The 10 Best Electronic Dance Music Artists Of 2011

Skrillex

MTV has shared its take on the 10 Best Electronic Dance Music Artists of 2011. 

The list reflects the rise of dubstep and the relative decline of trance.

MTV’s 10 Best EDM Artists of 2011:

  1. Skrillex
  2. David Guetta
  3. deadmau5
  4. Swedish House Mafia
  5. Afrojack
  6. Avicii
  7. Calvin Harris
  8. Kaskade
  9. Tiësto
  10. Martin Solveig

We’re not ready to take MTV’s word on this – but we’re pretty sure Synthtopia readers will set the record straight.

And like the Top 100 DJ list, it seems that only men are considered for the list. Again, some readers may take issue with that generalization…..

Who would you put on the ‘best electronic dance music’ artist list this year?

Image by dailybeatz

27 thoughts on “The 10 Best Electronic Dance Music Artists Of 2011

  1. Wow thats pretty bad! MTV you should just simply stop! You have no opinion electronic music or any other brand of music for that matter. But the devil in me is glad to see this drivel published, in hopes that some bedroom techno master that doesn’t know it grows a pair and takes or his/her fine techno noodlings to the next level and scare the world with some new sh:t, present company included. Me and my best friend had this discussion just last night, there are so many great home producers out there and staving electronic artists out there to really get some new blood flowing. I would love to see all the flavors chip, drum and bass, house, acid, you name it just blow up the currant electronic/dance/pop scenes! You music makers out there really got to get the people in you town danc’in. Time to take it from the bedroom to the club(back yard shows, parties etc.) if we don’t, music and human evolution will no long exist in our life time. Bad music makes for bad DNA !

  2. This list isn’t bad, if you are going by what is played in nightclubs across the country…

    From a musician standpoint, I’m sure all of us would have a completely different top ten.

    Personally, I think this list would have been more accurate last year… When these artists were still really fresh (only heard in clubs… Not frat parties or car commercials)

    At least they were kind enough to exclude Benny Benassi … Get a different bass sound already… brah….

  3. Skrillex really skyrocketed within one freaken year. Does not hurt to Have those friends pimping him out. I dig his production, but I’ve heard he needs to work on his live dj ability. As far as number 1, I wouldn’t go that far..I mean Deadmau5 is more popular with the kids as far as I know. I Do hope, like some commenters up here, that another talented person will rise and blow people away and be a little less formulaic. PEace

  4. MTV sucks, skrillex sucks even more, and this list is stupid. I so sick of all this brolectrostep bullshit. They took a bad ass sound and made it sound like shit. I wish that MTV and the Grammys would just focus on all that other garbage. And Bassnectar would kill all this pussies with his hair alone.

    1. Bassnectar is older than music. I’m sorry, his old shit was incredible but hes done been out of the game. He’s just not good anymore, have you heard any of his new shit on soundcloud or anywhere?

  5. And don’t get me started on deadmau5. I’ve seen him and if you into the same kick/snare bullshit pony show then you don’t really know good electronic music. Daft punk already did it and did it very very well.

    1. Right to the point! Nailed it perfectly! But I’m nevertheless happy to see a name like Calvin on the list. At least one with a bit of talent, although his latest offerings lack a bit of the freshness from his beginnings. Oh, and what’s even more hilarious: Voting Skrillex as Number 1 DANCE artist… you ever tried dancing on dubstep… Ok, if your a popper, but else it’s just a pain to look at.

  6. I grew up hearing Magic Fly by Space, Oxygene, Nag Nag Nag by Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, Joy Division, Patrick Cowleys mix of I feel love , Being boiled Human League, Kraftwerk,Ultravox etc. I got into Detroit Techno ,when it arrived in Manchester. Model 500
    So Metroplex records,Cybotron . Rn S records, acid trax, meant a lot to me. A guy called Gerald, LFO, Bam Bam, Luke Slater (seeing sense) , Underground Resistance, Drexciya, Skam records, etc etc etc etc . I feel lucky having grown up on left field electronic music, cause there are a lot of kids listening to utter bland crap, and they praising it.
    MTV are a joke, I listened to Skrillex and I thought that is crap stuff, it is great advert music, but no serious grooves.
    The word’s ‘utter wank’ springs to mind when I read that list.

  7. skrillex does suck live but are you kidding? his music is fucking great. melody, skreaming dub bass, adhd like change ups. I mean we all have our own tastes but come on. I mean the new York times did a write up on Kaskade about how his bass sound is amazing and that’s why he is the best DJ. . . really kaskade?

    I’d love to have a real disscussion. Benny Bennassi 4 years ago was a stud. His shows were/probably stil are amazing.

    Admittedly I am a pill Popper and to the detriment of my brain and probably musical taste, but the friends and people I meet at some of the above artists shows are amazing. In interviews I hate skrillex and I hate his hair and outfit but kill everybody is a wicked song to bang in my car while driving around for my shit job.

  8. Skrillex sound like some novelty grill you would buy and bed bath and beyound. He sucks his music is garbage and his a little screamo bitch. I take drugs too and there is no amount of anything that could make his shit listenable .

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