View source for Paul Oakenfold

{{Short description|British record producer and trance music DJ}}
{{redirect|Oakenfold|the English cricketer|Kate Oakenfold}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2011}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Paul Oakenfold
| image           = Paul Oakenfold Shine On Album Promo.jpg
| landscape       = yes
| caption         = Oakenfold in 2021 for his ''Shine On'' album
| background      = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name      = Paul Mark Oakenfold
| alias           = {{flatlist|
* Bunkka
* [[Electra (band)|Electra]]
* [[Elementfour]]
* Perfecto
* [[Perfecto Records]]
* Perfecto Allstarz
* [[Planet Perfecto]]
* Rise
* Virus
* {{nowrap|Wild Colour}}
}}
| birth_date      = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1963|8|30}}
| birth_place     = [[Mile End, London]], England
| origin          = [[Greenhithe, Kent]], England
| instrument      = {{flatlist|
* [[Synthesizer]]
* [[Turntablism|turntables]]
}}
| genre           = {{flatlist|
* [[Electronic music|Electronic]]
* [[acid house]]
* [[Trance music|trance]]
* [[Goa trance]]
* [[breakbeat]]
* [[big beat]]
* [[dance-pop]]<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8463263/paul-oakenfold-only-us-little-nikki |title=Paul Oakenfold Drops 'Only Us' With Little Nikki: Exclusive |last=Bein |first=Kat |date=2018-06-28 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701072939/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8463263/paul-oakenfold-only-us-little-nikki |archive-date=2018-07-01 |access-date=2018-07-01}}</ref>
}}
| occupation      = {{flatlist|
* [[Disc jockey]]
* [[remixer]]
* [[actor]]
* [[record producer]]
* [[chef]]
}}
| years_active    = 1980–present
| label           = * [[Perfecto Records|Perfecto]] (UK)
* [[Maverick Records|Maverick]] (US)
* [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]] (UK and US)
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
* [[Steve Osborne]]
* [[Andy Gray (musician)|Andy Gray]]
* [[Rihanna]]
* [[Brittany Murphy]]
* [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]
* [[Grace (band)|Grace]]
* [[Mylène Farmer]]
* [[Movement 98]]
* [[Shifty Shellshock]]
* [[Sophie Ellis-Bextor]]
* [[Cher]]
}}
| website         = {{URL|http://www.pauloakenfold.com/}}
}}
'''Paul Mark Oakenfold''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|oʊ|k|ən|ˌ|f|oʊ|l|d}}; born 30 August 1963),<ref>{{Cite book|title=Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography|last=Norris|first=Richard|publisher=Bantam Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0593058954|location=London|page=24}}</ref> formerly known mononymously as '''Oakenfold''', is an English [[record producer]], [[remix]]er and [[Trance music|trance]] [[disc jockey|DJ]]. He has provided over 100 remixes for over 100 artists including [[U2]], [[Moby]], [[Madonna (singer)|Madonna]], [[Britney Spears]], [[Massive Attack]], [[The Cure]], [[New Order (band)|New Order]], [[The Rolling Stones]], [[The Stone Roses]] and [[Michael Jackson]]. Oakenfold was voted the No. 1 DJ in the World twice in 1998 and 1999 by ''[[DJ Magazine]]''.

==Biography==
===Early life===
Oakenfold was born on 30 August 1963 at [[Mile End Hospital]]. His father delivered the [[The Evening News (London newspaper)|''London Evening News'']]. He lived in [[Highbury]], [[Greenhithe, Kent|Greenhithe]], then [[Croydon]], attending [[The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy|Archbishop Lanfranc School]], then studied to be a chef for four years and worked at the [[Army and Navy Club]].<ref name="archive.org">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/passedfailed-an-education-in-the-life-of-paul-oakenfold-dj-and-producer-319036.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720191854/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/passedfailed-an-education-in-the-life-of-paul-oakenfold-dj-and-producer-319036.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 July 2015|title=Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Paul Oakenfold, DJ and producer - Profiles - People - The Independent|date=20 July 2015}}</ref>

===Early career: 1980–1984===
Paul Oakenfold describes his early life as a "bedroom DJ" in a podcasted interview with [[Vancouver]]'s ''24 Hours'', stating he grew up listening to [[the Beatles]].

Oakenfold's musical career began in the late 1970s, when he met Trevor Fung and began helping him DJ [[soul music]] in a [[Covent Garden]] wine bar. Here in London, he also met Rumours{{vague|date=November 2022}} where he played [[Earth, Wind and Fire]] and popular British bands.<ref name="Paul Oakenfold Goes Hollywood">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pauloakenfold/articles/story/5932383/paul_oakenfold_goes_hollywood |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070518205122/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pauloakenfold/articles/story/5932383/paul_oakenfold_goes_hollywood |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 May 2007 |title=Paul Oakenfold Goes Hollywood |access-date=2008-06-11 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref><ref name="archive.org"/>

In 1981, 18-year-old Oakenfold and his friend Ian Paul moved to New York City. Oakenfold worked as a courier in West [[Harlem]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Paul-Oakenfold-Biography/887820CD0D81734B48256C3200095A8C|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214012234/http://sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Paul-Oakenfold-Biography/887820CD0D81734B48256C3200095A8C|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 February 2009|title=PAUL OAKENFOLD BIOGRAPHY|date=14 February 2009}}</ref> During this time, [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] was overtaking dance music as the most popular sound in the area (see [[1984 in music]]). Oakenfold and Fung used fake identification<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.ministryofsound.com/News/Features/20071108_oakenfold1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112103400/http://www.ministryofsound.com/News/Features/20071108_oakenfold1.htm|archive-date=12 November 2007|title=Oakenfold – Blagging it at Studio 54, Extract from ''Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography'' |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=Ministry of Sound}}</ref> to sneak into various dance clubs, like Studio 54, where they met members of the band [[Maze (band)|Maze]], [[Bobby Womack]] and [[Bob Marley]], whom they also interviewed, claiming to be ''[[NME]]'' and ''[[Melody Maker]]'' journalists.<ref name="auto"/>

Returning to London, Oakenfold began breaking into the mainstream, as an [[A&R]] man for [[Champion Records (1980)|Champion Records]]. At that time, he signed [[DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince]], as well as [[Salt-n-Pepa]]. Oakenfold appeared on the ''[[Blue Peter]]'' [[BBC]] programme for children with a breakdancing crew. He became a promoter and British agent for the [[Beastie Boys]] and [[Run-D.M.C.]] Since then, he appeared at The Project in [[Streatham]] playing soul and [[jazz]] music.<ref name="pobio">{{cite web |url=http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Paul-Oakenfold-Biography/887820CD0D81734B48256C3200095A8C |title=Paul Oakenfold Biography |access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=Sing 365 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080429072412/http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Paul-Oakenfold-Biography/887820CD0D81734B48256C3200095A8C |archive-date=29 April 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://music.yahoo.com/ar-288173-bio--Paul-Oakenfold |title=Paul Oakenfold Biography |access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=Yahoo Music}}</ref>

