Synthesizers are electronic instruments that are capable of providing a variety of sounds. They can be played through different instruments such as a keyboard and then be transmitted to loud speakers. Many rock artists, such as the beatles, used synthesizers before the Theremin but it was not until 1970 synthesizers were made available in smaller sizes.
In the late 1966s, "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys reached #1 on the Billboard charts and the UK charts. "Good Vibrations" used an electronic instrument called the Theremin. This instrument creates sound by have the musician move his hand by each antennae.
In 1970, Robert Moog, inventor of the Moog syntesizer, made the Mini Moog which allows the synthesizer to become portable.
If you have ever seen a keyboard, there is a good chance that you are looking a Roland keyboard. Roland is a company of Electronic instruments who create keyboards, synthesizers, electronic drums, digital pianos and organs and other produces. The common machine in Techno and Hip-Hop was the TR-808, which is a drum machine.
Perhaps the most influential in Electronic Music is Kraftwerk, a german experimental rock group. They are considered as the group who perfected the Electronic Music and became the first fully electronic band/ artist. There song "Autobahn,"* was the song that received a little air play and it was hated by critics. *this song is 22 minutes long. The long song structure is an element of rock music.
As Disco was developing and contributing to the dance scene, New Wave, experimental rock and punk hit the scene. The things that are important for new wave and experimental rock and its influence on Electronic dance music is one. They started around the same time
John Travolta. John Travolta. "Saturday Night Fever," is a film that was released in 1977 which stars John Travolta as a macho disco dancer. This film puts disco in the mainstream and the soundtrack brings attention to disco songs. Some songs that I am sure everyone has heard of, "Stayin' Alive," by the Bee Gees.
This is the other club that helped give rise to EDM. The major Dj at this club was Frankie Knuckles and he is considered as the "Father of Chicago House."
Another influential artist in the Electronic instrument element is Gary Numan. Numan is an English musician who used synthesizers through his guitar. He is not classified as an electronic dance musician but he is an experimental rock artist. You can hear elements of electronic music in his song, "Cars," which hit the billboard charts and UK charts in 1979.
A chicago disc jockey, Steve Dahl, put together a night where disco records were to be burned in the middle of Comiskey Park. Dahl thought disco was a threat to rock 'n' roll. This is considered as the day disco died. But in actuality, it just went underground and was "repackaged' into EDM. Here is an article from the New York Times.
"Lighting is to disco as love is to marriage, as tonic is to gin, as music is to dancing," wrote Billboard editor Radcliffe Joe in This Business of Disco. Laser has been used to create a dance atmosphere by the DJs since the 80s. It is part and parcel of the EDM scene.
Glowsticking has its roots from the mid-1980s gay scene in the US at Saint nightclub in New York and in the UK at Heaven nightclub before becoming popular in the early 1990s on the underground rave scene, they were used in Grateful Dead shows before the rave scene arrived.
From the 1980s to now, Electronic Dance Music rests in the DJ's spinning and the clubs. Since Disco was no longer a big money market, DJs could get records to spin for little money. But the hard part was trying to make each record different. This struggle would give birth to House, Techno and other sub-genres of EDM.
Turntables became a popular technique for DJs to make their music sound different from the original record. Turntables were used around the 1950s* but they were predominant in the 1980s with DJs. Use of turntables is still prevalent in today's EDM world.
Now that Disco was underground, it is only played in clubs and warehouses. The big spots for this music is in Chicago at a club called the Warehouse, New York City at a club called Paradise Garage.
Some techniques that DJs used back then and use today are: 1- The DJ uses two records of the same song and switches between them to prolong the song length. 2- The DJ would calculate the tempos of different records and mix them together without causing a break. 3- Sampling. This is where a DJ will sample part of a song or instrument and play it over and over in a repeating pattern. Some examples are drum sounds or even vocals.
Many different genres and sub genres that are interconnected and have emerged from themselves.
It is a rave club dance style that originated from Australia in the late 80s. Popularized in the US by LMFAO with the song "Party Rock Anthem"
Knuckles is considered to be the "Father of House." He used the 4/4 beat, that most house songs are based off. A song by him is titled, "Your love" and it was released in 1987.
As the club and underground rave scene of the late 80s emerges, it is heavily mixed with use of drugs and psychedelics. This helps create a new genre of music called Acid House.
As house crosses over the Atlantic, new genres and sub-genres of music are created. EDM transformed into more than just House and Techno. New sub genres started to emerge such as Ambient, DownBeat and Acid Jazz.
