Party Favorz is back with the latest installment of our BackSpin series, spotlighting the Electro House and crossover dance hits that ignited 2011–2012. These two whirlwind years marked EDM’s jump from niche festival staple to mainstream juggernaut, thanks to headline makers like David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia. Their success opened the floodgates for pop stars who craved festival-sized drops—and fans who wanted club energy in their earbuds.
Guetta, SHM & the EDM Gold Rush
David Guetta’s hit-factory formula primed radio for four-on-the-floor beats, but it was Swedish House Mafia’s stadium-grade anthem “Don’t You Worry Child” that proved big-room hooks could rule the Hot 100. Released in September 2012, the track scaled charts on both sides of the Atlantic, cementing Electro House as a pop force and setting a template today’s producers still chase.
Rihanna & Calvin Harris: Lightning in a Bottle
When Rihanna paired with Calvin Harris on “We Found Love”, the song detonated—ten weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and endless DJ spins. Harris stayed in her orbit with “Where Have You Been,” keeping the singer on dance-floor rotation while boosting his own superstar status. Their combo of emotive vocals and festival-ready synths became EDM’s new blueprint for crossover success.
Katy Perry & Ke$ha: Pop Royalty Goes Electro
Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream era technically started in 2010, yet its remix packages stretched well into 2012. dancefloor makeovers of “Firework”, The One That Got Away, and “Last Friday Night” guaranteed Perry prime placement in every peak-hour set. Meanwhile, Ke$ha fed party animals with brat-pop bangers like “Blow” and 2012’s “Die Young,” each armed with remix bundles that slammed straight into the dance-charts.
Lady Gaga: An Enduring LGBTQ Anthem
With “Born This Way”, Gaga delivered a universal call-to-arms wrapped in Electro House armor. Remixers—from Chew Fu and Bimbo Jones to Manhattan Clique and Michael Woods—ensured every LGBTQ+ sub-scene had a tailored version. The result? A gay anthem that moved from Pride parades to prime-time radio without losing an ounce of edge, while becoming a staple in every subsequent Gay Pride celebration.
J.Lo Reinvents, Pitbull Dominates
Dropped by Epic, Jennifer Lopez landed at Island Def Jam and roared back with “On the Floor”—No. 1 in 30-plus countries. Follow-ups “I’m Into You” and “Papi” proved she wasn’t done. Even Epic tried to cash in on her newfound success, dusting off “Dance Again” from her vault, and yes, it’s still a gem.
During the same stretch, Pitbull attached his Miami swagger to every chart contender. “Give Me Everything” with Ne-Yo defined 2011’s summer and turned Mr. 305 into Mr. Worldwide. Oversaturation risk? Sure. But Pitbull spun it into a multi-million-dollar empire.
Boy-Band Face-Off: The Wanted vs. One Direction
Scooter Braun-backed The Wanted cracked the U.S. with “Glad You Came,” snagging two Dance Club No. 1s and earning a rightful slot here for our overseas audience. Yet they soon found themselves outshone by One Direction. The newcomers’ bubble-gum hooks, polished by Electro-leaning remixes, sent them rocketing past their rivals—proof that teen-pop floor-fillers never go out of style.
Nicki Minaj Bridges Genres
Before every rapper flirted with EDM, Nicki Minaj jumped in headfirst. “Super Bass,” “Starships,” and “Pound the Alarm” blended day-glo synths with rapid-fire bars—catnip for DJs hunting fresh Electro House ammo. Minaj’s genre-hopping approach mirrored the Black Eyed Peas’ earlier success and showed hip-hop could thrive atop a four-on-the-floor backbone.
Big-Room Anthems & Indie Surprises
Fun.’s “We Are Young” tapped millennial angst and nostalgia, then Alvin Risk’s remix set emo hearts racing in every club line. Festival favorites like Avicii’s “Levels” and Porter Robinson’s “Language” gave progressive-house fans their own widescreen moments, rounding out a scene that felt limitless.
What’s Next for BackSpin
We’ve only scratched the surface. BackSpin Vol. 10 drops Sunday, with Vols. 11 and 12 landing in early to mid-September. After all, summer is still going strong so watch for Beach House 2025, Vol. 2 and Summer Heat 2025 Vol. 2 as August rolls toward Labor Day. More Electro House nostalgia, more dance hits, and more reasons to crank the volume are on deck.
Until the next time…ENJOY!
Album : BackSpin [2011 — 2012] Volume 9
Genre : Electro House, Funky House, Progress House
Year : 2025
Total Time : 2:28:54
- Rihanna feat. David Guetta – Right Now (Cosmic Dawn Club Mix
- Taio Cruz feat. Kylie Minogue & Travie McCoy – Higher (Jody den Broeder Club Mix)
- Martin Solveig – The Night Out (Maison & Dragen Remix)
- Calvin Harris – Feel So Close (Extended Mix)
- The Wanted – Glad You Came (Mixin Marc & Tony Svejda Remix)
- Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer – Give Me Everything (Jump Smokers Club Mix)
- Madonna – Girl Gone Wild (Dave Audé Club Mix)
- Katy Perry – Firework (Wideboys Club Mix)
- Rihanna – Where Have You Been (Cosmic Dawn Club Mix)
- Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch – Sweet Nothing (Extended Mix)
- Armin Van Buuren feat. Nadia Ali – Feels So Good (Armin Van Buuren Club Mix)
- Nicki Minaj – Pound The Alarm (Liam Keegan Extended Mix)
- Gloria Estefan – Hotel Nacional (The Thin Red Men Club Mix)
- Dev – In The Dark (Ultimix Remix)
- One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful (Dave Aude Pop Rhythm Club Mix)
- Karmin – Brokenhearted (R3hab Extended 2012)
- Selena Gomez & The Scene – Love You Like A Love Song (Dave Aude Club Mix)
- Kerli – Army Of Love (Sultan & Ned Shepard Club Remix)
- Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull – On the Floor (Mixin Marc & Tony Svejda LA To Ibiza Mix)
- Enrique Iglesias feat. Usher & Lil Wayne – Dirty Dancer (Mixin Marc & Tony Svejda Remix)
- Neon Hitch – Fuck U Betta (Dave Aude Club Remix)
- Nicki Minaj – Super Bass (Liam Keegan Explicit Mix)
- Ke$ha – Blow (Lenny B & Aaron Paetsch Club Mix)
- Lady Gaga – Born This Way (Manhattan Clique Remix – Main)
- Alex Clare – Too Close (Jason Nevins Remix)
- Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger (Cutmore Club Mix)
- Imagine Dragons & Famties vs. Sultan & Ned Shepard – It’s Time (DJ Zwodi)
- Sebastian Ingrosso & Alesso feat. Ryan Tedder – Calling (Lose My Mind) (Extended Mix)
- Fun. feat. Janelle Monáe – We Are Young (Alvin Risk Remix)
