Ultra Music Festival has become a sacred ground for dance music legends, and few names capture its spirit more than Carl Cox, Afrojack, and Armin van Buuren. In a recent feature for the 25th anniversary of Ultra, the three DJs looked back on their history with the festival, recalling unforgettable sets, pivotal records, and the memories that helped shape the electronic music scene.
Afrojack shared that his first true Ultra set wasn’t until 2011 at the Carl Cox & Friends stage, following a brief 10-minute slot as the changeover act for David Guetta. That year also marked the debut of Ultra’s now-iconic MegaStructure. Reflecting on the role the festival plays in his career, Afrojack stated that:
“Ultra starts it all off.”
– Afrojack
For Armin van Buuren, the magic of Ultra lies in the countless moments that defined an era. He vividly remembered Madonna joining Avicii in 2015, the world hearing Swedish House Mafia’s “One” for the very first time, and the electric shock of Hardwell’s surprise return to the stage. He also singled out his GAIA performance as especially meaningful:
“One of my favorite moments was doing the GAIA set, because people are very open.”
– Armin van Buuren
Afrojack recalled the emotional debut of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up,” a track that initially drew boos from the crowd. Both he and Armin reflected on the backlash, acknowledging that it was a groundbreaking moment that ultimately changed dance music forever.
When it came to naming the records that defined the last 25 years of Ultra Music Festival, the choices spoke volumes. Afrojack pointed to Eric Prydz’s timeless anthem “Pjanoo.” Armin credited Swedish House Mafia’s “One.” Carl Cox named Joe Brunning’s “Now Let Me See You Work.” These selections perfectly highlight the way Ultra has not only showcased legendary performances but also cemented tracks that continue to shape dance music culture today. Finally, they discussed that hopefully a new generation will come in and take over (cough Martin Garrix cough). Watch the full conversation below:
