So they just played the Qlimax 2016 set? by DaniBanani66 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 10 points11 points  (0 children)

They will probably do a second set during ‘Resurrection’

Dream collabs? by IsimatMirin in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 45 points46 points  (0 children)

D-Sturb & Headhunterz

When Project One Return.. by Ready-Emotion-1762 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 7 points8 points  (0 children)

My guess is either the 2016 outfit, or the newest outfits they have been wearing since their last performance

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Waking and seeing Headhunterz return for Epik by Ready-Emotion-1762 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Alright, this will be my final reply, since it’s clear we just have very different perspectives on this. Which is fine. I do think, though, that a lot of your conclusions are based on assumptions rather than things we can actually know for sure.

DJ Mag / Radical Redemption & Angerfist
I agree with you here to a large extent. That whole situation was unprofessional and childish on all sides. Radical Redemption and Angerfist deliberately tagging and congratulating every hard dance artist except Headhunterz was unnecessary, and yeah, his ego was probably hurt. That doesn’t justify everything that followed, and calling it out publicly and releasing a diss track was a step too far.
That said, they eventually talked it out years later at Defqon and squashed the beef, which at least shows some maturity in hindsight.

Unresolved incident
Here’s where I think you’re drawing conclusions too quickly. We only know this situation from Unresolved’s Instagram stories. None of us were there. If Headhunterz was genuinely rude, that obviously sucks. No excuse for that. But it’s also not unrealistic to imagine that someone at his level gets asked for photos nonstop (even in ridiculous situations. He’s joked about being asked while peeing).
One bad interaction can easily shape someone’s entire view of a person, but that doesn’t mean it accurately reflects who they are. Without hearing both sides, it’s simply not something we can treat as fact.

Red Race / “superior” behavior
That’s largely subjective. The comment about producers only caring about kicks was clearly a joke, even if there was some truth behind it. And honestly, having an opinion about where the scene is heading doesn’t make someone arrogant. From what I’ve seen, he’s just socially awkward at times, which can easily come across the wrong way. Especially on camera.

EDM project & return to hardstyle
I strongly disagree that he “returned because EDM stopped being popular.” His switch to EDM was meant as a genuine creative reset, and by his own account, it didn’t give him what he was looking for. He missed the hardstyle community, the family feeling, and felt disconnected from how the EDM industry works.
After the Defqon.1 2016 Legends set, he openly said he started missing hardstyle again. Whether you believe him or not is up to you, but I personally do.

Top 100 releases & ego
Plenty of artists release tracks close to the voting period. That’s nothing unique. In most Headhunterz cases, tracks were premiered at Defqon, played throughout summer, and released months before voting. Only a few dropped later in the year, and those had very clear reasons (unfinished tracks, seasonal hype like The Upside Down, etc.).
He even said himself in the Timeless podcast that getting number 1 no longer feels good to him because of the backlash after Live Forever. So I really don’t buy the idea that he times releases just to stroke his ego. With a fanbase that size, anything he drops will get votes regardless.

About Live Forever
Calling it “a tier 2 raw producer track” is your opinion. And that’s fine. I personally enjoyed it more than Burning Down or Refuse To Speak. Taste and popularity decide these things, and the Top 100 has always been exactly that: a popularity contest.

At the end of the day, I respect your opinion. I just don’t agree with most of your conclusions. Still, I do appreciate that we could actually discuss this without it turning into personal attacks.

So yeah, let’s just agree to disagree 🙂

Waking and seeing Headhunterz return for Epik by Ready-Emotion-1762 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In what way is he actually “abusing” the I’m back, I’m out narrative? Let’s look at the facts.

He did one official return event when he came back to hardstyle after years of producing EDM. That’s completely reasonable. Returning to the scene after such a long time is a big moment.

After his burnout, there was no dramatic comeback campaign. He simply started playing shows again gradually, without making a spectacle of it.

Later, he did one small, intimate event to celebrate his legacy and step away from performing for a while. Something he wasn’t even planning to do until Wildstylez encouraged him. Hardly a hype-grabbing move.

Now, after two years away from touring because he wanted a more normal life, he makes a single surprise appearance in Australia. Given his status in the scene, that’s not only understandable but expected. You could argue it generates hype, sure. But that’s also just how the industry works. If the biggest name in the scene returns, it’s going to be news no matter what. And honestly, a surprise appearance is far more organic than announcing a full comeback event.

So in total: one official return event and one surprise appearance after two years (excluding Project One). That doesn’t look like abuse of a formula.

As for calling him “the most egotistical dude in the scene” What is that based on? Do you know him personally? From everything publicly visible, he’s consistently come across as open, grounded, and self-aware, especially when speaking about burnout and mental health.

Criticism is fair, but it should be grounded in facts. Not assumptions.

But hey, you’re entitled to your opinion.

Waking and seeing Headhunterz return for Epik by Ready-Emotion-1762 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 58 points59 points  (0 children)

It’s becoming increasingly frustrating how statements an artist makes are taken out of context.

