This poll is a personal view and does not reflect the opinion of TranceHits.com's staff
20-Mark Mendes
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The young Toronto-based producer enjoyed quite a succesful year with most of his releases becoming instant hits on the online stores...Mendes starts this top 20 thanks to his lovely productions filled with melodies and aggressive bass-lines...this little guy still has a long way to go but looking at how he's improving you can only see him going more and more onwards.
Highligh of the year: Mark Mendes - Work
19-Umek
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Hate him or love him, Umek is still present on the scene and as active as ever...he is still producing a lot and is collaborating smartly with some of the best names in the industry...I have yet to witness him spin live so for now we will keep checking what he has to offer us production-wise...
Highlight of the year: Umek & Fergie - Gatex EP
18-Soliquid
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What a year for the young Hungarian producer...he got his productions featured on Digweed's latest compilation and it really defined his sound...he may not have been extensively active but what he offered this year was sheer quality...
Highlight of the year: Soliquid - Piknik Bugz
17-Max Graham
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I'm not ashamed to say that I was a bigger fan of the old Max Graham...but Max dished out 2 quality compilations this year (Rebrand and Cycles) that did not go unnoticed...his Lebanon gig in February was also appreciated by many and all of that lands him a spot on our top 20...
Highlight of the year: Max Graham presents Cycles
16-Gui Boratto
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I honestly think that Gui enjoyed a more succesful year in 2007 but nevertheless, 2008 was also a solid year for the Brazilian...his radio-show is still getting excellent reviews and he is one of the best "live artists" out there...hopefully 2009 will bring us more productions by Gui...
Highlight of the year: Gui Boratto - Tales From The Lab
15-Quivver
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I have to admit it I never expected to hear another release by Quivver for a long time...but John Graham hit us with many solid productions this year and certainly brought back his name on the scene...2009 looks already very promising...
Highlight of the year: Quivver - Surin (Original Mix)
14-Zoo Brazil
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Talk about a great year for this Swedish producer...but let's face it: if it was not for the great remixes he may not have had the exposure he got this year...nevertheless Zoo Brazil rightfully gets his position on our top 20 thanks to the relative success of his work...
Highlight of the year: Zoo Brazil - Ide
13-Popof
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Most probably the remixer of the year...Popof would have been ranked much higher if I got to hear a live set by him or a production with his name on it...still the Frenchman dished us some of the best tracks of the year...techno at its best...
Highlight of the year: Michael Angelo & Sebastian Ingrosso - 555 (Popof Neo Trans Version)
12-Moshic
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A lot of you will not like what they are reading right now...Moshic at 12?? this Israeli master of darkness may have released one of the best albums of the year with Hiloola but I really believe that it was just a re-do of his previous album Salamat...Moshic is still one of the best progressive artists out there and his sound reflect the spirit of a whole region and I really believe we will be pleasantly surprised in 2009 by him...
Highlight of the year: Moshic - Quiet Sense (Prog mix)
11-Fady Ferraye
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I might be biased towards a Lebanese artist...but fact is when you're biased towards Fady you're biased towards quality music...juggling residencies in the Netherlands and Lebanon, hosting his show on Frisky Radio as well as destroying the afterhours on many occasions here not to count his great productions that got featured on Digweed's Transitions, mean only one thing: you just had an awesome year...Fady earns his spot and I really feel that only one thing would crown the career of this guy: an album or a compilation...all in the right time...
Highlight of the year: Fady Ferraye - Beirut
10-Guy J
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We're kicking off the second half of our top 20 with yet another name from our Southern neighbors...Guy J enjoyed a great year with his productions and remixes getting play-listed by the big guns of the industry as well as a very succesful artist album...all in all a year to remember for Guy who will hopefully keep up this form in 2009...
Highlight of the year: Guy J - Geko(Original Mix)
9-Dubfire
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Another dark artist with a very succesful year...music-wise, his Lebanon gig was seen by many as the best techno-ish night of the year...the 2nd half (and perhaps the better half) of Grammy-award winner duo Deep Dish toured the world and produced and remixed extensively...Ali Dubfire is getting bigger and bigger and it has shown since his GU compilation...a name to keep looking out for in the next years...
