The poster child of the American ‘mainstream’ dance music movement is back with a new album — or rather, an update to his last album. Nothing But The Beat 2.0 is David Guetta’s latest take on the current music landscape. Rather than call it an ‘update,’ it’s actually more of a revamp, selecting the most popular songs from last year’s release and adding in a selection of newer dance tracks. To balance out the pop influences from the likes of Akon, Sia, and Usher, Guetta brings in more dance-heavy talents, including Alesso, Daddy’s Groove, and the Nervo twins.
NBTB includes all the obligatory hits like like “Titanium,” “Without You,” “I Can Only Imagine,” and “Wild One Two,” but there’s also a surprisingly wide variety of music that fills in the rest of the album. Guetta’s collaboration with Alesso, “Every Chance We Get We Run,” oozes with the signature sounds of the Swede’s productions, complemented by the vocals of Tegan Quin & Sara. The song is so similar to Alesso’s productions, that I’m not even sure how much influence Guetta had on it. As soon as you hear the first chords, you can’t help but smile, reminding me of the first time I heard “City Of Dreams.” Even if the track is on the tame side, expect to hear this vocal at upcoming Alesso events — probably bootlegged with other unknown, unfinished projects.
David Guetta & Alesso feat Tegan Quin and Sara – Every Chance We Get We Run
[audio:http://uploads.dancingastronaut.com/2012/09/15_david_guetta_-_every_chance_we_get_we_run_feat._tegan_quin_and_sara_david_guetta_and_alesso.mp3|titles=David Guetta & Alesso feat Tegan Quin and Sara – Every Chance We Get We Run]The same can be said for “In My Head,” which features the vocals of Liv and Mim Nervo, with co-production credits to Daddy’s Groove. It has a dance-friendly beat with a super catchy vocal, but a full remix package definitely feels in the cards.
David Guetta & Daddy’s Groove feat NERVO – In My Head
[audio:http://uploads.dancingastronaut.com/2012/09/09_david_guetta_-_in_my_head_feat._nervo.mp3|titles=David Guetta & Daddy’s Groove feat NERVO – In My Head]Alongside more already-released dance tracks like “Metropolis” and “Lunar,” there are a number of pop productions sure to hit the airwaves soon enough. The standout is “Nothing Really Matters,” which employs the groovy hipster vibes — and existential vocals — of Will.I.Am, who gently reminds us that “Nothing really matters in a club — but the beat.” It’s a cookie cutter song with all the elements of a hit, and shows the chemistry between Will and David in the studio.
David Guetta feat. Will.I.Am – Nothing Really Matters
[audio:http://uploads.dancingastronaut.com/2012/09/14_david_guetta_-_nothing_really_matters_feat._will.i.am_.mp3|titles=David Guetta feat. Will.I.Am – Nothing Really Matters]Guetta does something similar on “Just One Last Time,” a song he played at Electric Zoo that didn’t get the reaction it deserved. Featuring the vocals of Taped Rai, it has a super upbeat melody that anyone can listen to, and is the other radio-ready gem. It’s worlds better than “Play Hard,” a song with Ne-Yo and Akon that samples the late 90s hit “Better Off Alone.” In the case of this irritating track, Guetta would have indeed been better off had he not included this on the album at all.
David Guetta feat. Taped Rai – Just One Last Time
[audio:http://uploads.dancingastronaut.com/2012/09/08_david_guetta_-_just_one_last_time_feat._taped_rai.mp3|titles=David Guetta feat. Taped Rai – Just One Last Time]David Guetta feat. Ne-Yo and Akon – Play Hard
[audio:http://uploads.dancingastronaut.com/2012/09/06_david_guetta_-_play_hard_feat._neyo_and_akon.mp3|titles=David Guetta feat. Ne-Yo and Akon – Play Hard]Guetta shows his own ‘darker’ production chops with “What The F***.” In addition to getting dangerously close in name to a recent Nicky Romero production (“WTF!?“), it uses similar elements to Romero’s — especially in the drops. The track seems rather forgettable, and lacks the more powerful, intricate elements of other electro productions on the album like “The Alphabeat.” Similarly, while “She Wolf” might not technically be a ‘dance’ track, it’s a moving track with another great Sia vocal, and we’ve already seen that it’s a proven festival banger. The dance-friendly offerings on the album are clearly not the focal point, but they show David’s commitment to developing new kinds of sounds. He’s got an eye for talent, and his Jack Back label is an ideal platform for launching new, undiscovered acts.
David Guetta – What The F***
[audio:http://uploads.dancingastronaut.com/2012/09/18_david_guetta_-_what_the_f.mp3|titles=David Guetta – What The F***]Nothing But The Beat 2.0 is an exhaustive release with a lot of different kinds of music. While every track on the album didn’t resonate with me in the same way, I don’t think that’s really the point. The songs I like on the album aren’t the ones my fifteen-year-old sister would like, and they’re not the songs my mom wants to listen to in the car either. But, taken as a whole, there’s something for everyone on NBTB 2.0 — and that’s an impressive feat for any musician.
However, by pursuing this strategy, Guetta risks alienating segments of his fanbase for different reasons (and if you read our comments section, you know that it’s already happening). Luckily for David, it’s probably a moot point given his superstar status, but it’s something to think about next time you go to — or think about going to — a David Guetta show. Will he play for the teenie boppers in the audience or will he play for the folks who love “Metropolis”? Or will he try to please everyone, and end up pleasing none? It will be interesting to see how this plays out as his career continues to develop, but something tells me that he’ll land on his feet just fine.
Still, when you look at the album in its entirety, David Guetta proves that, in the end, it really is all about nothing but the beat.
Rating: 3.0/5*
*Rating would be 3.5 if this album didn’t have so many previously-released tracks.
