Only right can happen when progressive house kings meet in the studio. 11 years ago, the world was blessed with ‘Payback,’ one of the most emblematic tracks in all history of electronic dance music.
Steve Angello, one third of Swedish House Mafia, and Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman, a legendary name in the progressive house world, united in 2014 to create what became a generational song.
Traveling all over the world, ‘Payback’ provided, and still provides, the soundtrack of sunny festival days and magic nights under the lights. Its unforgettable melody gets crowds going, and still feels fresh as ever, 11 years after its release.
Steve Angello’s iconic lead combined with Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman’s emotional yet powerful aspect, gave birth to a song that shaped the way progressive house evolved.
Although the track has no vocals, it remains perfect and is one of those instrumentals that ascend you to another dimension.
The Story of ‘Payback’
Like other legendary songs, ‘Payback’ has its own backstory. Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman opened about the record in an interview, saying: “We wanted to prove the doubters wrong at that time in our lives. That’s the simple reason behind the name Payback.”
The duo’s wish of proving haters wrong became reality as the track is now their most streamed record, with currently over 55 million streams.
Steve Angello spoke about the collaboration as well, praising the talent of the duo: “They had a great initial idea and I loved the potential of the record! They are super talented and they have loads of great music in the pipelines!”
‘Payback’ Through The Years
Played by big names like Alesso, Martin Garrix and Afrojack on stages at festivals such as EDC, Ultra and Tomorrowland, the track hit the industry and never left, gaining attention from the biggest artists and events.
Over a decade since its release, ‘Payback’ still gets played in many sets, especially at Steve Angello and Swedish House Mafia shows.
It is a staple in the boys’ sets and hits the feels just as it did back in the day. Moreover, its place on festival mainstages remains standing high, with the renaissance of progressive house taking over the globe.
Steve Angello maintained the song relevant in time, producing various mashups, with the most known and appreciated being the one that features vocals of ‘More Than You Know’ by Axwell & Ingrosso.
In 2024, ‘Payback’ received a melodic techno remix by Kevin De Vries and Cassian, although there were mixed feelings from audiences. Some said the classic should not be touched, while others appreciated the artists’ take on ‘Payback.’
Celebrate 11 years of ‘Payback’ by Steve Angello and Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman by streaming the single below.
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