Top genres of 2018 according to 1001tracklists

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1001Tracklists has proven to be one of the most influential platforms in the electronic music industry. Known as the hub for finding out which tracks were played during live sets and podcasts, 1001Tracklists has built a reputation as a data source for fans and artists alike. To celebrate the New Year, 1001Tracklists has introduced a new concept ‘A State of Dance Music’. The document itself includes data on which genres, artists, tracks and sets proved the most popular during 2018. In this article, we’ll focus on which genres stole the show in 2018.

House – 18.4%

House was the most popular genre through 1001Tracklists during 2018, taking up 18.4% of the music shared. The most popular track within house last year was ‘Panic Room’ by AU/RA and Camelphat, a track that became globally popular for its addictive nature. Camelphat also took second and third place with ‘Breathe’ and ‘Cola’, illustrating how much they dominate the genre. Coming in at number four, ‘In Arms’ by Ferreck Dawn and Robosonic. In fifth, David Guetta’s alias Jack Back charts with ‘Sometimes (It Happens)’. With such heavyweight tracks listed under the house genre, it comes as no surprise that it took the crown as the most popular 2018 genre according to 1001Tracklists.

Progressive – 16.1%

The second most popular genre of 2018 according to 1001Tracklists was progressive, taking 16.1% of the overall score. Unlike the house genre, progressive features a number of tracks that didn’t actually break into the mainstream. At the top spot, ’18 Month Free Trial’ by Will Easton. In second place, Carl Cox’s remix of ‘Finder’, followed by ‘Prometheus’ by Artbat. Other notable inclusions are Eli & Fur, BICEP and Guy Gerber.

Trance – 14.3%

Surprisingly, trance only managed to climb to third place during 2018. At the top of the chart, there are no surprises. In the top spot is Armin van Buuren’s ‘Blah Blah Blah’ a track that featured regularly in live sets throughout the year. In second place, a surprising inclusion – Porter Robinson’s alias Virtual Self charts with ‘Ghost Voices’. The fact that the track proved so popular isn’t surprising, but the fact that it fell under the trance genre will shock many. Other notable inclusions in the chart for trance are Dash Berlin and Darren Porter.

Electro house – 13.5%

The electro house chart features a wide array of incredibly diverse releases. At the top of the chart is ‘DYSYLM’ by Breathe Carolina and Sunstars, a charting which may surprise many. In the second spot, ‘Cobra’ by Magnificence, a track which went viral after it was included in the Swedish House Mafia return performance. Other notable inclusions are Martin Garrix and Loopers’ ‘Game Over’ which only managed to reach eighth place, and Magnificence’s other hit ‘Fire’ alongside Seth Hills which landed in ninth.

Tech house – 9.6%

Many will be left surprised that tech house didn’t come out on top, it was, after all, perhaps the most talked-about genre of 2018. Many spoke about the tech house takeover, which saw many more underground artists being given more prominent festival set slots. At the top of the tech house chart, a track which took over the world in 2018, Fisher’s ‘Losing It’. In second place, Camelphat’s remix of “Right Here, Right Now’, and in third, ‘So Serious’ by Illyus & Barrientos. Other notable inclusions are Chris Lake and Green Velvet’s ‘Deceiver’, Fisher’s ‘Crowd Control’ and Fisher’s ‘Stop It’. As many would have predicted, it was Fisher who really dominated tech house in 2018.

Deep house – 7.3%

No ranking was included for the deep house genre, but it has undoubtedly played a huge role in the electronic music scene over the last year. Many would argue that it is, once again, growing in popularity alongside the underground scene. One thing that is for certain is that deep house is going to come back even stronger in 2019.

Techno – 5.9%

Another shock result is the lack of support for techno. Many would have predicted that techno would chart as the top genre within electronic music, but clearly, this is not the case. On top of the techno chart is Adam Beyer and Bart Skills’ ‘Your Mind’ which was undoubtedly one of the most popular tracks of the year. Other interesting features include Enrico Sangiuliano’s ‘Hidden T’ at number six, and Cirez D’s ‘Dare U’ at ninth. While techno didn’t chart so well on 1001Tracklists, there can be no doubt that it will continue to grow in popularity through 2019.

Trap – 4.4%

Many in Europe would argue that trap is slowly dying out, while across the pond in the USA it could be argued that the genre is stronger than ever. According to 1001Tracklists, it fell behind many of the other genres in 2018. The track in the number one spot is ‘Whistle’ by 4B and Teez, followed by Skrillex’s remix of Humble which went viral in 2018. The third track in the chart also comes as no surprise, with Gammer’s ‘The Drop’ receiving the recognition it deserves. Also included at number six is Skrillex and Rick Ross’ ‘Purple Lamborghini’, arguably one of the most well-known releases of the year.

The details surrounding the popularity of each genre deliver an interesting take on the electronic music industry. There are a few shocks in terms of genre popularity, but many results that are not surprising at all. An important note to remember is that separating tracks into genres can be incredibly subjective. For example, the lines between the techno, house and tech house genres can get incredibly blurred, and many would argue that certain tracks are a blend of many genres. What we can ascertain from the results is that house remains incredibly popular and continues to dominate the scene alongside trance, but techno and tech house are quickly moving up the ranks and taking the limelight.