Forever Present
Avicii Forever, an apt name for this Album, the new compilation celebrating Tim Bergling’s legacy. Released May 16th by a collaboration between the Avicii Estate, Interscope Records and Pop house, this 20-track collection navigates the delicate balance between honouring what was and hinting at what could have been.
What’s immediately striking is how Bergling’s sound remains so distinctly ahead of its time. Despite his passing in 2018, tracks like “Levels” and “Wake Me Up” could drop tomorrow and still sound fresher than half the EDM flooding streaming platforms. His fingerprints—those instantly recognizable melodic progressions, that knack for finding the perfect vocal collaborator, the seamless genre-blending—are unmistakable throughout.
Nashville Connection
The compilation’s undeniable centerpiece is “Let’s Ride Away,” a previously unreleased collaboration featuring Elle King’s raw, emotive vocals. Recorded during a 2017 Nashville session, the track emerges as a perfect time capsule of Bergling’s creative direction in his final years. Co-written alongside Luke Laird, Carl Falk, and surprisingly, country-pop darling Kacey Musgraves, it represents the producer at his boundary-pushing best.
The Nashville connection wasn’t random happenstance. Bergling had been methodically exploring the intersection of electronic music and Americana for years, with “Hey Brother” serving as perhaps his most commercially successful experiment in that space. “Let’s Ride Away” feels like the natural progression of that exploration—more refined, more confident in its genre-agnosticism.
King’s vocal performance delivers exactly what an Avicii track demands: authentic emotion paired with technical precision. Her raspy, bourbon-soaked delivery cuts through the immaculate production, creating that tension between organic and synthetic that defined Bergling’s best work. When the drop hits, there’s that familiar rush—the calculated euphoria that made millions pack dance floors worldwide.
Legacy Building
What Avicii Forever accomplishes most effectively is contextualizing Bergling’s impact. The chronological sequencing traces his evolution from club-focused bangers to the more nuanced, genre-fluid approach of his later work. For those who only know the radio hits, tracks like “Silhouettes” and “Fade Into Darkness” provide crucial missing chapters in understanding his artistic development.
The compilation smartly avoids overloading with rarities or demos that might diminish the pristine quality associated with the Avicii brand. Instead, it presents a carefully curated journey through a catalog that permanently altered electronic music’s landscape. From “Levels”—the track that launched a thousand imitators—to “The Nights,” which showcased his gift for finding the emotional core within dance music, the selection feels both comprehensive and discerning.
For those who followed Bergling’s career closely, there’s a bittersweet quality to hearing “Without You” and “Waiting For Love” in this context. These weren’t just massive hits; they were signposts pointing toward exciting new creative territories he was beginning to explore. The inclusion of “Broken Arrows” and “Sunset Jesus” from his often-overlooked 2015 album Stories serves as a reminder of his restless creativity.
Cultural Impact
Seven years after his passing, Bergling’s influence permeates not just electronic music but pop production broadly. The Swedish producer’s approach to melody construction and his fearlessness in bringing unexpected elements into dance music created a blueprint that countless artists continue following. Listen to any contemporary radio hit with a four-on-the-floor beat underlying folk-adjacent vocals, and you’re hearing Avicii’s ghost in the machine.
Avicii Forever arrives at a moment when electronic music finds itself at another crossroads. With AI-generated production becoming increasingly sophisticated and the post-pandemic club scene still finding its footing, there’s something reassuring about revisiting music made by a human who understood both the mathematical precision and emotional resonance required for transcendent dance music.
The compilation also serves as a reminder of electronic music’s capacity for genuine emotional connection. Dismissing EDM as soulless button-pushing ignores tracks like “Tough Love” and “Friend Of Mine,” where Bergling demonstrated his gift for translating universal feelings into festival-sized moments. Those dismissing his work as merely commercial confections weren’t listening closely enough to the architectural complexity underlying the accessible melodies.
Lasting Resonance
What ultimately separates Avicii Forever from standard posthumous cash-grabs is the evident care in its assembly. This isn’t a hastily cobbled collection of B-sides but a thoughtful retrospective that acknowledges both Bergling’s commercial triumphs and artistic ambitions. For newer fans, it functions as the perfect entry point; for longtime followers, it’s a well-executed reminder of why his music mattered—and continues to matter.
The tragedy of Bergling’s story will always cast a shadow over his catalog, but Avicii Forever succeeds in redirecting attention back to the music itself. In doing so, it makes the strongest possible case for his enduring significance. These weren’t just songs that dominated clubs and festivals; they were meticulously crafted works that expanded the possibilities of electronic music while maintaining its essential purpose: bringing people together through shared euphoria.
Perhaps that’s Bergling’s most meaningful legacy—proving that music can be both commercially viable and creatively adventurous, emotionally authentic and algorithmically perfect. Avicii Forever doesn’t just preserve that legacy; it actively reinforces it, ensuring new generations will discover the singular talent that was Tim Bergling.
Buy Avicii Forever on Vinyl or CD
Fans and collectors can now own Avicii Forever in physical format, a must-have release celebrating the legacy of Tim Bergling. Available in both CD and double vinyl editions, these products are perfect for longtime listeners or as gifts for dance music lovers.
- Avicii – Avicii Forever (Double Vinyl) – £34.00 A premium 2xLP vinyl edition featuring 20 tracks, including hits like “Wake Me Up” and “The Nights.” Product may differ to image displayed.
- Avicii – Avicii Forever (CD) – £15.00 Compact disc edition with the full tracklist and official artwork — a tribute to one of electronic music’s most iconic figures. Product may differ to image displayed.
Explore Avicii’s legacy, music, and official merch by visiting the official website at avicii.com.
