Classic Trance Historical Breakdown [1987-2007]

[TheTranceHistorian]

The following summaries are just brief personal overviews. In my upcoming book, each of these eras—and even individual years—will be explored in full detail across dedicated pages. I’ll cover everything from the most important albums and tracks of each year to key producers, events, clubs, labels, and the notable shifts in sound and production style that shaped the evolution of trance.
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1987–1989 – Incubation Phase (Proto-Trance Phase I)​

This period marks the very first stirrings of trance as a concept. A handful of tracks began to experiment with hypnotic structures, atmospheric layering, and emotional cues—elements that would later form the core of the trance sound. However, in most of these early works, the trance-like quality was just one of many components, often secondary to the dominant genre the track belonged to, such as EBM, acid house, new beat, industrial, or ambient.

From a modern perspective, most of these tracks feel outdated and/or only flirt with the idea of trance. Yet, some remarkable exceptions stand out for their forward-thinking approach. A Split Second's Flesh (Remix) can be cited as the genre’s starting point, which also marked the beginning of New Beat, an offshoot of EBM. Other noteworthy entries include The KLF’s What Time Is Love? and Kylie Said Trance, Melt’s Radioactivity, and Age of Chance’s Time’s Up (Timeless)—tracks that went further in shaping a trance-like structure and mood well ahead of their time.
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1990–1992 – Cultural Explosion (Proto-Trance Phase II)​

While trance music wasn’t born exclusively in Germany, the cultural explosion that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall created fertile ground for its development. Artists across the globe simultaneously felt the urge to create a sound that combined the sensuality and melodic richness of classical music and early electronic pioneers like Gershon Kingsley, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, and Jean Michel Jarre, with the evolving structures of more modern genres like techno and acid. But it was in reunified Germany where this idea found the infrastructure and audience to grow.

During this phase, the trance sound transitioned from being a background element to a desired musical identity. The word “trance” started appearing in track titles and genre classifications—not yet fully codified, but increasingly intentional. Labels like Eye Q and MFS emerged, dedicated to cultivating this style. The first true trance tracks began to appear in 1991 (e.g., Zyon – No Fate (Struggle Continues Mix) and Eden Transmission - I'm So High (Ubud Mix)), and more followed in 1992. However, most of the output during this time still straddled the line between proto-trance and early trance, pushing toward a fully defined genre without yet achieving full separation from its predecessors.
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1993–1995 – Experimental Phase ​

By the early 1990s, trance had evolved from a loosely defined sound into a fully recognized genre. The release of the Berliner Trance documentary in 1993 helped cement this status, showcasing the genre’s emergence in Germany through key figures like Mark Reeder of the MFS label and artists such as Paul van Dyk. During these years, the trance sound became increasingly dominant within individual productions. Hundreds of tracks began to feature trance as the leading stylistic element, rather than just a secondary or experimental influence.

However, despite this growing dominance, many of these tracks still retained strong connections to other genres like acid, techno, ambient, and house — neighboring styles that complemented trance. The result was a diverse and genre-blending output that remained deeply rooted in earlier electronic traditions while pushing forward into new territory. This period also marked the emergence of nearly all key trance subgenres.

Hard trance began to take shape with releases like Sometimes I See Your Mind — a 1993 EP by Final Fantasy. Tech trance surfaced in productions like Solitaire – Chasing Clouds (Cosmic Baby’s Free-Gliding Mix) from 1994, the dreamy, atmospheric qualities of dream trance appeared in tracks like Roland Brant – Nuclear Sun (Gianni Parrini Remix) in 1993, and Nostrum was pumping out acid-trance masterworks in '94 and '95 (Brainchild, Trance on Ecstasy, Polaris). Even ambient trance found its early voice during this time, as illustrated by Mystic Force – Mystic Force (1994), a track that fused deep ambience with a meditative trance structure.

At the same time, compilation albums began playing an essential role in spreading the trance sound. Series like Trancesylvania (launched in 1993), Hypnotrance (1994), and D.Trance (1995–present) helped define the genre's identity and made it more accessible to a global audience beyond clubs and underground parties. And, by 1995, the first glimpses of a more modern, refined trance sound began to emerge. Tracks like The Tenth Chapter – Wired (The Stonk Remix) and The Mackenzie – Without You (Arpegia) (Long Trance Mix) hinted at the genre’s upcoming evolution.
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1996–1998 – The Years of Transformation​

The period from 1996 to 1998 marked a major turning point for trance — a phase of stylistic transformation and growing popularity. Around 1996, the genre began to distance itself from its foundational roots in acid, techno, and ambient. In their place, a more clearly defined and self-contained trance identity began to emerge, one that focused entirely on the euphoric, melodic, and hypnotic elements that had previously coexisted with other genres. This was the moment when trance “crystallized” into a standalone genre with its own internal logic and sound design. However, it can be argued that this purification came at a cost— trance lost some of the richness and unpredictability that the earlier fusion with other genres had offered, and in some cases, the sound became a bit more streamlined and less multidimensional.

