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”.
Virtual Friend
Armin van Buuren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People living on a bench
Childhood friends who lost contact
Fallen soldiers in a trench
By the way are you watching?
How the world says goodbye
People living on a bench
Childhood friends who lost contact
Fallen soldiers in a trench
By the way are you watching?
How the world says goodbye
Plastic islands in the ocean
Violent storms drop atom bombs
Hidden women walking slowly
Desperate men sing sacred songs
By the way are you watching?
How the world says goodbye
By the way are you watching?
How the world says goodbye
City boy selling countries
Surgeons lifting sagging skin
Sitting by software windows
Trying to find a virtual friend
By the way are you watching?
How the world says farewell
The lyrics of Armin van Buuren's song "Virtual Friend" paint a picture of disconnectedness and the shortcomings of the modern world. The repeated stanza of "autumn leaves we treat as litter, people living on a bench, childhood friends who lost contact, fallen soldiers in a trench" highlights how people have become desensitized to their surroundings and fellow human beings, creating a world where even the most tragic or beautiful things go unnoticed. The repetition reinforces that these individuals and their experiences are no longer given the recognition or respect they deserve.
The second stanza goes on to detail more human-made tragedies that go unnoticed by the world. Plastic islands in the ocean, violent storms dropping atom bombs, and hidden women walking slowly are all examples of the ways we have destroyed the planet, our empathy, and our connections with each other. The haunting repetition of "by the way are you watching, how the world says goodbye" serves as a reminder of the apathy that has become normalized in our society.
The last stanza focuses on the isolation and loneliness that arise from this disconnection. The "city boy selling countries" is an image of someone caught up in the rat race, trying to make their mark in a world where everyone else is also struggling. The surgeons lifting sagging skin also highlights our preoccupation with appearances that come at the expense of deeper connections. The final line, "trying to find a virtual friend," underscores the stark reality that many people today struggle to find authentic connections, and thus resort to superficial ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Autumn leaves we treat as litter
We carelessly discard nature's beauty and value.
People living on a bench
We ignore the homeless and don't acknowledge their suffering.
Childhood friends who lost contact
We let precious relationships slip away due to our busy modern lives.
Fallen soldiers in a trench
We often forget the sacrifices made by brave soldiers who died for our freedom.
By the way are you watching?
Are you paying attention to what's happening around you?
How the world says goodbye
The various tragic and unfortunate events that symbolize the end of humanity.
Plastic islands in the ocean
We have polluted the ocean with plastic to the extent of creating islands of plastic waste.
Violent storms drop atom bombs
Nature can be destructive with uncontrollable storms and disasters, much like an atomic bomb.
Hidden women walking slowly
Women still face discrimination and unequal treatment, often going unnoticed as they struggle in silence.
Desperate men sing sacred songs
People often turn to faith in times of despair and hardship.
City boy selling countries
The powerful and wealthy can exert control and influence over nations and people.
Surgeons lifting sagging skin
Our society values youth and beauty, and many resort to surgery to maintain it.
Sitting by software windows
We spend much of our time behind screens, disconnected from the real world.
Trying to find a virtual friend
Despite our constant connectivity, we still feel lonely and seek companionship online.
By the way are you watching?
Are you observing the slow and inevitable decline of humanity?
How the world says farewell
The various negative and disturbing ways that the world will inevitably meet its end.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ARMIN VAN BUUREN, ARMIN J J D VAN BUUREN, BENNO DE GOEIJ, GUY CHAMBERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@isabelaeyris6932
The best track in the whole Armin van Buuren discography.
@civili666
This song has been my spotify top five 10 years in a row. For some strange sick reason i dont get tired of it and IF i had to chose , that would be the best song/tune ive ever heard in my life.
@juanantonioramirez9809
I totally agree.
@UjjwalGauravRaajSen
The lyrics are a work of poetry. Brilliant.
@jaimesy27
Just found out Mrs Benedict Cumberbatch sang!!
@davidsamy4836
13 years ago and i wish the first day i listen to this art come back
@milanesadepollo7238
2020, this is pure ART ❤️
@700trinity
2021 still going!!!
@MrRihanSaleem
2023 and still on!!!
@Olga_Elis2021
I've just known that Sophie is Cumberbatch's wife! Brilliant voice! Magic. Excellent sound! Applause to Armin and Sophie ❤