The History of Trance

The History of Trance

Everybody knows trance is one of the most popular music genres in Ibiza, and the island is well-known for being the summer home of popular DJ’s like Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk and others. But did you ever wonder how did trance get here?

Where Trance Began

It all started in the late ’80s in UK and continued the ’90s in Germany, while spreading throughout all of Europe faster than you’d think.  Even though trance can be seen as a stand-alone genre, it also incorporates elements of techno, house, pop, chillout, classical and ambient music. The name is related to the state of euphoria the listeners seem to experience, and we can all agree there couldn’t have been a better name than this. Trance has a lot of subgenres and you can listen to them all here, in Ibiza, especially now at the end of the season, when we’ll have a blast at closing parties.

The Adam and Eve of Trance

While trance might have grown in popularity starting with the ’90s, that only happened because of Darude and its Sandstorm, which is one of the most epic pieces of music ever made; also, this was the period Tiesto became the first world-known DJ that walked the Earth. And what followed is even more huge—Above&Beyond was born from the efforts of Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, and Paavo Siljamäki. Never had music been so fluid and deep, and their Trance Around the World show would be seen as the precursor of A State of Trance later on. Soon after, Paul Van Dyk made his appearance and kept the whole world dancing for hours and hours, and, of course, Armin Van Buuren began his long journey in delighting fans in all corners of the planet. And we can barely believe it all started with a simple podcast!

Trance Festivals

While trance was beginning to rapidly develop sub-genres, it was clear that the world needed some sort of gatherings to celebrate them all. So started the Sensation White and Sensation Black trend, eager to please enthusiasts of both edgy and soothing trance beats. The Ultra Music Festival also draw some big names like Paul Oakenfold and Markus Schulz, and Tomorrowland came to steal the scene with a totally out-of-this-world concept that put the spotlight on the best DJs of the moment while making the whole experience one to remember.

And with so much good trance out there, there is no wonder Ibiza’s dancing scene is booming every year. Trance enthusiasts flock here constantly in search of the perfect sound, and they almost always find it. Did you find yours?