By the mid 90s, EDM starts crossing back on the Atlantic to its roots as American Companies start putting money into the music. This slowly pushed it towards the mainstream music.
Ultra Music Records is a record label that has many of these EDM artists under them. They are the leading record label for EDM, according to their website. Some of the artists that produce under them are David Guetta, Paul Van Dyk, Tiesto, Deadmau5, The Wolfgang Gartner, Benny Benassi and more. They also host one of the most popular rave festivals around the world under the title Ultra Music Festival.
Daft Punk, a French electronic duo that is half robot and half human (they have a robot mask), is one of the leading electronic artists that have helped shape EDM today. They have had more than one single hit the charts and won a Grammy (later) for one of their songs. Their song "All Around the World," gained them world wide success. It is off of the album Homework. In recent years, Daft Punk have mostly collaborated with pop artists such as Pharell Williams in the popular hit single "GET LUCKY". They are even performing in present day with their recent single with The Weeknd.
Quentin Leo Cook, also known as Fatboy Slim, is an English electronic Musician who helped make EDM mainstream with the help of MTV. He won MTV's Video Music Award for his single "The Rockafeller Skank."
Tijs Michiel Verwest, better known as Tiesto, is a dutch musician. Tiesto is considered a major DJ in the 2000s and has recorded with numerous pop stars. The Rolling stone quote Tiesto as the #1 DJ and Forbes magazine placed him as the highest payed DJ. He makes $22 million. Tiesto has also performed the theme song for Athens 2004 Olympics. He has also worked with fellow EDM artist Martin Garrix on a 7UP commercial.
I am sure most of you know who David Guetta is but for those who do not, David Guetta is a French House DJ/Producer. Guetta is the fourth highest paid DJ who is paid $13.5 million according to Forbes The Worlds Highest Paid DJs. His first album that reached mainstream success was "Pop Life."
An EDM band of its own kind. Major Lazer specializes in reggaeton, house and moombathon sub genres of EDM. Having have multiple collaborations with pop artists such as Justin Beiber & Ellie Goulding.
A superstar on his own. Robbert van de Corput aka Hardwell, is a Dutch DJ who started DJing and mixing at the ripe age of 13. He looks to Tiesto as his biggest inspirator and mentor. Hardwell has won multiple Best DJ awards down the years and still remains a forced to reckon as a Progressive EDM DJ.
A 15-year-old girl died at the Electronic Daisy Carnival rave (festival) after a suspected drug overdose, according to the LA Times. This is one of the many problems that raves/festivals encounter in todays scene and even in the history.
Sonny Moore, also known as Skrillex, is another EDM DJ but instead of playing the two major sub genres (Trance and House), he creates Dubstep. He has won 3 Grammys and is known for putting "Dubstep on the Musical map," according to Forbes magazine. He is paid $15 million according to Forbes The Worlds Highest Paid DJs. A well known album of his is Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites. He is another artist who has been able to collaborate and gain success with mainstream pop artists such as Justin Beiber.
The Chainsmokers are an American DJ/producer duo consisting of Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall. Their biggest hit till date 'Closer'. Their first breakthrough '#SELFIE'
Robert F.X. Sillerman—the media mogul who, in the '90s, consolidated dozens of regional promoters into the concert behemoth Live Nation, before selling the company to Clear Channel for $4.4 billion—announces his intention to spend $1 billion buying up companies related to EDM events and culture. "Disco Donnie" Estopinal's Louisiana-based Disco Productions is his first major acquisition.
Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastian Ingrosso, better known as Swedish House Mafia, is a Swedish House group of DJ/Producers. They are the first EDM act to headline Madison Square garden. They are most known for their two songs, 'Save the world," and "Don't you worry child." They have official disband as a group and have called the EDM quits. Their last gig was the Ultra Music festival. Billboard did a cover story about them and the split that happened in 2013.
Swedish DJs Daleri reveal the paucity of ideas in main-stage EDM by stringing together near-identical riffs from 15 current tracks by big-name artists like Chuckie, Hardwell, and W&W into the minute-long "Epic Mashleg." The result sounds like an imperial death march for fascist jungle animals.
My thoughts and opinions on EDM
In recent years, EDM has moved from catering to the needs of the minority population in the United States to becoming a mainstream hit and here to stay for years to come. The use of drugs remains prevalent in today's day and age. As newer artists such as ZEDD, Calvin Harris, Diplo, and Major Lazer reach mainstream fame, the authenticity of EDM and DJs gets lost amidst the lights, smoke and glitter.
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