Well, here we are. We’re about to look at another year in trance and progressive with a review of Armin Van Buurens radio shows from 2016, and some of the best of festivals from A State of Trance. Spotify into that year continued to have missing songs from each episode so I took the opportunity to fill in the songs that were missing. I will continue to have these reviews even after all the episodes I fixed up runs out. Let’s have a look at the year 2016.
2016 Brought in a lot of new albums and honestly it was the best year for the big room side of Trance. It was also the year for Armin Van Buurens big festivals for Armin Only Embrace, trance also took on less of that big room sound with some elements of it still present. It also started sounding more uplifting with a blend of 138BPM, and psytrance started mixing in. That’s something I didn’t like as it didn’t have that uplifting energizing feel instead it started sounding like a mish mash of Uplifting but progressive and psytrance. I guess the variety is good. There were celebrations in Utrecht once again with it being the 4th year in a row being held there. Also A State of Trance celebrated its 15th year on air this year. As for albums this year Gareth Emery Came out with his album called 100 Reasons to live, Mark Sherry came out with Outburst Prism Volume 1, Alex Morph came out with Not all superheroes wear Capes, Adam Ellis came out with in Trance we Trust 021, Coming Soon a PsyTrance artist came out with a unique title called “the album” #LOL. Also Giuseppe Ottaviani came out with an album called Alma, Armin came out with Club Embrace, DJ Eco came out with the album Wolves, Ferry Corsten came out with 2 albums. Called Hello World and Goureyella from the heavens. so many good tunes from this year. The tune of that year was also called Unbreakable by Aly and Fila . As for the theme that year, it was called Together in A State of Trance welcomed by Ben Golds song he created specifically for that year. If you ask me my favourite tunes from that year have to be, the story so far by Gareth Emery, 7FT by Freitergeist, Saltwater Kryder Remix, Crocodile Tears by Kryder, Once in a lifetime Love Andrew Rayel, Zanarkand Shogun, Heading Up High Kensington, Moda by Hal Stucker, Save me by Gareth Emery, All or Nothing by Ben Gold, Lies Cost Nothing by Clare Stagg, Elements by Vlind, Faith and Hope by Ultimate, Again by Armin Van Buuren and Betsie Larkin, Love me like you never did Markus Schulz and Ethan Thompson. As well as some of the more progressive tracks like high on life by Rodg, Coral by Hal Stucker and Open Wide by Ruben De Ronde, Last Stop before heaven Ruben De Ronde and Armin Van Buuren. A Million Voices by Aly and Fila as well as Unbreakable were my top picks.
So let’s get into it ,, here’s a look at the best of 2016 and what it had to offer! *All of the big festivals are in bold and will have all of the DJ sets from each event like previous posts, and I have added special trance events for the year as well as Armin Only Festival Events and some of his DJ gigs from that year enjoy!*
Format…. A State of Trance Episode Number #
January 2016:
A State Of Trance Episode 747 (Who’s Afraid of 138 Special) 01-07-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5w8tujHy48eyCLj9DpWEQy?si=vwoEhCMvRD-sGukyd7Wy9A
A State Of Trance Episode 748 (Orjan Nilsen + Gareth Emery Take Over) 01-14-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3EtgMUTWOPH3pGubpZtUJw?si=gOBL0_bgSUWeCixx9CV7Ww
ASOT 749: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1a1HTIQFgy8PEyFCKlDb36?si=8X4GX95VQY2BPZqchwbl5w
