He has been named number one in the prestigious DJ MAG Top 100 poll four times in a row, from 2007 till 2010 and for the 5th time in 2012. He's the first DJ in the history of the DJ Magazine to achieve that and an indication of his prolific output over more than 14 years he’s been dj’ing and producing. Being the official World’s Most Popular DJ is just one of his many achievements, but the driving force behind his success is an overriding passion for electronic dance music.
2008 began with the success that the number one DJ seems to attract; he was awarded with the prestigious Buma Cultuur Pop Award in January. This was followed by being voted as the Best Trance Artist in the Beatport Music Awards in March; judged on the musician’s artistic achievements, national and international success, it is evident that Armin van Buuren has become one of the decade’s most influential trance acts.
Even a basic list of recent successes reads like a lifetime of work: ‘Best Album’ for artist album ‘Shivers’ at both the Dutch Release Dance Awards and the prestigious Edison Awards; ‘Best Compilation’ for ‘A State Of Trance’, in 2006, claiming the ‘Best European DJ’ award in 2007 and ‘Best Mix Radio Show’ at the Miami Winter Music Conference in 2006 and 2007, for radio show ‘A State Of Trance’ – now broadcasting on a massive 40 FM stations as well as satellite and internet radio, with over 26 million listeners a week; a 5th year residency in Ibiza at Amnesia and over 50,000 downloads every week from podcasting high end chart-bothering positions all over the world for singles, albums and compilations , with single “Rush Hour” used as the theme tune to the UEFA European Youth Championship; the #1 entry in the Dutch album charts with his artist album ‘Imagine’, the #1 entry of the DVD registration of ‘Armin Only ‘ Imagine’ – the landmarks just keep coming!
The 350th episode and the 7th year of the hit radio show ‘A State of Trance’ was celebrated in May 2008 with an eight hour live broadcast from Antwerp in Belgium to over 40 radio stations internationally. Fans were invited to a free party with a line up that had been voted for by the show’s listeners; another example of the importance the DJ places on the satisfaction of his fans. Considering the popularity of the radio show the introduction of ‘A State of Trance Podcast’ was a natural progression. The weekly podcasts which contain highlights and Armin’s favourite tracks from the previous episode ensure that trance lovers across the world will never miss another episode!
Sold-out shows for Armin Only in 2005 and 2006 created eager anticipation of the third edition, which kicked off in a sold-out Jaarbeurs in Utrecht in 2008; over 16,000 fans attended and were enthralled by the DJ’s nine hour set. The theme of the night was ‘Imagine’, described by Armin as “the celebration of our sensations both in life and in clubland.” Fans all around the world should not despair, as ‘Armin Only’ tour dates have also been set for Romania, Poland, Belgium and Australia; the DJ will also be touring in England, Scotland, Ibiza, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and the USA, with expected dates in, for an example, the Czech Republic.
Born in Leiden, Holland (on December 25, 1976) to a musical family, Armin indulged his passion for music from a young age. He spent all the money he earned with his paper round on records. His mum won a computer when he was 10, gaining Armin’s interest. “So as a little nerdy kid I was writing my own basic programmes, and learnt about the technology from there.” He progressed from making low-profile mix tapes for friends to higher profile mixes when he discovered experimenting with different sequences on his computer through his uncle. “I was so stunned by what I saw him doing on the computer, that I got addicted to creating music right there and then!”
“I loved dance music immediately – this great rebellious sound that was so different to the ‘beautiful’ songs of the years before”. Armin cites electronic pioneer Jean Michel Jarre as a major influence (famed for his awesome visuals as well as his groundbreaking synth sounds), as well as Dutch producer Ben Liebrand, who later mentored him in his mixing and producing.
In the early days, Armin thought it was wise to have something extra in case the DJ’ing didn’t work out. So he studied for a law degree. The final year of his course was inevitably stretched as he juggled his studies with his increasingly hectic schedule; his rise to fame included lots of productions and remixes, as well as playing out to packed clubs every weekend. It took him three years to graduate, but his determination made him succeed!
