Since EDM superstar Avicii died by suicide in 2018, his memory has never been far from the world. Numerous memorials have been produced to honor the indelible contributions from the two-time GRAMMY nominee, who was born Tim Bergling.
There are now permanent fixtures in Bergling's hometown of Stockholm that will bear his name for decades to come. Globen, the spherical arena in the Swedish capital, was renamed the Avicii Arena in 2021. Avicii Experience, a museum dedicated to his life and work, opened in 2022. Those who want to learn about Bergling without making the trip to Sweden can watch the 2024 Netflix documentary, I'm Tim.
Another ongoing aspect of Bergling's legacy is the Tim Bergling Foundation. In response to the tragic circumstances of his death, Avicii's family established a charitable organization in 2019 to raise awareness of mental health concerns. The foundation has raised millions of dollars and, among many projects, built music studios around Sweden with the goal of teaching youth about music as a viable profession.
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As impressive and impactful as the above tributes are, Bergling's music is what lives on most fervently. He started producing music as a teen in 2006, and upon the EDM (electronic dance music) boom of the early 2010s, became one of its most widely known acts thanks to his sensational sound that featured explosive synths and tear-jerking vocals.
Even so, given the underground roots of dance music, Bergling's status naturally polarized the global community. Many long-standing fans were averse to EDM's entry into popular culture, and it was often the butt of the joke in dance music discourse. But the prevailing effect of Avicii and EDM as a whole was hundreds of new artists and millions of new fans of the genre; it sparked an explosion of dance music culture in the United States that still thrives — and keeps Avicii's spirit alive — in clubs and festivals across the globe today.
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To further remind of Avicii's legacy, his family and collaborators continue to share music from the archives he left behind. The first was his posthumous third album, TIM, which came out in 2019. In 2022, notable dance artists Mark Knight and Don Diablo produced new remixes. And now, his catalog will be celebrated with a new compilation, AVICII FOREVER, out May 16.
The collection of tracks include a new song titled "Let's Ride Away" featuring Elle King, along with old-school bangers like "Fade Into Darkness," major collaborations like "Lonely Together featuring Rita Ora," and smash hits like "The Nights." Before the comp comes out, check out 10 essential tracks that go deeper into the full breadth of Avicii's artistry.
Avicii's earliest productions and his biggest hits all rely on four-on-the-floor beats. "Sound of Now," the very first track on his Spotify, harbors a progressive house feel akin to stalwarts of the genre like Sasha and John Digweed. Its deep groove displays Bergling's intriguing electronic sound design throughout its six-minute runtime.
Dance music heads would be at best surprised and at worst disgusted to compare a club legend like Sasha to a mainstream star like Bergling. But "Sound of Now" and his other early works demonstrate that even though he produced numerous tracks with billions of streams, Avicii was educated on dance music history and fundamentals.
Bergling eventually chose his now-famous moniker of Avicii because his real name was not available on MySpace. But he did make a few tracks under the name Tim Berg before he became Avicii; "Seek Bromance" is the Tim Berg production that helped secure his exalted future.
First released as a deep, techy club cut simply called "Bromance," "Seek Bromance" shifted the song from its initial instrumental iteration into a widescreen vocal pop song more in line with the classic Avicii sound. Both versions marked Bergling's first chart entries in several countries, hinting at the success that would soon come.
Like many dance music artists, remixes helped Bergling find an audience and industry success. His remix of Nadia Ali's "Rapture"(which was originally released by iiO, Ali's dance group with producer Markus Moser) gave him a big push. The less electronic-sounding club cut came out in 2001 and hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
For his 2010 take, "Avicii New Generation Remix," Bergling combined the celebrated vocal with his bouncing synth lines. This union was a perfect way to reintroduce the song to the new generation of dance fans and further burnish their reverence for Avicii.
If Bergling is the crown prince of EDM, "Levels" earned him that reputation. With its feel-good vocal sample from Etta James and its endlessly catchy instrumental hook built on beaming synths, this banger would go on to define the uplifting sound of electronic dance music. It also legitimized the sound, landing a nomination for Best Dance Recording at the 2013 GRAMMYs, and going platinum in nine countries, including the US.
This prestige was then multiplied exponentially when Skrillex remixed the track into his signature glitchy dubstep style in 2011. With that version, the inimitable synth hook became beloved by house heads and bass heads alike, securing its reverence across the full breadth of incoming fans.
Throughout his career, Avicii worked with numerous respected vocalists, merging myriad genres into his electronic sound. On the star's 2013 debut album, True, Dan Tyminski provided bluegrass twang on "Hey Brother," and Audra Mae brought southern soul into "Addicted To You," but "Wake Me Up" is the track that represents the pinnacle of Bergling's collaborations.
The nimbly strummed folk guitar creates a sonic hammock for Aloe Blacc's full-bodied vocal timbre, expertly contrasted by Avicii's signature knack for electronic hooks. The single also features an unforgettable beat drop and has been played almost 3 billion times on Spotify.
By the time True came out in 2013, Avicii had already developed a strong reputation for undeniable EDM bangers. Buried at the bottom of True's track list is "EDOM," an eight-minute progressive house suite that demonstrates his keen understanding of the dance floor.
The piece begins with piercing sound design, then grows into a full-fledged string arrangement similar to Tiësto's dance classic "Adagio for Strings." The song progresses into a suspenseful breakdown, then slowly bubbles into ringing piano chords before both melody and harmony vanish — leaving behind nothing but a reverberant dance beat.
Many of the tracks on Avicii's albums don't list the featured vocalists in the titles. Take "True Believer" from his sophomore record, Stories — the rocking downtempo dance-funk track's uncredited vocalist? None other than Coldplay's Chris Martin.
Considering Bergling and Martin's respective abilities to craft songs that resonate with the masses, it's hard to believe it was never a single. But their collaboration remains a hidden gem among both of their now legendary catalogs.
While Avicii will always be known for his 128 BPM four-on-the-floor kicks that filled stadiums, he also experimented with other beats and tempos. His first posthumous album, 2019's Tim, celebrated his versatility with wide-ranging collaborations.
"Hold The Line" sees him slow things down to 100 BPM, allowing A R I Z O N A to take their time with their verses, subtly gliding over silky piano. The drop features cinematic electronic melodies that also lean into the greater amount of space, stretching the limits of each beat to maximize the tension and release.
During a 2019 tribute concert at Friends Arena in Stockholm, a large ensemble featuring live strings convened to perform more than 20 aggrandized versions of classic Avicii tracks. Many original featured vocalists also performed to sing their parts live. Aloe Blacc was there to sing "Wake Me Up," Adam Lambert contributed his voice to "Lay Me Down," and prominent dance vocalist Zak Abel came through for his collaboration, "Ten More Days."
MishCatt was one of the few singers to perform who did not work with Avicii while he was alive. She stepped in to sing "Fades Away" in place of Noonie Bao at the behest of Avicii's frequent collaborator, Carl Falk. Now, fans can listen to her fluttering tones over the warm orchestral backdrop as the one recorded taste of the beautiful evening.
If there was any doubt about whether Avicii had the respect of house music legends, this remix puts it to bed. As the head of the iconic record label and event series Toolroom, Mark Knight has done more to advance global house music than almost anyone.
Back in 2022, Knight remixed one of Avicii's earliest releases, "My Feelings For You." Where the original2010 cut balances a fiery vocal sample, sweeping soul synth and a grimy bassline, Knight's modern take strips away the layers to focus intently on the groove. It's a fittingly inventive tribute to Avicii's genius, which will undoubtedly continue to be honored by dance artists for years to come.