ASOT 750 Part 1 Live from Toronto Ontario: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4hcq2NVzqUGfANCYmK6Uaq?si=NEVswUdsSz-SVxZo5SnJlA
A State Of Trance 750 Part 1 Warm Up Set Armada Club Amsterdam, Netherlands (01-28-2016): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fHMpfi1cglCXlyfBMQOTb?si=oF4I_TCNTfmodTlUKrtwHw
A State of Trance 750 at Enercare Centre, Toronto, Canada 2016-01-30: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/60EGO1PrObCyoZO197fLQm?si=vJn-JpU9TP2_QyFvNNRYSw
February 2016:
ASOT 750 Part 2: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4OXszoN8RS6vhDkH5hK6U3?si=ochoU8N_TcO3lft9fTgQKA
ASOT 750 Part 3: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1xMeqbDlotPRuo2gb25KCD?si=spJf1dASSmaqDYEGtWOOLw
ASOT 751: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4aMC3pqDorz10meR4o9uU4?si=cv2QHUsVQeqgmOuFsw8RAw
ASOT 752: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4aDMcsMJ9BL7Z5rZno9UGB?si=-DBr1xaiT4-Gp9fk5R5FeQ
A State Of Trance 750 Mainstage Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, Netherlands 02-27-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3jPbOF6kfzdytPvw1utCtC?si=HY2X0EmeSZ-QUkHFeIW1Dw
A State of Trance 750 Who’s Afraid of 138?! Stage Utrecht, The Netherlands 02-27-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ZHP4rPJ3QWOz7JtbdnjNU?si=98ZeJ7eUSM25tNJQdx_2cg
A State of Trance 750 I’m in A State of Trance Stage Utrecht, The Netherlands 02-27-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3U5QrwOyClHwcu66PVWwUt?si=3Dp_DVqHQUirp9tUzGNC1Q
A State Of Trance 750 15 Years And Counting Stage Utrecht, Netherlands 02-27-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3KmOr0rbYYIPVvXpFYQ8r4?si=o7yNK9D6TdeBw3N4XBa0Ng
March 2016:
A State Of Trance Episode 753 Featuring: Celebration Moment at 750 Utrecht 03-03-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6XyPrhTGpi3yTGP7VB4DQo?si=6XkSH0ULRn6DogfClaY7pQ
ASOT 754: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1mEbFjWX4Sk4Mmv62f1PY0?si=WVgTIiHzRxyJlljiidzPbg
ASOT 755: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2SdBrMmsy2tGnWBIQhD5Mc?si=MF4zVNtKRjqPf4Whuvvi4Q
A State of Trance 750: A State of Trance Stage:Ultra Music Festival, Miami, United States 03-20-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3qWuI04LHQt7XeKuaabi7X?si=95WsB6b5TBmNyEQz8SDL9w
A State Of Trance Episode 756 03-24-2016 (A State of Trance Miami Highlights): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4CeViYBj6SDa8iS179Xzyu?si=uPXkboF-SCWSzevl1SY7Fw
A State Of Trance Episode 757 Gareth Emery 100 Reasons to Live Special 03-31-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0nqcLPZpHWXfRPnvmlqsQt?si=Tq7WtYQ6Q0uFRVIUImH9GQ
April 2016:
ASOT 758: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2YOg3KhUud5PTMrUkrTfba?si=AC8PHOf0S4K04R6wubbBAg
ASOT 759: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lHuGWXfLUYkMpCnmkbszr?si=GcDo5cKuSoGCgOjILgnAqQ
ASOT 760: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ODkEZH6mhU5M6VsRwdaES?si=bWDtltqPTbW7ZRn2YKCfJw
ASOT 761: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4OBxPgIpgHmiHTv553u9Id?si=V8wW9NlESoCmQFQuFjH3Iw
May 2016:
ASOT 762: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Fr1DWrvU90LmOjcIQ0iYN?si=BgzJtYqmT2KR9SpHZzu7-Q
Armin Only Embrace World Tour in Amsterdam 05-06-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gjHsabOL3pumxLqmtEAVG?si=878hUgWxSdSDuU4PALeL6w
Armin Only Embrace World Tour Vinyl Set at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. 05-07-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Uy86K7FPzJBGlR2hFwzzq?si=pMldrO1aTBy9Ig8DbqLDjQ
