# The World’s Top Dance Music Veterans: TF Word 1. [TF Word](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word.md) 2. [Music](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/category/music.md) 3. The World’s Top Dance Music Veterans - [Music](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/category/music.md) # The World’s Top Dance Music Veterans With dance music taking the world by storm, this generation is the biggest yet! Each and every genre has found a home under its wings because of its all-encompassing spectrum. However, it wasn’t always that way. [Shantanu Gursal](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/author/shantanugursal.md) 3 February 2022 · 4 min read English [Español](https://www.ticketfairy.com/es/word/2022/02/03/los-grandes-veteranos-de-la-musica-dance-mundial) [Français](https://www.ticketfairy.com/fr/word/2022/02/03/les-grands-veterans-de-la-dance-music-mondiale) [Bahasa Indonesia](https://www.ticketfairy.com/id/word/2022/02/03/veteran-dance-music-terbaik-di-dunia) [Dansk](https://www.ticketfairy.com/da/word/2022/02/03/dance-musikkens-storste-veteraner) With dance music taking the world by storm, this generation is the biggest yet! Each and every genre has found a home under its wings because of its all-encompassing spectrum. However, it wasn’t always that way. It is ironic that a genre that has been so well received now was considered a pariah when it began. They say that people fear what they do not understand, and this is what happened to dance music. The music evolved slowly and steadily, eventually becoming the voice of the people. It shaped not only the music but also the culture. In reverence to those who made the magic happen, here is a list of the world’s top veterans of Dance Music: #### Frankie Knuckles *Image Acquired Via* [*Slant Magazine.*](https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/10-greatest-frankie-knuckles-tracks/) The son of disco and the most stereotypical genre of all time had a devotee. Frankie Knuckles, dubbed “The Godfather”, has dedicated his life to house music. From coining the term “House” to winning the first Grammy for remixing, he has left a legacy for future generations. With every 4/4 beat played on the floor, his Chicago love lives on. #### Carl Craig [Sandstorms](https://www.youtube.com/embed/q1VZx4Ibnc4?feature=oembed) Consider the most abstract genre, Techno had the quiet thinker by its side. With the inherence of Detroit Techno,  Carl Craig brought melodic richness to the cold motor city. In his work with both, music and technology, he pushed the boundaries of what techno could be. #### DJ Hatcha *Image Acquired Via* [*Insomniac.*](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insomniac.com%2Fmusic%2Fartists%2Fhatcha%2F&psig=AOvVaw1ehV0RNnwub2534vsfpSe6&ust=1643961844518000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCLjX_KCJ4_UCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD) The first person to pick up on dark strains, DJ Hatcha was largely responsible for turning the genre into an institution and making dubstep into a super genre of its own. As a regular at Kiss and Rinse FM, he has gone from strength to strength, promoting dubstep to a broader audience. #### Goldie [Goldie - Temper Temper (Official Music Video)](https://www.youtube.com/embed/a80WucaomnI?feature=oembed) Goldie is the Pioneer of Drum ‘n’ Bass, the most complex genre of all time. As the leader of the jungle movement, he represented the voice of the British youth. His sole focus was the music, which led him to start Metalheadz, one of the first labels to bring jungle and bass together bettering things for the future. #### Paul van Dyk [PAUL VAN DYK "For An Angel"](https://www.youtube.com/embed/jNqT3yLZ9aw?feature=oembed) Paul has brought listeners across the globe to the dance floor by taking himself and trance music on an exciting journey to the top. Just as the genre brought love to dance music, Paul brings the same emotion back as he renditions his iconic tracks. #### Zed Bias *Image Acquired Via [Spotify.](https://open.spotify.com/artist/1XZzbCZRuj6eOdRxQcmiD7)* Machinist of the most fancied genre of all time, Zed Bias has brought joy to the dance floor over the years. One of the few who have managed to push the UKG sound forward, along with achieving commercial success. #### Tchami [Tchami - After Life (Feat. Stacy Barthe)](https://www.youtube.com/embed/EFS3T321VUY?feature=oembed) Tchami is regarded as a pioneer of future house music and is the only good boy of the “Pardon My French” collective. He attributes the change brought about by his music to his spirituality. He is also the one who coined the term for the genre. He respects fans of the genre and it’s because of this that he receives the same treatment. #### Afrika Bambaataa *Image Acquired Via [MN2S](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/dj-roster/afrika-bambaataa/).