Definition
Avicii (born Tim Bergling, 1989–2018) was a Swedish DJ, music producer, and songwriter who became one of the most influential and commercially successful electronic dance music (EDM) artists of the 2010s. Avicii rose to global fame with his 2011 hit “Levels,” which sampled Etta James’ “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” and became an anthem of the EDM explosion. He followed with massive hits including “Wake Me Up” (2013), “Hey Brother,” “Waiting for Love,” and “The Nights.” His debut album True (2013) controversially blended EDM with country and folk influences, creating a “folktronica” sound that divided purists but expanded his audience dramatically. Avicii’s influence extended beyond his own music: he helped shape the sound of modern pop, collaborated with artists across genres, and his festival performances — particularly at Tomorrowland and Ultra Music Festival — were legendary. Despite his success, Bergling struggled with severe health issues (acute pancreatitis exacerbated by alcohol use), anxiety, and the relentless pressure of the music industry. He retired from touring in 2016, and on April 20, 2018, died by suicide in Muscat, Oman. His posthumous album TIM was released in 2019, with proceeds going to the Tim Bergling Foundation for mental health awareness.
Why It Matters
Avicii is the internet’s favorite DJ to mourn. His death at 28 sent shockwaves through the music industry and the internet: tributes flooded social media, his music surged in streams, and the conversation about mental health in the music industry became impossible to ignore. The internet’s relationship with Avicii is defined by regret: the documentary Avicii: True Stories (2017) showed a young man clearly suffering, pushed by managers and the industry to continue performing despite medical advice. The internet watched the documentary. The internet shared clips. The internet did nothing. And then he was gone. Avicii also matters because his music defined an era: “Wake Me Up” is one of the most streamed songs of all time, and its blend of EDM and acoustic instruments created a template that dominated pop radio for years. The internet’s nostalgia for Avicii is nostalgia for a simpler time in EDM — before the genre fragmented, before the festivals became corporate, before the pandemic changed everything. Avicii is not just a musician. He is a cautionary tale. And the internet tells that tale constantly. Because the internet loves cautionary tales. Especially when they come with a beat drop.
Example
“He heard ‘Levels’ in 2011. He was 18. It was everywhere. The festival. The club. The radio. He did not know who Avicii was. He knew the song. The song was a feeling. A feeling of being young. Of being alive. Of being immortal. He heard about the death in 2018. He was 25. He cried. He did not know why. He barely knew the artist. But he knew the feeling. And the feeling was gone. He watched the documentary. He saw the pain. He saw the industry. He saw the machine. He posted ‘RIP Avicii.’ The replies were ‘legend’ and ‘gone too soon’ and ‘wake me up when it’s all over.’ He listened to ‘Wake Me Up.’ The lyrics were different now. The lyrics were about someone who wanted to wake up. And never did. That was Avicii. Not a DJ. A alarm clock. That stopped ringing. And the internet kept hitting snooze.”
Related Terms
- EDM — Electronic Dance Music, the genre that Avicii helped bring to global mainstream popularity
- Levels — The 2011 hit that made Avicii a global superstar and defined the EDM era
- Wake Me Up — The genre-blending hit that became one of the most streamed songs in history
- Tim Bergling Foundation — The mental health and suicide prevention charity established after Avicii’s death
- True Stories — The documentary that exposed the music industry’s exploitation of Avicii’s health