The History Of Electronic Dance Music: A blog about the history of EDM and how it became a sensation.
The History Of Electronic Dance Music
Why EDM Is So Popular
The world’s most popular music genre right now is electronic dance music, more commonly known as “EDM”. It is a booming industry that has become a global phenomenon, with annual revenues exceeding $6.2 billion in 2014 and nearly doubling in the last five years. Over the last decade or so, EDM has gone from being considered an underground form of music to something mainstream and commercialized, but that doesn’t mean that its authenticity has been lost. In fact, as the number of people who listen to and appreciate this genre continues to increase exponentially every year, there seems no end in sight towards where EDM can go next! If you’re curious about why this type of music has become so popular around the world-or if you’d just like some background information before diving headfirst into your favorite artists’ albums-we’ve got you covered with everything from an overview on how it was created (and what makes these songs so catchy) all the way down to specific genres within this broad category like dubstep electro house trance progressive house trap future bass tropical house deep melodic ambient
Electronic Dance Music or EDM is a new kind of music that features computer-generated synthesizers, electronic beats and sound effects. It has become a worldwide phenomenon over the past decade.
EDM started out as a subculture in the United States during the 1980s. At that time, it was mostly known as “rave music” and was played at underground clubs. By 1990, it became a huge part of mainstream pop culture when Madonna released her hit single “Vogue”. This song used samples from various songs by Depeche Mode, New Order, The Cure and other artists who were popular with ravers.
By the late 1990s, EDM had become a major force in American pop music. In 1999, it reached its peak when Britney Spears’ album “…Baby One More Time” sold more than 20 million copies worldwide (making it one of the best selling albums ever). That same year MTV launched its first show dedicated to EDM called Total Request Live (TRL). Since then electronic dance music has exploded in popularity around the world with many other genres becoming part of EDM’s umbrella term including drum & bass and dubstep.
The History Of Electronic Dance Music: A blog about the history of EDM and how it became a sensation
Electronic Dance Music (EDM) is the most popular genre in the world for the past decade. EDM has become a sensation and is now more popular than rock!
The history of electronic dance music starts with the invention of the first synthesizer in 1876 by Elisha Gray. In 1898 Thaddeus Cahill invented the Telharmonium which gave way to many other electronic instruments such as the Theremin, Ondes Martinot and Trautonium. During World War II, German scientists developed several new types of synthesizers which were used in propaganda music. After the war these technologies spread throughout Europe and Russia and by 1960’s they were commercially available.
In 1973 Giorgio Moroder created one of the first EDM songs using a modern synthesizer called “I Feel Love”. This song became very popular in discos and started a new trend known as Italo Disco. However, it wasn’t until 1982 when Electronic Dance Music really took off with the release of Donna Summer’s album “On The Radio”. Punk rock also influenced electronic dance music during this time due to its use of synthesizers such as in Devo’s hit single “Whip It”.
By 1980’s electronic dance music was becoming more common place with artists like Kraft
An overview of the History of Electronic Dance Music from its roots in the 70’s to the present day. Including potted histories of many of its genres and sub-genres, and a look into its future.
Electronic Dance Music (EDM) has been around for longer than most people think. It wasn’t until the late 80’s that it became popularly known as ‘techno’, thanks to US DJ Juan Atkins coining the term when he released his techno-pop single “Techno City” with Cybotron in 1985 on Fantasy Records.
The most widely accepted beginnings of EDM start in Germany in 1971 when German musician Edgar Froese started the band Tangerine Dream, who are widely considered to be one of the originators of EDM. They were heavily influenced by Kraftwerk and Pink Floyd, both of who were experimenting with electronic sounds at this time. The German music scene was very forward thinking and experimental in the 1970s; Brian Eno was there producing records, Pink Floyd were recording there, David Bowie was living there etc. There was a whole scene growing around progressive rock and psychedelia which was very much focussed on experimentation.
An electronic dance music subculture that originated in the London nightclub scene of the early 1980s, and grew out of the house music movement. It is generally agreed that acid house began with Phuture’s “Acid Tracks” in 1987.
The style was defined primarily by the deep basslines and “squelching” sounds of the Roland TB-303 electronic synthesizer-sequencer, and spread to the United Kingdom and continental Europe from 1985 onwards. Acid house’s minimalist production aesthetic combined house music’s ubiquitous programmed four-on-the-floor 4/4 beat with the electronic squelch sound produced by the Roland TB-303 electronic synthesizer-sequencer by musicians such as Phuture, DJ Pierre, and Adonis.