‘Music For The Dancers’ N°611 – 2010s Music Videos

1 . Major Lazer – Run Up (w/ Partynextdoor & Nicki Minaj)

“Run Up” by Major Lazer, featuring PartyNextDoor and Nicki Minaj, threads Caribbean rhythms into a sleek dancehall track that feels engineered for sunny playlists yet arrives with an off-season twist. Released in January 2017 under Mad Decent and Because Music, the song sidesteps the predictable summer drop while building a groove anchored in the key of E Major and paced at a moderate 108 bpm.

PartyNextDoor’s smooth melodicism, delivered through a Jamaican Patois-inflected lens, lends the track a sense of breezy intimacy. In contrast to his laid-back crooning, Nicki Minaj’s verse cuts through with her signature swagger, boasting an air of detached confidence that meshes with the track’s understated arrangement.

The song’s production credits—Major Lazer itself, along with Stargate and Jr Blender—reflect its polished sonic palette. The warped guitar chords and high-pitched vocal samples, noted by *Rolling Stone*’s Ryan Reed, offer texture without veering into excess, keeping the groove intact without overloading the senses. Though it peaked at number 16 on the UK Official Singles Chart and enjoyed a stronger showing on the UK Official Dance Singles Chart at number 2, its ability to chart for 28 weeks indicates staying power over explosive first impressions.

Structurally, the progression of A–C♯m–E–B keeps the melody approachable but leans on repetition at the expense of dynamic exploration. While PartyNextDoor’s vocal range from C♯4 to C♯5 ensures moments of melodic lift, the song never fully escapes its mid-tempo comfort zone.

The lyric video release hinted at bigger ambitions, but the track stops short of demanding attention. While undeniably tuneful and well-crafted, “Run Up” is a polished yet restrained addition to Major Lazer’s catalog, one that grooves along more contentedly than it pushes boundaries.

Featured on the 2017 album “Major Lazer Essentials”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

2 . Olly Murs – Wrapped Up (w/ Travie Mccoy)

“Wrapped Up” struts onto Olly Murs’ fourth album, *Never Been Better*, with an unflinching sense of buoyancy that feels custom-fitted for pop radio circa 2014.

Its foundations are laid by Steve Robson’s slick production and bolstered by the songwriting efforts of Murs, Travie McCoy, Robson, and Claude Kelly. Yet, for all its collaborative energy, the track leans heavily on formulaic hooks and polished sheen, making it a textbook example of mid-2010s pop aimed at instant gratification rather than long-term resonance.

Murs is in full showman mode, his playful delivery pairing neatly with the elastic funk-inspired bassline and the song’s breezy tempo. Travie McCoy’s rap contribution would ostensibly provide a counterpoint, but given his absence from the music video, it feels more like an outsourced add-on than an integrated feature. The video itself, with its travelator choreography filmed in Los Angeles, mirrors the song’s penchant for theatricality while sidestepping any deeper engagement.

Live performances—most notably on *The X Factor UK*, *The X Factor Australia*, and BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend—brought the track’s lively spirit to the stage, with radio DJ Nick Grimshaw stepping in for McCoy on one occasion. Such adaptability underscores its status as a crowd-pleaser, even as its lyrical and musical ambitions remain modest.

Commercially, “Wrapped Up” hit a sweet spot, earning platinum certifications in markets like the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands, alongside solid gold showings in places like Australia and Germany. Still, these accolades reflect more a triumph of expert market alignment than artistic ingenuity. It does what it’s designed to do—get you moving—but leaves little to unpack later.

Featured on the 2014 album “Never Been Better”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

3 . Bakermat – Teach Me

“Teach Me” arrives as a calculated synthesis of Bakermat’s affection for gospel and the structural precision of deep house.

By sampling Shirley Caesar’s 1972 hymn “Teach Me Master,” Bakermat juxtaposes the fervor of old-school devotion with the chill, urbane flavor of modern electronic production.

The effect is both reverential and detached, as if the spiritual energy of Caesar’s original had been reframed for the dancefloor faithful—less about transcendence, more about groove management.

