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”.
Youtopia feat. Adam Young
Armin van Buuren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you feel me by the fire side
From the moonlight
Through the cherry trees
Open the roof and take in the view
'Cause you're my sweetest dream
Come true
Colour the dusk, deep navy blue
And try to be brave
Cause I'll be right beside you
There's a world so high
Hold out your hands
And you can go anywhere
So reach for the stars
'Cause I'll be waiting up there
And you can finally fly
Cause you'll be lighter than air
Colour the dusk, deep navy blue
And try to be brave
'Cause I'll be right beside you
There's a world so high
Hold out your hands
And you can go anywhere
So reach for the stars
'Cause I'll be waiting up there
And you can finally fly
'Cause you'll be lighter than air
The lyrics in Armin van Buuren’s song “Youtopia” speak of a profound connection between two individuals, who seem to be able to sense each other’s presence despite being in different places. The opening lines speak of this connection, with one person feeling the other in the raising tide, whereas the other can feel the first by the fireside. The chorus then speaks of a world high above, where one person holds out their hands, reaches for the stars, and is made weightless, as the other waits for them up there.
This song seems to be about love and trust that transcends distance and space, with the singer assuring their loved one that they will always be there for them, no matter what, even if it means waiting among the stars. The lyrics seem to suggest that the singer is a source of strength and courage for the other person, who may be feeling lost or uncertain, explaining why the chorus urges them to “try to be brave”.
The imagery used in the song is particularly striking, describing the moonlight, cherry trees, deep navy blues, and soaring heights, drawing the listener into the song’s world. Overall, “Youtopia” is a beautiful, uplifting song about love and the power of connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I can feel you in the raising tide
I sense your presence, just like the effect of a tide rising high.
Can you feel me by the fire side
Are you aware of my closeness to you, like being near a warm fire?
From the moonlight
Under the illuminating light of the moon,
Through the cherry trees
Amidst the beauty of cherry trees,
Open the roof and take in the view
Remove the roof and enjoy the spectacular scenery around us.
'Cause you're my sweetest dream
Because you are the most pleasant and cherished vision of mine.
Come true
A dream come true.
Colour the dusk, deep navy blue
Paint the evening sky with an intense navy blue hue.
And try to be brave
Attempt to be bold and daring.
Cause I'll be right beside you
Because I will be there with you every step of the way.
There's a world so high
There is a vast and elevated world awaiting us.
Hold out your hands
Extend your hands forth.
And you can go anywhere
You can journey to any destination.
So reach for the stars
So aim for the stars.
'Cause I'll be waiting up there
Because I will be waiting there for you.
And you can finally fly
You can soar through the air.
Cause you'll be lighter than air
Because you will have a weightlessness feeling as if you were floating.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ADAM R. YOUNG, BENNO DE GOEIJ, ARMIN VAN BUUREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gyung58
Who’s back after Forever & Always? 😍
@0Elise0Dozzy2
AHH ADAM YOUNG<3<3<3
@ramiq6669
Memories 😩 , i opened my old iPod and i found this awesome track, i don’t know how i forgot about it.
@otulight8011
I feel you. It happens to most of us.
@ljb5163
Adam's voice makes this song. I love it.
@DaRUde117
An absolutely underrated track from Armin. He created this track with the Owl City theme in mind. Definitely feels like a sequel to Vanilla Twilight. Wish this got more recognition from the community.
@sienngaalmaibam8313
We miss you Adam Young
@anirudhgireyy
Who's listening to this while in self quarantine? @ 2020
@matteogiordano6912
2021🤩
@RawandR10
THat euphoric melody just will never get old. Timeless song!