* It is a king’s duty to give, and Afrika Bambaataa has given so much to the scene. The originator of breakbeat and one of the creators of Hip-Hop, the DJ and the original leader of the Zulu Nation shaped music’s main ideals. Everywhere he goes, he spreads the gospel of hip-hop. #### Kygo [Kygo - Firestone ft. Conrad Sewell (Official Video)](https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Sc-ir2UwGU?feature=oembed) Kygo is the happiest kid in dance music and the key figure for popularising tropical house music. He has established one of the largest dance music communities in the world with his Palm Tree Crew. Kygo has set out to make the notion of  “P.L.U.R” stronger than before by bringing happiness and connection to the scene. #### Headhunterz [Headhunterz - Takin It Back (Official Video)](https://www.youtube.com/embed/t-601tSRnfE?feature=oembed) Hardstyle is poised to become a super genre sooner or later, thanks to Willem Rebergen AKA Headhunterz. In recent years, a genre that was once considered unlikable and loud has become a fan favorite. With his newly formed label, ‘Art of Creation,’ he strives for quality and greatness with the aim of showing what hardstyle can truly be on the world’s biggest stages. #### Flume [Flume - Never Be Like You feat. Kai](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ly7uj0JwgKg?feature=oembed) You cannot explain or express the music of Flume verbally; you must listen to it and feel it to truly comprehend it. A pioneer of Future Bass Music, he is considered one of the most innovative artists dance music has ever produced. ##### you may also like: ##### [Rolling Back The Years With Benga’s Best Tunes](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2022/02/02/rolling-back-the-years-with-bengas-best-tunes) ##### [TFword’s Selection Of Ruth Royall’s Best Tracks](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2022/01/17/tfwords-selection-of-ruth-royalls-best-tracks) ##### [TFword’s Top Drum & Bass Artists Of The Year](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2021/12/29/tfwords-top-drum-bass-artists-of-the-year) Share [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketfairy.com%2Fword%2F2022%2F02%2F03%2Fthe-worlds-top-dance-music-veterans.md&text=The+World%E2%80%99s+Top+Dance+Music+Veterans) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketfairy.com%2Fword%2F2022%2F02%2F03%2Fthe-worlds-top-dance-music-veterans.md) [WhatsApp](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The+World%E2%80%99s+Top+Dance+Music+Veterans+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketfairy.com%2Fword%2F2022%2F02%2F03%2Fthe-worlds-top-dance-music-veterans.md) ## Shantanu Gursal The journey of my musical career has led me to become a producer, DJ, and writer. Listening to music and exploring its roots is something I enjoy deeply. As an artist with many influences, I developed my artist aliases with Smg and kSaya, exploring the deepest and most definitive sounds of electronic music, which I am now translating. [More by Shantanu Gursal →](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/author/shantanugursal.md) TF Word newsletter ## The best of new music, every week One email a week: the stories worth reading and the shows worth going to. No spam, unsubscribe any time. Your email address By subscribing you agree to our [privacy policy](https://www.ticketfairy.com/privacy-policy). You're on the list straight away, and every email has an unsubscribe link. ## Keep reading [All Music →](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/category/music.md) [Featured](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/category/featured.md) ### [Somerset Sounds Launches as Britain’s Newest Music Destination](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2026/09/21/somerset-sounds-launches-as-britains-newest-music-destination.md) Sagar Deshmukh 21 Sep 2026 [Events](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/category/events.md) ### [Symmetry Festival Lands in Iowa This October!](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2026/09/18/symmetry-festival-lands-in-iowa-this-october.md) Ivanova 18 Sep 2026 [Featured](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/category/featured.md) ### [Bass Music Icons Noisia Are Making Their Grand Return](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2026/09/17/bass-music-icons-noisia-are-making-their-grand-return.md) Sagar Deshmukh 17 Sep 2026 --- This page is on Ticket Fairy, a ticketing, marketing and operations platform for live events and the venues that host them: festivals, club nights, concerts, conferences and tours, and night clubs, beach clubs and concert venues. It grows revenue with fan rewards that turn an audience into a sales channel, and runs the money side with payments and payouts, Vault business banking, and working capital advanced against ticket sales. [How Ticket Fairy ticketing works](https://www.ticketfairy.com/event-ticketing) · [Ticket Fairy for AI assistants](https://www.ticketfairy.com/llms.txt)