ASOT 763: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50HfD1kQc7U8pHg4xxKRys?si=FrzhN3nkTmuZtn8lWSckcw
Armin Only Embrace World Tour at Ergo Arena in Sopot, Polska. 05-14-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/67VGe58Htc7SnUgEiPZtao?si=fy1DHLddS76dqTwJ15OMyg
ASOT 764: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/79vBUN3rqPnT5BjKBAEW2v?si=7yVh5mMqSBaftpRh92ZdXA
ASOT 765: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3I2uJyVOX1GeIqM2geo73w?si=ayJLclIZRyyM3IRUl8gmSw
June 2016:
ASOT 766: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/14ZozfSOQoqAzNj5C63g7Z?si=R2V468ZkRRmwYx4YTM07zg
ASOT 767: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ipPsVOIZMgy6LBOZ4pFC1?si=IQuQC_04Qc6LGXIBAYLkpA
Armin Van Buuren @ Mainstage, Ultra Music Festival Korea, South Korea 2016-06-12: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6UyVNN4H2FKZVQM4ALu88J?si=jvU4NclxRASUUPNSuD3qkg
ASOT 768: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/08OEh6HElxwsr2kXpMHdTw?si=kf9OV27pT3GTauyEuuSQpg
A State of Trance at Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas (06/17 to 06/19,2016): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5XT4a8lzvwBjh6gYfaAbJZ?si=l84dKtKZTxyeCNkFupflYQ
ASOT 769: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6cTqZavDodl6xlToXqZsGh?si=qcLL1n3iTKKKnLkmmFouow
ASOT 770: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0HIodZjx38YtPHNRumqYXv?si=gU2cmDvdRR--8c7-awMP9g
July 2016:
ASOT 771: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1TNJkq5cHvr9L6GImmForf?si=FKz4ypdKR-Kwdf_XsZ5rVA
ASOT 772: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0m2UybPFX737c9leCUXCK0?si=kEOVIptmRhWDiAP_cJlFDg
A State of Trance @ Ultra Europe, Croatia 2016-07-16/17: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0IPVrONA0yP1vYhHmvuDjU?si=er6B8KiATVu4mHIZqEBs1A
ASOT 773: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/44z0LHZgMJ0xeUtveWo4L5?si=bP2DjxlrSM2LUaZpas0Wkw
A State of Trance @ Tomorrowland Belgium 2016 Mainstage/Trance Addict 07-22-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3d2qYripREVXn2akMS19hm?si=G9riBks6SGKUBPUdAhxROg
TomorrowLand 2016 The Exilir of Life MainStage W&W, Armin Van Buuren 07-22-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/54LDTTQODyZ8lbL1i9Xb0w?si=xemPe9-MTy2qNeqPAW8FPQ
ASOT 774: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1T1TC1Bb47E2E9VLX9uWda?si=5xbXsNqiSzaxLbr0MsVsVg
Armin Only Embrace, San Pedro de Alcántara Soccer Stadium, Marbella, Málaga, Spain 2016-07-30: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2FXsJfClQOY6vOZBV5Kx7w?si=FfWAxoMlTxWe_R5iOnmugw
August 2016:
ASOT 775: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0WYsD3p7B5iJdXVdWCqH7X?si=lZaRxWEoTYma-6B4TT4zkg
ASOT 776: A State Of Trance Episode 776 (Who’s Afraid Of 138?! Special) 08-11-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7L9CFqVzJqcyiavoVT05u1?si=fqBUTPHkRnuf-U__SLt0rA
A State Of Trance Episode 777 ('A State Of Trance, Ibiza 2016' Special) 08-18-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5kwEJIYA3q6mlxKbxLUvRV?si=YIJ66qBkSsWIDBJkhehbFQ
ASOT 778: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7fmAHCLz53KzsJnCUefrhl?si=xKl8nLsHSSyQ2SuOAh-AVg
September 2016:
ASOT 779: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0zBbksniRglToGCJKJZtez?si=Q_G-ejKdQ6qn27rpf7f2wg
Armin van Buuren @ Beachclub Montreal, Canada 2016-09-04: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/70OSVeBmV8YM41d7XV2syP?si=AdT619gRQTGOCtlrkXuJkg
ASOT 780: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6OMsQv5QDCBS6uoEq0QZfH?si=xdM5y4NjRrW7-K6DVUmLSw
