HAPPY NEW YEAR! Today marks a day for new beginnings. A day where we dream together and anticipate all the good times ahead.  But today, is also the day we look back and reminisce all the fond memories that the last 12 months have provided us. It had been a tremendous year for dance music which saw festivals such as Tomorrowland, Ultra Music Festival and more going global and festivals closer to home of the likes of Sunburn and Enchanted Valley Carnival setting new benchmarks and fondly remember all the memorable sets and releases which many of the world’s leading producer/DJ’s bestowed upon us. Furthermore, a number of magnificent events, stunning releases, marvellous sets and so much more has made last year one of the most special years in the Dance Music Era. So its only fair that today, on the first day of a brand new year, we take a little moment and count down the most special & defining moments of 2013!

Since the last couple of weeks, we’ve been circulating and trending over social media with #BestOf2013, and we must admit that the response has been truly overwhelming. You, the fans have been sharing their favorites with us, regardless of genres, artists, labels, promoters and worldwide trends and taking your valuable inputs we decided to make a list of the very best of 2013 across an assortment of categories. So sit back and let’s take a trip down memory lane now!

Best Venue (Indoor) – PleasureDome by Kitty Su, Mumbai 

A number of venues in India saw many of the worlds leading artists bring to fans some of the most spectacular sets and give us quite a few unforgettable nights. Many of those nights are still etched in each of our minds and it is likely that a few of them even left us with such vivid memories that we still mention them a countless number of times.

Some of the venues which left a lasting impression on us were Blue Frog in New Delhi & Mumbai, Royalty in Mumbai, Pangaea in New Delhi amongst many others however, as they say there can only be one winner and overcoming some great competition, the winner in the Best Venue (Indoor) category for the year gone by is Pleasuredome (Kitty Su, Mumbai)! The mighty Pleasuredome structure saw superstar DJ/producer, Zedd give us and innumerable other fans a majestic night this year, which we shall remember forever. Relive the night now by checking out all the madness that transpired in the video below!

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Best Venue (Outdoor) – Amaanta, New Delhi

Outdoor events are always special. Whether it is the crescendo of booming dance music which never fails to evoke in us a number of emotions or the lively groups of fans who owing to their colorful get-up’s and passion driven attires led to them forming a part of our legion of favorite ravers section, outdoor events truly have their very own unique energy.

This year saw outdoor venues such as Unitech Golf Course in Noida, Turf Club in Mumbai amongst others play host to some of the greatest live events we bore witness to. However, possibly saving the best for the last the Best Venue (Outdoor) for the year goes to Amaanta in New Delhi, who played host to the mighty Above & Beyond in the heart of India and was one of the most exceptional nights for many a fan until now!

Best Live Visuals – Smirnoff Experience, Bangalore

Live visuals have a remarkable role to play in making a night packed with splendid dance music even more significant and when they blend in perfect sync with the glorious beats they in their own manner add to the grandeur of the event. With path breaking technology, 3-D stage mapping and ever evolving visual techniques and much more paving the way for even more ground breaking visuals work the winner in our best live visuals category goes to the recently concluded, Smirnoff Experience which was held at the Manpho Convention Centre in Bangalore!

Best Artist Agency – UnMute Agency 

An artist agency plays a vital role in not only managing the artist but in promoting them and providing them with the correct shows and the platform to not only showcase but also further their talents and in such a manner they play an indispensable role. The best artist agency in India for the year goes to the very proficient and ever evolving, UnMute Agency which boasts of some of the most fantastic talents from India including Arjun Vagale, Anil Chawla, Vipul Angrish and also ventured into signing new noteworthy artists under their UnMute Plus label including Sound Avtar, Grain, Tapan Raj, DJ Skip amongst others.

Best Promoter – Submerge

This year we saw a host of leading names from the dance music industry bring their talent to Indian shores and give their fans in the country a host of great times to remember. Although, the artist is who many of us remember in our minds for their stunning sets and energetic performances, it is also important to take note of the people who work hard to bring them to stages in our respective cities. In 2013, the promoter who brought some of the most path-breaking talent to India was none other than, Submerge who gave us tours which featured the likes of Zedd, Aly & Fila, Richie Hawtin, Above & Beyond, Tommy Trash, Caspa, Seven Lions and many more!

