As soon as electronic devices were first invented in the 1920s, experimentation and innovation ensued, leading to many novel sound effects being developed.
Every Joe Schmo with a laptop can produce music. This trend should alarm all true music enthusiasts.
1. It’s a fad
EDM (Electronic Dance Music) has been around for decades and remains popular today. But with computer music technology advancements and lower costs of production equipment comes more music outside EDM genre that may become mainstream over time.
It has enabled almost anyone with access to a computer to become musicians, leading to an unprecedented flood of music creation. While some of it may be excellent, most isn’t; much of it tends to be boring, overproduced, soulless music that quickly gets replaced by better musical creations.
Likening any genre of music is perfectly fine, but people must understand that just because they enjoy something does not necessarily make it good. That would be like eating McDonald’s daily and asserting it’s comparable with fine restaurants’ cuisine.
Musicians need time and space for creative endeavors, yet many non-creative tasks fill a musician’s day, leaving little opportunity for truly artistic pursuits. That is why many musicians opt to focus on the business side of music creation and quality suffers as a result. Luckily, however, there are still talented electronic musicians producing some amazing tunes. If you’re seeking something fresh and different, take a listen to Aphex Twin and The Prodigy’s music – they are both extremely creative and innovative, pushing the limits of what can be accomplished with electronic music. Their pioneering work should be respected.
2. It’s boring
No matter your musical tastes, EDM can be dull. Many argue that its lack of authenticity and human touch make it dull to listen to, while its repetitive songs that sound the same can also quickly grow tiresome.
EDM can also be perceived negatively due to some individuals’ preconception that it doesn’t really represent music in itself, rather than simply being an assembly of beats and synthesizers arranged to produce certain moods. Although this may be the case, some still find EDM enjoyable as its rhythmic patterns can be stimulating and exciting.
The music industry has been revolutionized by digital platforms and new technology. At first, this allowed artists to reach wider audiences without being gatekeepered by radio stations or record labels; making music more freely than ever was exciting for many artists. But as streaming became increasingly popular, industry players found ways to game the system, shifting power away from creators toward listeners resulting in decreased variety of styles being produced by creators and towards formulaic patterns of similarity that led back down this road of change.
While many enjoy electronic music, not everyone does. Some critics argue that its creators lack creativity compared to other genres, or consider it just another fad that will eventually die away. Others feel older genres such as rock, grunge or punk provide superior listening experiences compared to electronica – however such critics fail to realize these genres represent different times and all have their place in music history.
3. It’s cheesy
While music can be subjective and one person’s trash could be another’s treasure, certain genres simply do not work for everyone. Electronic music is one such example that doesn’t seem to sit well with some listeners: its repetitiveness, lack of depth, and overt cheesiness often turn them off while other can listen without issue if done so responsibly.
Electronic music’s unappealing quality stems from its creation by one-man bands, which many listeners find unnerving as it removes any human touch from the music. Furthermore, using synthesizers and samplers creates an artificial sound which may be less than appealing for some listeners.
Electronic music’s repetitive nature makes it easy to become tired of. Many find they cannot sit through an entire album of it or that their enjoyment diminishes when songs have more diverse lyrics and longer melodies.
Some may find music too loud and loudly played out for their taste; this is often the case with trance music which features overblown builds and drops, not helped by being associated with drug-addled crowds of flashily dressed children who do not take its seriousness into consideration.
Electronic music’s unattractive qualities may stem from its musicians being less than talented or professional; many use computers to compose, which may not always produce the best results; furthermore, they often lip sync their vocals during live performances, which is an instant turnoff for listeners who appreciate traditional rock or metal genres.
4. It’s a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonders are artists whose songs become widely popular but do not produce other hits with similar levels of success. Although this is not inherently bad, fans who were hoping an artist could remain relevant over time may become dissatisfied when this happens.
One-hit wonders are a common phenomenon in electronic music. Dance musicians sometimes produce one hit that becomes so hugely successful that it cannot match it subsequently – perhaps because their style doesn’t quite suit them or because the quality falls short of expectations; whatever the cause, many listeners find themselves frustrated by this genre’s lack of diversity.
Dubstep was considered a one-hit wonder because its formula became formulaic, while hard dance became increasingly homogenized; similarly trance became repetitive without new approaches or innovations being produced; but this does not equate to all electronic music being one-hit wonders; there are still artists producing great work that remains fresh and exciting.
Keep in mind that being popular does not automatically equate to quality. People may enjoy eating McDonald’s daily, but that does not make their experience equivalent to that at an actual restaurant. The same can be said of music: just because someone enjoys a certain genre doesn’t mean it compares with music composed by artists more in touch with themselves spiritually – thus it is important to differentiate among different forms of EDM and not get caught up in its hype.
5. It’s a scam
Critics often dismiss EDM as fake music because it’s not actually real music. While they may have an argument here, this misses the bigger picture: while people should love what they love, that doesn’t automatically translate to good or worthy musical work. Music is meant to express yourself creatively whether that means using an acoustic instrument or software-generated. While computer-generated music might sound similar to real music but lacks artistic integrity – like an oil painting made in Photoshop looking exactly the same but actually isn’t.
Another problem lies with how artists promote their music. Many of the most acclaimed DJs rely on pay-to-play schemes to ensure their songs get heard; according to THUMP, “the most lucrative deals in dance music involve manipulating chart rankings with fake votes”. From buying top spots on DJ Mag’s annual poll to paying girls to solicit votes at festivals – payola systems have taken root across genres.
Finally, taste must also be considered. While some people may love EDM music, others find it too loud or distracting for their tastes. Each person should have the freedom to choose whether they wish to listen to EDM tracks that suit them or avoid listening altogether. No one should feel forced into listening to something they find unpleasant or irrelevant.
EDM stands apart from other genres in that its structure and format don’t follow traditional models or conventions, which may appeal to some listeners, while for others it reduces magic and the power of music altogether. If you enjoy hearing bands playing acoustic guitars while singing together or listening to Sigur Ros or Bjork albums then EDM may not be for them.