Benny Benassi

Biography

Marco "Benny" Benassi (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmarko ˈbɛnni beˈnassi]; born 13 July 1967) is an Italian DJ and music producer. He is widely seen as a pioneer of electro house, a genre brought into the mainstream by his 2002 summer club hit "Satisfaction×Satisfaction1 January 2002 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Satisfaction (Isak original edit)4:462Satisfaction (Greece dub)6:403Satisfaction (B-Deep remix)6:294Satisfaction (Voltaxx extended mix)5:415Satisfaction (DJ I.C.O.N. remix)5:316Satisfaction (Poxsymusic No School remix)7:157Satisfaction (Robbie Rivera remix)7:51".
He started his career as DJ along with his cousin Alessandro "Alle" Benassi, forming the electronica duo Benassi Bros. Although he began to gain popularity with his pseudonym in 1997 by releasing the song "Electric Flying", his first international hit was "I Feel So Fine", launched in 2001 under the nickname KMC.
In 2003, Benassi released his debut solo-album, Hypnotica×Hypnotica24 May 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Satisfaction (Isak original)4:452Able to Love3:283No Matter What You Do4:084Let It Be4:315Love Is Gonna Save Us5:046Inside of Me3:517I Wanna Touch Your Soul4:068I'm Sorry4:379Time4:4210Put Your Hands Up3:5511Get Loose5:1012Change Style (Special Guest Benassi Bros.)3:4413I Love My Sex (Sfaction mix)3:2714Don't Touch Too Much (Sfaction mix)5:4915Able to Love (Sfaction mix)3:2816Satisfaction (Greece dub)6:3917Able to Love (Able to DJ)5:50, to positive reviews. Known as a pioneer album for electro-house, it incorporates electroclash sounds, many elements of house music and MacInTalk voices, and won the European Border Breakers Award. The following year, the debut album of the Benassi Bros., Pumphonia, was released. Their track "Illusion×Illusion28 August 2026 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Illusion (extended mix)4:08" became very popular in the American club scene, finally peaking at number 4 on Hot Dance Club Play. Following "Hit My Heart" peaked at 15.
In 2008, his remix of Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise" won the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording at the 50th Grammy Awards. In 2009, Benassi also entered the Top 100 DJs list from DJ Mag at #26, while in 2011 was rated #7 on DJ Poll Top 100 by DJ List web site.

Early days

A native of Milan and raised in Reggio Emilia, DJ and producer Benassi, started DJing alongside cousin Alle Benassi in the late 1980s in their hometown, before moving to Larry Pignagnoli's Off Limits production studio in the mid-1990s, creating music for various acts, including Whigfield, J.K. and Ally & Jo. In 2001, Benassi, under the name KMC, released his first hit called "I Feel So Fine", with vocals by Dhany. The track first climbed the charts in Benassi's native Italy, and soon became a #1 hit in the UK club charts.
Moving from house to electro, "Satisfaction×Satisfaction1 January 2002 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Satisfaction (Isak original edit)4:462Satisfaction (Greece dub)6:403Satisfaction (B-Deep remix)6:294Satisfaction (Voltaxx extended mix)5:415Satisfaction (DJ I.C.O.N. remix)5:316Satisfaction (Poxsymusic No School remix)7:157Satisfaction (Robbie Rivera remix)7:51" took Benassi's success worldwide a year later with high-profile DJs like Carl Cox, Darren Emerson, and Roger Sanchez offering praises. The track reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart after the Ministry of Sound record company replaced the original video (an almost still picture of the band, overlaid with graphics) with a video of models using power tools.

2003–04: Hypnotica

In 2003 Benny Benassi released his first solo debut album Hypnotica×Hypnotica24 May 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Satisfaction (Isak original)4:452Able to Love3:283No Matter What You Do4:084Let It Be4:315Love Is Gonna Save Us5:046Inside of Me3:517I Wanna Touch Your Soul4:068I'm Sorry4:379Time4:4210Put Your Hands Up3:5511Get Loose5:1012Change Style (Special Guest Benassi Bros.)3:4413I Love My Sex (Sfaction mix)3:2714Don't Touch Too Much (Sfaction mix)5:4915Able to Love (Sfaction mix)3:2816Satisfaction (Greece dub)6:3917Able to Love (Able to DJ)5:50 (he won the European Border Breakers Award in 2005 which racked up the most sales for an Italian album outside Italy).

2005–07: Pumphonia and …Phobia

Benassi often works with vocalists Paul French and Violeta, who are collectively known as The Biz. He produced a group with cousin Alle, called Benassi Bros., a project designed to shine the spotlight on the two Biz vocalists, Paul French and Violeta Claudia and other guest singers. A year after the release of Hypnotica, the album Pumphonia marked their first full-length release, and in 2005, Benassi Bros. released their second album …Phobia.
Some of Benassi's singles have charted high in the United Kingdom and have been played worldwide in clubs. Remixes for OutKast, Goldfrapp, and Felix da Housecat followed. Benassi also remixes music of his contemporaries, such as Tomcraft and Fischerspooner.
In 2005, Benassi founded the record label Pump-Kin Music. The focus of the label is primarily new and unsigned producers. The stated aim of the venture is to give exposure to some of the lesser known DJ/production talent across the world.
In August 2007, Benassi released a remix of Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise". The video for the track was created by Eclectic Method and features a montage of live footage from Public Enemy. It premiered on imeem.com. In February 2008, "Bring the Noise" won a Grammy for best Remix (Dance).

