Who ever said there’s no real trance anymore ? It’s living through one of its most prolific periods, and next year will be no different: here’s why
The year that is about to come to an end will likely be remembered as one of the most significant in the recent history of trance music: a year marked by major events, unexpected comebacks and, above all, by an impressive amount of top-quality music.
As has often been the case throughout the history of trance, 2025 was marked by the coexistence of different styles, each managing to carve out its own space and leave a recognizable imprint over the course of the year. However, when looking more closely at the most significant and influential releases, it becomes clear that the dominant common thread was the return to classic sounds rooted in the 1990s and early 2000s.
A trend already underway for several seasons, but one that in 2025 reached a new level of maturity and wider diffusion, permeating much of the year’s most impactful productions. In particular, the revival and reinterpretation of acid, hard trance, and eurodance elements, sounds that quite literally took over dancefloors in the mid-1990s, stood out as one of the defining characteristics of the year.
We will limit ourselves to commenting on the main influences and mentioning some emblematic tracks or projects, without going into detail on every single release: 2025 has been such a rich year in terms of quality output that mentioning everything would be impossible. For this reason, we recommend taking a look at our Top 50, published in recent weeks on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
As mentioned, 2025 has nonetheless seen the classic affirmation of various styles, each of which has left an unmistakable mark: first and foremost, the already cited trend toward a return to sounds bridging the ’90s and the early 2000s: the leading figure of this movement has undoubtedly been the Dutch artist KI/KI, who, thanks to a very strong personality and remarkable artistic skill, dominated large sections of the Beatport charts and beyond, ranking among the best-selling artists of the year.
Among the many producers deserving a mention within this trend, Ben Gold also stands out: after three years of major successes (and following his purely trance album Rest Of Our Lives released in 2022), he decided to invest in this genre as well, first on Armada and later on the Slash label: among his most relevant productions is The Whip, created together with SUPERSTRINGS.
This stylistic transformation has also involved monumental careers such as that of Italian icon Mauro Picotto, who returned to the spotlight thanks to covers of his iconic tracks and new productions. Among these, Check This Out, created together with Ruben de Ronde under the new alias NRG2000, stands out. Throughout 2025, Ruben de Ronde has in fact showcased his most nostalgic side through this project, also producing two major successes alongside Ferry Corsten: New Inner Way and Rise Up, both inspired by late ’90s and early 2000s trance.
Another trend that continues to be particularly appreciated by fans of the more ‘pure’ trance sound is the revival of acoustic songs by established female singer-songwriters, reimagined in an uplifting trance key. Once again, Plumb and Bo Bruce, long-time indirect protagonists of the trance scene, left their mark in 2025. Plumb with God Help Me, a 2018 track transformed by Bryan Kearney into a top-tier uplifting anthem, crowned Tune Of The Year 2025 by the listeners of A State Of Trance. Bo Bruce, on the other hand, with Holding The Light, a 2013 song masterfully reworked by Paul Webster, turning it into one of the most appreciated hits of the year and our Release Of The Year. This trend continues to resonate especially with fans of more recent trance, who prefer to remain faithful to distinctly trance sounds, without crossover influences.
What clearly emerges year after year,and was once again confirmed in 2025 with remarkable naturalness, is the constant presence of the icons who have been writing the history of trance for over twenty-five years and who continue to release music of the highest level without ever slowing down. Above & Beyond, for instance, with the album Bigger Than All Of Us, delivered a series of high-impact releases such as Quicksand (Don’t Go), Ride At Dawn and Carry Me Home, all co-produced with Zoë Johnston, Start A Fire with Richard Bedford, and many others.
Another absolute certainty remains Ferry Corsten: for the Dutch pioneer, very little is needed to remain firmly at the top of fan appreciation. Following the success of the album Connect in 2024, 2025 saw him shine mainly through collaborations with SUPERSTRINGS on Have Me (If You Want Me Too), through the aforementioned collaborations with NRG2000, and via a long series of reworks and remixes of his historic trance tracks and Ferry himself, along with several other artists, explored the reworking of classic trance tracks, an approach that emerged as another distinctive trait of trance throughout 2025. Among them, Hel:sløwed stood out for their remix of Wherever You Are by Ferry Corsten and HALIENE, a track originally released in 2017.
For the legendary Paul van Dyk as well, 2025 proved to be another year of music and confirmations, although none are truly needed, considering his incredible thirty-plus-year career: his album This World Is Ours successfully blended trance with sounds closer to techno, while remaining faithful to his refined and elegant style.
