Who is Audien? Audien Songs, Music, Discography & Artists Like Audien
Audien is one of those producers who makes progressive house feel personal. There is a warmth to his records that a lot of dance music producers never figure out, and that quality has kept him relevant for over a decade. 4D4M has had Audien in rotation since the early Anjunabeats days, and the reason is simple: the man builds tracks that actually hit. Adam first locked onto him when “Wayfarer” debuted as the opening track on Above & Beyond’s Group Therapy, a moment that signaled something real was happening with this Connecticut producer.
Who Is Audien
Audien is the stage name of Nate Rathbun, an American DJ and electronic music producer from Mystic, Connecticut. He got into electronic music around 2008 through trance tracks in video game soundtracks, which pulled him toward Armin van Buuren’s A State of Trance podcasts. By age 17, he had signed with Ferry Corsten’s Flashover Recordings label and released his debut single “Rise & Shine.”
From Flashover, Audien worked through Enhanced, Perceptive, Black Hole, and Nervous before landing at Anjunabeats. His 2012 track “Eventide” got picked up by Above & Beyond for their EDC Vegas set, and in 2013, “Wayfarer” became the first song ever played on Above & Beyond’s Group Therapy broadcast. These were not minor placements.
The 2015 Grammy nomination for Best Remixed Recording for his Bastille “Pompeii” remix brought Audien to a much wider audience. That same year, “Insomnia” hit number one on the Billboard Dance Charts, and “Something Better” featuring Lady Antebellum cracked the Billboard Pop Songs Top 40. In 2022, he launched the Progressive House Never Died brand and sold out a North American tour, headlining Hollywood Palladium and delivering a standout set at EDC.
Audien’s Sound Explained
The core of Audien’s sound is trance-rooted progressive house. He started in pure trance territory before mixing in the melodic build-drop structure that defines progressive house. The result is music with both emotional arc and physical impact. His tracks tend to feature strong vocal hooks, clean synth work, and careful attention to how tension gets released over a full track runtime.
His productions avoid the aggression of harder EDM subgenres and stay in a sweeter, more melodic zone. The remixes he has made for pop and rock tracks (Halsey’s “Colors,” Bastille’s “Pompeii”) show how well his approach translates across genres. He can give a track a progressive house heart without stripping the original of its identity. The Progressive House Never Died era doubled down on that signature, and the sold-out tour proved it connected.
Top 15 Audien Tracks
From his verified Spotify catalog and documented releases:
- In Every Life: Spacious progressive house that leans into the emotional register Audien does best, with a memorable melodic lead.
- Love Again (with TELYKAST & Lilly Ahlberg): Melodic instincts meet sharp pop vocal writing, one of his most streamable recent cuts.
- Kill The Lights (Audien Remix): His remix of the Alex Newell and Jess Glynne track brings full progressive house energy to an already strong vocal.
- Colors (Audien Remix): Halsey’s “Colors” rebuilt as a festival anthem. The drop hits, and the original vocal survives intact.
- Wish It Was You (with Cate Downey): The 2021 release that hit number one on Dance Radio. Emotional, direct, and built for both headphones and main stages.
- Bittersweet (with Shallou & Rosie Darling): Audien in a softer, more introspective mode while keeping the progressive house DNA intact.
- Learn To Love Again: A melodic cut from his catalog that rewards repeat listens.
- Pompeii (Audien Remix): The Grammy-nominated Bastille remix that broke Audien into mainstream consciousness. Still holds up completely.
- Drifting Away (with Joe Jury): Vocal progressive house with strong emotional pull and a clean, polished production.
- One Last Dance (with XIRA): A number one Dance Radio record from 2022, with big chorus energy and the kind of drop that works at any scale.
- Insomnia: The 2015 track that hit number one on the Billboard Dance Charts and cemented his crossover appeal.
- Something Better (feat. Lady Antebellum): Audien’s first appearance on the Billboard Pop Songs Top 40. A genuinely effective pop-dance hybrid.
- Crazy Love (feat. Deb’s Daughter): Hit number one on the Mediabase Dance Airplay Chart twice. Catchy and immediate from bar one.
- Wayfarer: The 2013 Anjunabeats track that Above & Beyond chose as the first song ever played on Group Therapy. A landmark in Audien’s early career.
- Eventide: The 2012 track Above & Beyond dropped during their EDC Vegas set. One of the key moments that put Audien on the progressive house map.
Why 4D4M Vibes With Audien
The connection between what Audien makes and what 4D4M produces comes down to emotional weight. Progressive house and trance-influenced music rewards patient listeners. It’s not about the first 30 seconds. It’s about what happens across the full track, how tension builds and where it pays off. Audien has understood that dynamic consistently across multiple label homes and shifting trends in dance music.
