David Guetta Announces Riyadh Residency with MDLBEAST PRESENTS
Exciting news out of Saudi Arabia this week as DJ Mag’s #1 DJ is heading to Riyadh. David Guetta, winner

Exciting news out of Saudi Arabia this week as DJ Mag’s #1 DJ is heading to Riyadh. David Guetta, winner of DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs, has just announced a residency in Riyadh with MDLBEAST PRESENTS. This residency will run several exclusive shows through November, before Guetta returns again in December for a different lineup. CELEB takes a look at the news which is big deal for Riyadh, a vibrant and up-and-coming city with an eclectic nightlife.
Guetta Residency Announced

When you think of the EDM nightlife scene, Saudi Arabia may not be the first place that springs to mind. However, MDLBEAST PRESENTS may just change that perception. The newest arm of the MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM mega-festival, MDLBEAST PRESENTS aims to bring some of the best artists and DJs in the world to Riyadh to help continue to grow the vibrant nightlife that has sprung up in the city.
With a rich cultural history, booming night scene, and a love for DJs like Guetta that rivals other nightlife hotspots, Riyadh is the perfect city to host Guetta on his time in the Middle East. In a statement, the MDLBEAST PRESENTS team shares, “The international DJ, who retained his #1 ranking by DJ Mag in 2021, will kick off his residency with exclusive events to be held in various locations around Riyadh on the 12th, 19th and 26th of November, with a very limited number of tickets. The French superstar DJ will then conclude his stay in the Kingdom with performances at Formula 1 and SOUNDSTORM in December.
‘Building the music scene in the Kingdom is central to our plans at MDLBEAST and we aim to bring over the world’s best music icons to deliver genuine world class entertainment. With the launch of MDLBEAST PRESENTS, we are renewing our commitment to produce incredible events and truly memorable experiences for music fans in Saudi Arabia and the region,’ said Talal Albahiti, COO and head of talent booking and events at MDLBEAST. ‘David Guetta is just as popular in Saudi Arabia as he is anywhere else in the world, as he’s such a global sensation! His events in Riyadh will be much anticipated by electronic dance music enthusiasts and all music lovers,’ he added.”
Bottom line: Saudi Arabia’ nightlife scene is here to play, and bringing in talent like Guetta shows they’re serious about it.
MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM
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While MDLBEAST PRESENTS is organizing events and bringing artists to hype up fans for the SOUNDSTORM event, let’s take a look at what to expect with SOUNDSTORM itself. This year, the lineup brings some of the biggest DJs from around the world, turning heads with its impressive lineup.
The festival hits Riyadh December 16-19th, and here are some of the superstar headliners from the EDM world:
- David Guetta
- Deadmau5
- Martin Garrix
- Armin Van Buurin
- DJ Snake
- Eric Prydz
- And more.
But they’re not leaving out trance artists, and the trance stars taking the stage include:
- Paul Kalkbrenner
- Adam Beyer
- Amelie Lens
- Charlotte de Witte
- Jeff Mills
- Nina Kraviz
- Carl Cox
- Sven Väth
- Plus many more.
Over 150 acts will delight fans, and the festival is expected to bring over 500K attendees. It’s the biggest, loudest music festival in the region, and they have plans for it to grow.
DJ Mag Vs Data

While we’re talking DJs, we have to take a look at the head-to-head over this year’s DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs. After the list was announced, there was some shuffling and infighting as people questioned the results. The list is compiled from votes from DJ Mag fans, so it’s not exactly scientific. Here were the top 10 DJs from the polled results:
- David Guetta
- Martin Garrix
- Armin Van Buren
- Alok
- Dmitri Vegas & Like Mike
- Afrojack
- Don Diablo
- Oliver Heldens
- Timmy Trumpet
- Steve Aoki
But when a data tracking company called Viberate took a look at a number of real-world metrics, their list didn’t line up exactly with the DJ Mag polls. Here’s what their top 10 looked like:
- Marshmello
- David Guetta
- Alan Walker
- Calvin Harris
- The Chainsmokers
- Martin Garrix
- Tiësto
- Skrillex
- DJ Snake
- Alok.
So which matters more, fan opinion or hard metrics? That’s up to fans to decide. But whichever side they fall on: fact or feelings, MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM is offering top DJs from both lists. So get your plane tickets – international travel is back on for vaccinated travelers – get your festival plans, and go enjoy. If you’re not ready for the scope of MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM, maybe set your sights on the Guetta residency in the meantime: but hurry, tickets are going fast.