1. David Guetta

David Guetta

When we track down David Guetta in Paris, he's already been told by his manager about his Top 100 victory. "I'm very happy of course, I was thinking it was going to be impossible for an...

2. Armin van Buuren

Armin van Buuren

Dutch powerhouse DJ/producer and scene leader extraordinaire Armin van Buuren has historically been the highest performer in the Top 100 poll, holding onto the No.1 spot for an unpreceden...

3. Tiësto

Tiësto

He won DJmag's Top 100 DJs poll three times in the early noughties (2002-4), but if anything, Tijs Verwest aka Tiësto is bigger than ever now. "The whole year has been one amazing highli...

4. Deadmau5

Deadmau5

Deadmau5 holds steady at No.4 in the poll this year, despite not campaigning whatsoever (and moaning on Twitter about others who did). But is it right that he appears at all? As he mentio...

5. Above & Beyond

Above & Beyond

For Paavo Siljamäki, Jono Grant and Tony McGuinness, 2011 has been all about 'Group Therapy'. Which, of course, was the name of their second album (or third if you count 'Sirens Of The Se...

6. Avicii

Avicii

One of the big success stories of the last couple of years in dance music has been the unstoppable rise of Avicii. The Swedish house star may not be part of any mafia, but he is certainly...

7. Afrojack

 Afrojack

“Of course, it's been a fucking great year!” says Afrojack, aka Dutch producer Nick Van de Wall. “I think we can all agree on that! I mean, 'Take Over Control' started out as a dance trac...

8. Dash Berlin

Dash Berlin

While the past few years have seen the polished productions of Dash Berlin take centre stage after the release of 'The New Daylight' album, the past 12 months have seen DJing become the f...

9. Markus Schulz

Markus Schulz

There's a whole greased-up machine behind the workings of a DJ like Markus Schulz, but thankfully it's not changed him one little bit. “It's always an honour and I always say it's the f...

10. Swedish House Mafia

Swedish House Mafia

The notion of the 'supergroup' belongs with kaftans and interesting tricks with Mars bars in the antediluvian annals of rock music. Sure, there have been stellar studio-bound collaboratio...

11. Paul van Dyk

Paul van Dyk

Aside from a touring schedule that's been as hectic as ever, 2011 has otherwise been an unusually quiet year for German icon Paul van Dyk. For good reason, though; he's had his head down ...

12. Axwell

Axwell

Surely, after the successful explosion of DJ collective Swedish House Mafia in 2009 and solo achievements in 2010, Axel 'Axwell' Hedfors must have had a comedown in 2011? Guess again. “It...

13. Gareth Emery

Gareth Emery

Given that Gareth Emery played to over two million people in 40 countries over the last year, you wouldn't think the Southampton-born trance DJ would sound so surprised that he sold out h...

14. Fedde Le Grand

Fedde Le Grand

In his own words, it has been “an absolutely incredible year” for Fedde Le Grand, who enjoyed massive success both live and with his production, also concentrating on mediating between th...

15. ATB

ATB

Andre Tanneberger, known to the world as ATB, doesn't do things by halves. 2011 saw the release of his ninth artist album 'Distant Earth' which, including the remix disc, came in at well ...

16. Sander Van Doorn

Sander Van Doorn

It must be a million miles by now,” laughs Sander van Doorn when we catch him in an airport Business Lounge and ask him to contemplate his career total airmiles. Off to Japan for the firs...

17. Headhunterz

Headhunterz

Water and plug sockets. Chilli sauce and blowjobs. Certain things should always be kept apart. Including hardstyle and dubstep, you'd think. Unless you're Headhunterz aka Willem Rebergen,...

18. Ferry Corsten

Ferry Corsten

I'm in the middle of the artist album, coming out in February, and we have a very big show coming up in Moscow next month,” Ferry tells DJmag. From the sounds of it, his tour of eight R...

19. Skrillex

Skrillex

Even though DJmag interviewed him only a few weeks ago, we weren't able to track down Sonny Moore, aka Skrillex, in time for his Top 100 interview this year. The fiercely independent dubs...

20. Laidback Luke

Laidback Luke

Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen rather betrays the Laidback part of his assumed DJ/production moniker. The man has not only clocked up infinite air miles again this year, but so too has he...

21. Infected Mushroom

Infected Mushroom

Infected Mushroom, aka Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani, had something of an epiphanic show this year, among the most important of their careers. The Israeli production duo were invited pers...

22. Aly & Fila

Aly & Fila

The last 12 months have been fantastic for Egyptian trance titans Aly & Fila, the latter tells DJmag. “The support we have received wherever we have played has been amazing.” They recen...

23. Steve Angello

Steve Angello

Despite some internet snipery in 2011, Steve Angello has not been held back. Much of his time has been taken up as one-third of the now fully internationalised dance brand that is the Swe...

24. Hardwell

Hardwell

Just 23-years-young, fresh-faced, Dutch born-and-bred, Hardwell is already at the top of his game. Playing the main stage at this year's Creamfields and releasing Beatport top tenners 'En...

25. Arty

Arty

The Top 100 throws up many familiar faces but the supersonic rise of Russian artist Arty, who barely looks legal to be allowed in a club, let alone play to thousands around the world, dem.