Armin’s own productions have all made a huge impact and quickly gain worldwide acclaim; his latest artist album titled ‘Imagine’ entered the Dutch Album Top 100 Chart at number one; this is the first time a dance producer has ever accomplished such a feat in the history of Dutch music. The first single to be taken from this album, ‘Going Wrong’ with DJ Shah featuring Chris Jones, entered the Dutch Singles Chart at number five. The ‘Armin Only DVD’ was also released and reached the acclaimed number one spot in its second week. His back catalogue includes Blue Fear, Communication, Sound of Goodbye, Shivers, Rush Hour, Burned With Desire, Exhale, Love You More, This World Is Watching Me, and Yet Another Day. While the remix offers flood in, Armin only takes on tracks that he really loves. He uses exactly the same criteria for his compilations, meaning that every release from Armin or his long-running Armind label is a bone fide stormer that’s earned its place. His output includes tracks for the cult TV series 24, and the likes of Motorcycle’s As The Rush Comes.
Armin is a dedicated trance lover, but isn’t imprisoned by a single genre, saying “What makes trance work so well is that it doesn’t stick to one style, and can incorporate electro, minimal, whatever it likes.” His desire to showcase more of the great music he hears, along with the number of people sending him tracks they wanted to release, led to the obvious step of starting his own label, Armada, in 2003.
The label is a joint venture between Armin, Maykel Piron (former head of A&R for Warner Music) and David Lewis, who'd previously managed Armin. "What we wanted was a company that could offer everything for an artist: representation, a booking agency, and a record company. Artists can choose full management, or to just release a record or play out at gigs. Armada lets the artists choose what they want without telling them what to do".
Armin is now a fully-fledged artist in his own right, having made his songwriting debut on his album, the award-winning Shivers; The events continue to get bigger and bigger, and Armin regularly headlines the likes of Sensation White, Global Gathering, Dance Valley, ZoukOut, Mysteryland, Coachella, Beats In Brazil, Trance Energy, Fort Dance, Summer Days – basically whether you’re in Australia, Russia, the Middle East, the US or Europe, you can catch Armin van Buuren at a club or festival near you!
"This is just what I really want," says Armin. "It’s not just love for music, it’s my passion. It goes beyond liking, and beyond a hobby, it’s about a way of living. Music is essential to my life”.
Intense
Armin van Buuren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sound of silence I can take anymore
Nobody ringing my telephone now
Oh how I miss such a beautiful sound
And I don't even know how I survive
I won't make it to the shore without your light
No I don't even know if I'm alive
This is what it feels like
Nothing to hold but the memories and frames
Oh they remind me of the battle I face
Without your love, without you I drown
Somebody save me I'm going down
And I don't even know how I survive
I won't make it to the shore without your light
No I don't even know if I'm alive
Oh, oh, oh without you now
This is what it feels like
And I don't even know how I survive
I won't make it down the road with one headlight
No I don't even know if I'm alive
Oh, oh, oh without you now
This is what it feels like
The lyrics to Armin van Buuren's song Intense describe the feelings of a person who is struggling to cope with the absence of someone they loved deeply. The song begins by highlighting the emptiness in the person's life as there is nobody knocking at their door and no incoming calls on their phone. The silence is deafening, and the person misses the sweet sound of their loved one's voice. The second verse talks about the person's memories and frames that remind them of the battle they are facing. They feel as though they are drowning without the love and support of the person they are missing.
The chorus emphasizes the person's dependence on their loved one's light to guide them through the darkness. They are uncertain about whether they can survive without them and feel as though they are barely alive. The comparison to the feeling of drowning without the person's love is poignant and emphasizes the intensity of their emotions. The bridge continues with the motif of survival, highlighting the difficulty of navigating the road with just one headlight. The person is uncertain about whether they can make it without their loved one and feels lost without them. The lyrics are a testament to the powerful hold that love can have over a person and the pain that comes with its absence.
Line by Line Meaning
Nobody here knocking at my door
I'm alone and no one is coming to see me.
The sound of silence I can take anymore
I can't stand the quiet anymore; I need some noise in my life.
Nobody ringing my telephone now
No one is calling me anymore.
Oh how I miss such a beautiful sound
I miss the sound of my phone ringing.
And I don't even know how I survive
I don't know how I'm managing to keep going.
I won't make it to the shore without your light
I won't be able to get to safety without your help and guidance.
