Born as Tim Bergling in 1989, this Swedish DJ, remixer, producer, musician and songwriter, was specialized in audio programming, remixing and record producing. Already at 16 years old, Avicii began to remix his own music and posted it on electronic music forums, which eventually led to the young talent signing his first record deal. Aivicii’s chords are inspired by Basshunter, Daft Punk, Swedish House Mafia and Eric Prydz. He once said that he had been listening to a lot of Daft Punk way before he even knew what house music was. Bergling’s artist name is derived from the word Avici, which is the lowest level of Buddhist hell. When the name was already taken on MySpace, Bergling simply added another i, hence Avicii.
Eclectic blend
Avicii’s tracks are known to be uplifting and energetic. His breakthrough single was “Levels,” which was released in 2011 and followed by his equally successful singles “Wake Me Up” and “Hey Brother” that all reached the charts on a global scale. His studio album True received many exceptionally positive reviews and reached the top 10 in more than 15 countries, topping international dance charts. With the ingenious blend of chords that make Avicii’s music one of a kind, the artist managed to win numerous awards — 14 in total — such as the American Music Award for Favorite Artist Electronic Dance Music in 2013 and a Grammis — the Swedish Grammys — award for Best Innovator in 2012.
The artist’s early work was a blend of deep and progressive house. Avicii’s tracks are usually based on a four-chord structure, sub-bass and simple synth melodies. The musician felt that EDM had become too focused on so-called dirty drops, which made him want to change things up. This ambition is clearly reflected in his work. Bergling experimented, fusing different genres, adding soul, funk, blues, folk and country influences to his tracks.
Tragic turn
In 2016 Bergling quit touring as a result of health problems which occurred due to stress and poor mental health he had been struggling with for several years. This would eventually be followed by a tragic turn: Avicii committed suicide in Muscat, Oman. The cause of his death were self-inflicted injuries caused by a broken wine bottle. Bergling died of blood loss and was eventually buried in his hometown back in Sweden. His career and subsequent retirement were captured in the 2017 documentary “Avicii: True Stories.” Avicii shaped the EDM genre with his work, making him unforgettable.
You can find all Avicii chords here.
