Electronic Dance Music, the Sound of the Facebook Generation.

By Emma, aka fastbeatsandbassdrops

            

To see the impact that EDM is having on mainstream culture these day, all you need to do is turn on the TV. Every company that’s marketing department is doing their job correctly knows that electronic genres such as house and dubstep have become the music of choice for the current generation. From commercials featuring world renown DJ’s such as Diplo and Avicii, to Skrillex receiving 5 grammy nominations and 3 wins, a feat achieved by no other electronic music producer in the award shows history, it is hard to miss how influential these once underground genres are becoming in music today.

Before we can learn about the history of EDM one clarification must be made; EDM isn’t a single genre, but instead a broad term used to describe many subgenres of electronic music such as house, trance, drum and bass, dubstep, hardstyle and many more. Another important thing to remember is that techno is not a synonym for EDM, but another genre encompassed by the term EDM. Easy enough, right? Now on to the rest! The term electronic dance music originated in the 1990’s amidst the prime years of the rave scene, but its roots go back much farther. Technically, the creation of electronic music began with the invention of the Theremin, the first electronic instrument, but the sound that we associate with EDM today was born with the creation of the drum machine in the 50’s, the synthesizer in the 1970’s, and of course was impacted heavily by disco music of  the latter decade as well. By the time midi came around in the 1980’s the warehouse party scene and acid house movement were in full swing, and by the 90’s EDM had secured it’s place in music history forever.

We’re living in an exciting time for electronic dance music; people are starting to notice that it’s a whole lot more than some sounds mashed together on a computer. For so long producers of EDM have been criticized for not being real musicians, but that’s all in the history books now. EDM artists are finally being recognized for what they are, composers of the modern age. Simon Cowell Said it best when he stated that “Dj’s are the new rockstars,” because it’s the truth. Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas last year hosted over 300,000 people, all in the name of celebrating EDM. No other type of music is doing that in this day in age. The trio Swedish House Mafia recently sold out Madison Square Garden in New York City in a matter of 3 hours, a feat only associated with legends such as Phish, Billy Joel, and Elton John. Another huge statement to how popular EDM is becoming was Last year’s Identity Festival, America’s first touring EDM festival. It’s clear to see that EDM is here to stay, but amongst all the success electronic music has seen in the past few years, there are still those who refuse to accept it as real music, and that’s fine with me, to each their own. “Not everyone understands EDM. It’s a spiritual thing. A body thing. A soul thing.”– Eddie Amador.