A surprise onstage moment at a country festival turned into a full studio collaboration. Steve Aoki has joined forces with Goo Goo Dolls to reimagine their diamond-certified hit “Iris,” transforming the beloved anthem into a festival-ready experience that pairs the song’s raw intensity with Aoki’s high-energy production. The rework is out now.
Originally released in 1998, “Iris” has become one of the most enduring songs of its era, a global touchstone nearly 30 years on. The track has amassed over 5.5 billion streams worldwide and surpassed one billion in 2025 alone. It recently climbed to new peaks on Spotify’s Global Daily Chart and was chosen as the final song ever played at Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium, closing out the venue’s 53-year run as the Bills’ home.
The new version heightens the song’s intensity with playful synths, driving rhythms, and cinematic builds, amplifying its energy without losing the immediacy and iconic chorus that made it a classic. It was born from a surprise appearance at Stagecoach in 2025, when Aoki invited Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik onstage during his set for a live rendition. The performance became one of the weekend’s most talked-about highlights.
“Performing ‘Iris’ live with Goo Goo Dolls at Stagecoach was one of those rare, unforgettable moments,” Aoki shares. “You could feel the connection everyone had to the song, but also this incredible rush as we brought it into a completely different environment. That feeling stayed with me, and I knew we had to take it into the studio and build a version designed for festival stages, while preserving the heart of the original.”
Rzeznik felt the same charge. “Joining Steve onstage during his Stagecoach set was an unforgettable moment,” he adds. “The energy from the crowd was remarkable and the mixture of our two genres was amazing to witness live. We’re thrilled to release this new version of ‘Iris’ with Steve and share that magic moment with our fans around the world.”
The release arrives as Aoki celebrates the 30th anniversary of his influential independent label Dim Mak. Founded in 1996 from his college dorm room at UC Santa Barbara and named after his childhood hero Bruce Lee, Dim Mak helped launch The Kills, Bloc Party, and The Gossip, and has grown into one of electronic music’s most respected imprints. Aoki is currently on his Dim Mak 30th Anniversary Tour, a North American run with stops at Central Park SummerStage, Hollywood Palladium, Ultra Music Festival, and more.