Progressive Trance

Though progressive house led the increasingly mainstream-sounding house from the charts back to the dance floors, the progressive wing of the trance crowd led directly to a more commercial, chart-oriented sound, since trance had never enjoyed much chart action in the first place. Emphasizing the smoother sound of Eurodance or house (and occasionally more reminiscent of Jean-Michel Jarre than Basement Jaxx), Progressive Trance became the sound of the world's dance floors by the end of the millennium. Critics ridiculed its focus on predictable breakdowns and relative lack of skill to beat-mix, but progressive trance was caned by the hottest DJs (Oakenfold, Tong, Sasha) and spotlighted in the main rooms of Britain's largest clubs (Gatecrasher, Cream, Ministry of Sound, Home). Though progressive trance producers rarely focused on much more than getting their singles on Tong's radio show or Sasha's latest mix album, a few acts (most notably, Paul Van Dyk and Hybrid) soon began translating the sound into the full-length realm. — John Bush 

Related Styles: Hardcore Techno, Trance Electronica, Progressive House, Happy Hardcore, Speed Garage, Goa Trance.