===Perfecto Records and fame: 1985–1991===
{{Main|Perfecto Records}}
In 1987, Oakenfold travelled to the island of [[Ibiza]] for a week to celebrate his birthday. Trevor Fung, Nicky Holloway, Ian Saint Paul, [[Danny Rampling]] and Johnny Walker accompanied him. Oakenfold convinced the owner of a venue in England to host an "Ibiza Reunion" party after-hours. He had previously made an attempt, but it failed as the crowd was not prepared for the [[acid house]] style until 1987 when the party was successful. After that, the night became a classic and became one of the UK's major acid house nights, known as ''Spectrum'' at [[Heaven (nightclub)|Heaven]] in [[Charing Cross]]. The party was best known for the "Theatre of Madness", as more than 1,500 people were present on Monday nights, until it went down; with the financial issues it changed its name to the "Land of Oz". Artists like [[Alex Paterson]] DJ'd in the VIP [[chillout]] area known as the "White Room", which gave Oakenfold more free time, and then he began producing music under the alias "[[Electra (band)|Electra]]" in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/25038/electra/|title=ELECTRA &#124; full Official Chart History |website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=25 June 2021}}</ref> Members included Nick Divaris, [[John Rocca|John "Johnny" Rocca]] and Micky.  As they continued releasing only four singles as the [[Balearic beat]] band [[Electra (band)|Electra]], in Full Frequency Range Recordings ([[FFRR Records]]) founded and run by [[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1]]'s [[Pete Tong]], the duo created a new alias under the name Perfecto. Also in 1988 he decided to create a place where new artists could develop their careers. At that moment, [[Perfecto Records]] was born.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.perfectorecords.com/ |title=About Perfecto |access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=Perfecto Records}}</ref>

He collaborated with his friend [[Steve Osborne]]<ref name="pobio" /> on various projects. In 1990, he worked with [[Terry Farley]], [[Andrew Weatherall]] and Osborne on two remixes for [[Happy Mondays]]. The remixes of "Rave On" and "Hallelujah" were released on the ''Madchester Rave On'' EP, as well as "Step On", a cover version adapted from [[John Kongos]]' 1971 hit "He's Gonna Step on You". The song reached the top 5 position in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/26199/happy-mondays/|title=Happy Mondays &#124; full Official Chart History |website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=25 June 2021}}</ref> He was invited as a guest DJ to Spike Island, a gig with [[the Stone Roses]]. Pleased with the last single, the Happy Mondays gave Oakenfold and Osborne the opportunity to produce their third studio album, ''[[Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/161904 |title=Happy Mondays – Pills 'N Thrills And Bellyaches |access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> The album entered the UK charts at number one with pre-sales of 150,000. The album was named ''[[NME]]''{{'}}s 1990 Album of the Year, and both Oakenfold and Osborne won the 1991 [[Brit Award]] for Best Producer.<ref name="thrillscom">{{cite web |url=http://www.pills-n-thrills.com/happy-mondays-biography.html |title=Happy Mondays – Pills 'N Thrills And Bellyaches |access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref>

{{cquote|This is a tremendous record and a gauntlet chucked at all the other would-be legends in town... Wild, brash, corrosive funk rock, grimly northern and yet pan-cultural in a Tesco shoplifter kind of way.|||says ''[[NME]]'' in a 9 out of 10 review.<ref name="thrillscom" />}}

In 1991, they remixed [[Massive Attack]]'s "Safe from Harm" as well as many others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Perfecto |title=Perfecto |access-date=2008-06-10 |website=Discogs.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28023/massive-attack/|title=Massive Attack &#124; full Official Chart History|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=25 June 2021}}</ref>

===Tours and nightclubs: 1992–2000===
{{Main|Zoo TV Tour|Glastonbury Festival|Grace (band)|Cream (nightclub)|Home (nightclub)}}
In 1992, when [[U2]] released their song "[[Even Better Than the Real Thing]]", the Perfecto remix reached a higher charted position than the original song. In 1993 with the success of his last remix as Perfecto, he was hired by U2 to provide the warm-up sonics to their [[Zoo TV]] world tour, and replaced [[BP Fallon]] in the 1993 legs of Europe and Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, with more than fifty shows in Zooropa '93 and Zoomerang from 7 May to 10 December of the same year.

Also in 1993, Oakenfold and Osborne's project [[Grace (band)|Grace]] was formed as State of Grace and featuring vocals by Patti Low, though by the time Grace had charted a number of singles in the UK charts (around 1996),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/31389/grace/|title=GRACE &#124; full Official Chart History|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=25 June 2021}}</ref> it had become a 'solo fronted project' with jazz singer [[Dominique Atkins]] as the lead vocalist. The project was dissolved in 1997 as Oakenfold was touring as a performance DJ more frequently and could not commit to recording, though a remixed version of "Not Over Yet" was issued under the 'Planet Perfecto featuring Grace' name in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/8166/planet-perfecto-ft-grace/|title=PLANET PERFECTO FEAT. GRACE &#124; full Official Chart History|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=25 June 2021}}</ref>

{{quote box|width=30%|salign=right|style=margin-bottom:0; border-bottom:0;
| quote = "There's no chance whatsoever. [[Seb Fontaine]] is our resident and is contracted until the end of the year. Paul will be doing some dates and playing [[Creamfields]] but that's it. I think his reason to leave ([[Home (nightclub)|Home]]) had more to do with increased demands on his time in the US."
| source = — <small>said a spokesperson from [[Cream (nightclub)|Cream]] to [https://www.nme.com/home nme.com]</small>.<ref name="notgoing">{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/3316 |title=Oakenfold's Not Going Back Home! |access-date=2008-06-11 |website=NME|date=19 May 2000 }}</ref>
}}{{quote box|width=30%|qalign=right|salign=right|style=margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0; border-top:0; border-bottom:0;
| quote = "The reason he left was simply because he had so much on this summer and he felt it wouldn't have been fair to play one week and not the other."
| source = — <small>added an Oakenfold spokesperson.</small><ref name="notgoing" />
}}{{quote box|width=30%|qalign=right|salign=right|style=margin-top:0; border-top:0;
| quote = "I disagreed with the way the club was going and it's time to move on."
| source = — <small>responded Paul Oakenfold.</small><ref name="backinfold">{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/3949 |title=Back in the Fold! |access-date=2008-06-11 |website=NME}}</ref>
}}
In September 1994 and again in 1998, he teamed up with [[Steve Osborne]] and [[Ben Hillier]] to remix [[the Rolling Stones]] song "[[You Got Me Rocking]]" and [[Duran Duran]]'s "[[Out of My Mind (Duran Duran song)|Out of My Mind]]". He began producing his own tracks as well, continuing to remix songs from popular artists.  He began using [[Goa music]], fusing it with similar-sounding European tracks to create his own distinct sound. He took this to the mainstream in 1994 and created a pair of two-hour sets for [[BBC Radio 1]]'s ''[[Essential Mix]]''; the first of these was broadcast in the early hours of Sunday 20 March 1994, with the second being ''[[The Goa Mix]]'' broadcast on Sunday 18 December 1994.   His album ''[[Perfecto Fluoro (Paul Oakenfold album)|Perfecto Fluoro]]'' became the No. 1 essential dance collection of Boston Beat during 1996 with [[Jamiroquai]]'s ''[[Travelling Without Moving]]''.<ref name="pobio" />

