His debut studio album, Before the Storm, was released on 18 September 2000, and sold 800,000 copies worldwide,[1] earning Darude three Finnish Grammy Awards.

"[8] In 2011, he co-founded the record label EnMass Music, through which he has released a number of mix compilations related to his radio show Salmiakki Sessions.

[1][11] Virtanen started his career as a musician while studying at Turku Polytechnic, making music using his PC's tracker software.

[12][14] While at a classmate's party, Virtanen played the song "Rude Boy" (written by Swedish artist Leila K) several times in a row.

[14] The song went on to be widely featured in the media, particularly at sporting events and on soundtracks for video games and television shows.

[16] Before the Storm was released on September 5, 2000, and sold 800,000 copies worldwide,[1] earning Darude three Finnish Grammy awards.

MacKenzie Wilson of Allmusic criticized the lack of variety between tracks but praised the release in general, writing that Darude "builds upon the dynamics of Before the Storm, raises the pressure, and fuels the flame for an electrifying dozen-track set.

Darude's talent in keeping the energy at an elevated level without losing touch with the album's overall ambience is what makes him a star and an integral part of the new-millennium dance scene.

His classy of[sic] mix of techno and trance is perfected into a fashionably slick spiral of synthesized heat.

[1] Through EnMass Music, Darude released a DJ mix compilation titled Salmiakki Sessions Vol.

The compilation is a reflection of his namesake radio mix show, and includes ten of his recent remix productions and eight of his track redone by Finnish artists and producers.

[9] Darude continued to tour into 2013, performing that year at the Groove Cruise out of Miami and playing two days of Tomorrowland in July 2014 in Belgium.

[31] The album blends genres such as electro, progressive house,[2] and We Rave You wrote that "Darude's ability is once again proven filling the spectrum from big-room to trance to dubstep-infused depth.

"[32] The album's mixing of genres was generally well-received,[33] and Dancing Astronaut praised the release, writing that "Darude’s return is a clear departure from what once defined him.

In Moments, he steps outside the proverbial EDM box by toying around with a multitude of different styles, several of which appear simultaneously in each track.

"[27] YourEDM opined that the album was "gorgeous," explaining that it "features a wide variety of influences and sounds" with "great production, atmospheres, and melodies riding alongside quaintly catchy vocals.

"[34] Shortly following the album's release in September 2015, Darude embarked on a ten date tour of the United States and Canada, culminating in a performance at the inaugural TwitchCon, a gaming and tech convention organised by video streaming platform Twitch and held in San Francisco on September 25 and 26, 2015.

With over 20,000 attendees over the weekend, Darude appeared as the headline DJ at the official afterparty, held in the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on September 26, 2015, and also featuring a performance from deadmau5.

[36] On January 29, 2019, Darude was announced as the Finnish representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel.