Dancing Astronaut Presents The 50 Biggest Tracks of 2011: 50 – 41

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The very nature of a countdown is bound to spark controversy. With the thousands of tracks released in 2011, our choices for the Top 50 will undoubtedly leave a bad taste in the mouths of some of our readers. We tried our best to define our criteria but the fact remains that everyone, even the editors at Dancing Astronaut are going to disagree. We debated for hours, imaginative name calling ensued, feelings were hurt, egos were bruised, and a small animal may have been harmed. After countless hours, we set aside our differences and personal tastes to bring you the Top 50 most influential songs of 2011. These are the tracks that dominated the US dance music scene and whether you love them or hate them, we can bet that you heard them.

Check out our picks for 50-41 after the break.

50. Michael Calfan – Resurrection (Axwell’s Re-Cut Club Version)

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We called it. This track is an anthem. Some of you disagreed, but when Swedish House Mafia dropped this track at Madison Square Garden any doubt was quickly extinguished. The piano roll on this track sends chills up your spine, and as the guys of SHM put it… goosebumps never lie.

49. Zedd – Shave It (Original Mix)

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Anton Zaslavski has been pumping out complextro track after complextro track for most of 2011, but his crowning achievement was “Shave it” – a gritty electro house track that was remixed by Kaskade and Tommy Trash and saw support from many of EDM’s biggest names.  Zedd is the Beethoven of complextro and “Shave It” is his 5th symphony.

48. Kaskade ft. Rebecca & Fiona – Turn It Down (Original Mix)

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Rebecca & Fiona’s  gorgeous vocals transcended EDM on this dance heavy track. Easily accessible, “Turn it Down” was a high watermark on an already impressive 2011 for Kaskade. Even your Mom likes this one.

47. Tiesto & Marcel Woods – Don’t Ditch (Original Mix)

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“Don’t Ditch” was one of our first introductions to Tiesto’s new sound. This collaboration with Marcel Woods is a bouncy, electro track that proved to the masses that the almighty Tiesto could do more than just trance — and he could do it well.

46. Fatboy Slim – Ya Mama (Push The Tempo) [Moguai Remix]

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After completely revitalizing Afrojack’s “Bangduck,” Moguai went ahead and remixed a 10 year old Fatboy Slim track, breathing new life into one of the premiere electronic acts of the last decade. Moguai’s artful remixing meshed with Fatboy Slim’s sampling resulted in one of the most fun and danceable tracks of the last year.  Shake what ya momma gave ya!

45. NERO – Crush On You (Knife Party Remix)

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You might have heard it from your best friends, but in case you didn’t Knife Party’s remix of “Crush On You” was one of the hardest hitting tracks of 2011. The original was a masterpiece in its own right, but the second that the boys of Knife Party got their hands on “Crush On You” we completely forgot about NERO’s original. Using a sample from The Jets track of the same name, Knife Party proves that the combination of 80′s pop and dubstep is a match made in wobble heaven.

44. Afrojack & Steve Aoki ft. Miss Palmer – No Beef (Original Mix)

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This track found a permanent home in our iTunes back before it had a name and well before Miss Palmer lended her voice to Afrojack and Aoki’s pitch-bended rocker. Dubbing themselves Afroki, the video for “No Beef” embodies the Vegas party culture, showcasing the wild style life of two of Vegas’s biggest names.  This is a party track, plain and simple – if you don’t like it then you don’t like fun — and we don’t like you.

43. Third Party – Duel (Original Mix)

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Third Party proved that they were a force in progressive house when they released “Duel” back in May. This track might win best build up of the year, it is spiritual and has the ability to take a set to whole new heights. Not only was it their single biggest release it was also dropped by anyone and everyone. Look for this to drop in Miami more than a few times.

42. Dada Life – White Noise/Red Meat (Original Mix)

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Dada Life had plenty of huge tracks and remixes in 2011 firmly planting themselves at number 24 on our Top 50 Artists lists. “White Noise/Red Meat” is the Dada Life mentality in a nutshell, it’s heavy hitting, unapologetic, and downright insane. Not to mention that the official video is fucking BANANAS.