On 9 June 1997, Oakenfold created ''[[GU004|Global Underground 004: Paul Oakenfold, Live in Oslo]]'' (GU004) which is a double mix CD in the ''[[Global Underground]]'' series. Compiled and mixed by Oakenfold, it is the first work he created for GU. The mix was recorded live at Cosmopolite Club in [[Oslo]], Norway, as part of the official launch of the [[Quart Festival]]. It showcased Oakenfold's eclectic taste in music at the time, as the mix combines various forms of dance music.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/36480 |title=Paul Oakenfold – Global Underground: Live in Oslo |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> In 1997, Oakenfold mixed one disc of the double album ''Fantazia Presents the House Collection 6'', a UK [[house music]] compilation series. Oakenfold became Cream's resident DJ from 1997 to 1999. During this time, he began to concentrate on the release of ''[[Tranceport (album)|Tranceport]]'' in 1998.

In 1998 and 1999, Oakenfold took the first place in ''[[DJ Mag]]''{{'}}s Top 100 DJs. With the two-year contract as a resident in [[Liverpool]]'s Cream, it was in 1999 that he released ''[[Resident. Two Years of Oakenfold at Cream.]]'' on [[Virgin Records|Virgin]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Resident-Two-Years-Oakenfold-Cream/dp/B00000ILM2 |title=Resident: Two Years of Oakenfold at Cream
|access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=Amazon}}</ref> [[Thrive Records]], the US distributor for early [[Global Underground]] releases had a different numbering scheme for the ''Global Underground'' albums; due to this ''[[GU007|Global Underground 007: Paul Oakenfold, New York]]'' (GU007) was released as (GU002) in the United States only. The compilation was released on 25 May 1998, with the US release on 19 January 1999. This was the second production from Oakenfold with GU and it contained trance, [[drum and bass]], progressive house, progressive trance, [[breakbeat]] and [[downtempo]]. This became his last work with GU.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

In 1999, he became the first DJ to play on the main stage at the [[Glastonbury Festival]] for 90,000 people, which he considers his favorite gig.<ref name="ministry">{{cite web |url=http://www.ministryofsound.com/news/features/20071108_oakenfoldinterview |title=Paul Oakenfold Interview |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=Ministry of Sound |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109095946/http://www.ministryofsound.com/news/features/20071108_oakenfoldinterview |archive-date=9 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/glastonbury/1999/stages.shtml|title=Glastonbury Festival 1999|publisher=eFestivals.co.uk|access-date=14 February 2021}}</ref>   He became resident DJ for the opening of (short-lived) London superclub [[Home (nightclub)|Home]], a role he performed until May the following year.  Also in 1999, he moved to the United States where he went on tour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/oakenfold_paul/bio.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020820221018/http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/oakenfold_paul/bio.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 August 2002 |title=Paul Oakenfold |access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=VH1}}</ref>

In 2000, he created fourteen tracks of jazz, soul, house and Goa based styles with Mitchell Oakenfold. Twenty-four [[audio signal processing|FX]] and scratches loops and sounds were included too, each consisting of six seconds; the album cover says "Only for DJs and Producers" and was released on Music of Life.

In March 2000, he teamed up with [[Steve Osborne]], [[Andy Gray (musician)|Andy Gray]] and [[Bruno Ellingham]] to remix [[Moby]]'s song "[[Natural Blues]]".

Sometime before July 2000, he teamed up with Andy Gray to write and produce the [[Big Brother UK TV Theme|theme]] for the [[Channel 4]] reality show ''[[Big Brother (UK TV series)|Big Brother]]'' under the name [[Elementfour]]. The series started airing on 18 July 2000, with the theme later released as a single. The programme and theme moved over to [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] from 18 August 2011 to 5 November 2018.

In September 2000, he opened the new [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|Digital Radio]] station [[Ministry of Sound Radio]] with a live mix from the famous London club.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pearlman |first=Julia |url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/470243/ministry-sound-debuts-cdquality-radio-station-realnetworks-radiopass/ |title=Ministry of Sound debuts CD-quality radio station on RealNetworks RadioPass - Brand Republic News |publisher=Brandrepublic.com |date=2005-04-13 |access-date=2012-04-18}}</ref>

Oakenfold appeared in the intro scene of [[UEFA Euro 2000 (video game)|EA's ''Euro 2000'' video game]], which featured him using his turntables to activate the video game and control various players.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izsV1gGY8ew EURO 2000 (PC) Intro.] YouTube.</ref> He also composed the game's soundtrack, which featured 7 tracks including a remix of the official anthem of the tournament.

===Pioneer in America: 2000–2001===
{{Main|Fresno|Area Festival|Swordfish (soundtrack)}}
After his success in Europe, one of Oakenfold's first major events in America was [[Fresno, California]]'s [[Cyberfest]] on 22 July 2000. The 500 acre indoor and outdoor central California location had the biggest dance capacity ever in America. An estimated 80,000 dancers and music lovers from [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[Reno, Nevada|Reno]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], and [[San Diego, California|San Diego]] were welcomed that day. Cyberfest 2000, also known as the "Festival Of The Future" featured other DJs such as [[Chemical Brothers]], [[Brian Transeau|BT]], and [[Carl Cox]]. Cyberfest 2000 paved the way for other major events in the area such as the [[Electric Daisy Carnival]] in Los Angeles in 2010.

In 2001, Oakenfold took part in the first [[Area Festival]] tour. This tour featured [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]], [[Carl Cox]], [[the Orb]], [[OutKast]], and [[the Roots]]. He later released a new [[compilation album]], ''[[Perfecto Presents Ibiza|Perfecto Presents: Ibiza]]''.

2001 also saw the release of the video game ''[[Frequency (video game)|Frequency]]'', for which Oakenfold produced one track, "See It".

