Cheat Codes

Hailing from Los Angeles, electronic outfit Cheat Codes produces energetic house cuts aimed squarely at dancefloors and mainstream radio, drawing clear parallels to the Chainsmokers, Seeb, and Sigala. Their profile rose steadily through the latter half of the 2010s on the strength of tracks such as the Kris Kross Amsterdam collaboration “Sex,” the Fetty Wap and CVBZ feature “Feels Great,” and the Demi Lovato vehicle “No Promises.” That last release marked their initial entry into the U.S. Top 40 and earned platinum status stateside, in Australia, and throughout much of Europe. While continuing to register on the Dance charts, the group issued a consistent flow of singles, several of which surfaced on the EPs Level 1 and Level 2. The first two installments of their debut album arrived in 2021 under the title Hellraisers, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, with Pt. 3 following in 2022. Early the next year they issued the country-tinged One Night in Nashville, which included a contribution from Dolly Parton.

Shaped by the sounds of Avicii and Swedish House Mafia, Cheat Codes formed during the 2010s. Its three members—Matthew Russell, Trevor Dahl, and Kevin Ford—each grew up in the Los Angeles area and pursued separate endeavors prior to uniting, with Dahl having previously released music under the name Pluginstereo. Those varied experiences shaped the trio’s eclectic approach, which spans melodic pop and high-impact house anthems. Following “Visions,” they quickly rolled out the sun-kissed “Don’t Say No” featuring Dresses, the atmospheric “Senses” with Lostboycrow, and “Adventure” alongside Evan Gartner. As streaming plays and social-media traction increased, the group joined the Chainsmokers on the road.

Further singles emerged in 2016, highlighted by two international successes: the Top Ten, multi-platinum “Sex” with Kris Kross Amsterdam and the U.K.-favored “Let Me Hold You (Turn Me On)” with Dante Klein. In 2017 they unveiled their most prominent guest appearance to date on “No Promises” with Demi Lovato and launched the accompanying world tour that reached North America, Europe, and Australia. The single secured platinum certifications in Australia, the U.S., and Europe while delivering the trio’s first Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 placement. Subsequent releases included “Feels Great” featuring Fetty Wap and CVBZ plus “Put Me Back Together” with Kiiara. During 2018, cuts such as “NSFW” with Danny Quest and “Balenciaga” kept them visible, and they supplied official remixes for Thirty Seconds to Mars’ “Dangerous Night,” U2’s “Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way,” and Sean Paul’s “Mad Love.” Their link-up with Little Mix on “Only You” earned another platinum plaque in the U.K.

After delivering their debut EP Level 1, they followed with the singles “Home” and “Feeling of Falling” featuring Kim Petras. In 2019 the sequel EP Level 2 appeared, spotlighting appearances by Trixie, Afrojack, Kaskade, and others. A pair of 2020 releases—“Stay” with Bryce Vine and “Washed Up”—registered on the Billboard Dance charts, and the next year brought another Top 40 Dance hit in the Lil Xxel collaboration “No Chill,” taken from Hellraisers, Pt. 1. That summery project also contained cuts with Tinashe (“Lean on Me”), Au/Ra (“Wish It Was Me”), Marc E. Bassy (“Do It All Over”), and CXLOE (“Between Our Hearts”). Pt. 2 surfaced later in 2021 and welcomed Travis Barker, All Time Low, and Trippie Redd. Additional singles arrived in the form of “How Do You Love” with Lee Brice and Lindsay Ell, “Payback” featuring Icona Pop, and “Afraid of Love” with Stondon Massey. Pt. 3 reached listeners in 2022 and included further partnerships with Loote and Space Primates. Tracks such as “I Remember” featuring Russell Dickerson and Dixie D’Amelio and “One Night Left” with Mackenzie Porter led into the 2023 full-length One Night in Nashville, which showcased Dolly Parton on “Bets on Us” and Little Big Town on “Never Love You Again” while reaching number 14 on Billboard’s Top Electronic Albums chart. Later that year the group returned to club-focused material with the Sam Feldt-assisted single “You Don’t Even Know Me.”