41. R3hab & Swanky Tunes ft. Max C – Sending My Love (Original Mix)

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R3hab and Swanky Tunes were two of the most prolific acts in 2011 and their collaboration on “Sending My Love” absolutely destroyed the US club scene. Meshing R3hab’s chainsaw madness, Swanky Tunes flawless melodies and Max C’s passionate vocals this track is testament to the talent of everyone involved.

Check back tomorrow for our picks for 31 – 40!

Posted by on December 26th, 2011 at 8:12 pm.
  • http://twitter.com/DJBB3 Rob Blount

    Think Turn it Down should have a better rank, but I guess he also does have Eyes.

  • Raul-monegro

    …………sending my love…..as 41 really

  • Yaya

    turn it down should be way higher – remember how crazy roseland went when he played it?!

  • edmfan

    Are you guys seriously trying to tell me that Crush on You, Ya Mama, and Duel were bigger songs than Turn it Down or Don’t Ditch, this is a joke right?

  • Michaelmora21

    “Knife Party proves that the combination of 80′s pop and dubstep is a match made in wobble heaven.”

    I believe Nero deserves credit for this rather than Knife Party

  • Alanjkim

    no matter what Dancing Astronaut puts there will always be people complaining cause of DIFFERING OPINIONS. get over it

  • Anonymous

    So glad you guys had Duel in the top 50…I’m addicted to every part of that progressive bomb.. A top 10 prog track in my book. This is why.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBPE0OqpYFQ&list=UU5iMm_Z5jCZmcRII5m8i5Yg&index=6&feature=plcp

  • http://twitter.com/GETRICH22 Swisher Sweet

    like those stated before…turn it down should’ve been higher

  • mrguy

    The only track out of this bunch with Dancing Astronaut certified “Anthem Status” was placed at #50. hmmm.

  • Jim

    you’ve put some great songs in 50-41 already would love to see what you have for higher ranks ;O

  • Pop

    Surprise #1 is gonna be Levels cause these guys don’t know jack.  It should easily be You’ve Got The Love, or Metrum, both secret tracks held over our heads for so long and both of a higher music caliber than Avicii can offer

  • KnowledgeIsShowers

    Both artists sampled The Jets song, but Knife Party’s remix samples more than one verse and part of the rhythm section at the beginning of the track.

    Or maybe they sampled Aaron Carter’s version?

  • Yeah

    Duel and Sending my Love should be in the top 20s remeber the first time duel with some vocal acapella dropped everybody went bloody fucking nuts. Sending my Love and The Bottle Song are in my book the best songs from R3hab so far.

  • tinydancer1

    fedde FTW

  • DE

    i check out DA every day and know you guys work very hard – i’m excited about
    this list. and although i know you guys are mostly house/electro/dubstep – if
    you don’t include ‘mansion’ by gareth emery then i’ll cry of such a huge fail.

  • http://twitter.com/GETRICH22 Swisher Sweet

    Metrum was unreal good, completely agree

  • Anonymous

    We will be more ‘trancier’ in 2012. Pinky promise.

  • Simon

    I really like Sending My Love, killer track. But the rest…..meh. 

  • Sruel3216

    Afrojack – No Beef should be top 10 worst tracks of the year

  • http://twitter.com/Whtvrz_Klvr Raffi Lemus

    TOKYO > mansion

  • Enrique

    you dont have to justify. dude was butthurt after seth troxler and gareth emery werent on the top 50 artists list. If you check out DA everyday you’ll know that they wont be on the list. gareth is unbelievably talented and everything knows is a trance god…but this isn’t that type of site (yet at least)

  • Wayne Borg

    DA’s Top 50 Tracks of 2011 (50-41)
    http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VVNXET35

    All with proper tags. Enjoy :D

  • justin

    or flash…all of those are top 5 worthy…evn though i am starting to dislike avicii…levels is amazing u just cant deny it.

  • http://twitter.com/gilly1916 paul g

    any chance your gonna do the same for the rest of the chart it was very useful