[[Global Underground]] sold over 150,000 copies of Oakenfold's previous ''Global Underground: New York''. A spokesperson for the label claimed that in the US, demand for UK dance music had been increasing in the past couple of years, and now made up over two-thirds of the label's sales. The Global Underground New York office opened in on [[Ninth Avenue (Manhattan)|Ninth Avenue]] in [[Manhattan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/7788 |title=Boxed Takes Bite of Big Apple |access-date=2008-06-11 |website=NME}}</ref> The Mekka Electronic Music Festival, otherwise known as the "electronic [[Lollapallooza]]" took place in ten cities in the United States and Canada during August and September, including [[New York City]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Toronto]] and [[San Francisco]]. The event featured Paul, [[Armand van Helden]], [[De La Soul]], [[LTJ Bukem]], [[Josh Wink]], [[Derrick Carter]], [[Roni Size]], [[Deep Dish (band)|Deep Dish]], [[Brian Transeau|BT]], [[The Crystal Method]], [[Carl Craig]] and [[Überzone]]. Oakenfold next moved to [[Los Angeles]] to work on film soundtracks and to focus his DJing stateside.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/8555 |title=Electronic Performers |access-date=2008-06-11 |website=NME}}</ref> In 2001 he created the soundtrack for the film ''[[Swordfish (film)|Swordfish]]'', ''[[Swordfish (soundtrack)|Swordfish: The Album]]'' contained a transformation of "Planet Rock" into a seven-minute [[breakbeat]] trance anthem. Most of the tracks are collaborations with [[Andy Gray (musician)|Andy Gray]], the remix of [[N.E.R.D.]]'s "Lapdance" which gained total notability from other tracks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,1143070,00.html |title=Swordfish: The Album |access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=Artist Direct}}</ref> The soundtrack was produced under [[Village Roadshow]] and [[Warner Bros.]] and distributed through [[London-Sire Records]].

Oakenfold recorded a track with [[Crazy Town]] vocalist [[Shifty Shellshock]] at the end of the year for his new album. In an interview with ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', Shellshock said that the track known as "[[Starry Eyed Surprise]]" was created after the pair met at a Crazy Town show.<ref name="starryeyed">{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/8721 |title=Oakenfold's Cray 'Starry-Eyed' Sensation |access-date=2008-06-11 |website=NME|date=26 July 2001 }}</ref>

{{cquote|I am a big fan of his music and we just kicked back and talked and said that we should do something. I already laid the rough vocals for it and (we are) going to go in right when I'm done with this tour and finish it.|||said Shellshock.<ref name="starryeyed" />}}

===''Bunkka'': 2002–2004===
{{Main|Bunkka|Creamfields}}
In 2002, ''[[Bunkka]]'' became his first official studio album when he signed to [[Maverick Records|Maverick]]. The name ''Bunkka'' came from [[Peter Gabriel]]'s studio in the UK, where the album was recorded. An extended play was released featuring live versions of four songs under [[PeopleSound|Peoplesound Records]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/471930 |title=Oakenfold – Bunkka (Live) |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> It is also Oakenfold's best selling album to date, with sales largely exceeding 1,000,000 (1 million) copies worldwide.

{{cquote|For the past 10 years I've been creating music under various different names, but I was never comfortable with putting out an Oakenfold record... It was, however, an idea that I'd been thinking about for a long time and Steve Osborne, my colleague in some of the production work I was doing at the time, kept putting pressure on me, saying ''"you should do it, you should do it"''. So eventually I felt it was time to make that record.|||said Paul Oakenfold.<ref name="pobio" />}}

{{quote box|width=30%|quote="I'm a big fan of [[Nelly Furtado]] and she's on the record. She's got this wonderful way about her, she's extremely talented and a great vocalist. Most of all she's good fun, she doesn't take it as seriously as some people do."

"I'd always wanted to do something that represented my own musical background... I grew up on pop music, I love guitar bands and I was very influenced and involved in hip-hop during the early days, so I wanted to build from those roots upwards rather than doing a contemporary dance record."|source=— <small>said Paul Oakenfold on several interviews.</small><ref name="pobio" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/9801 |title=Oakey Ropes in Some Blokies! |access-date=2008-06-11 |website=NME|date=30 October 2001 }}</ref>}}

The album features vocals from Jane's Addiction vocalist [[Perry Farrell]] on "Time of Your Life" and [[Shifty Shellshock]] of Los Angeles rock and rap band [[Crazy Town]] on "[[Starry Eyed Surprise]]"; [[Ice Cube]] on "Get Em Up"; and [[Tricky (musician)|Tricky]] and [[Nelly Furtado]] on "The Harder They Come". The album contains appearances by [[Ashley Walters (actor)|Asher D]] of [[So Solid Crew]] on "[[Southern Sun/Ready Steady Go|Ready Steady Go]]", and [[Grant Lee Philips|Grant-Lee Philips]], founder of the '90s Los Angeles rock band [[Grant Lee Buffalo]] is also included with [[Carmen Rizzo]]'s version of his song "Motion". ''Bunkka'' also provided the start to three new artists, [[Carla Werner]] on the single "[[Southern Sun/Ready Steady Go|Southern Sun]]", [[Tiff Lacey]] on "Hypnotised" and [[Emiliana Torrini]] on "Hold Your Hand". [[Hunter S. Thompson]]'s spoken words are provided on "Nixon's Spirit".<ref>{{cite news |first=Kevin|last=Perry |title=Paul Oakenfold interviewed about Hunter S. Thompson |url=http://kevinegperry.com/2007/10/09/paul-oakenfold-interview/ |publisher=[[The Beaver (newspaper)|The Beaver]] |date=9 October 2007 | location=London}}</ref> Pakistani musician [[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan]]'s composition was adapted in an electronic version on the tracks "Zoo York". In 2002, [[Q (magazine)|''Q'' magazine]] named Oakenfold in their list of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#Die... |title=Q–50 Bands You Must See Before You Die... |access-date=2008-06-10 |publisher=Rock List Music |archive-date=19 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019101341/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#Die... |url-status=usurped }}</ref> In 2002, Oakenfold revealed he had struggled with [[dyslexia]] as a child and announced his intention to help dyslexic children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/campaign/champions2002/pauloakenfold.html|title=Reading Champions 2002 Paul Oakenfold|website=Literacytrust.org.uk|access-date=2016-06-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305131145/http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/campaign/champions2002/pauloakenfold.html|archive-date=5 March 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://education.independent.co.uk/careers_advice/article319036.ece | title=Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Paul Oakenfold, DJ and producer | work=The Independent | location=London | first=Jonathan | last=Sale | date=13 October 2005 | access-date=2010-05-22 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821160136/http://education.independent.co.uk/careers_advice/article319036.ece | archive-date=21 August 2008}}</ref>

