Top 10 EDM DJs of 2026

The world of electronic dance music, or EDM, is driven by artists who know how to turn a beat into a full‑body experience. The sounds of these DJs dominate festival main stages, spill across global charts, and shape the evolution of club culture with every drop, build and boundary‑breaking experiment. The Funktasy team has compiled a list of the Top 10 EDM DJs that continue to top the charts, influence stretches far beyond the booth, and capture the spirit and innovation that defines modern EDM. 

Calvin Harris

For a lot of listeners, Calvin Harris wasn’t just part of the EDM movement; he was the EDM movement. His tracks dominated the radio, clubs and festival main stages at a time when electronic music was still fighting for industry-wide respect. By pushing the boundaries of EDM and collaborating with big-name artists like Rihanna, Harris opened up a whole new demographic of listeners. These collaborations legitimized the genre and created a lasting impact that continues to live on through nostalgic throwback playlists. 

His influence peaked in the early-to-mid 2010s after releasing some of his biggest hits, “Summer” and “Outside (feat. Ellie Goulding),” as well as his collaborations with Rihanna, “This Is What You Came For” and “We Found Love.” Those tracks set a blueprint for modern EDM productions, combining emotional lyricism with upbeat tracks and massive drops that would go on to influence countless producers in the genre. Over a decade later, Harris continues to dominate the EDM genre, not through charting or high-profile collaborations, but rather through his presence and impact. His residencies, especially in Las Vegas, have brought him back to the heart of the EDM genre: live performances and high-energy crowd experiences.

What keeps Harris relevant isn’t just his radio hits or features. He isn’t just a mogul of nostalgia, but a defining force whose sound continues to influence how EDM is produced and performed today. His lasting impact across multiple eras of the genre is what makes him one of the top 10 EDM artists of 2026.

Skrillex

It’s hard to talk about EDM without mentioning Skrillex. More than a decade after his breakout EP My Name Is Skrillex, he remains a top-10 EDM artist in 2026 because of how he reshaped the genre and his refusal to fade into obscurity. When Skrillex emerged onto the scene in the early 2010s, his bass-heavy style brought dubstep and EDM into the mainstream and completely transformed the public’s perception of the genre. 

Through the years, Skrillex has evolved without losing his core identity. Rather than chasing streams or fully venturing into other genres, he has maintained his roots in EDM while pushing the genre forward through experimentation and collaboration. His releases Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, along with his massive hit Bangarang, are cited as defining moments in modern EDM, influencing producers to come and reshape the landscape of festival performances.

In 2025, Skrillex surprised-dropped the record F**k U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol but Ur Not!! <3, which leaned back into his dubstep roots and earned him his 20th Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2026 Grammy Awards. While he did not win the category, Skrillex remains the most-awarded EDM artist in Grammy history, with nine wins, including one for Where Are Ü Now, which he co-produced with Diplo as part of Jack Ü and features Justin Bieber. In 2026, Skrillex carries not only his legacy, but a promising future into the new year.

Tiësto

Tiesto has been involved in the EDM scene since 1994, shortly before it reached mainstream popularity. Though he didn’t start with a more mainstream EDM sound, as on one of his biggest tracks, “Wasted.”

Tiesto’s start was in a subgenre of EDM called trance. Trance music uses synths in the 120-150 beats per minute (BPM) range. This is meant to induce a trance-like state within listeners. 

Trance music was at its peak popularity in the 90s with artists like Paul Van Dyk and Ferry Corsten. Tiesto later became known for this sound as well.

As the 2000s introduced a new era of EDM, trance music saw its way out. Tiesto made the switch to fit with the evolving genre. This made way for some of his most well-known tracks like “The Business,” “10:35” featuring Tate McRae and “Chills” featuring A Boogie Wit da Hoodie. 

In 2025, Tiesto deleted all his social media and started using a logo similar to his 90s logo. This switch clued fans into his return to trance music. Fans should be ready for Tiesto to return to trance music and are hopeful for a new album. 

