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”.
Unlove You
Armin van Buuren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why the hell they do that?
We went from hugs to kissing to making love
And when you see me now it's a pound of regret on my back
Am I supposed to act like you ain't used to throw it back like that
Off that alcohol
Tell me how am I supposed to only look at you as my homie
Said if we can't be lovers we can't be friends
Something I just don't think I can do, no
Said if we can't be lovers we can't be friends
Cause I don't know how to unlove you
How to unlove you
How the hell did you expect me to
Not think about the shower when I see you
I used to have your legs shaking
Now when you see me it's "Hey friend"
What the hell am I supposed to do?
Am I supposed to act like you ain't used to throw it back like that
Off that alcohol
Tell me how am I supposed to only look at you as my homie
I'ma keep it real girl I can't do that at all, no
Said if we can't be lovers we can't be friends
Something I just don't think I can do, no
Said if we can't be lovers we can't be friends
'Cause I don't know how to unlove you
Said if we can't be lovers we can't be friends
Something I just don't think I can do, no
Said if we can't be lovers we can't be friends
'Cause I don't know how to unlove you
How to unlove you
We can't be friends
How the hell am I supposed to unlove you?
The lyrics of Armin van Buuren's song, Unlove You, describe the pain and confusion felt by someone who is struggling to move on from a past romantic relationship. The lyrics speak of how the relationship progressed from innocent hugs to passionate love-making, but ended with a sense of regret and sorrow. The singer is haunted by reminders of their past intimacy and cannot seem to keep their feelings platonic when they're around their ex-partner, which makes it difficult for them to just be friends.
The lyrics highlight the difficulty of moving on from a past love, especially when they still have such strong feelings for their ex-partner. The singer is torn between their wish to be with their ex again and the belief that it is impossible to return to what they once had, as well as the confusion felt when trying to transition from lovers to friends. The song implies the realization that sometimes we have to face the pain of walking away completely, as it may be impossible to move on and forget.
Overall, Unlove You is a soulful and heart-wrenching song that captures the emotions of someone struggling to move on from a past love. It is a reflection on the difficulties of letting go and trying to move forward, while struggling with the memories that still linger.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me where, tell me where
Armin van Buuren is asking his past lover where they went wrong and why they decided to separate.
Why the hell they do that?
He is frustrated and puzzled by their breakup.
We went from hugs to kissing to making love
Armin van Buuren describes the progression of their physical intimacy.
And when you see me now it's a pound of regret on my back
He regrets the end of their relationship and feels the weight of that regret whenever they meet.
Am I supposed to act like you ain't used to throw it back like that
Armin van Buuren wonders if he should ignore all the passionate moments they shared together.
Off that alcohol
Their relationship was not always sober, and the influence of alcohol could have played a role in their separation.
Tell me how am I supposed to only look at you as my homie
He can't only see her as his friend after they were so much more in the past.
I'ma keep it real girl I can't do that at all, no
Armin van Buuren admits that he cannot just be friend with her.
Said if we can't be lovers we can't be friends
He realizes he cannot have a platonic friendship with her.
Something I just don't think I can do, no
It is not possible for him to just be friends with her.
'Cause I don't know how to unlove you
He does not know how to get rid of his love for her.
How the hell did you expect me to
Armin van Buuren is questioning his past lover's expectations after the break up.
Not think about the shower when I see you
He remembers the intimate moments they shared, such as being in the shower together.
I used to have your legs shaking
He remembers how he was able to pleasure her in their past intimate moments.
Now when you see me it's 'Hey friend'
She has relegated him to the friendzone, which he struggles with.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
He is at a loss on how to respond to this new status quo.
We can't be friends
He knows that being friends is not an option for him.
How the hell am I supposed to unlove you?
Armin van Buuren is still struggling to come to terms with his love for his past lover.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Cloud9
Written by: Armin van Buuren, Benno de Goeij, Jesse Wilson, Shaffer Smith, Tierce Person
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arminvanbuuren
Incredibly proud of my collab with Ne-Yo, this is UNLOVE YOU!
Premiered the Club Mix in last night's ASOT show: https://youtu.be/AG6iwgDW1T8?t=21717
@Vernardo
WHAT?!?! Are you kidding me bro?!
@ShafferBrah
@@Vernardo he kids you not
@Vernardo
@@ShafferBrah ugh, that was suppose to be my reaction.
@travelnerd1218
Man I still miss Your song This is What it feels like 😭😭
@estrellamvb
Ohhh what a good track, it sounds great !!! 🎶❤👆🤩
@minosperatikos9719
This sounds like a 2010 Ne-Yo banger. Amazing track.
@asdfghjklqwrtyy
Agree with u
@Gardesion
Because it somewhat is, I can't find it anymore but Ne-Yo sang 90% of these lyrics in some other song with a pretty much similiar beat. I thought it was a demo called We Can't Be Friends.
@QuiperSlack
Check out Nicky Romero Remix^^