In 2002, Oakenfold remixed [[David Arnold]]'s "[[James Bond Theme]]"; the song was released under [[Warner Bros. Records]] and was followed by the album's next two singles after "Starry Eyed Surprise", "[[Southern Sun / Ready Steady Go|Ready Steady Go]]" and "[[Southern Sun / Ready Steady Go|Southern Sun]]". "Southern Sun" with [[Carla Werner]] was first issued as a B-side of "Ready Steady Go" until it was included on [[Tiësto]]'s ''[[In Search of Sunrise 3: Panama]]'' compilation with his own remix of the song. "Southern Sun" became a hit as it was then released as the A-side of "Ready Steady Go" in mid-2002. "Ready Steady Go" was featured in [[Saab Automobile|Saab]] commercials, the 2003 [[EA Sports]] game ''[[Tiger Woods PGA Tour]]'', the [[THQ]] game ''[[Juiced (video game)|Juiced]]'', the pilot for the television program ''[[Las Vegas (TV series)|Las Vegas]]'', and as the [[NASCAR]] theme song for 2006.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} It appears in the video game series ''[[Dance Dance Revolution]]'' in ''DDR Ultramix'' for the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], the ''[[Fastlane (TV series)|Fastlane]]'' episode "Dogtown" and the ''[[Alias (TV series)|Alias]]'' episode "Snowman". "Ready Steady Go" was also listed as the number one song that makes you drive faster by [[UpVenue]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Terr |url=http://www.upvenue.com/article/1247-top-10-songs-that-make-you-drive-faster.html |title=Top 10 songs that make you drive faster |publisher=Upvenue.com |access-date=2012-07-30}}</ref> Also in 2003, he remixed another hit soundtrack for 'Elvis Presley' which charted fairly well after his 2003 remix of "Rubberneckin'" made the top three in Australia and top five in the UK. This remix contributed to the [[Elvis Presley phenomenon#Elvis in the 21st century|Elvis phenomenon of the 21st century]]. In an earlier episode of ''[[Radio Free Roscoe]]'', "The Imposter", a 2005 series on [[The N]], a character Travis Strong DJed to the song, acting as if it were his own. It has also been used in the [[Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker|film adaptation]] of [[Anthony Horowitz]]'s novel ''[[Stormbreaker (novel)|Stormbreaker]]'', ''[[The Bourne Identity (2002 film)|The Bourne Identity]]'' and it was reproduced with [[Korean language|Korean]] lyrics for the film ''[[Collateral (film)|Collateral]]''. The song has also been used during the performances of extreme freestyle water ski jumpers, and later became the theme song for the TV show ''[[TRL Italy]]'' from 2003 till 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Paul+Oakenfold |title=Paul Oakenfold |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> The EP ''The Harder They Come'' was released on Perfecto and featured other works from Oakenfold and other artists. At the [[Creamfields]] event in 2002 at Speke Airfield, DJs such as Oakenfold, Seb Fontaine and [[Paul van Dyk]] performed along with [[Dave Clarke (techno DJ)|Dave Clarke]], [[Jon Carter]], [[Richie Hawtin]] and [[Felix Da Housecat]]. The event also featured live appearances from [[Basement Jaxx]], [[All Saints (group)|All Saints]], [[Death in Vegas]] and [[Moloko]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-oakenfold/4138 |title=All Systems Go For Creamfields |access-date=2008-06-11 |website=NME}}</ref> In 2003, Oakenfold released the fourth single of his album, "Hypnotised" which became successful enough to be included on his next compilation from the ''Perfecto Presents...'' series, ''[[Perfecto Presents Great Wall|Perfecto Presents: Great Wall]]'' which also included the [[Deepsky]] remix of the song as well as tracks like [[Gabriel & Dresden|Motorcycle]]'s "[[As the Rush Comes]]", [[Björk]]'s "[[Pagan Poetry]]", [[UNKLE]]'s remix of [[Ian Brown]]'s "[[F.E.A.R. (song)|F.E.A.R.]]" and Oakenfold's remix of [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'s song "[[Hollywood (Madonna song)|Hollywood]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/194502 |title=Paul Oakenfold – Perfecto Presents... Great Wall |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref> In 2003, Oakenfold produced a remix of "[[Pourvu qu'elles soient douces]]", a 1988 hit by French singer [[Mylène Farmer]].

With the event of [[Creamfields]] that took place in 2004, Oakenfold released a compilation of songs he played during the event as well as tracks influenced by the environment and the vibe of deejays such as [[Paul van Dyk]], [[Armin van Buuren]], [[Ferry Corsten]], [[Judge Jules]], [[Fergie (singer)|Fergie]], [[Tall Paul (DJ)|Tall Paul]], [[Eddie Halliwell]], [[Christopher Lawrence (DJ)|Chris Lawrence]], Adam Sheridan, [[MC Shan|Shan]], and Alex Kidd at the [[Cream (nightclub)|Cream]]/[[Goodgreef]] and ''[[Mixmag]]'' Arena.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/merseyside |title=Liverpool Music – Creamfields |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>

===''A Lively Mind'', ''Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1'' and side work: 2005–2007===
{{Main|Hollywood Bowl||Confessions Tour|A Lively Mind|Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1}}
In 2005, Oakenfold was contacted by the car manufacturer [[Toyota]] to create a free promotional CD available from [[aygo]].com to promote a new Toyota car. The CD contained only seven songs which he worked on with Ian Green; the album was entitled ''Feed Your Mind''.

{{cquote|I think the [[Hollywood Bowl]] was the most memorable experience. It's a very unique venue that never had a DJ play there before me. The likes of [[Frank Sinatra]] and the [[Beatles]] had performed there so it's a truly magnificent place – it holds about 15,000 – and it was a big achievement for me as much as Wembley and the Great Wall because it had never been done. After seeing that gig, [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'s management were there and asked me to be the opening act for her on her 2006 tour, which also added to the experience!|||said Oakenfold in a [[Ministry of Sound]] interview.<ref name="ministry" />}}

During Oakenfold's career he has remixed a variety of songs from [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], like "[[What It Feels Like for a Girl]]", "[[Hollywood (Madonna song)|Hollywood]]", "[[American Life (song)|American Life]]", "[[Sorry (Madonna song)|Sorry]]" and later in 2008 "[[Give It 2 Me (Madonna song)|Give It 2 Me]]" from her album ''[[Hard Candy (Madonna album)|Hard Candy]]'', Oakenfold went on tour with Madonna for two months opening her presentation in the [[Confessions Tour]], previously he had supported her in 2004 at [[Slane Castle]] in Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twopandas.com/paul-oakenfold-madonna |title=Paul Oakenfold supports Madonna on her tour |access-date=2008-06-12 |publisher=Two Pandas |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512073322/http://www.twopandas.com/paul-oakenfold-madonna |archive-date=12 May 2008 }}</ref> His sets lasted for an hour and a half, followed by Madonna's two-hour show.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kittyradio.com/soapbox/jukebox/8487-madonna-tour-info-stadiums-get-new-look-stage.html |title=Madonna Tour info: Stadiums to get new look stage |access-date=2008-06-12 |publisher=Kitty Radio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617011310/http://kittyradio.com/soapbox/jukebox/8487-madonna-tour-info-stadiums-get-new-look-stage.html |archive-date=17 June 2008}}</ref>

