When Roger Sanchez started his career in dance music, there wasn't a tree of electronic music genres. There was only a burgeoning sound that found a union between funk, disco, and the alien soundscapes produced by drum machines and synthesizers. Alongside contemporaries like Masters at Work, Todd Terry, David Morales, and Frankie Bones, he helped create the blueprint for 40 years of house music history.



Sanchez has an iconic catalog of remixes and original music. Similarly, he's changed the DJing game by being one of the first to play on multiple turntables at once. And with that much history and perspective on the evolution of dance music, he carries a wealth of knowledge on the music that forms the foundation for the culture. So we asked him to curate a list of his top five dance classics.



In his own words, these are the foundational house tracks that have had the most significant impact on his career.



1. Robert Owens - Bring Down The Walls

"One of my favorite voices in House music. I remember hearing this Robert Owens track at the Paradise Garage and the bass line blew me away."





2. Black Riot (Todd Terry) - A Day In The Life

"This early Todd Terry track on Fourth Floor Records was a peak-hour stomper guaranteed to make the dancers lose it."



3. Underground Solution - Luv Dancin

"This was the first track I released on Strictly Rhythm records, and Tony Humphries made it an instant hit by dropping it five times in one night at Zanzibar."



4. Frankie Knuckles - The Whistle Song

"This track always made me feel as if I were watching a sunset on a beach in Ibiza. A perfect Deep House track."



5. Ceybil - Love So Special

"One of the house heroines gone too soon, Ceybil rocked the dance floors in NY when this track originally dropped."

Roger Sanchez: The Tracks That Made Me

Roger Sanchez might have the Midas touch. The Grammy-winning Dominican-American DJ and producer helped make Strictly Rhythm one of the premier labels for quality electronic music. And his influence has only grown as the decades roll by.




While attending school at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn as an architecture student, Sanchez DJed at several underground New York hotspots. On his father’s advice, he dropped out to pursue music full-time. In the early days, he sold his mixtapes on the streets of Broadway to finance his early gigs.




He stumbled into his gift for remixing pop hits by accident. In the early 90s, after sharing a bad review of a popular single, he was enlisted to rework it. As word got out about his production magic, he went on to remix an array of stars like Diana Ross, Kylie Minogue, Daft Punk, Madonna, The Police, and No Doubt.




Here are just a few of our favorite superstar remixes from Roger Sanchez.




1. No Doubt - Hella Good



No Doubt’s 2001 album Rock Steady epitomized punk ska coolness. When Roger Sanchez remixed the album’s opening banger Hella Good, he flipped the track’s infectious guitar lick and Gwen Stefani’s seductive vocals into a seven-minute dance floor igniter. The track would eventually win Sanchez a Grammy for Best Remixed Recording.









2. Daft Punk - Revolution 909



When called upon to remix one of the most iconic acts in dance music, you have to bring your A-game. In 1998, Sanchez collaborated with fellow producer Junior Sanchez–no relation–on the rework of Daft Punk’s “Revolution 909.” The track was later added to the 25th-anniversary edition of Daft Punk’s first full-length album, Homework.









3. Michael Jackson - Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough



In 1992, MJJ Productions released a 12” of club remixes for popular Michael Jackson tracks. Roger was a recurring name among them. His Underground Solution Mix of the 1979 record “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” puts a classic piano house spin on the already dance-happy track by the King of Pop.








4. Depeche Mode - Perfect



Depeche Mode is a popular subject for house producers. The pioneering English group from the early 80s took underground electro-pop to stadium-sized proportions. On Sanchez’s ode to 2009’s “Perfect,” sinister synths and gloomy lyrics are given a jolt of deep house beats and danceable breakdowns.









5. Maroon 5 - Give A Little More



Sure, taking disco hits and reworking them for an all-night rave is fab, but Sanchez doesn’t stop there. On the extended mix of “Give A Little More,” he takes the Maroon 5 bubblegum pop sound and makes it fit for even the most pretentious dance floors. It shows how fine-tuned Roger’s ear is for a great dance track.








5 Roger Sanchez Remixes of Music Superstars

A Grammy-Award-winning label boss and internationally renowned DJ, Roger Sanchez is one of house music’s major powerhouses. The Dominican-American house music DJ has been perfecting the art of the turntables since the 80s, during the heyday of hip hop’s popularity in New York.

For the producer, growing up in Queens, New York, meant exposure to a spectrum of genres and sounds, ones that he would go on to incorporate into his own original sets and works.

Roger is a global citizen—elements of salsa, blues, soul, disco, and hip-hop permeate the artist’s expansive discography even today.



The self-made turntablist began his career with a robust education in art and culture from the Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture. From there, Roger’s passion for music expanded. He embraced hip hop and dance music culture as a graffiti artist, frequenting parties on the Bronx River with his friends. Soon after, he began to try his hand at DJing, working clubs all over the Big Apple.




Roger played alongside New York greats David Morales, and Danny Tenaglia. The boys pioneered a quintessentially New York sound and become revered selectors among the live events circuit in Europe, particularly in Ibiza, Spain.






Since 2000, Roger has been a staple on the White Isle maintaing his own residencies and throwing down on four decks for some of the world's most respected event producers. This year, Sanchez is playing the infamous party island nine times for Defected, Glitterbox, NERVONation, and Ibiza Anthems.



When he’s not touring internationally, he hosts his weekly radio show, Release Yourself, which boasts 15 million global listeners. The bi-weekly podcast continues to be a sounding board for the legendary artist's expert curation. He also runs the widely successful label Stealth Records. To date, he has released music by many of dance music's greatest acts, including Mark Knight, Avicii, Axwell, Laidback Luke, Pan-Pot, Sebastian Ingrosso, and Steve Angello.