These years also saw the arrival of producers like Armin van Buuren and Ferry Corsten, with Armin debuting his career-launching Blue Fear in 1996, and Corsten releasing Galaxia under his Moonman alias in the same year — both tracks becoming early milestones of modern trance. By 1997, trance began to feel the pull of mainstream attention. While vocal trance had existed before, this year saw a noticeable shift toward more vocal-driven productions, such as Three 'N One Presents Johnny Shaker – Pearl River (Vocal). At the same time, the genre started to experience a degree of stylistic dilution. Tracks like Sash! – Ecuador introduced trance elements into a more commercial, simplified pop framework — signaling both the genre’s rising accessibility and the onset of an identity crisis for some purists.

Nevertheless, 1997 brought some of the most iconic and influential club tracks in trance history, as massive anthems like the Three 'N One and Nalin & Kane remixes of Energy 52 – Café Del Mar and Binary Finary – 1998 became instant classics, blending melodic beauty with dancefloor intensity. By 1998, trance was well on its way to becoming a mainstream phenomenon. Its increasing commercial viability, the growing dominance of vocals, and the success of massive club hits all contributed to its crossover appeal — paving the way for the global trance boom of the following years.
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1999–2001 – The Mainstream Golden Age​

The years between 1999 and 2001 represent the peak of trance’s popularity — both in terms of cultural visibility and production volume. Statistics from platforms like Discogs highlight a massive surge in trance releases during this period, and these are the years most frequently referenced or uploaded on YouTube channels, Facebook groups, and Reddit communities dedicated to classic trance. It was a time when the genre managed to find a balance between accessibility and artistic integrity.

This period also coincided with the height of club culture across Europe, especially in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. The widespread use of MDMA, often colloquially referred to as the “Mitsubishi” pill, further fueled the ecstatic, communal atmosphere of trance parties and raves. Television channels like MTV and Viva aired trance music videos regularly, bringing the genre into living rooms and exposing it to audiences far beyond the club scene.

However, with popularity came dilution. As the genre became more commercial, a flood of oversimplified or overly pop-oriented tracks began to dominate the charts. Songs like Klea – Tic Toc (Magik Muzik Remix) exemplified this shift — highly catchy, hook-heavy tracks with sugary vocals laid over trance-style instrumentation. Similarly, Madonna – What It Feels Like For A Girl (Above & Beyond Remix), released in 2001, signaled the extent to which trance had entered pop territory — even when remixed by respected trance producers. Ironically, many of these tracks were widely accepted — even celebrated — by the trance community at the time, and are now viewed with a nostalgic lens, despite their contribution to the genre's artistic erosion.
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2002–2004 – Commercial Overload and Scene Fragmentation​

Between 2002 and 2004, trance reached an extreme level of commercial saturation. Acts like Cascada, Groove Coverage, and many others started producing what were essentially pop songs layered over trance-flavored instrumentals — catchy, polished, but shallow in substance. These tracks, often formulaic and vocally driven, represented a clear departure from the genre’s original identity. Trance had become a vehicle for easily digestible, chart-ready dance pop, losing much of its emotional depth and musical innovation along the way.

During this time, trance remained visible in the charts and popular in clubs, especially across Europe thanks to music television channels like Viva, Onyx.tv, MTV2 Pop, and TMF. However, its widespread exposure also triggered a backlash. Trance was no longer seen as an innovative or underground movement, but rather as over-commercialized and safe. Unlike earlier phases in electronic music where one genre would naturally give way to the next, trance wasn’t replaced — instead, a broader cultural shift occurred. Particularly in the UK, guitar-based indie and pop began to dominate youth culture once again, and electronic music was gradually pushed out of the spotlight. By 2003, superclub attendance was already in steep decline.