Oakenfold remixed the ''[[Transformers]]'' theme as the theme song for the TV series, ''[[Transformers Cybertron]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=news&newsid=F6E38F1E-D56F-E112-4253C9282681216D |title=Paul Oakenfold Transformers Remix |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=Hasbro |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080411063738/http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=news&newsid=F6E38F1E-D56F-E112-4253C9282681216D <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2008-04-11}}</ref> He also contributed with his single "Beautiful Goal" for the ''[[FIFA Football 2005]]'' video game. His single "Ready Steady Go" was composed for the 2005 video game ''[[Juiced (video game)|Juiced]]''. His second studio album, ''[[A Lively Mind]]'' was released on 6 June 2006. Receiving unsuccessful reviews, the first single "[[Faster Kill Pussycat]]", a collaboration with the actress [[Brittany Murphy]], was released on 2 May 2006; the second single was "[[Sex 'n' Money]]". Both songs stand out from the rest, as most of the album has a more trance-like feel.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/pm/reviews/article/paul-oakenfold-a-lively-mind/ |title=Paul Oakenfold: A Lively Mind |access-date=2008-06-11 |publisher=Pop Matters}}</ref> Gregory Jeffries from [[AllMusic]] stated the album might have been in the nominated albums of dance music in 1997 but not in 2006, as the album has guitars with disco sounds that might be only appealing to trance addicts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://shop.mtv.com/A-Lively-Mind-2007-Grammy-Awards_stcVVproductId4258976VVcatId424651VVviewprod.htm |title=A Lively Mind |access-date=2008-08-18 |publisher=MTV |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727140033/http://shop.mtv.com/A-Lively-Mind-2007-Grammy-Awards_stcVVproductId4258976VVcatId424651VVviewprod.htm |archive-date=27 July 2011}}</ref>

{{quote box|width=30%|salign=right|quote="I've done so many remixes from the likes of the [[Rolling Stones]] to Snoop Dogg etc, but you can only get a certain amount on the CD. It was difficult for me but I had to choose what I wanted and what I felt were the best mixes that showcased my art in the best way."|source=— <small> said Oakenfold.</small><ref name="ministry" />}}
In 2007, he played live at the [[Boston Pops]] which created a piece of orchestral music with electronic music. The event took place in Miami for 10,000 people with a 75-piece orchestra, he wrote a piece of music which he described as "difficult".<ref name="ministry" /> In 2007 he was nominated to 2 [[International Dance Music Awards]] (IDMA) at the [[Winter Music Conference]] (WMC), ''Best Underground Dance Track'' for "Faster Kill Pussycat" and ''Best Full Length DJ Mix CD'' for "[[A Lively Mind]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pauloakenfold.com/ |title=Oakenfold Nominated For 2 IDMAs |access-date=2008-06-12 |publisher=Paul Oakenfold}}</ref> 2007 saw the publication of the first official biography of Paul Oakenfold, written by [[Richard Norris (musician)|Richard Norris]] of The Grid and Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve fame. ''Paul Oakenfold: The Authorised Biography'' was published by [[Bantam Press]] on 24 September 2007. Oakenfold is a self-professed supporter of [[association football]] clubs [[Chelsea F.C.]] and [[Los Angeles FC]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lafc.com/es/post/2019/08/12/north-end-visit-record-producer-dj-paul-oakenfold-81119 |title=North End Visit - Record Producer & DJ Paul Oakenfold 8/11/19 |access-date=14 August 2019 |publisher=Los Angeles FC |archive-date=14 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814231634/https://www.lafc.com/es/post/2019/08/12/north-end-visit-record-producer-dj-paul-oakenfold-81119 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was thought that he played a zombie in the movie ''[[28 Weeks Later]]'' however this is incorrect, he was offered the opportunity but turned it down. He also scored the soundtrack for the 2007 Japanese CGI anime film ''[[Vexille]]''.

In October 2007 he released his ''[[Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1]]'' which features his best performance tracks. Oakenfold was a judge for the sixth and seventh annual Independent Music Awards. In October 2007 Oakenfold remixed [[Britney Spears]]' number one hit "[[Gimme More]]", which became the lead remix off the release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/pastjudges.asp |title=Independent Music Awards – Past Judges |publisher=Independentmusicawards.com |access-date=2012-07-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713024722/http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/pastjudges.asp |archive-date=13 July 2011}}</ref> Oakenfold has created more than one hundred remixes, and has sold over 5,000,000 (5 million) [[long play]]s.<ref name="ministry" /> He toured in British [[universities]] to promote his new album and [[autobiography]]. The tribute album was released in November in the United Kingdom with a 2-CD set and a 3 CD version with the same number of songs. It was also released in the United States with only 20 tracks in one CD; it featured some remixes from the original version but it also included two new remixes which are: [[Justin Timberlake]]'s "[[My Love (Justin Timberlake song)|My Love]]" song and his remix of [[Hans Zimmer]]'s "[[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Remixes|Jack Theme Suite]]" which was used for the film ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End]]''. Exclusive 2008 remixes from Oakenfold were also included from [[Mark Ronson]]'s "[[Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before|Stop Me]]" song, [[Radiohead]]'s "[[Everything in Its Right Place]]", Eisbaer from Grovezone, "[[Missing (Everything but the Girl song)|Missing]]" by [[Everything But The Girl]] and a remix of Paul's own "Southern Sun". Releases with Catalog#: ''UL 1602-2'' included a [[DVD]] of live show and documentary. The compilation consists of tracks which influenced his career and musical persona, with artists such as [[The Cure]], [[Happy Mondays]], [[The Stone Roses]], [[Massive Attack]], [[U2]], [[Olive (band)|Olive]], [[The Smashing Pumpkins]], [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], and [[Underworld (band)|Underworld]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1254722 |title=Paul Oakenfold – Greatest Hits & Remixes, Vol. 1 |access-date=2008-06-12 |publisher=Discogs}}</ref>

