April 6, 2023 – In advance of its 20th anniversary this June, Armada Music, the biggest independent dance music label in the world, today revealed the first episode of its documentary series ‘Armada Music 20 Years Classics’ – a deep dive into the history of dance music and its most seminal artists and hits. The series has been commissioned especially for the anniversary as part of the label’s mission to share and celebrate its deeply rooted passion for dance music.
‘Armada Music 20 Years Classics’ pays homage to dance music’s rich history and aims to educate a new generation of fans about the artists who shaped the genre. The first episode features a behind-the-scenes look at the creation and legacy of Joe Smooth’s ‘Promised Land,’ including an exclusive interview with the producer and DJ who is credited as one of the pioneers of house music. BBC Radio 1 DJs, Pete Tong and Judge Jules, and Armada Music CEO, Maykel Piron, discuss how ‘Promised Land’ not only launched a new genre within dance music, but also inspired each of them in their careers. Currently available to stream via Armada Music’s YouTube channel, Armada Music TV, the episode is the first in a series of five episodes dropping between now and the end of this year.
“When we started Armada Music in 2003, our mission was to create excitement around and passion for dance music,” said Maykel Piron, CEO of Armada Music. “Fast-forward 20 years and you’ll see we’ve stayed true to that goal and have worked hard to create a company that prioritizes and amplifies global artists. Through the documentary series we’re putting artists at the forefront, yet again, to present new fans with the rich history of dance and give lifelong fans a look at the inspiration behind some of the genre’s most impactful tracks.”
In addition to the documentary series, the label will be holding 20th anniversary celebrations throughout the year to honor the legacy of dance music, including the launch of a fan-voted Armada Music Top 100 list, and revisiting and remixing the biggest dance music classics.
For media inquiries, please contact Charlotte Loasby via charlotte@armadamusic.com.
About Armada Music
Armada Music is the biggest independent dance music label in the world. Founded by Armin van Buuren, Maykel Piron (CEO) and David Lewis, the label manages an ever-growing catalog of over 40,000 tracks, built up across twenty-plus years of specialized dance music exploitation.
Representing artists such as Armin van Buuren, ARTY, D.O.D, Eelke Kleijn, Jan Blomqvist, Loud Luxury, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Tensnake, THEMBA and Yulia Niko, Armada Music amasses more than one billion streams per month, airplay on leading radio outlets such as BBC Radio 1 and Sirius XM, and top positions in the world’s most notable charts. The label also takes great pride in major achievements such as Armin van Buuren’s GRAMMY nomination for ‘This Is What It Feels Like’, Loud Luxury and Brando’s ‘Body’ surpassing one billion streams on Spotify and breaking artists such as Lost Frequencies into global stardom.
Across offices in Amsterdam (HQ), New York, London and Laren (NL), Armada Music offers a truly global appeal to its growing roster. The label has its own club, radio studio and multiple production studios, and hosts various live formats. Producer platform Armada University, which offers educational products and opportunities, shows the label’s sustained effort to nurture the next wave of talent.
In 2023, Armada Music launched BEAT Music Fund, the world’s first dance music investment company, that acquires catalogs with the mission of honoring, representing and reinvigorating them. BEAT’s portfolio will continue to grow; in the first six months following its launch, BEAT acquired the catalogs of, among others, electronic music star ARTY, house and techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson’s KMS Records, legendary NYC-based house label King Street Sounds and chart-topping producers Chocolate Puma.
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