Roger continues to cement his place as one of house music’s heavyweights— championing the house genre through critically-acclaimed label releases and his dynamic yearly compilations featuring the latest and hottest artists in deep house, Latin, and tribal house music.


Roger Sanchez: Architect of New York House Music

When the name UNDR THE RADR appears in Dance Music circles, crowd-moving underground sounds are sure to follow. The label, started by long-time industry trailblazer, Roger Sanchez, was first launched in 2014 and has since released more than 230 of the scene’s most exciting underground tracks.



Sanchez once shared in an interview, “There has been so much crossover in the explosion of electronic dance music, and with mass appeal, things often get diluted. I think the integrity and vibrancy of dance music’s underground legacy, both sonically and lyrically, are essential to keep moving to that new thing.”



That dedication to preserving dance music’s boundary-pushing origins has played an undeniable role in the continued expansion of new sounds in an increasingly trend-oriented market.



As purveyors of a united international dance music community, we felt it only right to highlight the label committed to sharing the explorative themes that permeate the underground regardless of sub-genre lines. Check out five of our favorite UNDR THE RADR tracks below.







S-Man and Robbie Rivera - Wake Up

UNDR THE RADR is where Roger turned to re-introduce his notorious S-Man alias. Here we find the dark, dirty, bass-driven alter-ego team up with Robbie Rivera on a dizzying tech house cut that will confound even the most seasoned listener.



Uch - Genius Of House (Sam Divine Remix)



Astronomer Carl Sagan once said, “You must know the past to understand the future.” This hypnotic house track pays homage to the roots of dance music with its bi-tonal synth lines and venerating vocal sample.



Carnao Beats- Cabasa

Sanchez once noted that UNDR THE RADR is for anything coming from the underground, below the club level. This track is so deep it just might be under the underground.



Espinal & Nova- Sunshine

Dance music’s roots are steeped in soul. Espinal & Nova combine the impassioned expression of the old with the driving energy of the new in this absolute roller of a tune.



Roger Sanchez and Jacky- What I Mean

You won’t have a dance music career spanning more than three decades if you can’t get the party started. Sanchez teams up with UK producer Jacky on this infectious groove dripping in fun and begging to be loosed on your next soiree.



Bonus Beat: Karsten Sollors and KC Ortiz- Ride Ride



If there was ever a track that couldn’t be contained within the confines of a club, it’s this one. Karsten Sollors partnered with vocalist KC Ortiz to deliver this carnal cut guaranteed to make you feel fifty shades of fine and then some.



5 Thumpin' Tracks From Roger Sanchez’s UNDR THE RADR

Legendary artist Roger Sanchez and young legend Oliver Heldens give an education in proper DJing amidst a gorgeous London sunset with this mix for Ministry Of Sound. The undeniable chemistry of two artists at the top of their game makes for an unforgettable set that the Gray Area team has had on repeat since we stumbled on it in our YouTube feed.

There's some magic happening behind the decks on this one. They aren't just playing track to track. They're telling a story. And watching these two communicate is just as fun as listening to the mix.

Sanchez is one of dance music's most revered DJs and producers. The Grammy Award winner discovered DJing in the '80s as a young breakdancer and graffiti artist. From his earliest days selling mixtapes on the streets of New York to his multiple residencies in Ibiza, Sanchez has exhibited unmatched creativity and innate musical ability. In his decade-spanning career, he's released countless dancefloor-filling hits and remixes for artists ranging from Michael Jackso to No Doubt.

Follow Roger Sanchez on Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud | Spotify

While Oliver Heldens career doesn't go as far back as Sanchez's, he's cemented his legendary status through a relentless drive to reshape the face of dance music. The Dutch DJ was a pioneer of future house, and helped make it a global phenomenon. His Hi-Lo alias has allowed him to expand his musical footprint beyond mainstage EDM. He's become well respected in underground circles and worked alongside Nina Kraviz, Will Clarke, Sian, and Alok. He is among the top 500 most streamed artists on Spotify.

Follow Oliver Heldens on Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud | Spotify



Set of the Week: Roger Sanchez and Oliver Heldens Go b2b for Ministry of Sound

Roger Sanchez is a Grammy-winning, Dominican-American house music DJ and producer. In the early 90s, he helped make Strictly Rhythm one of the premier labels for great electronic music, and his influence has only grown as the decades roll by.

In the early 80s, Roger was a student at the Manhattan School of Art and Design. But while he was studying architecture, he was fascinated by the growing graffiti and breakdancing scene in his native New York. As he’d already been DJing since he was 13, Roger was mixing at several New York hotspots through college before he eventually dropped out to pursue music full-time. In the early days, he sold his mixtapes on the streets of Broadway to finance his early gigs. And in 1990, he released his first 12-inch single “Dreamworld” under the name Egotrip. A man of many aliases, he would also join Strictly Rhythm Records around this time, releasing music this time as Underground Solution.

Later productions from Roger would cement his status as one of Strictly Rhythm’s greatest artists and one of the world’s leading mainstream producers. As word got out about his production magic, he was tapped to create remixes for an array of stars like Diana Ross, Kylie Minogue, Daft Punk, Madonna, The Police, and No Doubt.

Now a mainstay in house music, Roger Sanchez has been commemorated by the DJ Awards as “Best House DJ” four times. He’s maintained regular summer residencies in Ibiza, earned an international hit with 2001’s “Another Chance”, and founded his own label Stealth Records in 2002.

A man of many talents and a dizzying work ethic, Roger also hosts a weekly radio show and podcast. In 2007 the podcast was awarded the first-ever Best Podcast Award at the International Dance Music Awards, and on December 21, 2020, the podcast aired its 1000th episode.

His dedication to his music and the evolution of the house scene has made Roger Sanchez a world-class DJ, and a global name in the house scene.

Roger Sanchez

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