Avicii’s prime moments during 2016 in celebration of his birthday

It’s the end of an era. And it’s official: being only 26 years of age, Avicii hung up his touring boots by performing his last live show at Ushuaia two weeks ago. It was an emotive act, not only for himself but also for his fans. At the end of his performance he used the opportunity to thank each and every fan who attended the show as well as accompanied him over the years and stated that he couldn’t imagine a better ending.

We all remember his seismic statement in late March when Avicii shocked the electronic music world by announcing he was retiring from touring. The Swedish superstar and influencer had a redemptive moment during a two-week road trip across the USA. Eventually, his drastic decision was caused by the lack of time for other personal interests. He wished to have time for himself, for the person who is actually behind the power-brand Avicii. Right after, the whole electronic dance community declared their support and understanding while fans responded in turn by creating an intense demand for tickets to his final shows.

One of the most outstanding comments came from Dutch superstar and good friend Laidback Luke. In April, he addressed Avicii’s retirement and the darker sides of the DJ super-stardom. His statement, published in Billboard, was a call to action for seasoned artists and a reminder for those who may just be starting out in the business. It was right after their latest encounter back in August 2015 where he realized Tim Bergling might not make it through his troubles.

“He looked terrible. He gave me a very sincere but oh-so-tired smile. At that moment, I envisioned my friend, now 26, joining the infamous ’27 club’ of music and film stars who died at that age. It sounds horrible but it’s the truth, and I can’t take back the ­overwhelming sense of frustration I felt.

It was like ­watching Amy, the recent Amy Winehouse ­documentary, and suddenly realizing that you too were laughingly ­belting out her lyrics — ‘They tried to make me go to rehab but I said no no no’ — while we all watched the spectacle, seeing tragedy unfold and not doing a damn thing.”

Despite horrific personal problems, it is fair to say that Avicii has outdone himself and proved to everyone that he is a strong individual and that he’s grown over the period of the last 8 years. But most of all he proved it to himself. In fact, 2016 has been an incredibly busy year for him: in and out of the studio, completing a world tour, banging out remixes within the scope of “Avicii by Avicii” and eventually making his way to his annual Ushuaia residency, where the final chapter eventually took place.

There were ups and downs. There were cancelled shows, even entire festivals, there was new music alongside his childhood friend Otto Knows. Opposed to that, there was a bunch of unreleased music at his bombastic performance at this year’s Ultra Music Festival. Furthermore, his crossover single “Wake Me Up” had reached the sacred 1 billion plays mark on YouTube back in July, cementing “Wake Me Up” as his biggest single to date.

Fortunately, he’s not leaving music at all, just the touring aspect. An introvert at heart, Bergling intends on using his free time for even more music production and is even considering writing songs for other artists in addition to finishing a third album of music. And if we are even more fortunate, we will come to relish his unreleased material he presented during UMF.

What about “Without You“? A track that has the potential to smash the charts in record breaking time. Guitar riffs and soulful vocals, which truly represent Avicii’s modern style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnUK3BluDAo

And then there is “Forever Yours“, another magnificent production that emphasizes the bright side of life.  The melodic feel and bright atmosphere through the score makes this a perfect song for those late nights and long drives. Alongside Avicii’s signature chords and melodies, this track effectively sends out the blissful vibes with the use of a saxophone that would likely bring out some goosebumps for many people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vOJlWb0UGY

Eventually, not to be forgotten there is “Heaven“, a collaborative effort with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Featuring Avicii’s signature melodies and piano chords, the track is certainly a treat to hear from start to finish. With the addition of Chris’ divine vocals, this record showcases the notorious style that placed Avicii’s name toward the higher ranks of dance music and proves the musical talents this living legend possesses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaqCqEjUy-I

For his birthday and his new chapter, we wish him all the best! He will always remain as one of the biggest.