The production, credited to Lodewijk Fluttert and Clifford Goilo, leans hard on its jazz and soul inclinations, though the jazz feels ornamental, a decoration that nods at class rather than depth.

Gospel serves as the bedrock, but it’s less Mahalia Jackson and more Spotify-curated “Feel Good Vibes”—catchy, polished, and designed to blend seamlessly into your day.

Released under the Dirty Soul Music division of Be Yourself Music in November 2014, the track earned its way into the charts, peaking modestly in Belgium at 25 and a respectable 42 in Germany.

It plays like a résumé-builder: a showcase of Bakermat’s versatility for a market that prizes tidy genre crossovers over deeper artistic risk.

The songwriting credits, shared between Fluttert, Goilo, and Caesar, highlight a cooperative spirit, though the transaction leaves little room for true innovation.

For Bakermat, whose early success came with 2012’s “Vandaag,” “Teach Me” is a continuation of his experiment in integrating live instrumentation into electronic arrangements.

While his signature use of saxophones and brass injects texture into his performances, here it feels like another ticked box, more serviceable than striking.

As part of the DJ’s broader output, including the platform-driven concept of Bakermat’s Circus, “Teach Me” represents his knack for presenting eclecticism as accessibility.

Yet, for all its smoothness, its glossy enthusiasm barely scratches the surface of gospel’s raw emotive power, leaving behind a remix of reverence rather than a master’s lesson.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

4 . Hot Chip – One Life Stand

“One Life Stand” captures Hot Chip’s characteristic synthesis of heartfelt sentiment and electronic precision, but it stops short of transcending its polished veneer.

Penned and produced by the band, the track balances Alexis Taylor’s understated vocals with an instrumental foundation both deliberate and restrained. It is, as Taylor notes, a song about transforming fleeting encounters into enduring commitments—a pleasant concept that teeters, at times, on the edge of saccharine simplicity.

The production showcases the band’s knack for layering, yet feels somewhat restrained compared to the more dynamic arrangements on their 2008 effort, “Made in the Dark.” The subtle beats and subdued synths create a solid framework, but they lack the exploratory tension that elevated their earlier works.

Visually, the Roel Wouters-directed music video amplifies this sense of contained intimacy. The rotating-room concept and handheld footage provide a charmingly homemade aesthetic, though the visual gimmickry does little to deepen the song’s thematic resonance.

Chart performance reflects a moderate reception. Peaking at number 41 on the UK Singles Chart, the single didn’t linger long in collective memory, nor did its fleeting placement at 99 on the Switzerland Airplay chart suggest greater reach.

One can hear echoes of their 2006 breakout, “The Warning,” in the measured pace and melodic sensibilities, but the track feels less adventurous. While “One Life Stand” aspires to intimacy, it settles into comfort, rarely pushing beyond its polished surfaces or tapping into the sharper edge of their indie-electronic identity.

Featured on the 2010 album “One Life Stand”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

5 . Mike Mago & Dragonette – Outlines

Released on 29 August 2014 by Spinnin’ Records, “Outlines” by Mike Mago and Dragonette ventures into future house terrain, clocking in at a deliberate 4:33. The track is a standalone effort that marries the Dutch producer’s electronic sensibilities with the synth-pop polish of the Canadian band, consisting of Martina Sorbara, Dan Kurtz, and Joel Stouffer. On paper, it’s a collaboration that promises a blend of eclectic textures, but its execution feels somewhat calculated.

The accompanying music video, which premiered two weeks earlier on 15 August 2014, attempts artistry with its depiction of a blurred woman in a leotard performing inside an abandoned building. Conceptually intriguing, the visual trope of “creating outlines” of her movements mirrors the track’s title but doesn’t quite evolve beyond surface-level metaphor, leaving a faint impression, much like footprints washed away in the rain.

The song received several remix treatments—including by Redondo and Chris Lorenzo—all of which extended its life on digital platforms, though none appear to dramatically transform its core identity. Achieving Silver certification from the BPI for 200,000 UK sales speaks to its popularity in clubs and playlists, yet its broader cultural footprint remains tenuous. The absence of notable album placement or live performance features underscores its standalone nature, designed more for circulation than legacy.