Best Event – ASOT 600, Mumbai

When it came to dance music, this year saw many exceptional events come to the fore which featured a number of talents from across the world. Many of them introduced something new and enticing which had never been seen or felt before and left us longing for more. The best event however was one which not only generated the maximum buzz prior to its happening but also delivered on all counts and gave us an extremely special night. That event for 2013 was, A State Of Trance 600, Mumbai!

Best Festival – Sunburn Festival, Goa

When it comes to dance music fans a festival is the most stimulating & invigorating experiences and evokes powerful emotions and feelings in true dance music fans who dance with incredible elan and form an essential part of the aura & splendour of the festival. There were many such festivals this year and some even introduced new trajectories which broadened the horizons and changed the perception of dance music. A new festival in Enchanted Valley Carnival, Mumbai proved to be a perfect example of that and came in as a close runner up, however the best festival this year goes to the phenomenal, Sunburn Festival, Goa which not only saw a magnificent line up but also played host to a record number of fans this year!

Best DJ Sets of 2013 – Hardwell @ Tomorrowland & SHM @ UMF, Miami

Best Breakthrough Artist – Martin Garrix

Breaking records and topping charts, Martin Garrix is the undeniable champion of this category! His mammoth production ‘Animals’ was quickly regarded as the festival anthem of the year, leading to leading producers and artists trying to emulate the similar song structure  through their own productions! His frequent collaborations with trap artists under his moniker GRX proved his mettle as a versatile producer and one of the hottest talents to look out for in the future.

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Best Release (International)

Picking the Best track from a year that saw some classic productions, is no mean task. But the winner of this category has to be the platinum selling massive anthem “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk ft. Pharell Williams and Nile Rodgers. From the moment that the video was previewed at Coachella, till it’s release in the middle of the year and even beyond, the track has unmistakably united fans from various musical preferences in an example of a truly global dance anthem.

Best DJ (International)

This year has been simply one of the most fantastic years for Dance Music. With the genre finding its commercial foothold in the World Music scene, opportunities have been endless for many artists trying to add variety through their creativity. With so many artists and producers at the helm of the industry, choosing one who has impacted the Dance music world as a global phenomenon has not been easy. But one man seems to fit the bill quite perfectly!

Robert Van de Corput or better known to one and all by his stage name Hardwell reached the peak of his career as he claimed the number 1 position on the prestigious DJ Mag poll. His numerous anthemic productions and collaborations on most DJ playlists around the world, made him the hottest property on the dance music circuit. His stellar performances at Tomorrowland, Tomorrow world, UMF and the incredible IAmHardwell Tour, made his stature as a crowdpulling DJ virtually unbeatable. Meanwhile, in the studio his productions would always be eagerly awaited by fellow DJ’s and audiences across the world. His impact as a performer, DJ and a producer which was covered through a touching documentary film as well, has certainly put the Dutch sensation well above the pack. Here’s wishing him an equally successful 2014.

So that’s it! We would like to congratulate all the winners! Thank you to all the fans and listeners who shared with us their valuable responses! Our own journey this year has been more exciting and enlightening to say the least! Having celebrated our First Anniversary Bash as the #Bang1n celebration, we received an overwhelming surge of love from all of you out there. We have realized over the course of the year, that India has finally become an important node on the Dance Music circuit & that almost every DJ visiting our country has been left speechless with the energy, enthusiasm and love they’ve received in the past twelve months! This year has also seen commendable contributions by Indian producers to the Dance Music universe through their studio creativity. We, at the Bangin Beats, have always strived to bring you the best from this industry, as in the core of our principles lies the very sacred truth – that the music has always been about YOU – the fans! We are sure that each and every person concerned with this industry will give a resounding confirmation as to ‘this is what makes them do what they do’. The love, the joy and the absolute feeling of being in the moment while feeling inexplicable joy listening to our favorite tunes…these are just some of the reasons why the fans make this Music genre so special for us and countless others in front-and behind the scenes. So thank you..all of you!

We now look forward to an exciting 2014, where we hope we receive the same (if not more) love and enthusiasm from you, as this is the fuel that drives our fire to bring you the Best of Dance Music from all over the world!

Wishing you all a very Happy, Prosperous and Bangin New Year!

From the entire team of The Bangin Beats!