Artist Playlists
-
Borrowing liberally from global club sounds and Caribbean music—dancehall, reggaetón, soca, and dub—Diplo's supergroup Major Lazer deliver a jolt of energy to the pop scene. Known for monumental live performances and surprising collabs with everyone from Haim to 2 Chainz, their real strength lies in transcending genres: Summer anthems like "Lean On" and "Get Free" exploit the power of wistful female vocals over catchy Jamaican-inspired rhythms, while dance-floor heaters "Watch Out For This (Bumaye)" and "Pon de Floor" bounce from Kingston to Kazakhstan. - Major Lazer have taken their wild mashup of reggae, house, trap and EDM around the world—and their videos serve as celluloid proof. They bring the party to the top of a bus in India with Danish singer MØ for "Lean On", and they hit the Saharan desert with Brazilian powerhouses Anitta and Pabllo Vittar on "Sua Cara". For "Lose Yourself", Diplo and friends visit abandoned Jamaican ruins with dancehall duo RDX & Moska and some twerking sidekicks.
- Diplo, Walshy Fire and Jillionaire form the energetic trio known as Major Lazer. Updated regularly, the playlist combines global influences across EDM, dancehall, hip-hop, and beyond.
- Major Lazer—Diplo's revolving collective of trendsetting MCs, DJs, artists and producers—brilliantly blend everything from dancehall to R&B to baile funk. Their own dance-floor bombs and irresistible hooks, as well as their collaborative work with artists like Santigold, M.I.A. and Dillon Francis, all emphasise fat low-end, alluring textures, big melodies, minimalist electro and strobe-worthy beats.
- Like a mood board come to life, Major Lazer flaunt their inspirations, including reggae, rave and superheroes. Their elaborate zombie-commando backstory takes after Gorillaz, another band ostensibly made of cartoon characters; their digital dancehall traces back to Wayne Smith's pioneering “Under Me Sleng Teng”. And their no-holds-barred cultural fusion has precedent in crunk-Latin mashups like “Culo Miami Mix”, from Pitbull, Mr. Vegas & Lil Jon.