Dancing Astronaut Presents The Biggest Tracks of 2012: 40-31Eoy Biggest Tracks 2012 40 31

Dancing Astronaut Presents The Biggest Tracks of 2012: 40-31

It’s inevitable that countdowns will always spark controversy, that’s just the nature of the beast. Some tracks will be snubbed, some overlooked, and some ranked higher than you may have expected. We’ve already gone over our ranking criteria at length but despite our own self-imposed guidelines, 2012 proved to be more difficult to rank than years past. With the EDM explosion officially in full swing throughout the year, the sheer number of releases was mind numbing, and — consequently — nearly impossible to rank. There has been no greater challenge for the editors at Dancing Astronaut than creating the list of the Biggest Tracks of 2012.

Yesterday we kicked off our countdown with the biggest tracks of 2012: 50-41 — Hop past to break to for our picks from 40-31.

40. Bingo Players – L’Amour (Original Mix)

Standing ground in 2011 with “Mode” and “Rattle,” Bingo Players came into 2012 with the will to conquer. Their Hysteria imprint has pumped out hits left and right, but their own “L’Amour” is the production that took a life of its own. If you’ve had your fair share of nights out, you couldn’t avoid hearing the robotic, vo-coded, electro tune from Bingo Players, and it surely never lost its touch.

39. Nicky Romero & Calvin Harris – Iron (Original Mix)

What could be in the running for collaboration of the year – if such a category existed – is Nicky Romero and Calvin Harris’ “Iron.” Wobbling bass and grunge instilled synths from Nicky’s toolbox play the perfect match to the charming vocal styling of Calvin Harris. “Iron” has had dance floors and festival grounds jumping since its recent release, and its remixes from Dyro and Tony Romera only help its cause as a top track contender.

38. Sultan & Ned Shepard feat. Quilla – Walls (Original Mix)

With the great success of Tiesto’s Club Life Volume 2, it’s fair to say the greatest contribution, and its defining track, didn’t come from Tiesto himself but rather the Canadian-based duo Sultan and Ned Shepard. “Walls” embodies the big room essence of the entire compilation. Arguably the best production to come from the duo, “Walls” has provided massive thrills to many of last year’s festivals.

37. Hard Rock Sofa & Swanky Tunes – Here We Go (Original Mix)

Swedish House Mafia headlined Coachella in 2012, and the boys dropped an unidentified track early in their set that had the dance music world scrambling for answers. That track turned out to be “Here We Go” from the all-star Russian tandem of Hard Rock Sofa and Swanky Tunes. The hard-hitting, frenetic track became a staple in progressive sets – a go-to weapon for provoking the energy of crowds.

36. Avicii – Silhouettes (Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply Mix)

While it may not be “Levels,” “Silhouettes” has been Avicii’s biggest production of 2012. Accompanied by remixes, Tim himself bolstered the track best with his exclusive ‘Denim & Supply Mix’ in support of his Ralph Lauren campaign. Taking his melodic, lounge-friendly elements to the next level, Avicii raised his own bar when he gave new life to “Silhouettes.”

35. Miike Snow – Devil’s Work (Dirty South Remix)

With Dirty South comes the expectation of top-of-the-line progressive productions. Taking on Miike Snow’s “Devil’s Work,” Dragan found the perfect outlet to apply his skills, and the result became an impressively timeless track. The blend of savory melodies from the Swedish pop band with club oriented rhythm of modern dance music made for one of the most addictive remixes that Aussie has turned out.

34. Afrojack – Rock The House (Original Mix)

Afrojack’s relentless effort in the studio has been obvious, as he has “new shit” to offer at almost every major event. Piecing together his upcoming album, productions like “Lionheart” and “Fatility” came to fruition in 2012, but it was “Rock The House” that brought awareness to the dominance of “Afrojack music.” After its Ultra premiere, “Rock The House” became the defining track in Afrojack’s sets, and eventually became a highlight of this year’s release circuit.

33. Skrillex & Damian Marley – Make it Bun Dem (Original Mix)

With a Grammy award under his belt, Skrillex set to challenge himself as the poster boy for not only dubstep, but electronic music. Genre crossovers are often linked to pop, but Skrillex joined forces with reggae artist Damian Marley for his most out-of-the-box production yet. “Make it Bun Dem” translated well through his high profile DJ sets, the reggae world, and the electronic scene as a whole.

32. M83 – Midnight City (Eric Prydz Remix)

He had yet to land in America and his Pryda album was still in the works, but Eric Prydz’s 2012 take off began when his remix of M83’s “Midnight City” burst onto the scene and found its way into clubs and festivals worldwide. The production instantly took on a life of its own and warmed up the states for what would become a monstrous domination when the lost member of the Swedish House Mafia finally crossed the Atlantic.

31. Jack Back ft. David Guetta, Nicky Romero & Sia – Wild One Two (Original Mix)

Before “Metropolis” or their gift to Rihanna, “Right Now,” Nicky Romero and David Guetta solidified their tag team brand with “Wild One Two.” The vocal from Sia compliments the exhilarating, melodic elements – an explosive concoction that eventually resulted in Flo Rida sneaking the track onto the radio for himself.

Click here for more of Dancing Astronaut’s ‘Best of 2012′

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