Armin van Buuren is on top of the world.
Then again, when you’ve been named the most popular global DJ by DJ Mag, such feelings are to be expected.
“It’s a great feeling,” Armin says of the honor. “It’s like winning an Oscar, but for dance music.”
He is also a recent recipient of the Buma Cultuur Pop Award, an honor that’s widely regarded as the most important Dutch music award. However, Armin stresses that while earning such accolades have always been among his dreams, they’ve never been the ultimate goal.
“It’s a great feeling to get recognition,” he maintains, “but it’s just as important to remember why you got the awards and who you got them from.”
For Armin, making music is part of a beautiful struggle that the listeners don’t always get to see. Expressing this “struggle” is a major motivation for him, and he’s says the internet is a major reason he’s been able to reach so many.
He credits a popular web-based radio show for broadcasting his mixes in the beginning. “Around June 2001,” he says, “some kids living in Holland streamed my mixes over the internet because they didn’t have a proper trance or progressive radio show. People in countries without record stores were able to tune in and listen. That played a big part in my success.”
In December of last year, Armin released a mix compilation entitled Universal Religion 2008, which was recorded live with no set playlist. “The revival of Universal Religion was suggested by my manager,” Armin explains. “This particular show was happening August 21st, and I told my manager that I had a good feeling about the show and if I like the mix, I’ll release it.”
Apparently, Armin did like the mix: the unedited version is what eventually became Universal Religion 2008. “It perfectly captured the vibe of Ibiza in 2007,” he says.
Armin speaks of a vibe that is, no doubt, perfectly maintained by his own renowned skill on the decks. He’s been known to do sets as long as nine-hours, inspiring what has become known as the “Armin Only” concept in which he is the only DJ at his shows. It’s a feat that requires not only a great deal of energy and stamina, but a great love of music as well.
“After doing radio shows and producing songs, I knew that there were so many great records that just can’t fit into a two-hour set,” he explains. “I missed having the opportunity to play this music I loved, so I elected to be my own warm-up and closing DJ.”
For those hoping to catch one of Armin’s live sets and experience the vibe that has converted many to his Universal Religion, there is good news. He will be performing Saturday, March 29, 2008, at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida.
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