Mike Gysbers’s precise production does create a clean framework for the polished vocals of Dragonette, but the track feels lean on innovation, adhering to the genre’s familiar patterns. Neither groundbreaking nor entirely forgettable, “Outlines” lingers at the periphery of future house, a well-crafted track that traces no new lines within the electronic and synth-pop crossover map.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Instagram

6 . Taylor Swift – Shake It Off

“Shake It Off,” the lead single from Taylor Swift’s 2014 album “1989,” is a shiny emblem of the dance-pop genre, engineered by the chart-savvy Max Martin and Shellback.

The production leans on a relentless looping drum beat and an exuberant saxophone line, the latter courtesy of Jonas Thander, while handclaps hold together a bridge designed to stick in your head like gum to a shoe.

Lyrically, it’s Swift’s cheeky shrug at the media microscope she perpetually finds herself under, spinning public scrutiny into a buoyant anthem of resilience and apathy—or at least a convincing facsimile thereof.

The song’s commercial reception is as towering as the sax riff: debuted at number one on the *Billboard* Hot 100, reigned there for four scattered weeks, and collected Diamond certification in the U.S.

Internationally, it flexed similar chart clout, peaking at number two in the UK and notching top-five positions across Europe, Japan, and beyond, amassing multi-platinum designations like they were participation trophies—18x Platinum in Australia, anyone?

Visuals play an integral role, with Mark Romanek’s music video depicting Swift in a whirlwind of dance clichés, flanked by professionals she gamely tries—and often humorously fails—to emulate.

Unavoidably, the video faced backlash over accusations of cultural appropriation, a criticism that casts a shadow over its otherwise playful intent.

On stage, “Shake It Off” has proven a reliable tour fixture, anchoring Swift’s “1989 World Tour,” “Reputation Stadium Tour,” and “Eras Tour,” while also spotlighting appearances on platforms like “*The X Factor UK*” and the 2014 MTV VMAs.

If the track’s glittery defiance isn’t for everyone, it still stands as a calculated pivot in her career—a marriage of pop hooks and self-aware narrative that, for better or worse, cements its ubiquity. A re-recorded “Taylor’s Version” in 2023 only underscores its staying power.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

7 . Philip George – Wish You Were Mine

Philip George’s debut single, “Wish You Were Mine,” released on 28 December 2014 via 3 Beat Productions, is a deep house track that cleverly repackages nostalgia for a dancefloor audience.

Sampling Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour,” the song borrows the warmth of Motown-era emotional depth but filters it through the cool, minimal pulse of contemporary electronic production. Yet the sample’s soulful longing pairs somewhat incongruously with the mechanical, loop-heavy house beat, creating a tension that feels more functional than transcendent.

Commercially, the track performed exceedingly well, stubbornly holding the number 2 spot on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks, stymied only by the juggernaut that was Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” Its extended chart life—29 weeks in the UK Top 100, 17 of those in the Top 40—is a testament to its immediate hookiness and club appeal, even if it doesn’t capture the same timeless spark that its sampled source material achieves.

The song’s ascent to number 1 on the Official Dance Singles Chart, where it reigned for five weeks, underscores its dominance in a genre that thrives on repetition and groove. Certified 2x Platinum in the UK and earning Gold certifications in markets like Australia, Germany, and Sweden, the track’s international success illustrates a broad resonance, though it arguably leans on its vintage sample too heavily for true originality.

The accompanying music video, released on YouTube Christmas Day 2014, sees George portraying various quotidian roles—a tenant, bus driver, policeman, and shopkeeper—in Teaneck, New Jersey. The low-stakes narrative and everyday settings mirror the track’s accessibility but lack the visual dynamism one might expect for such a club-ready anthem.

“Wish You Were Mine” inaugurates Philip George’s career with undeniable commercial traction, though it also reveals an artist still finding his footing. The track thrives as a functional deep house number, useful for a playlist but perhaps too reliant on borrowed emotional weight to feel indispensable.

Featured on the 2015 album “Wish You Were Mine”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Facebook

8 . Oliver Heldens – Last All Night [Koala] (w/ KStewart)

“Last All Night (Koala)” by Oliver Heldens featuring KStewart compresses Heldens’ knack for future house into a taut, dancefloor-ready package, without straying far from the template that catapulted him to prominence with “Gecko.”

