Top 10 Underrated Avicii Songs

We’re kicking things off with a bang: Avicii brought some of his most surprising retro sounds on 'Lay Me Down.' The track's powerhouse vocals hit soaring highs thanks to Adam Lambert's talented performance. Lambert sings viciously fast at times to deliver some memorable vocal riffs, although, interestingly he was not credited on the track. Adam talks about overcoming adversity, and really experiencing life to the fullest. Despite charting worldwide, 'Lay Me Down' only went to number one . . . in Poland. The seventies guitar licks came from none other than legendary Chic (and Daft Punk) guitarist Nile Rodgers, who both wrote and played on the track.



To put his spin on a Eurythmics classic, Avicii mixed the right amount of EDM beats and pop-rock attitude. After a slow build of house beats, the main riff comes in with some of the grimiest distortion possible. Thanks to some auto-tune and processing, the iconic chorus becomes eerily robotic and creepy. Although it serves mainly as a dance track, the raw sound of the synthesizers is distinctly rock n' roll. By blending all these elements together, Avicii turned the old track into something frighteningly futuristic.  Though Avicii made several mixes of his cover, the “”Swede Dreams version had a little something for everyone.



Among the rock and country songs found on Avicii's 'Stories' album, the reggae rhythms of 'Can't Catch Me' were a nice fit. The soft guitars and airy vocals create a calm energy to counterpoint the track's story of relentless persecution. Matisyahu brings his pop charm through all his verses, and spins his faith into something universally empowering. Wyclef Jean tells his own story about finding a new home as an immigrant, while facing the uphill battles that come with it. Next to his slew of party-focused dance tracks, hearing Avicii use his production talents in more subtle ways make this song shine.



After the massive success of 'Levels,' Avicii switched things up for a purely instrumental track. The bass hook gets listeners dancing for nearly two whole minutes before the main chorus of the song drops. When Avicii's classic staccato synths come in however the song gains an instantly epic atmosphere. A simple but addictive whistle riff ties the whole song together, and instantly gets stuck in your head. Due to its lack of vocals, the music press thought 'Last Dance' was an early cut of a new single. One big build-up however brings all the catchy elements together for a song that is signature Avicii.



Many producers opt for covers or remixes, but for his version of Antony and the Johnsons' 'Hope There's Someone' Avicii did . . . both. Though there's plenty of upbeat production in the song, Avicii quiets things down to keep the heartache of the original track.  After previously covering the song on a Swedish TV competition, Linnea Henriksson delivers a devastating vocal performance. By reinterpreting both older versions of the track, Avicii was able to make a dance hit with real emotional weight. No wonder that his version sounds so tight.





David Guetta and Avicii were a dream pairing on 'Sunshine.' The song blends Guetta's knack for instant catchy beats with Avicii's distinct keyboard sounds. The collaboration would seem like a no-brainer today, but Avicii was just hitting his stride when it came out. 'Sunshine' switches between steady house sections and louder builds, while slowly melding both artists’ styles. Despite a more modest success as an instrumental track, the song still climbed to 59 on the Swedish charts. Though Guetta is a big part of 'Sunshine,' Avicii's production made the song unique.



Back when Avicii was still just putting out singles, he revived an obscure '80s breakdancing hit for a new generation. By isolating the main groove of Break Machine's 'Street Dance,' Avicii distilled the song to its timeless essence. He ups the tempo just enough to give the song a modern dance beat that fit his style. Avicii also loops sections of the riff into his classic house ramp-ups, to transition the song into dance breaks. The lo-fi sample fits so seamlessly with the rest of the song that it’s the perfect mash-up you'd hear in a club.



Since Avicii was writing so many songs in his early days, this became a standout that you could only see live. The immense synth and string swells bring a sense of drama to the song, while the piano keeps things groovy. Yolanda Selini's vocals are full of desperation, and only become more expressive as she belts out her own harmonies. Selini sings about believing in love and trying to be the most supportive partner you can be. While it never got an album release, 'Let Me Show You Love” still has great explosive choruses that feel exciting no matter how many times you listen to it.





As a fan of Lenny Kravitz’s work, Avicii was more than a little ecstatic to remix Kravitz's vocals for 'Superlove.' While the song starts with some space-y EDM sounds, the psychedelic energy of the original comes through loud and clear. Avicii focuses in on dreamy vocal effects and reimagines the track in a club setting. Though the remix loses the funky grooves, it emulates the lyrics' sexual energy through its silky delivery and steamy production. This energy also helped the song hit dance charts all over Europe. Despite Avicii's overwhelming number of remixes, 'Superlove' remains one of his most original and fun.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
"My Feelings For You" (2010)
Avicii & Sebastien Drums


"Liar Liar" (2013)
Avicii



Before MØ hit the big time with her debut album and the success of 'Lean On,' she provided an unlisted feature on the track 'Dear Boy.' MØ delivers a raw and emotionally rich performance, and she's singing her heart out as the song hits its climax. It’s a track about rekindling a lost romance, while still appreciating the fun side of love. While Avicii featured tons of vocalists on his offerings, MØ was one of the few to sing just as intensely as his production. This back-and-forth keeps the song's momentum going and showed just how creative both artists could be as collaborators.