Just because a genre of music features electronic sounds doesn’t indicate its demise; nor should festivals’ deaths signal its end either.
EDM music has quickly become one of the most sought-after genres among this generation, seen everywhere from commercials to video games.
The origins of EDM
EDM, or electronic dance music, has come a long way since its humble origins. While some consider its birth in the late 19th century with the invention of an electric piano, EDM truly blossomed during the mid 20th century when technology allowed for synthesizers and other electronic instruments to be created – leading bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to incorporate electronic sounds into their music; but it wasn’t until 1970 when Moog synthesizers allowed musicians to develop their own sounds, leading directly to disco and house music becoming mainstream.
In the 1980s, Electronic Dance Music (EDM) emerged in various subgenres that would later become staples. Techno, acid house, hardstyle, dub and drum and bass all first gained mainstream recognition during this era. Furthermore, rave culture also emerged with gatherings taking place to dance to electronic music at underground locations such as warehouses or fitness clubs.
As electronic music flourished, its popularity with the public increased steadily and eventually propelled into popular culture by artists such as Madonna and Britney Spears who created hits containing electronic elements; these songs helped mainstream EDM.
In the 1990s, new electronic dance music genres such as hardcore and gabber emerged. These aggressive forms of EDM feature faster tempos with distorted kick drums. Characterized by vocal samples with violent-themed sounds as well as vocal samples. Although hardcore and gabber were initially designed to cater towards club scenes, their influence extended further, even shaping other types such as industrial metal and breakcore as well as helping shape current genres such as trance progressive house genres such as glitch and trip hop which focus more on atmosphere rather than soundscapes.
The rise of EDM
Electronic dance music (EDM) took off during the second half of 2000s due to increased computer access and music production software. With these products available to any musician, anyone could create high-quality, professionally produced songs using minimal equipment without prior musical knowledge; creating new genres of EDM that utilized various electronic instruments designed specifically for dancing floors was now possible.
EDM has become a key part of the music industry, with DJs and producers earning millions and selling out global festivals with packed stadiums. EDM has also fostered an entire subculture, complete with dayglo vests, trance hair styles and fist pumps; in turn it has contributed significantly to pop music by shaping some of its biggest hits over time.
EDM remains popular, yet certain subgenres of electronic dance music (EDM) have seen their fortunes dip significantly over time. Big room has peaked and is slowly dying off while trance remains stagnant and future bass stagnating – however other genres such as festival trap, experimental trap and dubstep have increased rapidly in popularity.
There could be many explanations for why this trend may be happening: one possibility being that audiences have grown tired of hearing the same sounds time after time; or it could be that the industry has become too commercial and lacks creative expression – the truth likely lays somewhere in between these extremes.
No doubt about it: the future of EDM is bright; however, in order to maintain and expand upon its popularity and keep it growing it will take effort and diversification of genre. One approach would be creating new subgenres while incorporating elements from other styles so as to keep audiences interested and old fans satisfied at once.
The decline of EDM
EDM gained in popularity throughout the 2000s and 2010s, due to greater accessibility of computer technology that allowed musicians to create music using laptop computers with relevant software installed, leading to the emergence of large-scale commercial electronic festivals such as Tomorrowland in Belgium, Weekend Festival in Estonia or Ultra Music Festival in Florida.
However, there are indications that EDM has reached its apex. One is that this genre has begun attracting an increasing number of amateur musicians who join for money rather than musical merit; this has resulted in numerous scandals with DJs being accused of miming or using prerecorded tracks, damaging its reputation further and making it hard for newcomers to accept EDM music as authentic.
Reasons for EDM’s decline also include its increasing competition with other genres like rock and pop music; both genres are becoming more widely-popular, which means their market shares are decreasing relative to EDM’s market share. Although this trend will likely persist for some time yet, dance/electronic music industry still holds tremendous economic worth; according to estimates in 2021 it was valued at $6 billion, an impressive increase over previous estimates.
Many blame EDM’s decline on streaming services like Spotify or Pandora; these services make listening to music easier without purchasing albums or tickets to concerts. Yet some could argue that streaming is actually beneficial to EDM because it introduces new listeners who would have otherwise never encountered its genre otherwise.
EDM may have declined in popularity over time, yet many fans remain dedicated to it and attend live events regularly. Furthermore, younger people seem particularly drawn to EDM which indicates its bright future ahead of it.
The future of EDM
EDM (Electronic Dance Music) is an expansive genre. There are various styles, numerous DJs and mega music festivals. EDM has also become increasingly popular among mainstream singers who often incorporate electronic elements into their songs. Yet recently some observers have begun questioning whether EDM may be on its way out.
EDM may have fallen out of fashion recently, but there remain compelling arguments supporting its continued presence and relevance in modern music culture. Some key considerations here include:
New technology has made music creation much simpler for musicians, which has helped the genre thrive and advance. Furthermore, streaming services have given people access to an ever-expanding selection of EDM tunes.
Additionally, social media has also played an integral part in EDM’s growth, enabling artists to connect more directly with fans and market their music more efficiently.
EDM events have also become more and more popular. They provide an unforgettable experience that cannot be duplicated; typically featuring huge stages, pyrotechnics, LED screens and various effects – as well as placing emphasis on spectacle rather than musicianship – thus leading to DJs using prerecorded sets or mime to the music to add the extra flare needed.
Due to this lack of accountability and integrity in EDM industry, scandals involving big names using new talent as music creators has compounded with this problem to further damage its image.
Even though hip hop music has seen many challenges over recent years, there remains ample reason for optimism regarding its future. Hip hop remains an influential force within the music industry and looks set to remain so for some time to come.
Though EDM may appear to have reached its zenith, there’s no doubt it will continue to dominate music in the near future. With its diverse styles, large festivals and international appeal it is hard to imagine its demise altogether.