Released in August 2014 on Spinnin’ Records, the song arrives at the intersection of polished production and chart-minded utility, a logical extension of Heldens’ earlier hits rather than a reinvention.

KStewart’s vocals inject a much-needed humanity into the mechanical churn of the beats, lending a pop sensibility to a track otherwise designed with DJs in mind. Her delivery is the connective tissue that holds Heldens’ bass-heavy, layered production together, even if it rarely steps out from the stylistic boundaries of contemporary EDM.

During the 2014 Amsterdam Dance Event, the song’s popularity was evident; it was the second most-searched track on Shazam, proving Heldens’ ability to create tracks that immediately resonate in live settings. That said, such statistics speak more to its utility as an anthem than its staying power as a timeless piece.

Its chart performance, while noteworthy, pales compared to “Gecko (Overdrive).” Instead, “Last All Night (Koala)” operates as a cog in Heldens’ rise to mainstream recognition, helping him achieve a #12 rank in the DJ Mag Top 100 by 2015, a feat noteworthy in a scene increasingly saturated with interchangeable names and sounds.

With the song released amid the launch of his Heldeep Mixtape series and his performance on BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix in December 2014, it contributes to a busy period that underscores Heldens’ growing influence, though it never attempts to break new ground. Rotterdam-born Heldens, who began his career at 17 with Spinnin’ Records, demonstrates consistency, but “Last All Night (Koala)” remains a reflection of its era more than an emblem of innovation.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

9 . Pitbull – Timber (w/ Ke$ha)

“Timber,” the lead single from Pitbull’s 2013 EP “Meltdown,” is a study in calculated populism, blending genre-blurring elements with relentless commercial instincts.

Produced by Dr. Luke, Cirkut, Sermstyle, and Nick Seeley, the track plucks its identity from a harmonica riff interpolated from Lee Oskar’s “San Francisco Bay,” performed here by Paul Harrington. This harmonica backbone gives the song a campy Western vibe, like a rodeo reimagined for a downtown club at peak capacity. Against this quirky melodic backdrop, Kesha delivers a chorus so insistent it feels genetically calibrated to lodge itself in the brain after one listen.

Pitbull’s verses revel in the familiar tropes of luxury, partying, and hedonism, reciting nightlife clichés with his trademark charisma, if not originality. The lyrics are shamelessly one-dimensional, offering drinking and dancing as their thesis. Meanwhile, the beat works overtime, mashing up country-lite twangs with clean, thunderous EDM drops—leaning so hard into trend-chasing that it somehow becomes both exhausting and exhilarating.

The track peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on January 18, 2014, a slot it claimed after weeks of playing second fiddle to Eminem and Rihanna’s “The Monster.” Its success wasn’t confined stateside; “Timber” topped charts in countries as varied as Finland, Germany, and the UK, proving its cross-cultural appeal despite—or perhaps because of—its unabashed superficiality.

The music video amplifies the song’s pulsating energy, with Pitbull and Kesha traversing party settings designed for maximum visual stimulation. Certified Diamond by the RIAA in June 2022 for over 10 million equivalent sales in the US, “Timber” is less a testament to artistic innovation than a monument to the power of formulaic hook-writing. Love it or loathe it, resisting its earworm pull feels futile.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

10 . Redd – I’m Day Dreaming (w/ Akon & Snoop Dogg)

“I’m Day Dreaming,” released in 2011, aligns UK artist Redd with heavyweights Akon and Snoop Dogg, creating a collaborative piece that leans on star power to elevate its ambitions.

The track emerged as part of the compilation album “Kontor Top Of The Clubs — The Biggest Hits Of The Year XII.” Chart-topping credentials in Finland and a strong placement at number two in Japan hint at its cross-border appeal, while its presence in Canada and Australia reinforces its global thrust.

Akon lends his signature melodic hooks, weaving his vocal charisma throughout a production designed for instant accessibility. Snoop Dogg’s contribution is predictable—rhythmically steady but creatively restrained, as though coasting through his verse without breaking the surface. Both guests bring a seasoned gloss but add little new texture to the already polished presentation.