Zeds Dead

Zeds Dead’s continued presence in electronic music in 2026 stems from a remarkably active 2025 cycle of releases, touring, and curated cultural engagement. In March 2025, the duo released Return to the Spectrum of Intergalactic Happiness, their first full-length album in nearly a decade, a project that has anchored their creative output and live performances throughout the year, a rare feat for artists whose careers span more than fifteen years. 

Their 2025 North American tour and festival placements underscored their relevance beyond nostalgia. They performed at major festivals, including Electric Forest and Hulaween,  high-visibility slots that signal broad demand across multiple segments of the EDM audience. 

In Colorado, Zeds Dead further solidified their cultural imprint with Dead Rocks XI at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the fifth annual Backyard Jamboree, drawing more than 10,000 attendees to a multi-stage fan community event that has become a regional space. Such event-building,  beyond traditional DJ sets, distinguishes them as both creators and curators in EDM culture, empowering emerging artists through Deadbeats showcases and fostering a community that extends their influence well past the 90-minute festival set.

Finally, their inclusion on stacked festival lineups (North Coast alongside mainstream and genre leaders) highlights their continued commercial relevance and bookability across the festival circuit.

David Guetta

Few figures have shaped the global rise of electronic dance music quite like David Guetta. Emerging from the Paris club scene, he became one of the first DJs to fuse the underground pulse of house music with the star power of pop vocalists such as Nikki Minaj and Sia, creating a blueprint that would dominate charts for more than a decade. His instinct for melody, his collaborative approach, and his ability to read the emotional temperature of a crowd turned him into a bridge between worlds. Guetta has been able to help shape the EDM scene by being one of the rare artists in the genre that can both headline massive festivals while also influencing mainstream radio. That duality helped EDM break into the cultural spotlight, and Guetta’s fingerprints are still all over the genre’s evolution.

What makes his career so interesting is that Guetta continues to reinvent himself without losing the core of what makes his sound so recognizable. Every song that Guetta has created sounds uniquely like the DJ while also growing with the times. Whether he’s dropping high‑energy festival anthems, experimenting with future rave aesthetics, or teaming up with rising vocalists to craft new crossover hits, he remains a driving force in shaping where dance music goes next. 

Alesso

Alesso has been a name in the EDM scene for a long time. He is the trailblazer for the melodic, high-energy Swedish sound that became popular during EDM’s second wave. He has become a global figure with songs like “Calling (Lose My Mind),” “Years,” and “Heroes (We Could Be)” with Tove Lo. His ability to create emotional, progressive house music, while crossing over into pop with collaborations from artists like Katy Perry and Zara Larsson, has kept him at the forefront of EDM for years.

Recently, Alesso has reinforced his reputation as one of the most consistent performers, headlining stages such as Tomorrowland and Ultra Miami. His 2025 releases, including “Surrender” with Becky Hill and the collaboration with Martin Garrix on “Inside Our Hearts,” have strengthened his status as an essential in EDM. Whether he is exploring the deeper sounds of his Body Hi concept or delivering soaring festival hooks, Alesso plans to remain a definitive figure in electronic music.

Nia Archives

Nia Archives English DJ and producer, is set on making an impact in the world of EDM. Born in Northern England with deep Jamaican roots, she has revived jungle music by infusing it with Britpop and Neo-soul. Unlike many of her peers, Mia is also a producer and singer, alongside being a DJ. Her live sets are very high-energy, and she seamlessly transitions between mixing and singing her own anthems like Forbidden Feelings and Baianá.

Her impact on the scene is just as noticeable as her sound. In 2025, she made history as the first jungle artist to earn three BRIT Award nominations, including Artist of the Year and Best Dance Act. Following. The success of her debut album, Silence is Loud, has transitioned Nia from a club favourite to a global powerhouse, headlining major festivals like Parklife and Sónar. By blending the rave culture with contemporary, diaristic songwriting, she hasn’t just joined the ranks of the world’s top DJs; she has redefined what an electronic music icon looks like in 2026.

