s “Gettin’ Over You” and including Sia’s appearance on this big room banger, women have have provided an invaluable assist to his success.
5. David Guetta – Bang My Head (PURCHASE HERE)
The first of what has become many Sia appearances on tropical house productions was arguably the most intriguing collaboration of her career. Pairing here with New Jersey-bred trap rapper Fetty Wap and her aforementioned frequent collaborator Guetta, Sia shows an impressive ability to diversify her talents and seamlessly fit in to craft a hit with far-reaching potential.
4. David Guetta – Titanium (PURCHASE HERE)
Maybe the single most responsible for Sia’s solo breakout is “Titanium,” her chart-topping electro house collaboration with David Guetta. A massive, thrashing, and synth-driven sonic boom of a production is actually elevated to another level with Sia’s vocal. Her ability to match the energy of the production with her vocal performance is what makes her a superstar, and it’s a well-showcased talent here.
3. Sia – Chandelier (PURCHASE HERE)
Maybe outside of Rihanna, there’s really no other female vocalist at-present who lends the level of emotional connection to wild, party-girl lifestyle than Sia. The most unlikely of trap anthems, “Chandelier, definitely is the perfect accompaniment to a night in VIP, with shots, bottles, vodka drinks, and everything that comes with that. It’s a truly beautiful song overall.
2. Flo Rida – Wild Ones (PURCHASE HERE)
As just mentioned, Sia’s greatest gift as a singer is her ability to really double-down on describing what makes the “wild girl” lifestyle so entertaining. Therefore, it stands to reason that a collaboration with her and “king of the party rappers” Flo Rida for 2012’s “Wild Ones” was such a hit. Sometimes the biggest songs make the most logical sense.
1. Sia – Cheap Thrills (PURCHASE HERE)
In the blend of tropical house, reggaeton, top-40 pop and the kind of songwriting brilliance that includes lyrics like “I ain’t got gas, I ain’t got cash, but I got you bay-beee” is where Sia’s 2016/2017 super-smash is actually not just possibly her best song ever, but also one of the best songs of the modern era overall. There’s something about there being just enough Sean Paul, just enough percussion and just enough of Sia’s voice here that makes this phenomenal.
Top 10 Atlanta-Based Rappers Of All Time
If you’re in any of Panorama Productions’ nightclubs, be it Decades, Echostage, Barcode, L8, Soundcheck, or Ultrabar, rap from Atlanta-based artists has been setting a top-tier party standard for nearly three decades. From the breakout sounds of Outkast to Migos’ modern pop domination, there’s 25 years of iconic songs and artists. Listed below, as compiled from Billboard charts, journalists’ lists, and numerous other takes on the legacy of Dirty South rap, are the 15 top artists in Atlanta rap history.
NUMBERS 15-11
15. Yung Joc
14. Goodie Mob
13. ILoveMakonnen
12. Killer Mike
11. Young Jeezy
10. Rae Sremmurd
The lead rappers from Mike WILL Made It’s EarDrumma Records are Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi, aka Rae Sremmurd. Impressively, in under four years the duo has released two full length albums, four top ten rap singles, one of those being “Black Beatles,” a single that also reached the top of the Hot 100 charts as well. The sky’s the limit for Rae Sremmurd, and if this list were being made in a year, they could easily be further up the chart!
9. Waka Flocka Flame
One of the most eye-catching rap-to-pop stars of the past decade is the Atlanta-born emcee famed for trap anthems including “Hard In The Paint” and “Grove St. Party.” Flame’s unique excellence though is in his ability to cross over from rap into electronic music, as he impressively grew in superstar acclaim during the EDM era. The only emcee on this list with singles alongside Flosstradamus and Borgore, as well as Drake and Wale, he’s set an expansive standard of excellence.