There is also the craftsmanship angle. Audien treats remixes like original productions, rebuilding tracks from the ground up rather than just adding a kick drum. That approach is something 4D4M respects deeply. Anyone curious about how a serious DJ career gets built would do well to study his trajectory from Flashover to sold-out headline tours.
Discography
| Year | Album / Release | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Rise & Shine | Flashover Recordings |
| 2012 | Eventide | Anjunabeats |
| 2013 | Wayfarer | Anjunabeats |
| 2015 | Daydreams EP | Astralwerks |
| 2015 | Insomnia | Astralwerks |
| 2015 | Something Better (feat. Lady Antebellum) | Astralwerks |
| 2016 | Crazy Love (feat. Deb’s Daughter) | Astralwerks |
| 2017 | Some Ideas EP | Astralwerks |
| 2018 | Higher | Anjunabeats |
| 2018 | Never Letting Go (with Arty) | Anjunabeats |
| 2019 | Escapism (LP) | Armada Music |
| 2021 | Wish It Was You (feat. Cate Downey) | Armada Music |
| 2022 | One Last Dance (feat. XIRA) | Armada Music |
Live and Touring
Audien has played some of the biggest stages in electronic music. Tomorrowland, EDC Vegas, TomorrowWorld, Electric Zoo, and Lollapalooza have all had him on the bill. In 2022, the Progressive House Never Died tour sold out across North America, with a headline show at Hollywood Palladium and a widely praised set at EDC. He has also appeared at major festivals like Escapade Music Festival and Audiotistic. His ability to translate studio productions to large-scale live settings has been consistent since the early Anjunabeats days.
FAQ
Who is Audien?
Audien is the stage name of Nate Rathbun, an American DJ and producer from Mystic, Connecticut. Active since 2009, he started with Ferry Corsten’s Flashover Recordings label before moving to Anjunabeats, Astralwerks, and Armada Music. He earned a Grammy nomination for Best Remixed Recording, landed multiple Dance Radio number ones, and launched the Progressive House Never Died brand in 2022.
What genre is Audien?
Audien makes progressive house and EDM with deep trance roots. His early work drew heavily from the A State of Trance sound, and around 2012 he blended in the melodic build-drop structure of progressive house. The result is emotionally driven dance music with strong vocal hooks, clean synth layers, and careful tension-release dynamics. He has also crossed into pop-dance territory, particularly during his Astralwerks years in the mid-2010s.
What is Audien’s most famous song?
Several tracks compete for that title. His Grammy-nominated “Pompeii” remix introduced him to mainstream audiences in 2015. “Insomnia” hit number one on the Billboard Dance Charts that year. “Something Better” featuring Lady Antebellum reached the Billboard Pop Songs Top 40. More recently, “Wish It Was You” with Cate Downey and “One Last Dance” with XIRA both topped Dance Radio charts. Any of these could reasonably be named first.
Has Audien won any awards?
Audien received a Grammy nomination at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015 for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical, for his remix of Bastille’s “Pompeii.” He did not win, but the nomination placed him among the most recognized names in electronic music production. He has also charted multiple number ones on the Billboard Dance Charts and the Mediabase Dance Airplay Chart, across a career spanning more than 15 years.
What labels has Audien released on?
Audien has released on a range of respected labels throughout his career. He started with Ferry Corsten’s Flashover Recordings in 2010, then worked with Enhanced, Perceptive, Black Hole, and Nervous before joining Anjunabeats. In 2015, he signed with Astralwerks and released the “Daydreams” EP along with several charting singles. He later returned to Anjunabeats before signing with Armada Music in 2021, home to “Wish It Was You,” “One Last Dance,” and his more recent material.
Where has Audien performed live?
Audien has played Tomorrowland, EDC Vegas, TomorrowWorld, Electric Zoo, and Lollapalooza over the course of his career. His 2022 Progressive House Never Died tour sold out across North America with a headline show at Hollywood Palladium and a standout appearance at EDC. He has also performed at Escapade Music Festival in Ottawa and Audiotistic. These are consistently high-quality bookings across European and North American festival circuits.
What artists are similar to Audien?
If Audien’s blend of progressive house and trance connects, there are several artists worth exploring. Above & Beyond championed Audien early and share his melodic, emotional approach to dance music. Armin van Buuren’s A State of Trance output overlaps with Audien’s trance roots. Anjunabeats artists like Arty and Lane 8 work in similar melodic progressive territory. Ferry Corsten, who first signed Audien, is a natural parallel. Seven Lions and Tycho carry that same melodic, introspective quality.
Audien Online
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Spotify | Listen on Spotify |
| SoundCloud | soundcloud.com/audien |
| Twitter / X | @audien |
| AudienMusic | |
| YouTube | audientv |