26. Sebastian Ingrosso

Sebastian Ingrosso

Despite his place pretty much atop the pile of house music superstars in 2011, Sebastian Ingrosso is both humbled and humble when DJmag catches up with him. “It's an honour to be in thi...

27. Benny Benassi

Benny Benassi

Italian DJ/producer Benny Benassi holds steady in the poll, figuring in the Top 30 where he has been more or less since 'Satisfaction' stormed the international floors. He continues to ha...

28. Daft Punk

Daft Punk

Since time began, or at least as far as the Top 100 DJs poll goes, Daft Punk have made an appearance in it, despite their distinct lack of actual DJing gigs. Theirs is a respect that wa...

29. Martin Solveig

Martin Solveig

The most memorable achievement of the past 12 months for Martin Solveig? “I wouldn't know where to start,” he says. “The success of 'Hello' has obviously been incredible, the video shoot ...

30. Kaskade

Kaskade

For America, this is a very exciting time,” says Kaskade, aka San Francisco-born Ryan Raddon - croaky-voiced after a late-night gig - on the explosion of house music in his native country...

31. Carl Cox

Carl Cox

For the ever-progressive Carl Cox, 2011 has been a rich mix of musical mediums, with the DJ and producer hitting up festivals, playing storming club sets and utilising technology to conne...

32. Chuckie

Chuckie

Chuckie - fine purveyor of 'dirty Dutch' house music - has had a mega-busy year, but the Top 100 question about pet hates has him sharing the borderline racist attitudes he often has to f...

33. Bob Sinclar

Bob Sinclar

Bob Sinclar will remember 2011 as the year that he went into the nightclub business. It's surely the logical progression for the flamboyant Frenchman to go into the hospitality trade and ...

34. Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris has been busy during 2011, but it's paid off dividends for him. Release-wise, Harris has put out several strong singles and EPs, including the downtempo disco riffing of 'F...

35. Noisecontrollers

Noisecontrollers

Last year was a dream come true,” say the Noisecontrollers on their shock inclusion in the Top 100 poll last year. Shock simply because of the under-representation - as they put it - of h...

36. W&W

W&W

After several years of producing singles and remixes, experimental trance duo W&W stepped firmly into the limelight this year, bringing with it a suitably hectic schedule. “DJ-wise, 2011...

37. Pete Tha Zouk

Pete Tha Zouk

Pete Tha Zouk's going to give us a big head. Last year was the first that he scooped himself a place on the DJmag Top 100 chart, and he's been riding it ever since. “Last year was my fi...

38. Dada Life

Dada Life

Stefan and Olle have a bone to pick with their manager. “We have the hardest boss ever. We've been locked up in the studio for the last two or three weeks,” Olle says. It's just as well...

39. Angerfist

Angerfist

Being the bearer of good news is much like getting the chance to be Father Christmas for the day. “I'm really excited that hardcore techno finally gets the exposure it deserves,” Danny ...

40. D-Block & S-Te-Fan

D-Block & S-Te-Fan

Heading up the techy end of Dutch hard dance, D-Block & S-te-Fan kicked off 2011 in style, selling out the HMH stadium in Amsterdam as a prelude to their world tour, followed by a “full-o...

41. Coone

Coone

It took Belgian Coone 30 days to make his second album, 'The Challenge'. “Almost impossible, but we managed to do it with episodes on YouTube everyday!” he recalls of the process, where ...

42. Steve Aoki

Steve Aoki

In December, Dim Mak Records boss Steve Aoki will release his debut album, the project he's been working on for the past three years. But he's not made it easy for himself, which probably...

43. Cosmic Gate

Cosmic Gate

The last few years haven't exactly been quiet for veteran German trance duo Cosmic Gate, but 2011 saw them pick up the pace again. “Overall the year was super-busy but very inspiring,” th...

44. Bobina

Bobina

It's not just been a big year for Bobina, aka Russian producer Dmitry Almazov, it's been a big year for his homeland too. The nation has been celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of launc...

45. Richie Hawtin

Richie Hawtin

The momentum of 2011 has been absolutely incredible,” says Canadian techno wonder Richie Hawtin on the continued flowering of his creativity, which seems to grow ever more visionary with ...

46. Eric Prydz

Eric Prydz

Hosting an Ibiza residency isn't something to enter into lightly - you've got to know you can deliver the goods. Fortunately, for Eric Prydz that isn't a problem, proven when he launched ...

47. Zatox

Zatox

“I did experiment a lot this year, trying to evolve my sound in different directions,” says Italian hardstyle chief Zatox when asked why he thinks he made the poll this year. “For once, I...

48. Tydi

Tydi

“I don't think age really matters as long as you're writing big songs and playing great DJ sets,” says one of the youngest DJs in 2011's Top 100. tyDi (or Tyson Illingworth to give him h...

49. Orjan Nilsen

Orjan Nilsen

We interrupt Norwegian DJ Orjan Nilsen just as he's taking a well-deserved break from a punishing four months spent constantly on the road. “I've worked my ass off. I've been travelling a...

50. Andy Moor

Andy Moor

In last year's Top 100 issue, trance mainstay Andy Moor from the UK vowed to concentrate more on production this year. So did he manage to do this? “This year has been very productive for...