HorsegiirL

HorsegiirL is a German-based masked DJ and producer whose persona balances between absurd and euphoric. Always behind a carved horse head, HorsegiirL crafted an identity that is half horse, half human, and fully committed to the bit. Drawing from avant-garde performance art as much as club tradition, HorsegiirL never appears without the mask. In a genre often governed by restraint and irony, she leans into whimsy and play—reintroducing a sense of joy and theatricality to contemporary EDM. 

Her breakout song “My barn My rules” gained popularity on TikTok in 2023, where lively energy and tongue-in-cheek confidence resonated with a generation eager for Y2K revivalism. The track’s candy-colored maximalism mirrors early-2000s rave culture and has been described in an Article from Vice as “yeehaw-meets-hardstyle.” Since then, HorsegiirL has built a loyal fanbase known as the “farmies,” who actively share in the project’s shared whimsy and lore. Beyond the screen, she has translated that momentum into physical club space, hosting sold-out “Hayfever” parties and performing at major festivals including AVA Festival, Dour, MELT and Sónar. Together, these moments position HorsegiirL not just as a viral novelty, but as a figure reshaping how play, performance, and nostalgia circulate within modern EDM.

Maddix 

Maddix is a Dutch DJ and producer whose sound has evolved through blends of rave, techno, trance, and big-room house, establishing him as one of Europe’s most dynamic voices in contemporary electronic music. Born Pablo Rindt in Eindhoven, Maddix grew up immersed in rhythm and melody, first experimenting with drums, piano, and djembe before discovering dance music production in high school and mastering FL Studio.

Throughout his career, Maddix has continuously shifted direction. He first gained recognition with big-room and progressive house releases, collaborating with artists such as Hardwell, which helped lay the groundwork for his break into the global EDM scene. In recent years, he has moved toward a harder techno-rave aesthetic, merging 90s rave influences with modern production techniques and bringing that sound to festival stages worldwide.

His songs, including “Heute Nacht” and “My Gasoline”, are key parts of his catalogue, earning hundreds of millions of streams and solidifying his reputation as a high-energy innovator. In 2023, Maddix launched his own imprint, Extatic Records (XXTC), giving him greater creative control and influence.

His international presence continues to grow, with performances at major festivals including Ultra Music Festival, EDC Las Vegas, Tomorrowland, and Parookaville. Known for high-energy sets, he blends underground rave culture with large-scale festival spectacle, pushing EDM forward while honouring its roots.

Timmy Trumpet

Timmy Trumpet’s positioning in the global EDM hierarchy in 2026 can be supported with both industry rankings and quantifiable 2025 activity.

In DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list for 2025, he was ranked No. 6 globally, a placement that reflects not just popularity but international recognition and a broad voting base. This ranking situates him among legacy and mainstream heavyweights such as David Guetta and Armin van Buuren, underscoring his global reach.

Beyond rankings, Timmy Trumpet had a notable festival footprint in 2025. According to multiple 2025 festival schedules, he appeared on major international lineups, including Tomorrowland and Medusa Sunbeach Festival, prime stages that reflect both demand and versatility across European and global markets. Additionally, he held a Las Vegas residency at Marquee Nightclub, strengthening his presence in one of the world’s most competitive club markets and contributing to his brand visibility. 

His activity also extended into awards recognition at the 2025 Electronic Dance Music Awards, where he won Club DJ of the Year and Favourite Nightclub Residency, further affirming his standing within the industry professional community. Such accolades enhance his profile beyond fan votes and festival bookings, signalling peer and industry endorsement.

While specific 2025 single chart placements are less centralized than in pop, his continued global touring, genre-bridging collaborations (large-scale collaborations with EDM peers noted in DJ Mag coverage), and weekly performances at one of Las Vegas’s marquee venues illustrate both commercial viability and enduring public interest.

Funktasy’s List of Top 10 EDM DJs is Representative of the Top Players in the Genre.

These artists are all a part of either shaping the genre into what it is or bringing it to its long-term, mainstream popularity.

Not to mention, these artists represent the various subgenres that make up EDM. From Tiesto’s trance music to Maddix’s rave influence. These artists are set to continue dominating the EDM genre in a way that brings underground sounds to listeners. 

The continual evolution from the artists is what keeps the beat bumping and keeps the EDM sound alive and well.