banjos, fiddlesandsoul/c with complete band withalivebluegrass played featured from debutalbum, material hisforthcoming which set, Ultra 2013main-stage overhispolarizing criticism Heweathered fan were moreof hiscontemporaries hesitant. York’s Music Hall. RadioCity thefirst DJ headlineNew 2012,hebecame to And inSeptember songs for Madonna’s three producers. In2014,heco-produced most in-demand country radio crossover (No. 59 ontheCountry Airplay chart). hit No. 16 ontheHot 100 remix to anunderstated androde most Shazamedtrack ofalltime.) 22 countriesandreached No. 4 ontheHot 100. (Itremains the in charts genre thesongtopped collaboration, elements andpavingthewayfor future cross- fusingelect Masterfully singles, includingglobalsmash “Wake MeUp!” Hot 100 producing three Billboard sentiment, (No. 5 ontheBillboard 200) his vindicated seewhatit’s willsoon music... people allabout.” ofhouseandelectronic the endlesspossibilities showing andabout experimentation “is about Blacc published after, shortly doublingdownthat letter inanopen Avicii wasunapologetic Avicii embraced taking stylistic risks at a time when many whenmany risks atatime stylistic Avicii embraced taking True The album’s strong commercial debut , Audra Mae ’s triumphalsotransformed Avicii oneofpop’s into , Mac Davis Rebel Heart Rebel ronic, country andfolk ountry singers Billboard 2017; at his Stockholm studio in 2011; his his 2011; in studio Stockholm his at 2017; and Clockwise from opposite page: Avicii in album,aswell Ultra Music Festival in Miami in 2012. in Miami in Festival Music Ultra Another single,“Hey Brother,” Dan Tyminski cover in 2013; with Madonna at the the at Madonna with 2013; in cover Aloe True

. “ Coldplay True —Pasquale Rotella He the world.” around of millions the lives touched , ’s ’s Insomniac Events founder barriers genres like between the livesofmillionsaround theworldandbroke down “Asa far-reaching icon,hetouched impact. adance-music in thestudioagain.” itfeltbecause like hewaspickingup,makingmusicandback everyone months,”saysRomero. two ashock to last was “It make to sure everyhis workethic:“Hewanted word right.” was with histhird album,including collaborations constitute to intended Additional reporting byDave Brooks and David Rishty. stop.” that EDMisgoingto in away, make Ihadto thedecis lot for pop music,” says collaborator lot formusic,”sayscollaborator pop Grammy-nominated single“A “Hedida Sky Full ofStars.” CEO August 2017,hereleased came naturally me.” to surrounding alwaystheotherstuff was itthatnever It music. scenewasnotfor me.Itwasnottheshows andnotthe “The still evolving,” he told evolving,” hetold still growing,pushing musicis still thegenre it’s forward. “The pulled backfrom to thepubliceye,heremained committed theend.Even until ashe optimistic electronic musicstayed and uniquetalent.” trio for crossover. Butperforming 250shows yearhad per upto freshest hitmaker inascenethatfetishizes youthandthirsts I could be back... butIwon’t rightback.” back... be I couldbe fans, neversaynever. to “One of mecan writing, letter part open acknowledge asmuchinanemotional reluctantly seemed to He hewouldneverworld, butfew return believed thestage. to thethoughtofdoinganother gig.” should entertain hearthatI AndsoIdon’t wantto I havesaiditsomanytimes. playanymore.’ Ihavesaid,like, ableto won’t be ‘I’m die.’ goingto themthis:‘I “Ihavetold dates: and agencyfor cancelinghistour told told allthetime.” onstage be to the onewhowanted make to themusicbutnotsomuch He wastheonethatwanted guythatwasnotready to talented Despite the toll the scene took onAvicii, on thescenetook hisoutlook thetoll Despite Industry players remember A the place,especially “Everybody thoughthewasinabetter Avicii parted ways with Pournouri in December 2016. In 2016.In wayswithPournouriAvicii inDecember parted Avicii onatrajectory —the be thetop appeared to to Collaborator Collaborator Avicii’s retirement inMarch from 2016shocked touring the “To dofor me,itwassomethingIhadto myhealth,”Avicii Shermanology The Hollywood Reporter The Hollywood Rita Ora Randy Phillips , AlunaGeorge Nicky Romero releasing hissophomore album, beforeand canceledallremaining dates tour 2015, Avicii struggledwithsevere anxiety After returningand appendix. theroad to in in 2014for theremoval ofhisgallbladder drinking, andwasforced cancelshows to heavy dueto inpart pancreatitis, with acute onhishealth.Hewasdiagnosed atoll taken about getting resistance from hismanagement resistance getting about sceneshows himventing haunting particularly oftheartist’s A portrait sagaduringthisperiod. the Billboard 200. atNo. 17commercial success,peaking on fall. its predecessor’s TheLPdidnotmatch Avicii: True Stories . : “It is impossible to replace to suchgreat: “Itisimpossible The Hollywood Reporter The Hollywood Avīci (01 MAY 5, 2018 | WWW.BILLBOARD.COM |WWW.BILLBOARD.COM 2018 MAY 5, Pasquale Rotella and ofhisdecisioninApril2016. remembers himas“such a dance musicandcountry,” says vicii as a singular talent with vicii asasingulartalent ion Idid.Becausedon’t feel Billy Raffoul perform for somanypeople. , thefirst ofthree EPs Andy Sherman painted aharrowing painted . Adds LiveStyle LiveStyle . Adds , who raved about , whoraved about . “That’s why,. “That’s Stories of Dutch ofDutch , that 23

AVICII: SEAN ERIKSSON. STUDIO: LARS PEHRSON/TT/SIPA USA. MADONNA: TIM MOSENFELDER/GETTY IMAGES.