Top 20 Best Trance Classics of All Time

When Tiësto ran Samuel Barber's classical composition through his synthesizers, he created the ultimate trance symphony. That dramatic breakdown before the drop is one of the most famous tension arcs in dance music history; when the kick drum returns, every crowd turns into a wild sea of raised arms.

Armin van Buuren put himself on the world map in 1999 with this pure, melodic gem. The repetitive, hypnotic theme builds layer by layer without unnecessary effects. Timeless craftsmanship.

Named after the iconic sunset bar on Ibiza, Café del Mar is universally regarded as the holiest anthem of the early trance scene. The rolling arpeggios capture the ultimate feeling of summer freedom.

Belgian producer M.I.K.E. Dierickx wrote this masterpiece. That heavy, pumping bass and monumental synth melody make Universal Nation an indestructible floor-filler.

A collaboration between Ferry Corsten and Vincent de Moor that resulted in pure magic. The heroic, brass-like melody and driving beats are synonymous with the golden age of club culture.

Piet Bervoets and Benno de Goeij created a true anthem of the Dutch festival scene with Airwave. The vast, echoing synth soundscapes mimic a flight through the clouds.

Sarah McLachlan's ethereal voice combined with Tiësto's rolling bassline and dramatic strings produced what many consider the most beautiful vocal trance track of all time.

Berlin DJ Paul van Dyk wrote one of the most recognizable melodies in electronic music with For an Angel. Pure, euphoric and nostalgic.

With his soft 'dream house' piano and soothing beat, the late Robert Miles wrote a worldwide monster hit that proved electronic music could be deeply moving.

That hyperactive, piercing synth melody has been the absolute synonym for wild festival energy for a quarter of a century.

Ferry Corsten's big breakthrough. The sparkling, rolling melody and tight drums gave the Rotterdam trance sound wings.

Based on the Henry Purcell piece made famous by A Clockwork Orange, this is a masterclass in hypnotic repetition and minimalist trance power.

André Tanneberger introduced his signature guitar-like synth sound. A cheerful summer classic that reached number one in the UK.

Ferry shook up the genre by fusing raw electroclash and vocoder vocals with pumping trance beats. Innovative and rebellious.

Gabriel & Dresden and singer Jes Brieden created a dreamy masterpiece. Jes' velvety vocals over a laid-back progressive groove give you instant chills.

Bruno Sanchioni and his partners delivered the blueprint for dreamy Italian-French trance in 1996. That hypnotic plucked synth remains legendary.

Produced by Pronti & Kalmani and Sebastiaan Molijn, this track became a worldwide pop-trance phenomenon with a hook that is still sampled everywhere decades later.

Built around the Celtic vocals of Máire Brennan (Clannad), Saltwater breathes the salty breeze and serene calm of a Mediterranean beach at sunrise.

This classic has been remixed by countless DJs, but the monumental, soaring lead synth of the original remains an unsurpassed emotional sledgehammer.

An eleven-minute progressive trance epic of rare architectural beauty. Sasha patiently steers through rich harmonies and echoing synths.