Not your music microtrend

I seemed to miss the moment when the music industry made a stark transition from pushing out 2010s pop hits to heavy beats and funky music. Since when was EDM all the “rave?” For a while, actually. Maybe I just hadn’t realized it.

EDM, short for electronic dance music, emerged from booming Chicago nightclubs in the late 1970s. In the era of disco, with songs full of vibrant new rhythms, performers experimented with this easy-to-dance-to style.

From autotune and dance music to dubstep and pop, electronics are everywhere in our music, but EDM has taken techno compositions to the next level. Characterized by feel-good music that brings people to their feet, EDM goes beyond the simple use of autotune or the beat drops in “I Knew You Were Trouble.” by Taylor Swift.

Whether you’re into it or not, EDM’s heightened popularity and influx of creators in the genre are things that we should all keep an eye out for. Sean Nye, an associate professor of practice in musicology at the Thornton School of Music, has believed this from the start of his career. A former raver himself, Nye continues to explore his passion for EDM by producing his music and by teaching “Electronic Music and Dance Culture” at USC.

Professor Nye explained the difference between the mere presence of electronics in music and EDM — a genre that revolves around this tool.

“A great deal of music today is electronic or technological, but EDM doesn’t hide the fact that it’s using electronics,” Nye said. “It’s music that explores all the possibilities of electronic sound in different respects.”

As the 1970s — the genre’s starter decade — have come and gone, the past 10 years have signified a boom in EDM like never before, and those who experienced its creation are around to see it flourish.

“Dance culture has been around long enough that former ravers are now academics, so there’s kind of a generation who have experienced that music,” Nye said.

Beyond its good-time feel, some may not know that EDM has a history of being a change-making genre. Fueled by marginalized communities coming forth to celebrate empowerment, the genre became an outlet of empowerment for those who felt discouraged from being who they truly were.

In the early stages of EDM, 1970s loft parties were known as safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community to freely express their identity through dancing, clothing and more.

From its humble beginnings to now, EDM’s uplifting spirit has remained true. It has reached the hearts of many, with sellout performers as living proof of the genre’s success.

From headlining music festivals that were once dominated by rap and pop music to flourishing tours such as John Summit’s upcoming three nearly sold-out nights at the Kia Forum here in Los Angeles, EDM seems to be in a golden era, one that has yet to fade.

So, why has EDM become so popular in the 21st century?

As the 2010s brought new fads in clothing, food and more, music was no different. Electronic music came out and soon took the music industry by storm. With a strong European influence, electronic music has traveled from cities such as Amsterdam, where it touched the hearts of youth, to the United States.

Jordan Rosen, a junior majoring in public relations and advertising and an EDM artist who performs under the stage name Zuloh, explained the EDM phenomenon and how EDM has been a central part of his life.

From composing and recording original songs such as “Better off alone” and “And I melt,” along with performing live at events like release parties, Rosen aims to express his passion and bring people together through his music. For Rosen, one of the best parts of performing is the electric feel of the crowd at EDM concerts, especially here at USC.

“I started to understand what people liked in a song and what made them dance and move,” Rosen said. “That has influenced my song structure more than it has my sound or anything [else].”

Rosen’s sentiments reveal some of the key rewards of EDM: to get people dancing, on their feet and feeling good.

“Electronic music is the pop music of youth culture,” Rosen said. “As soon as it became the youth culture … it exploded.”

Unlike general pop music, which emphasizes vocals and perhaps speaks on the artist’s personal experiences, electronic music goes beyond lyrics and instrumentals — it is an experience.
Maxine Zuriff, a junior majoring in communication who performs as a live DJ, highlighted this difference.

After only around a year of releasing music as an amateur DJ in high school, Zurriff went on to reach new heights with her songs and performances, most notably opening for The Chainsmokers at the renowned Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas this past September.

“I think what makes [EDM] so special is going to a show and not just hearing music but watching the whole thing: the lights, the smoke, everything makes it so exciting. That’s why it’s so special,” Zurif said.

Maybe a special, even carefree experience is exactly what our generation needs today. It is often seen that during times when we are struggling — whether it be socially, economically or beyond — we turn toward bright and uplifting cultural trends to make us feel whole again. Thus, Gen Z has looked to positive serotonin-boosting music perhaps as a way to cope or perhaps just to have a good time. Some may say we have returned to “recession pop.”

Recession pop describes music that became popular during the Great Recession, a US economic crisis that emerged from 2007 to 2008 leaving many unemployed and struggling financially.

When the country was doing poorly economically, bubbly and danceable music from artists like Katy Perry and Kesha, artists known for their good-time flare, reached heightened popularity.

Though our economy has recovered since the Great Recession, artists like Charli xcx and John Summit have made the recession-pop genre bounce back. From the coronavirus pandemic to many young adults feeling they won’t make enough to live comfortably, our music seems to yet again reflect today’s ongoing economic and social struggles such as pressures in media with body image, recovering socially from the pandemic, increased inflation prices and other issues we have causing us added stress, especially online.

Though we may have moved on from Silly Bandz, Tiger Beat magazine and the many other lighthearted trends reminiscent of the 2010s, our music taste today still reflects some sort of unfulfilled void.

Sometimes, we just want to shut off the news and feel good again. Many EDM artists have done that for us.

Ari Ehrlich, a freshman majoring in journalism, enrolled in Nye’s Electronic Music and Dance Culture course for just that reason.

“It makes me feel like I’m ready to let go,” Ehrlich said. “It puts me in the mood to indulge in all the great things that college has to offer. It makes me feel bouncy.”

While EDM’s path is one we can’t predict, the genre’s consistent popularity tells us that it’s likely here to stay, and there is certainly much to look forward to.

This year alone, EDM fans can look forward to Summit and Dom Dolla performing collaboratively at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival in March, and Fred Again is rumored to headline the prestegious Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April.

What a time it is to listen to EDM. Living in the present moment is most encouraged if you’re ever fortunate enough to experience it.

“Put the phones down, focus on the music and dance,” Nye said. “That’s part of the full experience and it takes time.”

So let’s “Relax [our] Eyes,” “Turn Off The Lights,” bring out our “Dancing Feet” and enjoy all this genre has to offer.