This dialogue between trance and techno, already present for several years, was once again emphasized by Armin van Buuren, both in his playlists and in the line-ups of his events: the latest edition of the A State Of Trance festival, renamed TRANSFORMATION, highlighted precisely the meeting point between the two genres. Armin also celebrated this fusion with the track Techno Trance, produced together with one of the global techno giants, Adam Beyer. Beyond the countless releases and collaborations of 2025, Armin also reaffirmed his central role by choosing the right partnerships, such as Let It Be For Love with Jai Ryu, and by reviving his historic alias Rising Star, under which he remixed Set Me Free (with Sacha) and Sonic Samba, a track taken from his acoustic album Piano.
When it comes to albums, Bloom by Factor B was one of the most acclaimed works of the year. Through its tracks, often reworked by Factor B himself into alternative versions and remixes, the full strength of modern uplifting trance clearly emerged.
Among the albums released this year, the one by Giuseppe Ottaviani also deserves a mention. Under his OTTAGON alias, he has consolidated a clearly recognizable style: in live sets, the project stands out for its straightforward approach, built around energetic synthesizers and structures that move between techno and trance. Eight reflects this direction clearly: a linear body of work, enriched by several vocal collaborations such as Without You with Adriana Stone and Dust with Like Silver, among many others, which have contributed to the album being well received by listeners.
Within the Black Hole label, it is impossible not to mention the return of Johan Gielen’s alias Airscape with the album Etherflow, a work that brings classic trance sounds back to life and is destined to resonate well into the future. Still on Black Hole Recordings, it is worth mentioning this year’s release of In Search Of Sunrise 21, a compilation entirely mixed by Markus Schulz, who delivered a work structured in three different ‘acts’, showcasing the interplay between a new trance-progressive style and, once again, the embrace of a more nostalgic sound.
And … about of In Search Of Sunrise: the trance music scene also experienced one of its most emotional moments in 2025, the return of Tiësto to trance and progressive sounds after more than fifteen years away from the scene. An event that until recently seemed possible only in the dreams of the most nostalgic fans: his definitive departure from the EDM scene was made official with the single Bring Me To Life alongside FORS, followed by a historic, fully trance set at Dreamstate SoCal on November 22, where the Breda-born DJ and producer presented new tracks due in 2026, as well as numerous remixes and reworks of his classics. A return that further cemented the exceptional nature of 2025, symbolizing an ever-stronger embrace between the glory of the past and new trance music.
What can we expect in trance music in 2026 ?
Looking ahead, the predominant trends for 2026 already seem set to mirror those of this year, reflecting the enduring wave of nostalgia that continues to shape not only trance but other musical genres as well, both through the presence of legendary trance icons and the revival of classic sounds. Early previews suggest that 2026 is shaping up to be an equally extraordinary year for the genre. Leading the charge is Tiësto, who has announced a new album featuring many tracks already showcased during his recent live performances, including his last iconic set at the Great Pyramids of Giza. Between new tracks, remixes and reworks of historic records, the goal is clear: to once again leave a lasting mark on the trance scene after more than fifteen years.
The new will also be the year of celebrations for the 25 years of A State Of Trance. The main event will take place in Ahoy Rotterdam on February 27 and 28, while the official anthem, Always You by Armin van Buuren, Richard Durand and Dicosis, has already been announced and widely acclaimed, despite not having been released yet. Among Armin’s new productions, Lost In Time, created together with Allen Faber and ROSY, also stands out as a strong candidate to become one of his 2026 highlights.
Above & Beyond have hinted at the arrival of a new “wave” of tracks in 2026, likely connected to a new album, considered a sort of “part 2” of Bigger Than All Of Us, possibly titled Closer To All Of You (?) Highly anticipated tracks such as When I Look In Your Eyes with Justine Suissa, unreleased since ABGT600 in 2024, could finally see the light of day.
On the uplifting trance front, Paul Webster has already announced two major collaborations: one with Christina Novelli (still ID) and Live Forever with Yasmin Jane; meanwhile, Bryan Kearney and John O’Callaghan will reactivate the Key4050 alias, with a long series of releases planned for 2026, many of which have already been played in their most recent sets. Finally, Johan Gielen, following the major comeback of Airscape, has hinted that in 2026 the original project lineup with Sven Maes, active between 1997 and 2005, will officially return to life: the duo has already been in the studio for several weeks working on new music: anticipation is extremely high.
It feels like all the right ingredients are already there to make this a huge year for trance: what do you think ? And who knows how much more hidden music we’ll discover and celebrate together.