Tiesto ‘drives’ new pop album the wrong way

With summer right around the corner, bass-pumping anthems are needed to keep the party going all night long. People want style, beats and addictive tunes that will top the charts and keep them entertained. 

Famed DJ and musical artist Tiesto dropped his seventh studio album, “Drive,” on Friday. Known for electronic pop tunes, Tiesto has made several tunes that have racked up impressive streams. With a simple album cover of a bedazzled race car helmet with his name embossed on the sides, it screams wealth, glamour and good times. However, the cover’s shine is brighter than the tunes inside. 

With several star-studded collaborations, “Drive” sounds like it would be the album of the decade. “The Motto” featuring Ava Max, “10:35” featuring Tate McRae and “Hot In It” featuring Charlie XCX brings exhilarating vibes to keep listeners on the dance floor all night long. With explosive beat drops and glittering lyrics, it’s part of the playlist at the club everyone is dying to get into. The three songs are contained in the first half of the album, making listeners assume the remainder of tracks are the same.

However, the rest of the songs fall flat. 

Collaborating with the Black Eyed Peas, Tiesto transformed one of their hits “Pump It Louder.” The classic 2000s song already has nostalgic club energy. The so-called remix is slower, but even with how loud the bass is, nothing can top the original song. “All Nighter” and “Learn 2 Love” have jazzy synths, but the franticness of the two sounds similar. “Bet My Dollar” follows in a similar fashion, but Freya Riding’s powerful lyrics show redemption. “Lay Low” has echoing gospel tones better fitted for a cathedral looking to pump up its weekly mass instead of playing to the masses.

What made the album miss the mark was the delayed release. Some artists move an album back a month or two to polish it to perfection, but Tiesto chose to stagger songs throughout the last three years. The popular gym and rave anthem “The Business” dropped as the lead single in 2020. “The Motto” dropped in 2021 while “10:35,” “Hot In It” and “Don’t Be Shy featuring KAROL G” dropped in early 2022. 

By the time the full album dropped, “Drive” only had five out of 12 tracks yet to be released. When the most popular songs are released months or years in advance, it lessens the anticipation of what’s to be expected. It lets fans become acquainted with the hits and reduces the potential for multiple chart-toppers as the songs have been out for a while. 

With Tiesto’s long-standing success, it’s a shame to see fun summer hits go to waste. Instead of running to the dance floor, this album serves as background music at an L.A. cocktail party. Tiesto better don that studded helmet of his and race back to the studio to provide the album we deserve to dance the night away to. 

Header Photo: This cover image released by Atlantic Records shows “Drive” by Tiësto. “Drive” is Tiësto’s seventh album. (Atlantic Records via AP)

Write to Emma Johnson at emma.johnson.5@mnsu.edu