Despite the genre’s commercial erosion, not all developments were negative. Trance's more extreme branches experienced a creative resurgence. Hard trance, with its driving energy and relentless intensity, became a dominant force for a few years, especially in underground and rave scenes. At the same time, a more emotional and melodic strain of trance started to emerge — often labeled as uplifting, epic, or melancholic trance. These styles emphasized atmosphere, long breakdowns, and soaring melodies, rekindling the genre's emotional and storytelling roots.
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2005–2007 – Full Mainstream Exit and Artistic Identity Crisis​

The period between 2005 and 2007 marks both the complete retreat of trance from the mainstream and a profound crisis of artistic identity. While earlier in the decade many releases still followed the creative ethos of the early '90s — prioritizing atmosphere, hypnotic repetition, progressive structure, and emotional depth — these core elements gradually began to fade. Instead, a growing number of productions started to abandon trance’s defining characteristics and lean heavily into melody and catchy hooks, reducing the genre’s once-complex architecture to simple, digestible formats.

The hypnotic pacing, immersive spatial sound design, and sense of musical journey — once essential to the genre — were replaced by more immediate and superficial pleasures. Pop elements began seeping into the music, replacing the genre's traditional neighbors like acid, techno, and ambient. Melody, while still central to trance, became isolated from its proper context; it was no longer part of a larger, evolving soundscape, but a standalone, overemphasized feature. Vocals, once subtle and atmospheric, now often took center stage, dominating the mix and steering tracks toward mainstream pop sensibilities.

A key turning point — and arguably a symbolic milestone in this decline — was the release of Armin van Buuren’s "Shivers" in 2005. Despite being crowned the "greatest trance track of all time" in a A State of Trance poll, it exemplified many of the troubling shifts: overtly polished production, vocal-centric composition, and a formulaic structure that prioritized emotional immediacy over depth or progression. The irony was stark: a track that signaled the genre’s creative downturn was simultaneously elevated as its pinnacle achievement.

In parallel, the sound itself became increasingly sterile. The rich, multi-layered, and often organic instrumentation of previous years gave way to cold, over-processed, digital sounds. Tracks began to feel interchangeable — produced with the same presets, compressed to the same loudness, and stripped of individuality or soul. These years were, in many ways, the closing chapter of the classic trance era, with only a handful of tracks — mostly from the uplifting and hard trance camps — managing to preserve the spirit and artistic vision of the genre’s golden age.​

 

[juracid]

Great history book but i miss the Goa and Psy Trance movement, which should be included when we speak of "trance music" in general.

 

[TheTranceHistorian]

Great history book but i miss the Goa and Psy Trance movement, which should be included when we speak of "trance music" in general. ​

I just addressed this on Reddit, so if you don't mind, I copy that answer here.

Thank you for your comment — I really appreciate your input and your passion for early Goa trance. However, I want to clarify that Goa wasn’t “totally missed” in this timeline, but rather intentionally not included. This timeline is dedicated specifically to the traditional or classic trance lineage — and the decision to exclude Goa/Psy from this particular narrative is based on extensive research, not personal taste or bias.

Over the past years, I have listened to every single track tagged as trance on Discogs from the years 1987 to 1994 — over 20,000 tracks in total — including every release labeled as Goa or Psytrance. This gave me a comprehensive view of how each substyle evolved and diverged. Based on this large-scale analysis, it became absolutely clear that Goa/Psy trance, while overlapping in time and loosely in terminology, followed a very different musical philosophy and cultural trajectory from traditional trance.

Classic trance — whether it’s early ambient trance like Mystic Force – Symphonik (1995), or a hard trance anthem like Flutlicht – Icarus (2001) — is centered around a core creative ethos. It builds an emotional journey through atmosphere, melodic storytelling, and progressive structure. The goal is to create a hypnotic state that renders the listener emotionally receptive, opening the door to cathartic release and euphoria. This idea is echoed by Mark Reeder in the 1993 documentary Berliner Trance, where he notes that “trance” might have been more aptly named “euphoria” — because that emotional apex is its true destination. Trance uses melody as its guide, atmosphere as its foundation, and progression as its vehicle for immersion. Whether it's hard, dream, ambient, or uplifting trance, this is the compositional philosophy that defines it.

In contrast, Goa and Psytrance generally do not share this approach. Instead of an emotion-driven, melodic journey, they typically pursue trance induction through rhythmic intensity, mechanical repetition, and psychedelic texture. The hypnotic state they aim to generate is more cerebral than emotional, often abstract and driven by synthetic layering rather than melodic development. This makes Goa/Psy more about altered states and psychedelic immersion, while traditional trance is about emotional storytelling and euphoria through music. That’s a fundamental philosophical divergence, and not just a stylistic one.

