Whether it’s the big tunes taking over our TikTok feeds or the massive events happening quite literally on our doorstep, it’s undeniable that dance music is having a real moment.

You can call this Dance Music Wrapped 2025 or just a celebration of all the successes in dance music this year, either way, the scene is absolutely booming right now, and here's why.

We’re about to roll into another huge festie season and an even bigger 2026. Major electronic artists are still choosing to stop here in little old Aotearoa, not because they have to, but because the crowds here go hard.

And the numbers don’t lie. At the start of this year, FISHER broke NZ records, turning Auckland’s Victoria Park into a sea of bucket hats, playing to 22,000 people.

RUFUS DU SOL also recently smashed records, playing to 25,000 people at Western Springs in Auckland, but also internationally, with the highest-selling electronic music tour of all time, with 750,000 tickets sold.

Electric Avenue moving to a two-day festival this year was a bold move, but the right one, it seems. It became the largest festival in the southern hemisphere, with 70,000 people attending Hagley Park with a largely dance music-heavy lineup over two days. The festival brought $10 million into the local economy and has once again sold out for the 2026 edition.

New Zealand’s dance music meets orchestral music festival, Synthony, also sold out and became our biggest one-day event this year, with 40,000 people attending.

Audiology is eyeing up some new records to smash for 2026. They’re expecting 20,000 people on Wellington’s waterfront for the first-ever Ultra Music Festival in New Zealand. And also the title of the largest drum and bass tour ever in New Zealand, with WORSHIP heading over all together for the first time. Four internationals across two shows in Auckland and Christchurch.

And speaking of WORSHIP, Sub Focus, Dimension, Culture Shock, and 1991 have had a massive year internationally playing at EDC and selling out Red Rocks. And they are slowing down with more massive shows, including Coachella and Ultra Miami in 2026.

Also internationally, Tomorrowland Belgium broke records for the highest-streamed event on TikTok live, with 74 million unique viewers across both weekends.

Even Coachella’s 2026 lineup is dance music heavy, with 39% of its programming being electronic artists, the highest genre represented at the festival.

It’s been a massive year of success for Kiwi artists, especially in the world of drum & bass, with major link-ups and artists, Rova, Pirapus and SUUNE have all been topping the Beatport charts. 33 Below has had continued international success playing major festivals and teaming up on tracks with Sammy Virji and RL Grime. 

Kiwi lads, TWOFACED, were a major success story, seemingly coming out of nowhere this year with their track, ‘I Need You.’ They had early support from Calvin Harris, X CLUB and KETTAMA.

Kiwis have been waving the flag across the world and punching well above their weight with Pirapus at Tomorrowland, Rova & Lee Mvtthews at Let it Roll. Opiuo sold out Red Rocks and our very own Sin & Brook at Boomtown.

This year also saw a very special edition of Boiler Room on Waitangi Day, featuring a full lineup of Māori artists. It consisted of eight sets from local legends Atarangi, Caru, Katayanagi Twins, Mokomokai, Mokotron, Poppajax, Seymore, and Te Kurahuia.

DJ/producer, MESSIE played a big European run across their summer, including at Glastonbury. She wasn’t the only Kiwi playing at Glastonbury, with 5 NZ DJs playing Pulotu Underworld at Glastonbury. A lineup of Māori and Pasifika DJs, all curated by Lady Shaka.

2025 has also seen the resurgence of the album in dance music. Only a year or two ago, it seemed people weren’t consuming music in the same way, and the album as we knew it was on the way out in the current ‘TikTok generation.’ But this year, some of the biggest names in electronic music released albums, including Sammy Virji, Skrillex, Sub Focus, Alison Wonderland, Hedex, KETTAMA, Koven, and more.

It really feels like the electronic music renaissance, in what’s been a drum & bass-heavy scene (in New Zealand at least) over the last five or six years. We’re seeing several sub-genres having their moment internationally, and this is being reflected here in Aotearoa.

The likes of Dom Dolla and John Summit are flying the flag for house music, Sammy Virji and MPH in the UK Garage world, Tiesto returning to his Trance roots, and Skrillex is making dubstep again. Seriously, what a time to be alive.

The scene feels healthier than ever and continues to reach new heights. Every genre feels like it’s having its moment, and dance music is reaching more people than ever. And long may it continue.