8. Gucci Mane
When not incarcerated, there’s possibly no greater underground-legendary rapper in the music industry than Gucci Mane. Having amazingly released 10 studio albums and a seemingly unlimited stream of mixtapes, his output is voluminous. 2009’s “Wasted” may be his ultimate hit, and one of the most exciting smashes of the “turn up” era. As well, if you include songs like “Lemonade” in the mix, he’s an underrated hit-making superstar.
7. Migos
Whether it’s their first mainstream smash “Versace” or current chart topper “Bad and Bougee,” the trio of Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff are well on their way to zooming up the chart of respect among their fellow Peach State-based hip-hop legends. There’s a quite true statement that can be made that Migos’ member Quavo could be the most consistently excellent emcee in the rap industry today. Only barely scratching the surface of the heights they could eventually reach, they may have the greatest current pure hit-making potential of any of the artists listed on this countdown.
6. 2 Chainz
Maybe the most veteran emcee on this list, 2 Chainz’s career actually began in 1997 as Playaz Circle member Tity Boi. That group had initial success joining with Lil Wayne for 2007 single “Duffle Bag Boy,” but when Tity Boi split from Playaz Circle in 2011 and became 2 Chainz, his career reached another level of success. A part of 13 top 10 rap singles in the past five years, he’s recorded with everyone from Kanye West and Nicki Minaj to Juicy J and A$AP Rocky.
5 (tie). Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em
From doing the “Superman” to “[turning his] Swag On,” “Kissing [Girls] Through The Phone,” discovering his “Pretty Boy Swag,” sending “LOL :-)” texts and so much more, Soulja Boy truly embodied the simplicity of the pop potential of Atlanta rap. A dance-rap heavy-hitter, five of the first ten singles he ever released were top 10 hits, and overall, those singles sold nearly 20 million copies. If you’re of a certain age, admit it, you had NUMEROUS Soulja Boy ringtones…
5 (tie). Future
From releasing single “Turn On The Lights” in 2012 to co-releasing the What A Time To Be Alive mixtape with Drake in 2015, Future’s had a meteoric superstar rise that puts him directly in line with the likes of Lil Jon, Soulja Boy, and his modern contemporaries Migos. Future’s ability to blend sing-song hooks with a relaxed and undeniable pop swagger has allowed him to surge to mainstream superstardom.
4. Ludacris
In a roughly 15 year career, Ludacris has sold 15 million albums. Not only has he sold such a significant number of albums, but improving upon Soulja Boy’s earlier mentioned standard, eight of Ludacris’ first ten singles were top 10 rap chart hits. In his career past 2003, he became a mainstream superstar, with six top ten Billboard Hot 100 singles including “Stand Up” and “Money Maker,” which reached number one overall. With a literal decade of smash jams that still fill dance floors to the modern era, he’s a supreme Atlanta hitmaker.
3. T.I.
At least 30 hits, nine albums, Grammy, MTV, Billboard, and BET Awards, plus innumerable other honors into his career and T.I. has set a superstar rap standard unapproachable even by other star artists in the genre. From his duets with artists including everyone from Rihanna to M.I.A., as well as street-beloved classics like “Bring Em Out,” “Rubberband Man,” and “U Don’t Know Me,” he’s had a diverse set of instant classic moments.
2. Outkast
Though not necessarily known as much for inspiring dance parties past songs like Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’s “I Like The Way You Move” and Stankonia album single “Bombs Over Baghdad,” the work of Big Boi and Andre 3000 have inarguably set the vibe and flow of Atlanta rap for nearly 25 years. Hits like “Player’s Ball,” “Elevators,” and “Ms. Jackson” are as much a part of hip-hop culture as graffiti and breakdancing.
1. Lil Jon
As both a rapper and producer, Lil Jon has 20 total top ten hip-hop singles in his career. If a clubgoer, it’s the idea that he’s a vocalist on songs including “Get Low” and “Turn Down For What,” or the man behind the boards for Too Short’s “Blow The Whistle” and Usher’s “Yeah” that should list him as not just an Atlanta rap all-time great, but a hip-hop cultural icon, and probably also an immediate Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, too.