This separation is also reflected in the broader culture: Goa/Psy scenes have their own festivals, compilations, radio shows, fashion, artwork, and musical networks — all largely distinct from the trance world I’m documenting. Even naming reflects this: many people refer to these genres simply as “Goa” or “Psy,” without the “trance” suffix. If you browse any platform focusing on Trance Classics — from YouTube channels to archive forums — you'll see that Goa is almost entirely absent. Conversely, Goa trance communities rarely embrace melodic or emotional trance.

So again, the omission in this timeline is not an oversight but a matter of intentional scope. My timeline — and the book it feeds into — focuses specifically on the evolution of trance as a melodic, emotion-driven genre, tracing its development from proto-trance roots through its classic era and eventual divergence. Goa/Psy is its own separate history, and a rich one at that — but it’s a different narrative with different goals, sounds, and cultural meanings.

Of course, there are crossover tracks that blur the line between these two opposing styles, like some tracks from Blue Planet Corporation (Midian, Lubianta), or the Dayglo Mix of Floor-Essence by Man With No Name, but these are exceptions.​

 

[juracid]

I appreciate your explanation for the absence of Goa and Psytrance. At first, this is a clear explanaion. However if we look deeper, it is not.

The thing is that this named 'crossover' style exists as long as trance as a term for electronic dance music. Proto-Goa from the early 90s is often exactly the same as what is called 'early trance music'. Look, even a Koxbox track can be found within Eye Q catalogue, one of the leading trance labels from the early period.

Moreover also in later decades you can find enough crossover artists, albums, tracks and DJs until this day. Hell, even the complete new 'trance movement' from the 2020s which is 'led' by UTE-REC., is built on classic 1999/2000 trance as well as on psytrance and also early 90s techno. So a triple crossover.

Last but not least, one of the most famous 'Crossover' trance DJs is none other than Mr. John '00' Fleming who formed this so called crosover style in his sets over 20 years ago. Check his old Global Trance Grooves tracklists from the 2000s.

Therefore, I am not really sure if your point of view is an standing argument for not including the history of Goa Trance (and later Psy Trance). For me, it just feels...incomplete. I'm sorry.

Nevertheless, it is your personal project and I really appreciate your extensive research and hard work you put into.

 

[TheTranceHistorian]

I want to clarify something that might not have been entirely clear from my previous message. Since I’ve listened to every track that’s ever been tagged as trance on Discogs from 1987 to 1994 — over 20,000 tracks, including everything labeled as Goa or Psytrance — I’ve naturally come across a wide range of crossover works. That includes tracks that blend the psychedelic or mechanical elements of Goa/Psy with the melodic and emotional focus typical of traditional trance. And yes, if a track fits within the core ethos of trance, especially in terms of structure, atmosphere, and emotional progression, I include it — both in my writing and in my curated database. So it's not that these aren't being acknowledged. Quite the opposite: if they are relevant to the trance lineage, they’re recognized and given space.

But that’s exactly the key point: the relevance from the perspective of classic/traditional trance. When we look at Goa/Psy as independent genres, we find that their dominant direction and artistic philosophy are simply distinct from that of trance. And that’s not an arbitrary opinion — it becomes obvious when analyzing structure, sonic focus, emotional design, and artistic intent across thousands of tracks.

In fact, if we’re talking about stylistic affinity, many tracks from early New Beat or certain strains of ambient music (like Paolo Visnadi – The Last Travel or Young American Primitive – Sunrise) are often closer to the core philosophy of trance than the majority of Goa/Psy output. These genres weren’t called "trance," yet they explored emotional journeys, spatial atmospheres, and melodic depth that aligned very closely with what trance would eventually codify. And yet — nobody suggests that every ambient or New Beat track needs to be part of a trance timeline, simply because they contributed something adjacent.

So it’s curious that the argument is often made in the opposite way with Goa/Psy — perhaps only because they include the word trance in their names. But terminology can be misleading. The presence of the word "trance" doesn't automatically imply artistic continuity. Goa and Psytrance developed their own sonic vocabulary, visual culture, audience, and festival ecosystem. They intersected with trance at times, but largely pursued a different path. That’s why they’re consistently separated in compilations, radio shows, club scenes, and label identities.

