Five unforgettable Avicii facts you need to know

One of Sweden's biggest music exports has announced he's had enough -- at the age of just 26. But here are five reasons he'll never be forgotten in his home country.

 

1. Promoting hilarious dance moves with Levels

 

Avicii's debut single Levels has been viewed more than 208 million times on YouTube since it was released in 2011. First showcased to the world when the DJ was just 20, the track pushed the Stockholmer into the global limelight and became a top ten hit in countries including the US, the UK, Sweden and Italy. If you've never seen the accompanying video, check it out now for the awesome comedy dance moves. We dare you to test them in your office.

 

 

2. Making his first one million dollar donation

 

Just a year after catapulting into stardom, Avicii showed the world he had a heart by announcing he was giving a big fat million dollars of his pay cheque away. Alongside his manager Ash Pournouri, he made the seven digit donation to Feeding America, a US-based network of food banks fighting hunger around the world.

 

 

3. Performing at Sweden's royal wedding 

 

While the UK's Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge did pretty well in nabbing Ellie Goulding for their post-nuptial party, Sweden's Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia went even bigger by landing Avicii during a hectic year in which the performer cancelled a number of other appearances. The news was first confirmed by the DJ's mum after she told a Swedish radio station that she had been invited to the royal palace!

 

Don't cry prince Carl Philip, you can still listen to Avicii's back catalogue on Spotify. Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT 

 

4. Winning Sweden's Music Export Prize

 

Tim Bergling (Avicii's real name) has picked up a bunch of massive international awards over the years but one of his biggest achievements in Sweden was taking home the Music Export Prize in 2014. The award was handed out by the Swedish government in 2014 to celebrate his contribution to the country's music export scene -- one of the biggest since Abba were together. Avicii was praised for challenging the genre of dance music by blending it with a country style in hits like 'Hey Brother', even though the idea was initially ridiculed by his colleagues in the industry.

 

 

5. Campaigning against human trafficking

 

In two of his final music videos before his break from the music industry, Avicii turned his attention to fighting child trafficking, in 2015, while making his debut as a co-director.

 

"The promise of a better life often traps families and children into being used as tools for some of the most despicable people on Earth," he said in a statement.

 

"It's an issue about which I hope to start a louder discussion, especially now with the huge number of families on the move from war-torn countries looking for safety and shelter."

 

Could making more movies be one of the "strong interests in different areas" that Tim Bergling is planning to explore in future?