This post was updated to include In Your Arms (Bimbo Jones Extended Mix) by Plumb, and Just Dance (HCCR's Bambossa Main Mix) by Lady Gaga Party Favorz is back with another round of our BackSpin series, this time moving into the transformative era of 2007 to 2008—an especially meaningful period as it marks the birth of this very podcast. These were the years that saw dance music shifting dramatically, with the big room circuit style starting to cool off just as Electro House began rising from the underground and taking over mainstream dance floors. But the evolution wasn’t one-dimensional. This era ushered in a diverse set of trends that helped shape the sound of modern dance. It was the rise of remix royalty like Freemasons, Moto Blanco, and Cahill. Each brought their own distinct flair to the genre. Freemasons blended traditional House with Electro influences, Moto Blanco leaned deep into shimmering Disco House, and Cahill straddled both worlds with a clean, pop-forward edge. Their remixes were everywhere—especially for big-name artists. Back then, the bigger the artist, the more labels were willing to shell out for high-profile remixers. That is, until budgets began shrinking and labels stopped cutting those massive checks. Fast-forward 15 years, and platforms like SoundCloud changed the game again. Suddenly, bootleg remixes became marketing tools, not just club exclusives. DJs had to hustle to make a name for themselves—often remixing tracks for free in the hopes of being discovered or landing a record deal. A Remix Renaissance During this same stretch, a powerhouse of remixers emerged and defined the dancefloor. Bimbo Jones, Seamus Haji, Soul Seekerz, Wideboys, Dave Audé, Jody den Broeder, and a revitalized StoneBridge (whose roots go back to the ’90s) were dropping fire left and right. Meanwhile, some of the biggest names from the big room era still held their ground. Chris Cox (post-Thunderpuss), Ralphi Rosario, Tony Moran, Johnny Vicious, and DJ Escape kept delivering heavy, floor-shaking anthems that balanced out the sleeker, more polished productions coming from the Electro and Disco House scenes. This blend of sounds made for one of the most diverse periods in dance music—something we haven’t quite seen repeated since. A Pop Diva Takeover The pop landscape at the time wasn’t sitting quietly either. Britney Spears was staging a massive comeback, Beyoncé and Rihanna were dominating charts globally, and Robyn was redefining what electro-pop could be. Their tracks became essential remix material and ruled dance floors from coast to coast. We've packed both volumes of this series with heavy doses of these queens because, frankly, they owned this era. Now, if you’re looking for a broader reflection of each year's biggest dance anthems, don't miss our Top Dance Songs of the Year series. Those sets provide a deeper look into the biggest hits and underground standouts from each year. A Personal Evolution For me, this wasn’t just a turning point for music—it was a turning point for Party Favorz itself. This was the moment we shifted from burning and distributing CDs in clubs and at festivals to launching the podcast. Suddenly, the reach was global, and the feedback was immediate. But beyond the growth in listenership, the music itself opened my ears—and my mind—to styles I hadn’t previously embraced. Until then, I had been locked into the big room circuit sound. But what was coming out during this time was just too good to ignore. That realization led directly to the creation of the Funky House and Peak Hour series. There was simply too much top-tier music that didn’t fit the traditional mold, and it needed a platform. The podcast became the place to house it all. It allowed me to expand the universe of Party Favorz and bring listeners along for the ride. This One's for the Party People! If you lived through this period—or just want to experience the magic for the first time—t...
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3 h et 28 min