Eleven years after its release, Avicii’s second studio album remains a reminder of Tim Bergling’s ability to bring electronic music and songwriting together in a way that connected with listeners around the world.
On October 2, 2015, Avicii released Stories, his second studio album and the final full-length album he would release during his lifetime. Following the global success of his debut, True, the Swedish DJ and producer returned with a project that showed a different side of his artistry.
Avicii had described the album as more song-oriented, and that direction was clear from the opening track. Waiting For Love, co-produced with Martin Garrix and featuring Simon Aldred of Cherry Ghost, became one of the album’s defining anthems. But Stories was far more than a collection of festival favourites.
The record brought together an impressive range of collaborators. Alex Ebert featured on For A Better Day, Zac Brown joined Avicii for Broken Arrows, while Coldplay frontman Chris Martin appeared on True Believer. Sandro Cavazza also made memorable contributions to Sunset Jesus and Gonna Love Ya.
Musically, Stories pushed beyond the familiar boundaries of progressive house and big-room dance music. Tracks such as Talk To Myself, Touch Me and the six-minute City Lights explored funk, disco and more experimental sounds, revealing an artist who was never interested in standing still.
Some of the album’s tracks had already made their first appearance during Avicii’s Ultra Music Festival set in 2015, giving fans an early taste of what was coming and building anticipation for the full release.
That anticipation translated into impressive commercial success. Stories reached No. 1 in Sweden and Norway, entered the top ten in fourteen countries and topped Billboard’s US Dance Albums chart. It also reportedly sold one million copies worldwide by November 2015 and became Spotify’s fourth most-streamed album of 2015.
But the album’s significance goes beyond its chart positions and streaming numbers. Stories captured Avicii at a point where he was exploring his identity as a songwriter and producer, bringing together live instrumentation, vocal performances and electronic production without losing the emotional energy that made his music so recognisable.
Its legacy has continued through the years, with fans revisiting the album and celebrating the stories behind its songs. The 10th anniversary in 2025 brought a special pop-up experience in Stockholm, followed by the Stories on Stories YouTube series, offering another look at the creative journey behind the record.
Eleven years later, Stories remains more than a milestone in Avicii’s discography. It is a snapshot of an artist who wanted to create something bigger than the dancefloor — music that could make people move, sing along and feel something long after the final beat.
Some albums define an era. Stories reminds us why Avicii’s music continues to live on.