Armin van Buuren @ Ushuaia Beach Club Ibiza, Spain 2016-09-11: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lTP4oRqCWV9RUMbRsE5Jk?si=7kPtwlh3RnCSXv1xRl1Wlw
ASOT 781: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ATWQQsHbh740IPKg67mMs?si=XNVbJWJsQM-xahq59SwSzg
Armin Only Embrace, Arena Armeec Sofia, Bulgaria 2016-09-17: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ixhGxMLCD26nBxRtU07mf?si=Ap4Np-QmTjupEXPS-xkLIQ
ASOT 782: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/10PEW19kHjQYDXRpW2AlxQ?si=fC0zy9vBQmah53f6PXcBXQ
ASOT 783: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4YC0OJbZscwUCq7ueWzHra?si=ANuaGBIgTl-n0BK719Us2A
Armin Only Embrace (Ora Arena, Istanbul) Turkey 2016-09-30: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5JdAAXLFh7WG4VTgHNn3cL?si=XhbsZbLOS8eBaV1W5uvVIA
October 2016:
Armin Only Embrace (Minsk Arena, Belarus) 2016-10-01: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5LugDSUupnbCLE3ZPui8x0?si=k-5cEMLDT32nD0haCW2zVw
ASOT 784: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gafsU81YFy5W3o4bmnABW?si=iCBYYdAvSFSF8bMgdc8iXQ
Armin van Buuren @ Armin Only Embrace, Palacio De Los Deportes Mexico City 2016-10-08: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7KPFgdAjWFEUJNCmdN7uI2?si=4inetOvNTtyiOtRdbXI-ug
ASOT 785: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6YfKfH07bojMepQkVksGfi?si=qlPUaZ5ZT3C1ENCdVMcWhg
ASOT 786: A State Of Trance Episode 786 (Club Embrace Special) 10-20-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3SUJptzctRpqR33PZkwJcr?si=ihyM32ykRTegX65duIep4Q
Armin van Buuren @ Amsterdam Music Festival, ADE, Netherlands 2016-10-23: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3WqJjuLzP0DblGeZhauvkw?si=dwFt6qTbQK6Hm2auaHjlNA
ASOT 787: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/53hUVN2abCEVuPMGRmNefG?si=a1otofkfQuWplnh_0faPsw
November 2016:
ASOT 788: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7DC7eAJrZ12Jv1vMHa7MlG?si=RwYvJ8VpQem-CCTL6kqMoQ
ASOT 789: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2CkGPCZmrTClbIRAb5m7ys?si=ywk_SA5yQzOK-yqttNLjkA
ASOT 790: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1QcQvYQPMsDHdIJDAxGwee?si=uVTzqQ9ISwOr8Ik7n4P0sQ
Armin van Buuren @ Armin Only Embrace Vinyl Set, Cotai Arena Macau, China 2016-11-19: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1kpLkoIkQMFkHcKIoadrHj?si=hVfOTw5CSZWQWlQTbC4TdA
ASOT 791: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qWp8Nf41CyfmNdtwnRk2H?si=lmPLCBf_TO6YAnyh08K3FQ
Armin Only Embrace World Tour, Mall Of Asia Arena Manila, Philippines 2016-11-25: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1R1crJD0ABT2RsspK0S3bL?si=WpDUFCYQS3GCoRIDBaLFYQ
Armin Only Embrace, Dajia Riverside Park, Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan 2016-11-26: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0HMLj5BQcuIDvOt1h3KynE?si=J865Xsc6Tb-o6SQb0pYlNw
ASOT 792: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6EZnbj2lM9Ueg10jxGwRPt?si=Vl7gvIARQ72Iw6IwXMsINg
ASOT 793: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/21hJ0pacBrBGcIlFYxqjlm?si=mYmjiF7HTSqPsspDOMQUew
ASOT 794: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3FcyaI91FUggNMvRiUle1O?si=xFUTSFKCRk2GRKB_3-JZHQ
A State Of Trance Episode 795 (Top 20 Of 2016) 12-22-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Mh68fofxqjEFLlPDsTX2O?si=XZ6RGtG-TLu4Dp_SusTZ4Q
Armin van Buuren @ Sunburn Festival, India 2016-12-28: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2IEHnETh79svoEuss3foLX?si=qOI4S7xQR8WjTWE1n9Rhug
A State Of Trance Episode 796 Year Mix 2016 12-29-2016: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4pxsFu71plNb04lSHUwHxS?si=0AfCeC8YSASr68Av7ulO6Q
December 2016:
