David Guetta wasn’t chasing a monster hit when he crafted songs like the Kelly Rowland-assisted “When Love Takes Over” and the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling.” The French DJ-producer was relatively unknown to most Americans, and he didn’t feel much pressure to make the tracks Grammy-winning, international smashes. That’s where the high expectations came in. Guetta says that when he began recording his latest album, he felt a bit pressured to recreate his success, but managed to block it out.

“[I had to get] in the mind-set of before, when we were just partying, without thinking, ‘Is this going to be a hit?’ [I was] trying to just have a good time,” he said. “It worked [and] I think this album is better than the previous one.”