Highlight of the year: Minilogue - Jamaica (Dubfire remix)
8-Eric Prydz
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Is it me or is this Swedish guy keeps getting better and better regardless of the alias he produces under? Prydz has come a long way since his radio hit "Call on me" and any thing tagged by Prydz or Pryda or Cirez D is a must-have for every prog, techno or tech lover...same thing as Fady Ferraye: WE NEED AN ALBUM OR COMPILATION!!!
Highlight of the year: Cirez D - Laget (Original Mix)
7-Danny Tenaglia
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My favorite house DJ ever is still rocking the dance floor everywhere he goes...and he still finds time to make it to the studio and compile an album...this year's baby was named Futurism and it reflected a certain evolution of the Tenaglia sound...one thing is sure: it still looks as good as ever...
Highlight of the year: Danny Tenaglia - The Space Dance
6-Sasha
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I'm already hearing the outraged screams of some people on the forum...for many Invol2ver is considered as the best thing that happened this year...but not for me unfortunately...now don't get me wrong I loved it to bits but it lacked an Involver feeling...Sasha is still the biggest inspiration out there for many (me being amongst those)...and he is still touring the world better than the Rolling Stones...Sasha at 6...personal opinion love it or hate it...I'm still looking forward for December 27th...
Highlight of the year: anything on Invol2ver
5-John Digweed
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Got to love what the Diggers had to offer this year...it was perfect from every way...his radio-show still offers some of the best music out there and his compilation offered us a new perspective of the Digweed sound...not to mention some memorable live performances...I really think Digweed outdone his partner in crime Sasha this year...
Highlight of the year: Transitions Volume 4
5-James Zabiela
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Anything he does is magic
4-Paolo Mojo
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Come on DJ Mag...it's one thing to confuse us with your poll by putting in all the producers and DJs, but it's another thing to omit the guys who have really done a great work this year (I know it's the voters fault but still...come ooon)...Mojo was very impressive this year and even though I was worried that Sirena might influence the rest of his productions this year, it did not...Paolo kept throwing some amazing tech bombs at us and he is rightfully ranked that high...his B018 gig in December is a great occasion for many of us to check this genius at work...
Highlighy of the year: Paolo Mojo - Nightlaw (Original Mix)
And finally our top 3 house artists of the year...there will be a little surprise and I can say that each of the names mentioned below deserve to be named House artist of the year...
3-Martin Eyerer
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Part of E Razor, Eyerer had an outstanding year...you'd expect a little drop throughout the year when you look at how much he produced but it never happened...Eyerer produced nothing but quality whether it is solo or through smart collaborations...Anything he did was magic and as I said before...he is as eligible as anyone else to be at the number one position...
Highlight of the year: Eyerer & Klein - Babylon
2-Robert Babicz
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What a year by Rob Acid...whatever was said about Eyerer also applies to Robert...his music was pure bliss...simply...an artist album is already in the work and from what we've seen this year it promises to be simply juicy...
Highlight of the year: Robert Babicz - A Night in Melbourne
And noooow the number one:
1-Nick Warren
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Warren is a freak of nature...he does NOT get old...compare the Warren of the 90's to the current one he still visits every single city in the world and rocks the place...his Lebanon gig was a memorable one and I loved it to bits...not to mention that Nick compiled the album of the year with GU Lima, which turned out to be more than an album, it was a journey...he still collaborated with Jody Wisternoff and released Spaceman that got a smart choice of remixers...Nick Warren=house artist of the year...
Highlight of the year: Glenn Morisson - Cosmic Flight (Nick Warren remix)
But but but but...it is not over...
1-Dousk
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The new king of prog is here...this Greek magician was amazing this year with all of his productions and remixes...if you haven't heard of him you desperately need to get out of the cave you're living in...Dousk is a breeze of freshness on the scene and it keeps looking better and better...
Highlight of the year: Talisman & Hudson - Leaving Planet Earth (Dousk remix)
Now post your feedback!!! I don't need to remind you that this is a personal opinion...I am more prog-oriented which means I probably left out some names that you think should have been there...anywho...enjoy for now
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Ill post a top20 later, I have so many names in my head though 