18-11-2013 @ 22:55
On Sunday, Dutch dance artist Martin Garrix received his first official UK No.1 with 'Animals', which went straight in at the top of the chart. The single racked up sales of 105,767 to beat off competition from Lily Allen, whose cover of Keane's 'Somewhere Only We Know' went in at No.2 with 94,004 singles sold, while Ellie Goulding, Eminem & Rihanna and Little Mix make up the rest of the Top 5.
"I didn't expect this success at all! I made 'Animals' as a club record and seeing it chart so high worldwide and especially a #1 in the UK was really beyond my expectations. I will definitely celebrate this with my parents, friends and at school!" - Martin Garrix
At just 17 years old, Garrix has quickly established himself as a formidable talent, picking up releases with electronic music institutions such as Spinnin', Musical Freedom and Doorn while spending increasing amounts of his time on the road with an increasingly hectic tour schedule. Still early in his career, 'Animals' has proven to be a watershed moment for the producer as he joins the highest ranks in dance music with his latest trailblazing achievement.
The track itself is a powerhouse production that showcases Garrix's fresh production style. Building a dynamic groove from the outset, Garrix's sharp synths build into a dramatic crescendo before the track delivers the most the most distinctive drop you will hear all year. Unleashing an utterly infectious percussive riff over pounding kicks and big melodic fills, it became a staple club and festival anthem throughout the summer, a trend that has continued as it has picked up momentum at an inexorable pace on its route to official UK No.1.
With the recent announcement of follow-up single 'Wizard' with Jay Hardway, Garrix has no intention of taking his foot off the gas any time soon. A first preview of the track has already amassed close to one million plays on Garrix's Soundcloud alone in less than a fortnight, hinting at a lot more to come from the artist in 2014.