“Electronic Dance Music” has become what pop singer “Miguel” refers to in his second hit single: a “Sure Thing.” Just about everybody and their mother are using “EDM” influences in their music and dancing all the way to the bank. Which brings us to the newest artist making a name for himself, “Zedd.” Zedd is celebrating the success of his first Billboard Hot 100 top 10 platinum single, “Clarity.” A song we know is being worn out in dance clubs around the world, because the single has been awarded gold or platinum status in several countries including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Just like DJs who have come before him (i.e., “David Guetta, Deadmau5 and Daft Punk, to name a few), Zedd began his career doing remixes. Born, Anton Zaslavski, Zedd is a classically trained pianist. His first interest in producing electronic music came after hearing music by French electronic duo “Justice.” Zedd’s remix of Skrillex’s “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites,” broke into the “Beatport Electro House” Top Ten charts, coming to rest at #2. He has since produced remixes of well-known artists like Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, and more. In 2011, Zedd’s remixes of Lady Gaga’s tracks “Born This Way” and “Marry The Night,” appeared on the special edition of her third studio album, “Born This Way.” In 2012, Zedd signed with Interscope Records and released his debut single, “Spectrum,” with vocals by Matthew Koma. In addition, he also produced and co-wrote the third single “Beauty And A Beat,” with Max Martin for Justin Bieber’s third studio album, “Believe,” while producing three songs on Lady Gaga’s 2013 album, “ARTPOP.” Zedd’s new single, “Stay The Night,” is already a platinum hit in Australia and is racing up the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. That not only makes Zedd “Up n’ Comin,'” it means his career is “Off n’ Runnin’.”

It took the fourth single from OneRepublic’s second studio album “Waking Up,” in 2009, to finally become a big hit. The song “Good Life,” provided added and unexpected momentum for the band’s burgeoning career. “Good Life” peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over three million copies in the U.S. alone, earning a 3x Platinum certification. We talked about the band and their success for the first time in July 2011, and this is the band’s second appearance in this column. Proving that you can be “Hot n’ Happenin'” as many times as your career will allow. Ironically, OneRepublic’s third studio album seems to be following the same “slow start” trend of the last LP, by not registering a bonafide hit until the third single which is, “Counting Stars.” The song has become their most successful single from the album thus far, and the band’s biggest release in recent years reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart. The song achieved significant international success, charting within the top five in Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Luxembourg, Poland, New Zealand, Scotland, Slovakia and Spain. It reached number 1 in the U.K., marking the bands highest charting song ever in that country. The song has since peaked at number 1 in 5 countries worldwide, and has gone 5x platinum in Australia, 2x Platinum in New Zealand, Platinum in the U.K., Gold in Switzerland and Germany, as well as currently holding a 3x Platinum certification in the U.S. The band is currently on their “The Native Tour” concert trek traveling throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and North America, which began back in April 2013. The tour is scheduled to end in the U.K. on March 24, 2014, after an exhausting 131 total shows. Meanwhile, the albums forth single “Something I Need,” was released in August 2013, and despite the small amount of promotion done — and due to the late and unexpected success of “Counting Stars” — the song has still managed to be certified 2x Platinum in Australia and Platinum in New Zealand. This band is a walking testament to the adage; “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” And it seems like they finish pretty strong.

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