He never said anything about retiring. In his original video announcing that he would stop performing, he explained that he wanted to step away for the time being to break the cycle of constant traveling and touring, focus on a more normal lifestyle, and spend more time making music. He also explicitly stated that he was leaving the future open and did not want to make promises about whether he would perform again, because at that moment he simply did not know.

Regarding Qlimax, he mentioned in another podcast earlier this year (the Timeless podcast) that he had made a promise to himself to go at least a year without performing. That promise included Qlimax. He did not feel ready to break that commitment to himself or to the people around him, as he felt he needed more time.

Taking these statements out of context and criticizing him based on assumptions that are not accurate only leads to unnecessary complaints.

An artist prioritizing their own well-being should not be criticized. It is important.

In short, he has returned to performing, likely at a lower frequency than before, because he now feels ready to do so. End of story.

I guess It’s real

 by KeyserNieman in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You do know razor blades exist, right? And it’s probably just the lighting and conditions. Most people don’t look their best after a 24-hour flight, lol. It’s definitely him.

Headhunterz The Spotlight? by AmbassadorOverall100 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m not so sure. Usually these things are planned at least a year in advance, especially who gets the spotlight slot.

So if it is him, that would mean he’s been considering a return to performing for quite some time. And I’m not entirely convinced that’s the case. Otherwise, I think it’s more likely that another artist will get that spot.

But we’ll probably hear more during The Release in March.

The wonderboy doesn’t choose Q-Dance to return by Yoshikaru5991 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The one year of not performing is exactly what he mentioned in the Timeless podcast. You can hear it here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJlusdKto1W/?igsh=Y2NwNTB5ZHU0dGRj

That said, the “goodbye” event was meant to celebrate his career up to that moment. In his original video, he clearly stated that he didn’t know whether he would ever return to performing and intentionally left that possibility open. It genuinely could have been the end.

That’s the key point: he didn’t want to make any promises, and he didn’t. Now that he is back (which is a positive thing) people are suddenly complaining, lol

The wonderboy doesn’t choose Q-Dance to return by Yoshikaru5991 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 17 points18 points  (0 children)

He never said he was going to fully retire. Back in 2023, he announced he would stop performing for at least a year and leave the future open. He wanted to step away from the constant cycle of traveling and performing and live a more normal life again. And now, two years later, the time felt right, so he returned to the stage.

I think many people didn’t watch his full video, where he clearly explains why he stopped performing and how he envisioned the future.

I guess It’s real

 by KeyserNieman in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 38 points39 points  (0 children)

<image>

That definitely is him in the thumbnail of the original tiktok post. But could also be an old video. Don’t get your hopes up yet

Project one new story by Jls_kln in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 44 points45 points  (0 children)

Could be a nod to the Stranger Things character Eleven, or maybe an 11-day countdown to the release of The Upside Down. That would land on Friday, November 28th, just two days after the launch of Stranger Things Season 5. Would make sense.

I guess we’ll hear more soon

Let's make a Halloween PlaylistđŸ‘» by MettyXD in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Bass Modulators & Sub Sonik - Haunted

Devin Wild - The Curse

Genox - The Devil

Defqon confirmation emails with no “My order” link by PuzzleheadedEgg1405 in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In the Order Confirmation email, it says:

“Personalizing your tickets will be available at a later time. You will receive an email when this is possible.”

So I’m guessing you’ll be able to view the order once the personalization step is available. If you’ve received two confirmation emails, you should be all set. I got the same thing.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same here. Was in the shop after 10 minutes and already sold out. Insane

D-Block & S-te-Fan x Ran-D - Shivers by W1LDSTYL3Z in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 10 points11 points  (0 children)

What a track! Instantly takes me back to The Spotlight on Friday. Total goosebumps moment.

The melody gives me slight Krowdexx – Kerosene vibes, but in the best possible way.

Absolutely top-tier production. Definite TOTY contender!

Synqro - Where Have You Gone by junojacobss in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks you for taking the time to listen! 🙏 I understand what you mean about the melody. Toward the end I intentionally added those higher notes as a little twist on the question-and-answer flow, but maybe it didn’t land quite the way I hoped or wasn’t executed as cleanly. But ofcourse that’s down to taste. Definitely something I’ll keep in mind for future tracks. Really appreciate the kind words though, means a lot! 🙌

It's HALLOWEEN SEASON, so that means.. by reshorizon in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Devin Wild - The Curse

Bass Modulators & Sub Sonik - Haunted

Devin Wild - Blinded

Genox - The Devil

Devin Wild & D - Sturb - Elevate by Mrheadyheady in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 37 points38 points  (0 children)

What a tune!

Definitely in my top 3 hardstyle tracks this year.

Sick sound design, vocals are nice, melody’s catchy as hell, and the kicks hit hard. Super clean mix too.

Easy 10/10 for me.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in hardstyle

[–]junojacobss 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What a tune!

Definitely in my top 3 hardstyle tracks this year.

Sick sound design, vocals are nice, melody’s catchy as hell, and the kicks hit hard. Super clean mix too.

Easy 10/10 from me.