For Redd, born Amylouise Aldred, this track represents one of her first significant attempts at breaking into international territories. Her ascent from the final 50 of the UK’s “X Factor” in 2010 into chart recognition is deliberate, backed by collaborations with top-tier producers. Yet, her presence in “I’m Day Dreaming” feels somewhat overshadowed, with Akon and Snoop often steering the attention.

The track’s YouTube success—20 million views—speaks to its resonance with audiences, though such metrics often reflect novelty and collaboration hype rather than lasting impact. Its longevity resides more in the names attached to it than in its undercurrent of musical innovation.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

11 . Avicii – I Could Be The One [Avicii vs. Nicky Romero]

“I Could Be The One” [Avicii vs. Nicky Romero] operates as a quintessential EDM collaboration between Swedish DJ Avicii and Dutch DJ Nicky Romero, blending polished melodic instincts with rhythm-driven proficiency.

The track premiered under the working title “Nicktim”—a nod to their real names, Tim Bergling and Nick Rotteveel—but eventually emerged with vocals from Swedish singer Noonie Bao, quietly uncredited yet indispensable in adding emotional texture to the high-energy production.

Unveiled over a year after its initial play at the Super Glow event in Washington, D.C., it hit streaming platforms in December 2012. By February 2013, it had already reached the top of the UK Singles Chart, where it stayed for a week, and spent almost half a year lingering on the broader UK chart—a testament less to its staying power than to its infectious accessibility.

Musically, the song balances Avicii’s predilection for bright, anthemic sounds with Romero’s knack for precision. The result is a catchy blend, though it leans more on pop tendencies than on risk-taking production. While the track topped charts in Hungary and the United Kingdom, and cracked top ten lists in countries like Australia and Norway, its prominent reliance on formulaic progressions raises questions about its depth beyond immediate dance-floor appeal.

Noonie Bao’s vocals, understated yet integral, contrast sharply with the producers’ laser-focused arrangements. Ironically, despite co-writing this track and others on Avicii’s “True” album (2013), Bao wouldn’t even meet him until years later—a tidbit that encapsulates the assembly-line efficiency of modern EDM partnerships more than it inspires admiration.

The commercial success of “I Could Be The One” undeniably cemented Avicii and Nicky Romero’s chart presence worldwide, but it treads familiar ground, favoring pleasant harmonics over true innovation. An EDM milestone perhaps in exposure, but not necessarily in evolution.

Featured on the 2013 album “TRUE”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

12 . Matrix & Futurebound – Magnetic Eyes (w/ Baby Blue)

“Magnetic Eyes,” released by Matrix & Futurebound in December 2012, lands somewhere between atmospheric allure and high-energy boldness, bolstered by the commanding vocals of Baby Blue.

Crafted by Jamie Quinn and Brendan Collins—the duo behind Matrix & Futurebound—the track showcases their knack for merging polished production with the emotive weight of drum and bass.

Despite peaking at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart and number 5 on the UK Dance Chart, the song’s longevity in the top 40 for six weeks hints at a calculated appeal rather than groundbreaking resonance.

Set against a layered backdrop of crisp beats and swirling synths, Baby Blue delivers a vocal performance that is as captivating as it is restrained, maintaining a delicate equilibrium between detached coolness and heartfelt yearning.

The accompanying music video, clocking in at three minutes and forty-one seconds, oscillates between evocative imagery of the artist and a symbolic wolf, an artistic choice that teeters on pretentious without fully committing.

Notably, “Magnetic Eyes” found enthusiastic backers in heavyweights like Nero, Pendulum, and Netsky, a testament to its appeal within the drum and bass elite.

Remixes by Smooth, TC, and Pyramid introduce stylistic deviations, from the adrenaline-fueled intricacy of Drum and Bass to the punchy insistence of Trap and Breaks, catering to a spectrum of electronic music devotees.

While not particularly innovative, “Magnetic Eyes” cements its place in Matrix & Futurebound’s catalog as a crowd-pleaser, cleverly riding the wave between radio-friendly hooks and underground sensibilities.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Facebook