Showtek: The Dutch Hardstyle and Electro House Pioneers

Showtek is a Dutch electronic music duo consisting of brothers Sjoerd and Wouter Janssen, pivotal in shaping the hardstyle genre before achieving global commercial success in electro and big room house. Hailing from Eindhoven, the Netherlands, the pair have notched multiple international platinum and gold certifications, with their anthemic track "Bad" reaching the Top 10 in over 15 countries and earning a platinum award in the United States.

Early career

Brothers Sjoerd and Wouter Janssen formed Showtek in 2001, emerging from the fertile Dutch hard dance scene. Their early output, released on labels like Dutch Master Works and Scantraxx, was characterized by a raw, energetic hardstyle sound that quickly garnered them a dedicated following within the European underground.

Breakthrough

Showtek's mainstream breakthrough arrived in the early 2010s as they strategically pivoted towards a more accessible electro house sound. Their 2012 collaboration with Justin Prime, "Cannonball," became a festival staple, but it was 2014's "Bad" featuring vocals by David Guetta and Vassy that catapulted them to global stardom. Released on Spinnin' Records, the track achieved massive chart success worldwide and was certified multi-platinum in several territories.

Key tracks

FTS — This 2007 hardstyle classic remains a definitive track of the genre's early era, showcasing their production prowess.

Cannonball — A collaboration with Justin Prime, this 2012 electro house bomb marked their decisive turn toward the mainstream festival circuit.

Bad — Featuring David Guetta and Vassy, this 2014 global smash is their most commercially successful single, earning platinum status internationally.

Booyah — A 2013 collaboration with Sonny Wilson, this track became another major festival anthem and a gold-certified hit.

We Like To Party — This 2014 single exemplified their big room house formula, receiving heavy rotation at major events like Tomorrowland.

Following their commercial peak, Showtek continued to release music on major labels like Skink and their own imprint, Showtek Music. They have collaborated with a wide array of artists, including Hardwell, Noisecontrollers, and MC Ambush, demonstrating their ability to bridge their hardstyle roots with contemporary EDM trends.

Fans of Showtek's high-energy sound and Dutch electronic pedigree should also explore the work of Hardwell, another Dutch DJ/producer known for his explosive big room house sets. The harder styles are kept alive by Headhunterz, a fellow Dutch act who also successfully transitioned between hardstyle and mainstream EDM. For the quintessential festival big room sound, check out Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, the Belgian duo known for crafting massive crowd-moving anthems. The raw energy of early Showtek can be found in the music of Noisecontrollers, a stalwart Dutch producer in the hardstyle scene.

Showtek's music maintains a strong presence on electronic dance music radio stations and dedicated festival channels featured on this website. Their catalog, from hardstyle anthems to platinum-selling house hits, is a staple on EDM-focused online radio streams and international dance music stations.

The music of Showtek, from their hardstyle origins to their chart-topping electro house, can be heard across various radio stations featured on our platform. Listeners can discover and enjoy their anthems by tuning into the electronic dance music stations available on onairium.com.