 

[Contraband]

I think your 2002-2004 summary is doing a disservice to those years by focusing mostly on the commercial aspects. It should be mentioned, sure, but I personally think this was a period when more sophisticated and less cheesey versions of the genre were also being created for the first time. This was the music that got me into the genre (alongside the progressive house movement) and it's what I come back to the most now. the 1999 stuff was too hands in the air, simple, big melody. I don't mind it, but its after the year 2000 where I think the best music is. In short, there is something uniquely special about those years you are not capturing.


Quadran - No Air (Main Mix) [2004]

B4 - Before & After [2004]

I Found You (Harry Lemon Remix) [2004]

 

[TheTranceHistorian]

I think your 2002-2004 summary is doing a disservice to those years by focusing mostly on the commercial aspects. It should be mentioned, sure, but I personally think this was a period when more sophisticated and less cheesey versions of the genre were also being created for the first time. This was the music that got me into the genre (alongside the progressive house movement) and it's what I come back to the most now. the 1999 stuff was too hands in the air, simple, big melody. I don't mind it, but its after the year 2000 where I think the best music is. In short, there is something uniquely special about those years you are not capturing.​

You are absolutely correct and that's a fair criticism. I think I tried to mainly focus in this shortened summary on the changes between the eras. But yes, obviously those years had many amazing tracks. Even the years like 2005, 2006, and 2007 (just fewer) - hence their inclusion in the classic era. For example, Ace - Da Brain - Magic Waters from 2005 is possibly my favorite trance track of all time, and the Oliver Prime remix of Netherworld also came out this year. And to stick with 2002-2004, I have a soft spot for Fragma's take on Energy 52's Café Del Mar (2003), I love the Cosmicman and Markus L remixes of Sundawner - Krystal Dreams (they are absolutely beautiful), and Andreas Schmidt (who is behind Ace Da Brain, Pervading Call, etc.) made some incredible tunes in these years and after.​

 

[Magdelayna]

Right on the cusp of this huge timeline of years - this amazing track was released....

 

[TheTranceHistorian]

Right on the cusp of this huge timeline of years - this amazing track was released....

Congrats, you made the swan song of the classic era haha.

 

[Magdelayna]

Congrats, you made the swan song of the classic era haha.

In all seriousness,that era of 2005/06/07 was when the digital download store era took over....itunes,audiojelly,juno etc....when i look back at the history of Trance,that era was a big switchover to me - we went from buying vinyls and CDs...to MP3's. And now we are going through another big switch over - MP3 downloads are on a big decline and streaming has totally taken over...

 

[TheTranceHistorian]

In all seriousness,that era of 2005/06/07 was when the digital download store era took over....itunes,audiojelly,juno etc....when i look back at the history of Trance,that era was a big switchover to me - we went from buying vinyls and CDs...to MP3's. And now we are going through another big switch over - MP3 downloads are on a big decline and streaming has totally taken over...

Every single track I like I try to acquire in lossless format, and if I can, from the first, original CD master. There's a difference between lossless and MP3 320kbps and that can be heard even on mid-budget equipment.

 

[Magdelayna]

Every single track I like I try to acquire in lossless format, and if I can, from the first, original CD master. There's a difference between lossless and MP3 320kbps and that can be heard even on mid-budget equipment.

Oh yeah,listening to a WAV burnt to CD on a good Hi-Fi system,theres a big difference to 320 MP3 imo. Thats why id always like people to listen to my productions in WAV or similar - but you know theres a slim chance of that.

 

[Breach]

Nice overview, thanks. I agree with most of it. Maybe its a little Eurocentric. I think my country (USA) still had a role to play, even if not the most significant. Maybe its not needed, but would be nice to see from a personal level. Young American Primitive was a massive influence for me into the trance genre, even if not entirely Trance. BT too, especially his early stuff.

 

[TheTranceHistorian]

Nice overview, thanks. I agree with most of it. Maybe its a little Eurocentric. I think my country (USA) still had a role to play, even if not the most significant. Maybe its not needed, but would be nice to see from a personal level. Young American Primitive was a massive influence for me into the trance genre, even if not entirely Trance. BT too, especially his early stuff.

Thanks! I actually mentioned Young American Primitive while talking about the exclusion of Goa/Psy below the post:

"In fact, if we’re talking about stylistic affinity, many tracks from early New Beat or certain strains of ambient music (like Paolo Visnadi – The Last Travel or Young American Primitive – Sunrise) are often closer to the core philosophy of trance than the majority of Goa/Psy output."

