Some consider EDM music to have reached its zenith; Cream has significantly scaled back on their output while Gatecrasher has gone bankrupt, and more mainstream artists are shying away from EDM productions altogether.
Dance music may seem dead but we believe otherwise – while certain subgenres may come and go, as an overall genre like this will remain relevant in today’s musical landscape.
It’s over because it’s too associated with bad fashion
At a time when detractors of dance music are so quick to declare it dead, it is essential to step back and remember that its existence remains intact. Unfortunately, many rely on Billboard charts and mainstream media reports for determining whether something has died – leading them down an inaccurate path of misinformation and myth.
EDM conjures images of dayglo vests, mega-festivals and fist pumping for those unfamiliar with it; its main stage sound was chart-topping and stadium-filling across America and made several Swedes, Dutchmen and Americans (and perhaps one Scot) millionaires – yet this is not what dance music really means despite all the loud fist pumps and serotonin releases that permeated dance music culture.
Listening to music of this genre evokes both melancholy and sadness; an emotive genre which can both uplift and depress listeners at once. It has been around for decades and shows no sign of going away any time soon.
Even so, EDM caused some backlash within the music industry. Festivals like Cream and Gatecrasher cut back operations while some DJs began abandoning EDM altogether. However, it’s important to keep in mind that its critics simply do not understand its depth.
EDM may have an image problem, but it’s actually an umbrella genre covering various subgenres. Much like guitar music will not go away anytime soon or rap music become less mainstream; similarly EDM will remain for those who appreciate its beats and melodies. Think of EDM like an itch on your skin; when scratched properly it goes away – all it takes to find the appropriate tunes is finding one song!
It’s over because the players say it is
Many believe dance music to be formulaic, leading many fans to abandon it in droves. This trend can be found throughout its subgenres such as dubstep and hard dance which have all started sounding similarly after years of being promoted by popular DJs like Skrillex, Deadmau5 and Sebastian Ingrosso for record labels releasing more copies of identical tracks through large record labels – leading to homogenisation within genre. Many fans have become disillusioned and fans have begun abandoning it entirely.
As artists become too successful for themselves, they often lose touch with what it means to be part of the dance scene. Instead, their focus shifts more toward making money and getting attention than creating music that makes audiences dance; this has led to a decrease in quality; it has left dance music fans frustrated when popular DJ’s charge exorbitant rates for services and put out subpar material that does not match with other genres.
As a result, dance music has also suffered from poor publicity. Many media outlets that cover this genre don’t take themselves seriously by the mainstream music industry and as a result have lower editorial standards and inexperienced writers on staff; their coverage often becomes the target of public relations firms looking to influence an audience through manipulation techniques.
This has created a sort of “ghetto” for dance music coverage, in which remixes or reworks of previously popular tracks are given top billing. This trend marks that EDM may have reached its apex and could soon cause its rejection due to digitally synthesized beats.
Remind yourself that dance music isn’t dead just yet – give it another few years and we may see its final sunset! In the meantime, keep dancing ’till the end!
It’s over because it’s too formulaic
Depending on your perspective, dance music might appear as just another music genre with no substance and all about money and flashy lights. But this is far from true: dance music has long been around and has undergone transformation over time, yet can remain an active and creative space today.
People have been dancing to music ever since there has been music – this includes genres that may not necessarily fall under the realm of EDM (Electronic Dance Music), yet EDM remains a massive component of modern musical culture and should not go away anytime soon for many reasons.
First and foremost is formulaic music becoming too formulaic – not simply because songs become repetitive or predictable over time, but that the genre itself doesn’t allow itself to evolve and develop like disco did at first – starting off as innovative and creative work, it was eventually overtaken by commercialized clones with repetitive melodies.
EDM’s world has also been overrun with arrogant DJs who all vie to be bigger than one another. There have been allegations of DJs using prerecorded sets or miming their performances during performances – sparking scandal after scandal that is harming its image as an overall genre.
EDM isn’t dead because its popularity remains. People enjoy dancing to catchy, upbeat songs with energy; and listening to EDM shouldn’t be taken negatively by critics; after all, its not all bad! Unfortunately though, EDM genre is getting so much negative press when its substance simply isn’t there in current big-room EDM music releases.
It’s over because it’s too boring
No matter your taste in music, dance music has had its time in the sun. That doesn’t mean it has passed its peak or will altogether disappear; on the contrary, dance music remains one of the world’s most widely enjoyed genres and still attracts millions each week – though as with any genre there can be ups and downs in terms of popularity and viewership. As with other forms of art form – such as theatre – it does experience its fair share of both.
The Spectator, a British right-leaning newspaper with an established track record in criticising raves, ran an editorial on Electronic Dance Music (EDM) being dead due to factors including overly expensive ticket prices, lack of sponsorships and “younger people’s perceived outgrown of four-on-the-floor rhythmic template that defines both techno and house”.
While there may be truth to this statement, it does not tell the full picture. Dance music trends change rapidly and consume their predecessors with new ones; George Clinton may have hated disco and Greg Tate coined the term “disco intel” to describe an upwardly mobile white movement which embraced it; but the idea that this rejection of disco represents good politics or is used as an excuse not to embrace it would provide no cover from labelling as “yuppie scum.”
As previously discussed, some of the biggest names in dance music have experienced diminishing appeal over time. Their use of pyrotechnics, LED screens and distinct lack of vinyl (and sometimes headphones) are disenticing many younger listeners; additionally, many believe them to use prerecorded sets or mime performances, creating further mistrust of them as performers.
But there are signs that this trend may be beginning to shift: with the return of uptempo regional American club music from Jersey and Philly, and an uptick in Afrobeat-influenced artists like Nigeria’s Amapiano; as well as drum’n’bass and nu-garage making their return – perhaps electronic music’s reign of stagnancy is coming to an end?
Quality matters more than anything, with some examples of dance music coming across as unattractive and repetitive. To remain popular and profitable, dance music needs to reunite itself with artists and producers that helped it flourish in its first instance.