Purchase: iTunes
But you’re not supposed to base a review off of how boring it may be to you because you’ve heard the tracks before… and you gave POTN a 2.5, these album reviews need to be seriously looked at. Dancing Astronaut is constantly going on about how guetta does this, but needs to do this, and how he’s gone mainstream and how sometimes he doesnt… it’s ridiculous, Guetta is one of the biggest, if not the main contributor to house music resurrecting in the United States. If it wasnt for him, people would not have dug deeper and found people. This website doesn’t give him enough credit. It’s sad to see people turn their backs on legends, especially just because they make songs that make it out there. Does edm have to remain underground? At this point, with festivals like UMF it just isn’t underground anymore. Don’t blame guetta, he’s just making music with his friends.
How the fuck does Guetta’s pathetic, ghost-produced, ridiculously mainstream excuse for an album receive a higher score than AN21 & Max Vangeli’s “People Of The Night”? It’s this type of shit that’s almost solely responsible for the stupidity and “popularization” (for lack of a better term) of electronic dance music. Fuck Guetta, and here’s another reason why:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zoht05kr4D0
Although Guetta really is super commercial, there’s no denying that this year he put out some bombs such as Wild One Two, Metropolis, She Wolf and the new music he hs in store. But also his label is putting on banger after banger, like Turn the Lights Down, and this new EP by Daddy’s Groove. I just think he improved a lot this year.
I actually like David Guetta; I respect his musical talents and I (usually) have a lot of fun at his shows. He wasn’t great at EZoo this year, but look no further than my review of his set at UMF (or last year’s EZoo) if you need proof that we write positive things about DG.
That said, I think think that his brand really needs to figure out exactly who he’s trying to appeal to. Is it the kids listening to the radio in the car with their parents, or is it the kids who drive their own cars at music levels their parents couldn’t handle? That was the point of the closer, which I thought it was pretty straight-forward.
ordinary
I don’t like David Guetta because he lacks style. The Old David Guetta had a true house sound and could produce complex songs that made you think. All of his new crap on the other hand, is commercial pop shit. Say what you want, but any true fan of house music would think the same. That song that samples “Better Off Alone” is a perfect example. Why would you even try to sample that song? Let alone with talentless fools singing over it like Ne-Yo and Akon (Who are pretty much both glorified Flo-Ridas). David Guetta used to be good, and he is not anymore. I can say that with distinct confidence. I saw 20 minutes of him at Coachella and 10 minutes of that was him playing that same bullshit with levels that he did at Ultra. the other half was a drawn out version of “Without You”. He also messed up while mixing no less than 4 times in that 20 minutes. He needs to go back into the studio and re-invent his old style and stop with this radio bullshit.
I think he didnt do as expected with his pop album but lately he has been genius!
Looks like there’s some spoiled kids who are confusing with the meaning ‘commercial’ and ‘popular’…
Guetta is just keep producing his stuff which ends up getting loved by so many people around the world. this is not a good example of commercial :-(
I hate the number of times DA associates ‘teeny-boppers’ as people who only can only relate to the most famous club hits of David Guetta, Skrillex and Avicii. -.-
U HATERS CAN FUCK OFF,SEEMS U FORGOT WHOS THE GUY THAT GOT DANCE MUSIC KNOWN AND REBORN.
David Guetta did open the doors for edm which is why even though his productions may not be what it used to, he’ll continue being a big name name in edm. He has made a lot of great dance tracks but he has also done some bad ones. Play Hard just ruins Better Off Alone..I doubt that song ever meant to be about “hustlers”. It is a classic in EDM that he turned into pop that ruins it. What the F*** sounds very similar to Nicky Romero’s productions but then again he did work quite a bit with him. I can’t say anything bad about Alesso because his productions are amazing.
Actually made me want to check out the album, good review Jake.
Talent? Talent to hire ghost-producers and being a fucked french stinky smell cheese? This guy don’t belong on the #1 spot although he did bring EDM to a more mainstream level.
Rating more like 0.5/5
album is a joke lmao
I still have respect for Guetta and I’m a true EDM fan if you dont like his mainstream stuff than dont listen to it listen to the stuff he releases for more underground people thats what i do one of my favourite songs by him are Paris. In respond to ENZO i did not like one song from the people of the night album i was pretty disappointed actually cause Max Vangeli was a pretty big inspiration for me when i was first getting into EDM
What the hell? Why would you dock points off a re-release for having pre-released tracks? That’s the entire point of a re-release! Evaluate an album for what it is, not for what it was. I guess that explains why you guys don’t review many albums. You don’t even know how to properly rate them.
Calling Ne-yo and Akon talentless is really a proof that some of this hate has a lot to do with a bunch old bigots that cannot live with the facts that everythings is getting mixed right now.Growing up and being black myself i used to think that Rap was for blacks,techno was for whites and Salsa was for latino.Everybody is doin everything and it’s for the better.David guetta was already winning 15 years ago,he was famious around the same time as daft punk.Chuckie,technotronic,benassi,sinclar,clamaran and Guetta are the reason Edm could rise from Underground to Urban to worldwide popular and also the reason why i was paying attention to electro music even tho i was a hip hop die hard fan.Guetta didn’t ask to be loved by the “true house music connoisseurs”.Actually his progression is very typical when you think about it.He’s a father now and his views and tastes probably changed,his productions are the perfect reflections of it.He’s not the raging dj anymore,he’s a business man taking care of business,if you want that pure,dirty underground sound go to soundcloud and do your research.Dancingastronaut is not the right place to showcase how underground and unconstitutional you are.I actually like this website,they got a niche and they stick to it.
Ps:Pardon my poor grammar,i’m actually from Belgium,my mother tongue is French.