===''Pop Killer'' and film scores: 2008–2014===
{{Main|Sticky & Sweet Tour}}
In 2008, he released the last single from his last studio album, ''Not Over''.  This was a new version "[[Not Over Yet (Grace song)|Not Over Yet]]" which he produced while working with Osborne as [[Grace (band)|Grace]] and in collaboration with [[Ryan Tedder]] from [[OneRepublic]].  The song was covered by [[Klaxons]] as "[[It's Not Over Yet]]". In 2008, Oakenfold worked on [[film scores]] for various films and television programs such as ''[[Californication (TV series)|Californication]]'', ''[[The Heavy (film)|The Heavy]]'', ''Fever'', ''[[The Bourne Identity (2002 film)|The Bourne Identity]]'', and ''[[Speed Racer (film)|Speed Racer]]''. In mid-July Oakenfold ended his world tour promoting his greatest hits album. He also joined [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] again in her [[Sticky & Sweet Tour]] in [[London]], [[Santiago]], [[Buenos Aires]], [[Rio de Janeiro]] and [[São Paulo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mixmag.net/content/oakenfold-open-madonna-wembley |title=Oakenfold to open for Madonna at Wembley |access-date=2008-06-27 |work=MixMag|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904234346/http://www.mixmag.net/content/oakenfold-open-madonna-wembley |archive-date=4 September 2008 }}</ref> After touring, he began his residency in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] on 30 August.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} In the fall of 2008, he started his first Resident DJ position in the United States. "Paul Oakenfold Presents: Perfecto Las Vegas" was conceptualized specifically for [[Rain Nightclub]], the legendary {{convert|25000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} nightclub and concert venue at the [[Palms Casino Resort]] known for its special effects and international headliner acts. From July to August 2009, he again opened Madonna's concerts for the Sticky & Sweet Tour in Europe. In 2009 Paul's third studio album was announced to be actually named ''Pop Killer'', and not ''Decade of Dance'' as the article from ''The Sun'' stated.

He also worked with Madonna on her third greatest hits collection, [[Celebration (Madonna album)|''Celebration'']], and her final release with [[Warner Bros.]] Records. The first single was released on 3 August 2009, it is also titled "[[Celebration (Madonna song)|Celebration]]" and was produced by Oakenfold. He also remixed a past demo "It's So Cool" from ''[[American Life (album)|American Life]]'', and it is included as a bonus track on iTunes.

Oakenfold remixed a song called "Firefly" from the [[Matt Goss]] album ''Gossy''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} In 2010, Oakenfold returned to the US as a DJ at [[Rain Nightclub]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/places/rain-nightclub/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220095237/http://www.lasvegassun.com/places/rain-nightclub/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 February 2009 |title=Rain Nightclub |publisher=[[Las Vegas Sun]] |access-date=3 October 2010}} </ref>

[[File:Paul Oakenfold.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Paul Oakenfold at Sutra, OC [[California]], in 2012]]
In February 2012 Oakenfold headlined a huge one-off event for club brand Goodgreef at the famous Tall Trees venue in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pumped Audio chats to Paul Oakenfold|url=http://www.pumpedaudio.com/interviews/pumped-audio-chats-to-paul-oakenfold-2/|work=Pumped Audio|access-date=23 October 2012}}</ref> Later in the year, he performed alongside Californian band [[Train (band)|Train]] at the [[Google I/O]] June 2012 After Party at Moscone Center in [[San Francisco]].

In 2014, Oakenfold remixed A3's single "Come with Me".

Oakenfold co-wrote a song for [[Cher]]'s twenty-fifth studio album [[Closer to the Truth (Cher album)|''Closer to the Truth'']]: "[[Woman's World (Cher song)|Woman's World]]". It was released on 18 June 2013 as the album's lead-single.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chernews.blogspot.com.br/2012/10/new-cher-album-information-two-song.html |title=New Cher Album Information: Two Song Titles Revealed! |website=Chernews.blogspot.com.br |date=16 October 2012 |access-date=16 October 2012}}</ref>

Oakenfold remixed a song by British pop singer [[Sophie Ellis-Bextor]] and up-and-coming new electronic project DedRekoning on their single "Only Child", released on 8 September 2014 through Oakenfold's label [[Perfecto Records]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pro.beatport.com/track/only-child-feat-sophie-ellis-bextor-paul-oakenfold-remix/5755103|title=Only Child feat. Sophie Ellis-Bextor (Paul Oakenfold Remix) by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, DedRekoning, Paul Oakenfold on Beatport|website=Pro.beatport.com|access-date=25 June 2016|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006083400/https://pro.beatport.com/track/only-child-feat-sophie-ellis-bextor-paul-oakenfold-remix/5755103|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===2015–present===

Since May 2015, Paul is heading the department of DJs and EDM vocalists at Isina, a worldwide talent search and development mentorship program.<ref name="isina.com">{{cite web|url=https://isina.com/departments/djs|title=Team of DJs, Producers and EDM Vocalists :: ISINA|website=Isina.com|access-date=25 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.campuscircle.com/review.cfm?r=20942|title=Campus Circle - What, is it 1995 Again? ISINA Academy Unveiled at Holiday Party|website=Campuscircle.com|access-date=25 June 2016}}</ref> On September 25, 2020, Oakenfold launched the English-language electronic single, "The Perfect Song" featuring Mexican pop icon [[Fey (singer)|Fey]], to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her career. His album ''Shine On'' is set to be released in 2022.

Oakenfold was the opening act for the [[Pet Shop Boys]] and [[New Order (band)|New Order]] Unity Tour in September and October 2022.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.decodedmagazine.com/paul-oakenfold-joins-new-order-pet-shop-boys-as-special-guest-dj-on-the-unity-tour-2022/|title=Paul Oakenfold joins New Order & Pet Shop Boys as special guest DJ on The Unity Tour 2022|work=Decoded Magazine|date=3 June 2021|access-date=29 September 2022}}</ref>

==Legal issues==

On 2 June 2023, a lawsuit was filed against Oakenfold in the [[Los Angeles Superior Court]] by his former personal assistant, accusing him of sexual harassment.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Patten |first1=Bruce Haring, Dominic |last2=Haring |first2=Bruce |last3=Patten |first3=Dominic |date=2023-06-03 |title=Paul Oakenfold Faces Sexual Harassment Suit By Ex-Personal Assistant; Grammy-Nominated DJ Allegedly Repeatedly Masturbated In Front Of Plaintiff |url=https://deadline.com/2023/06/paul-oakenfold-sexual-harassement-allegations-grammy-nominated-dj-major-remixer-1235399650/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-04 |title=Paul Oakenfold accused of sexual harassment by former assistant |url=https://djmag.com/news/paul-oakenfold-accused-sexual-harassment-former-assistant |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=DJMag.com |language=en}}</ref> He has denied the allegations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mixmag.net/read/paul-oakenfold-denies-sexual-harassment-allegations-new-statement-news/|title=Paul Oakenfold denies sexual harassment allegations in new statement|work=[[Mixmag]]|date=6 June 2023|first=Gemma|last=Ross|access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{main|Paul Oakenfold discography}}
;Studio albums
* ''[[Bunkka]]'' (2002)
* ''[[A Lively Mind]]'' (2006)
* ''[[Trance Mission (Paul Oakenfold album)|Trance Mission]]'' (2014)
* ''Shine On'' (2022)