No I don't even know if I'm alive
I'm not sure if I'm really living without you.
Oh, oh, oh without you now
I'm struggling a lot now that you're not here.
This is what it feels like
This is the reality of how it feels without you.
Nothing to hold but the memories and frames
All I have left are memories and pictures.
Oh they remind me of the battle I face
They are a reminder of the struggles and challenges I'm dealing with.
Without your love, without you I drown
I can't survive or be happy without your love and presence.
Somebody save me I'm going down
I need someone to help me because I'm struggling and can't do this alone.
I won't make it down the road with one headlight
I won't be able to see my way without your help and guidance.
No I don't even know if I'm alive
I'm not sure if I'm truly living without you.
Oh, oh, oh without you now
I'm finding it difficult to cope without you.
This is what it feels like
This is really how it feels without you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ARMIN VAN BUUREN, BENNO DE GOEIJ, MIRI BEN ARI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Areyy_xd
I will never forget the impact that this tour had on me. I was 15 years old in 2013 when my brother and I got a job offer from our uncle. We didn’t know much about what we, two young men, were getting ourselves into. Some DJ was coming to Helsinki to perform, and we were really excited. Our job was essentially to prepare the concert venue: we built fences, erected screens behind the stage, ran cables, placed cable trays, hung decorations, and I learned to drive a forklift during that week which was crazy, something I had never done before. I don’t at least remember breaking anything hehe. We were clearly too young to work with the tour's older crew members, but I think we did well.
When the showtime finally came I eagerly awaited it, as the venue was partly a result of our own handiwork and everything was top-notch. I wanted to see why dozens of large smiling balloons had been raised to the ceiling, and what that big ball above the stage was. My brother and I stood behind the audience when the concert began so we could see absolutely everything.
From the very first moment I was overwhelmed by this tremendous feeling, a unique surge of energy I had never felt before. I just stared, mouth agape, at how beautiful harmonies and a steady trance-like beat created an incredible feeling throughout my body. I was in trance... I followed the entire concert, mesmerized. I laughed when 'Ping Pong' started and balls rained down on the audience, and I was amazed when a female singer with the voice of an angel emerged from the large moon-like ball. I guess I also got my first actual kiss at that concert when a woman came up to my brother and me and asked who she should kiss (ayo); of course, my big brother quickly pointed at me...
I will never forget that night, and still every time the violin melody of 'Intense' starts playing, I get chills.
Now, 10 years later, Armin Van Buuren and Trance are still my escape from reality. According to Spotify Wrapped, I belong to the world's top 0.5% of people who listened to Armin the most.. hehe, I have to brag a little. That’s the impact this tour had on me.
Thank you Armin for your music, and for some reason, I feel great love for every trance brother and sister out here ❤️
Edit: i apparently remembered wrong, after watching this show it appears that it’s Armin himself who comes out of that moon balloon 😂. It might’ve been different in Helsinki show but well, who cares..
@arminvanbuuren
Can't believe it's 5,5 years ago already when we did the "The Best Of Armin Only" shows in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. Had the best time! What was your favorite moment from the show?
P.S. 👾 Did you know I'm now on Discord? Make sure to join the server! ➡ https://discord.gg/arminvanbuuren
@user-os5sn4id5e
🇸🇦🌎👤🌏🤍🌍🎶🎶🎶🎶👈😄👈✌️👉🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
@poolman666
Saw the show in Belgium!
Favorite moment was “insomnia”
@ronnywouters7037
8:15 When you showed the world a vocalist on a dance track should be treated as a solo artist and not engage in choreographics with dancers but should be in profile lighting as she was singing a ballad. It leaves the dancing part to the audience. That was an entertainment milestone.
@blossyr
Let's hope Brisbane Australia in 2023 will compare bring your passport armin
@prasetyofirgitanto5432
and I'm still listening on 2023. especially when "not giving up on love feat flora"
@marinarogel3372
Who listen to on march 2024?
@billyregan2960
Omg yes 😂😂
@davidezani27
✋
@esteblien
Yep ! 🤚 I've been there for his concert in Antwerpen in Belgium.. Wonderful experience. So nostalgic moments in this video 😄