Martin Garrix unveils 'MARTY' album: 5 years, 14 tracks, 30 years of life
Synopsis
Martin Garrix has spent over five years building 'MARTY' — a 14-track album named after his childhood alias that charts the first 30 years of his life. With ideas dating back 12 to 13 years, it is the most ambitious and personal project of his career, and he is already thinking about the album that follows it.
Key Takeaways
Martin Garrix announced his debut album 'MARTY' via Instagram , describing it as his most personal project.
The 14-track album has been in development for over 5 years , with some ideas going back 12 to 13 years .
The title 'MARTY' derives from his early alias 'DJ Marty' ; the album traces the first 30 years of his life.
Garrix topped DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list five times — in 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2022 , and 2024 .
No official release date has been announced; Garrix says he is currently finalising the final touches.
International DJ and music producer Martin Garrix has revealed details of his highly anticipated debut album, 'MARTY', describing it as the most personal project of his career. In an Instagram post, Garrix disclosed that he has spent over five years crafting the 14-track record, with some of its earliest ideas stretching back 12 to 13 years.
What 'MARTY' Means to Garrix
The album title draws directly from Garrix's early alias, 'DJ Marty' — a nod to his roots before he rose to global prominence. According to the artist, the record is structured in chapters, each tracing a different phase of his life from a bedroom producer with big dreams to one of the world's most recognised DJs.
'It tells the story of the first 30 years of my life through different chapters,' Garrix wrote, adding that narrowing the tracklist to 14 songs for such a personal project 'definitely wasn't easy.'
The Message Behind the Music
Beyond the biographical arc, Garrix described a deeper emotional intention for the album. 'More than anything, I hope this album reminds people that the love and energy we give and put out into the world never really disappears,' he wrote. The statement signals a reflective, emotionally resonant tone — a departure from the high-octane festival anthems for which he is best known.
Notably, Garrix also revealed he is 'already giving thought to the album after this,' suggesting MARTY is not a one-off introspective pivot but the beginning of a new creative chapter.
Career Milestones That Shaped the Album's Story
Garrix's trajectory — the very journey MARTY chronicles — is remarkable by any measure. He became the youngest DJ to headline the Ultra Music Festival in 2014, at just 17 years old, and headlined the inaugural edition of Ultra South Africa that same year. He has since performed at Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, Tomorrowland, and Creamfields, and held residencies at Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïa Ibiza in Spain.
His singles 'Animals', 'In the Name of Love', and 'Scared to Be Lonely' cemented his mainstream crossover appeal. He topped DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2024 — five times in total — placing him among the most decorated artists in electronic dance music history.
What Fans Can Expect Next
Garrix indicated he is currently 'finalizing the last bits' of the album, with no official release date announced yet. Given the five-year creative investment and the depth of personal storytelling described, MARTY is shaping up to be a landmark release in the EDM calendar. For the global fanbase that has followed Garrix from bedroom remixes to arena stages, the album promises an intimate look at the man behind the music.
Point of View
A deeply personal, chapter-structured album is a significant creative risk — and that is precisely what makes 'MARTY' interesting. Garrix has spent five years on this, which suggests it is not a vanity project timed to a career lull but a genuinely considered artistic statement. The choice to anchor it in his childhood alias also signals a desire for authenticity in a genre that is often accused of prioritising spectacle over substance. Whether the EDM fanbase — which largely discovered him through 'Animals' — will follow him into this more introspective territory is the real question the album will have to answer.
NationPress
10 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Martin Garrix's album 'MARTY' about?
'MARTY' is Martin Garrix's debut studio album, described by him as his most personal project. It is a 14-track record structured in chapters, tracing the first 30 years of his life — from producing music as a child in his bedroom to his global career as one of the world's top DJs.
Why is the album called 'MARTY'?
The title comes from Garrix's early DJ alias, 'DJ Marty', which he used before rising to international fame. He chose the name to reflect the album's autobiographical theme, grounding the project in his origins.
How long has Martin Garrix been working on 'MARTY'?
Garrix has spent over five years working on the album, with some of the earliest ideas dating back 12 to 13 years. He is currently finalising the last details before release, though no official date has been announced.
What are Martin Garrix's biggest career achievements?
Garrix topped DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2024. He is known for hit singles including 'Animals', 'In the Name of Love', and 'Scared to Be Lonely', and became the youngest DJ to headline Ultra Music Festival in 2014 at the age of 17.
When will 'MARTY' be released?
No official release date has been announced yet. Garrix stated in his Instagram post that he is currently finalising the album and that he 'can't wait to finally share this' with fans.