And yeah, USA had a role to play too, just like many other countries, even in the earliest days of trance. I actually have an upcoming article about this (covering the very first proper trance tracks) which will be published here once the admin has enough time.

 

[Pokkryshkin]

This is an interesting perspective, though I feel your presentation comes across as somewhat biased. A more neutral stance might be preferable

 

[badass]

In all seriousness,that era of 2005/06/07 was when the digital download store era took over....itunes,audiojelly,juno etc....when i look back at the history of Trance,that era was a big switchover to me - we went from buying vinyls and CDs...to MP3's. And now we are going through another big switch over - MP3 downloads are on a big decline and streaming has totally taken over...

I despise the streaming era. BIG NO to Spotify, still prefer owning tracks I love

 

[Propeller]

I'd say you have to separate 1999 from 2000 and 2001 and give it a section of its own. It was very different from those two years. You'd hear amazing things every single week because there was so much good trance released.
96-98 period is a good summary but Ferry and Armin were fairly insignificant in this period. Much more significant were likes of DJ Taucher, Nalin & Kane, Marino Stephano and Andy Ling. 96 - 98 period is like a long build up to 99 when it all explodes, everyone loves trance and most DJs played some in their sets. The tracks that made it into the charts in 99 were classics like Gouryella, Barbers Adagio, Binary Finary whereas in 00 and 01 the chart hits had cheesy vocals. 02-04 is a good summary too. Tracks like As the rush comes, Beautiful things are really quite cheesy and commercial but such was the overall lack of quality that they received a lot of attention. Some good music still around in 05 but for me after that the scene becomes a joke.

 

[TheTranceHistorian]

I'd say you have to separate 1999 from 2000 and 2001 and give it a section of its own. It was very different from those two years.

As I said in the post, the summaries are just brief personal overviews. In my upcoming book, each of these eras—and even individual years—will be explored in full detail across dedicated pages.

E.g. 1999:

• 1 full page or more for breaking down trance music in the given year (festivals, stylistic changes and genre development, etc.).
• 1 page dedicated to discussing the best compilation CD, the best EP, and the best artist album from the year
• 10 pages dedicated to discussing 20-25 tracks from the year

Etc. Plus more overarching breakdowns for eras (e.g. 1999-2001).

So each year will have around 15-20 pages worth of information.

All in all the yearly breakdowns will be around 300 pages in a 450-500 page book. So as I said what you can read in this post is just a simplified summary.

 

[JohnnyBarefoot1992]

Your perspective is interesting, but I have to disagree with some things:

I don't think Cascada or Groove Coverage have ever had anything to do with Trance, if you ask me. I mean, their music was somewhat inspired by Euro-Trance which was popular at the time but they were never really fully Trance, if you ask me, plus their music became popular a bit later, not really in 2002-2004.

I mean, I could have understand if you would mention Ian van Dahl, DJ Sammy, Milk Inc. and a few others which have always represented a poppier more euro-driven version of Epic and Vocal Trance but both Cascada and Groove Coverage really had never had much to do with Trance in general, if anything they were pioneers in a genre which would later become popular in continental Europe, the U.K. and even the U.S. which was Hands Up which extremely popular mostly from 2005 to 2008, but I wouldn't consider them Trance, if you ask me.

 

[JohnnyBarefoot1992]

I'd say you have to separate 1999 from 2000 and 2001 and give it a section of its own. It was very different from those two years. You'd hear amazing things every single week because there was so much good trance released.
96-98 period is a good summary but Ferry and Armin were fairly insignificant in this period. Much more significant were likes of DJ Taucher, Nalin & Kane, Marino Stephano and Andy Ling. 96 - 98 period is like a long build up to 99 when it all explodes, everyone loves trance and most DJs played some in their sets. The tracks that made it into the charts in 99 were classics like Gouryella, Barbers Adagio, Binary Finary whereas in 00 and 01 the chart hits had cheesy vocals. 02-04 is a good summary too. Tracks like As the rush comes, Beautiful things are really quite cheesy and commercial but such was the overall lack of quality that they received a lot of attention. Some good music still around in 05 but for me after that the scene becomes a joke.

I completely disagree that tracks like As The Rush Comes or Beautiful Things are "cheesy" and/or "commercial", while both tracks have a strong focus on their vocals, I think both tracks have tremendous productions and have in general aged quite well, probably even more so than most Epic Trance released from '98 up to '01.