WARM’s Global Dance Radio Insights 2025 uses airplay data to map who really dominates specialist dance radio – from artists and labels to territories and trends.
WARM’s Global Dance Radio Insights 2025 – Mid-Year Top 100 tracks showing what is actually trending in dance music on radio. By transforming real-time spins into a mid-year chart, the report offers a data-driven view of how dance music travels across borders, and which artists, labels and markets set the tone for global radio.
What emerges is a landscape where European producers lead the field, collaborations and strong vocals are almost a requirement for daytime play, independent labels hold a significant slice of the market, and catalogue revivals sit comfortably alongside newer melodic and techno-leaning sounds.
At the top of the report sits “Hypnotized” by Anyma and Ellie Goulding, released via Anyma/Interscope. It is followed by PAWSA’s rework of “Dirty Cash (Money Talks)” and the NOTION remix of “The Days” by Chrystal.
The rest of the Top 10 blends festival headliners and crossover names: James Hype, John Summit with CLOVES, Dom Dolla with Daya, Zerb alongside Ty Dolla $ign and Wiz Khalifa, plus David Guetta appearing twice with “Beautiful People” and “Forever Young”. WARM creates a radio show every week with the Top 20 tracks.
#1 Anyma & Ellie Goulding – Hypnotized [Interscope]
#2 PAWSA & The Adventures Of Stevie V – Dirty Cash (Money Talks) [Altra Moda Music]
#3 Chrystal – The Days (NOTION Remix) [Chaos]
Listen the Top 20 weekly podcast hosted by our Rudy Cassago and mixed by Lele Zambelli!
When the focus shifts from tracks to overall exposure, the Top 10 Artists by total plays shows how concentrated dance radio still is. David Guetta is far ahead of the pack, followed by HUGEL and vocalist-songwriter Clementine Douglas. Anyma, Ellie Goulding, Dom Dolla, PAWSA, John Summit, James Hype and Fisher complete the list – a mix of producer-DJs and featured vocalists sharing the top tier of airplay.
Stylistically, the report underlines the momentum of melodic and emotionally driven club music. Anyma’s #1 position, Mau P at #7, and Meduza’s two appearances in the Top 100 reflect how darker, more atmospheric sounds have moved from late-night slots into core radio rotation. At the same time, trance and big-room elements are re-entering the format via artists such as Armin van Buuren (with Alok) and Tiësto, whose tracks at #25, #49 and #54 carry the build-and-release structure of earlier eras but are mixed for today’s playlists.
Vocals remain central to radio success. Almost every track in the Top 20 is built around a memorable performance – from Ellie Goulding, CLOVES, Becky Hill and Ava Max, to newer voices such as Clementine Douglas, Nu-La and Inéz. For programmers, even club-ready records tend to need a strong topline to cut through. This is reinforced by the volume of remakes and reworks: “Forever Young”, “I Follow Rivers”, “Valerie”, “Finally”, “Dirty Cash” and “Cruel Summer” all return in updated forms, pairing instant recognition with contemporary house and tech-house production aimed at Gen Z and Millennial listeners.
Label data adds another layer. Major-label groups still control the majority of placements, with Universal, Sony and Warner imprints – including Polydor, Columbia, Capitol, Atlantic and others – heavily represented. Yet WARM’s analysis points to independent labels holding close to one-third of the Top 100, even allowing for grey areas where distribution and ownership overlap. In the Top 20 Labels ranking, Spinnin’ Records and Virgin lead with six entries each, followed by Three Six Zero Recordings and What A DJ Limited on four. Armada Music, Capitol Records, Columbia, Experts Only, Defected, Black Book, Helix, Insomniac, Good Company and Kygo’s own label appear with two or three entries, confirming how specialist dance imprints still play a decisive role in breaking records on radio.
Geography is equally telling. The Top 10 Countries by share of entries places the UK clearly in front, approaching a 30% share of the chart. The USA follows, then Germany, France and the Netherlands, with Australia, Sweden, Brazil, Italy and Ireland completing the list. In practice, this means European artists and labels – particularly from the UK and continental hubs like the Netherlands and Germany – still anchor much of what global dance radio sounds like.
The report also touches on representation. A gender breakdown of charting artists shows male solo acts at just over 60% of entries, female solo acts below 30%, and the remainder split between male and female groups. The imbalance remains clear, even as more women and mixed projects appear in visible positions within the Top 100.
By reporting the most played records on these 185 specialist dance stations, WARM’s Global Dance Radio Insights 2025 provides a granular picture of an ecosystem where collaborations dominate, European producers lead, vocal-driven records stay essential, and independent labels retain meaningful influence alongside the majors. For artists, managers, labels and promoters, the report functions as both a snapshot of where dance music stands today and a guide to where radio momentum is heading next.
On January 2026, WARM is set to provide the annual report, so check out their website for more news like this.
30y passionate guy about music, social media, digital marketing and infographics!
I founded youBEAT in 2012 as manifesto of my passion for electronic music, with the aim of promoting artists and events.
Graduated in Media Languages at UCSC in Milan (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) with a thesis on the revolution of daily life with the streaming in entertainment and information.
Everyday more passionate and keen about data, tools and music insights and their connection in this everyday faster social connected world.
From 2017-2023 A&R, Marketing and International Manager at EGO Music (www.egomusic.net).
In 2024 I founded MAVIL, my artists&labels mgmt and promotion solo company!