Superstar DJ Tiesto

If you're not up on Tiesto, he's one of the world's most popular DJ's. He spins the world's hottest dance music and always has access to the music the average fan wouldn't have....which is a key point of being a DJ.

In the February issue of the U.K. dance-music magazine Mixmag, veteran producer Tiësto is named the Greatest DJ of All Time, a title bestowed upon him by fans voting in a poll that began back in September. According to Mixmag, hundreds of thousands of clubbers were asked to vote and debate 35 DJs, each one nominated by big names in dance music. Some 80,000 votes were collected, and King Tiësto emerged with the crown.

That Tiësto should be considered the Greatest DJ of All Time should come as no surprise to dance-music fans, given his relentless touring schedule. Just last year, his Kaleidoscope Tour spanned 15 months, seeing him play 175 dates across six continents and performing for more than a million people. He was nominated for two Billboard Touring Awards (alongside folks like Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber) and was among Billboard's Top 25 Biggest Grossing Touring Acts of 2010. As a result, he has been a fixture on basically every DJ poll of the past decade. Since 2002, he has been in the top three of DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs poll, including three times at #1.

Coupled with his touring efforts, the onetime trance DJ has had an evolution in his sound, opening him up to a larger audience by incorporating elements of house music (some fans call his music "trouse"). His last studio disc, Kaleidoscope, featured vocals by Nelly Furtado, Tegan and Sara, Jonsi from Sigur Rós, and Yele from Block Party. His single "Feel It" with Three 6 Mafia, Sean Kingston and Flo Rida went gold. "C'Mon," his single with Major Lazer producer Diplo, was the talk of WMC last year, and Busta Rhymes would eventually lend his vocals to the song.
"He sells out stadiums but never comes across as big-headed or arrogant," EDM DJ/producer Sander Van Doorn told Mixmag. "He's very approachable, asking questions about music, giving tips and honest opinions."
"He's a new friend," house producer Afrojack told MTV News recently. "He's a nice guy. Just like David [Guetta]. They are both nice guys. Like really, really nice guys."
This week, MTV News caught up with Guetta, who revealed yet another dimension to Tiësto's greatness: While Guetta has achieved success here with the help of American radio, Tiësto has done it all on his own.
"We're actually good friends," Guetta said. "I have nothing but respect for him and friendship. When I see those shows, it's unbelievable. We kind of pull the same kind numbers, but I have massive hits on the radio, and for him to be able to do what he does, without having crossover records, it's incredible. I respect that a lot."
Tiësto will begin his residency at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel & Casino later this year and will be dropping his Club Life mix album in the next few months.

By Akshay Bhansali (@akshaytv) MTV News