==Filmography==
* 2002 ''[[The Rules of Attraction (film)|The Rules of Attraction]]'' <small>(Himself)</small>
* 2003 ''Dancestar USA 2003'' <small>(Himself)</small>
* 2003 ''No Cover'' <small>(Guest)</small>
* 2003 ''[[MTV Europe Music Awards 2003]]'' <small>(Himself)</small>
* 2004 ''[[The Club (ITV reality show)|The Club]]'' <small>(Himself)</small>
* 2007 ''Post Military Trip'' <small>(Guest)</small>
* 2012 ''Dark Hearts (2012)'' <small>(Dj)</small>
* 2016 ''Sundown (2016)'' <small>(Himself)</small>
* 2022 ''[[Who Killed the KLF?]]'' <small>(Himself)</small>
* 2024 ''[[Point of Change]]'' <small>(exec producer and sound mixer)</small>

==Awards and nominations==

===BMI Awards===
The '''[[BMI Awards]]''' are annual award ceremonies for songwriters in various genres organized by [[Broadcast Music, Inc.|Broadcast Music, Inc]].
Oakenfold won the Film Award for Music the 2001 [[movie]] Swordfish.

{{awards table}}
|-
| 2002
| Paul Oakenfold 
| The BMI Film Music Award, for [[Swordfish (film)|Swordfish]]
| {{won}}
|-
{{end}}

===DJ Awards===
Oakenfold has won the '''[[DJ Awards]]''' for ''Best Trance DJ Award'' two times, and received eleven nominations. He won the ''Best Techno DJ Award'' once and he was honored with an "Outstanding Contribution Award" in 2004.

{{awards table}}
|-
| 1999
| rowspan="13"| Paul Oakenfold
| Best Techno DJ 
| rowspan="2" {{won}}
|-
| 2000
| rowspan="2"| Best Trance DJ 
|-
| 2001
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2004
| Outstanding Contribution
| rowspan="2" {{won}}
|-
| 2004
| rowspan="9"| Best Trance DJ 
|-
| 2005
| rowspan="8" {{nom}}
|-
| 2006
|-
| 2008
|-
| 2009
|-
| 2010
|-
| 2011
|-
| 2012
|-
| 2013
{{end}}

===DJ Magazine Award===
Oakenfold has been named Worlds Best DJ two times by [[DJ Magazine]].

{{awards table}}
|-
| 1997
| rowspan="18"| Paul Oakenfold
| World's Top 100 DJs
| {{won|place=2}}
|-
| 1998
| World's Top 100 DJs
| rowspan="2" {{won|place=1}}
|-
| 1999
| World's Top 100 DJs
|-
| 2000
| World's Top 100 DJs
| {{won|place=2}}
|-
| 2001
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 5
|-
| 2002
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 6
|-
| 2003
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 8
|-
| 2004
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 9
|-
| 2005
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 11
|-
| 2006
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 14
|-
| 2007
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 12
|-
| 2008
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 14
|-
| 2009
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 23
|-
| 2010
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 51
|-
| 2011
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 69
|-
| 2012
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 69
|-
| 2013
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| 92
|-
| 2014
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| Exit (134)
|-
| colspan="4" {{N/A|Hiatus}}
|-
| 2017
| rowspan="3"| Paul Oakenfold
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| Out (138)
|-
| 2018
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| Out (129)
|-
| 2019
| World's Top 100 DJs
| style="text-align:center;"| Out (105)
|-
{{end}}

===Grammy Awards===
Oakenfold has received three  '''[[Grammy Award]]''' nominations.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Nominated work
!Category
!Result
|-
| [[47th Annual Grammy Awards|2005 Grammy Awards]]
| for "[[Creamfields (2004 album)|Creamfields]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album|Best Electronic/Dance Album]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[49th Grammy Awards nominees and winners|2007 Grammy Awards]]
| for "[[A Lively Mind]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album|Best Electronic/Dance Album]]
| rowspan="2" {{nom}}
|-
| [[52nd Annual Grammy Awards|2010 Grammy Awards]]
| shared with [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], and Demacio Castellon for "[[Celebration (Madonna song)|Celebration]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording|Best Dance Recording]]
|}

===IDMA Awards===
Oakenfold has been nominated for [[International Dance Music Awards|IDMA]] one time.

{{awards table}}
|-
| 2007
| Paul Oakenfold<br /> for "Faster Kill Pussycat"<br /> shared with Brittany Murphy.
| Best Underground Dance Track
| {{nom}}
{{end}}

===World Music Awards===
Oakenfold has received two nominations at '''[[World Music Awards]]'''.

{{awards table}}
|-
| [[2006 World Music Awards|2006]]
| rowspan="2"| Paul Oakenfold
| Worlds Best Selling DJ<br />for "Faster Kill Pussycat"<br />shared with Brittany Murphy
| rowspan="2" {{nom}}
|-
| 2012
| World's Best Electronic Dance Music Artist<br />for "Faster Kill Pussycat"<br />shared with Brittany Murphy
|-
{{end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.pauloakenfold.com}}
* [http://www.oakenfoldmixes.com/ Oakenfold Mixes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022160519/http://www.oakenfoldmixes.com/ |date=22 October 2019 }}
* {{Discogs artist}}
* {{IMDb name|0642949}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Carl Cox]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[DJ Magazine]] Number 1 DJ|years=1998–1999}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Sasha (DJ)|Sasha]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Paul Oakenfold}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for Paul Oakenfold
| list =
{{DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll − No 1 DJ|state=collapsed}}
{{DJ Award for Best Techno DJ}}
{{DJ Award for Best Trance DJ |state=collapsed}}
{{DJ Award-Special Award for Outstanding Contribution |state=collapsed}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oakenfold, Paul}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:DJs from London]]
[[Category:Musicians from London]]
[[Category:English club DJs]]
[[Category:English trance musicians]]
[[Category:English electronic musicians]]
[[Category:English dance musicians]]
[[Category:English house musicians]]
[[Category:English expatriates in Spain]]
[[Category:English record producers]]
[[Category:English remixers]]
[[Category:People from Greenhithe]]
[[Category:People from Ibiza]]
[[Category:Musicians from Kent]]
[[Category:Musicians with dyslexia]]
[[Category:English electronic dance music DJs]]
[[Category:Planet Perfecto members]]
[[Category:Maverick Records artists]]
[[Category:Warner Records artists]]