2008–09: Rock 'n' Rave

His album Rock 'n' Rave×Rock 'n' Rave3 June 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Finger Food7:112My Body6:113Shocking Silence8:344U Move U Rock Me5:045Who's Your Daddy? (Pump-Kin remix)5:216Here & Now5:517Rock 'n' Rave5:038I Am Not Drunk5:049Free Your Mind (On the Floor)5:1910Love and Motion5:4711Come Fly Away4:57Disc 21Bring the Noise (Pump-kin remix)6:382Everybody Everybody7:253Electric Strings6:114Who's Your Daddy? (David Guetta & Joachim Garraud remix)7:235Electro Sixteen6:31 was released on 16 June 2008. The first single from the album was "I Am Not Drunk×I Am Not Drunk21 April 2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1I Am Not Drunk5:042I Am Not Drunk (radio edit)3:063I Am Not Drunk (extended mix)5:044I Am Not Drunk (Pump-Kin mix)7:015I Am Not Drunk (Bloody Beetroots remix)5:376I Am Not Drunk (extended instrumental)5:047I Am Not Drunk (Bloody Beetroots instrumental)5:37."
Benassi also broadcasts the one-hour long The Benny Benassi Show on Sirius XM Radio's channel Area.
In 2009, he worked with Madonna on a remix for her single "Celebration" which was included on the official music video for the song.
On 28 October 2009, DJ Magazine announced the results of their annual Top 100 DJ Poll, with Ultra Records artist Benny Benassi placed #26, 13 spots higher than the previous year.

2010–14: Electroman

In 2010, Benassi released "Electro Sixteen", a video for Benny Benassi vs. "Iggy Pop", "Electro Sixteen," published by Ultra Records, which is an experimental music video featuring more than 15,000 photographs from his DJ set at New York's Electric Zoo Festival.
On 24 May 2010 "Spaceship", which featured Kelis, apl.de.ap and Jean-Baptiste, was selected as the Song of the Day on About.com, with the site calling Benassi's production "tight and melodic, [while] Kelis turns in a fantastic performance." The single was released via digital download on 21 August and charted at #18 on the UK Dance singles chart on 28 August."
On 23 January 2011, Benny Benassi released the music video for "Electroman×Electroman7 June 2011 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Good Girl3:402I'd Rather Be3:433Spaceship3:044Beautiful People3:465My House3:286House Music4:027Cinema4:548Electroman3:179Automatic B4:0210Control3:2911Leave This Club Alone3:3512Close to Me3:2113Cinema (Skrillex remix)5:0814All the Way (live)3:34", a single featuring T-Pain.
Benassi produced the track "Beautiful People", off Chris Brown's 2011 album F.A.M.E. and off Benassi's album Electroman, released June 7 the same year. Electroman includes several singles, such as "Cinema×Cinema8 March 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Cinema (radio edit)3:022Cinema (extended mix)4:543Cinema (Laidback Luke remix)6:084Cinema (Skrillex remix)5:075Cinema (Alex Gaudino & Jason Rooney remix)8:166Cinema (DJ Mazza club mix)6:027Cinema (DJ Mazza dub mix)5:458Cinema (Maurizio Gubellini remix)6:02", "Electroman", "Spaceship" and "Control×Control20 March 2012 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Control (radio edit)3:442Control (extended)5:203Control (Jacob Plant remix)4:274Control (Gigi Barocco remix)4:485Control (Gigi Barocco radio edit)3:456Control (Pink Is Punk remix)5:377Control (Mightyfools remix)5:018Control (Ianizer & Lemethy remix)6:23".
In 2012, Benassi worked a second time with Chris Brown. He contributed to "Don't Wake Me Up" which was released as the fourth single of Brown's fifth studio album Fortune. Benny Benassi also worked with Madonna, producing three tracks for her latest album MDNA: Second single "Girl Gone Wild", "I'm Addicted" and "Best Friend" (the latter is a track which can be found on the deluxe edition of the album). In addition, Benassi produced "Stardust", a track of British recording artist
Mika's recently released studio album The Origin of Love. Next to them, Benny Benassi produced Anjulie latest single "You & I".
In 2013, Benassi collaborated with John Legend and Heather Bright respectively for the songs "Dance the Pain Away" and "Ghost×Ghost12 February 2013 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Ghost (original radio edit)3:412Ghost (original extended)6:11". In 2014, he released the single "Shooting Helicopters", featuring Serj Tankian.

2015–present

In 2016, Benassi worked again with Chris Brown, releasing "Paradise", which was later included in his fourth studio album Danceaholic×Danceaholic15 July 2016 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Paradise (radio edit)3:532Danceaholic3:353Out of Control3:404Universe3:205Gangsta (radio edit)3:206Even If (radio edit)3:227Carousel3:328I Wanna Be Disco (2016 edit)3:419Pandemonium2:4610Dance the Pain Away (2016 edit)2:5611I Keep Running3:2712Who I Am (Back to the Future mix)3:4013West Coast Patrol4:4314Shooting Helicopters (radio edit)3:2715Analog Heart3:0316I Wanna Be a DJ2:1117Beardo (radio edit)2:5418Back to the Pump (radio edit)3:12. The album also features collaborations with Richard Judge, Marc Benjamin, Vassy, and Christian Burns.
On June 28, 2018, he collaborated with the duo Sofi Tukker for the single "Everybody Needs a Kiss×Everybody Needs a Kiss29 June 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Everybody Needs a Kiss3:35".
Benassi is managed by Paul Sears for Cock an Ear and Dave Frank for Milk & Honey Music.