37 Melodious EDM Facts: Electronic Dance Music, Must Read

EDM is an abbreviation for Electronic Dance Music.

EDM music does not focus much on the lyrics in the song. Instead, it relies on amplified beats and bass rhythms so that people can dance to the tunes freely.

EDM music has its roots in several genres including dubstep, hip hop, pop, dancehall, and house music. While earlier EDM was considered to be an obscure and niche genre, it is today one of the most popular music genres in the world.

With a rise in ambiance music and music festivals, EDM music has also become well appreciated in different parts of the world. Music enthusiasts have also learned to appreciate the wonderful combination of beats and rhythm that an EDM artist or DJ has to organize to create a great party track to dance to.

These musicians are also collaborating with singers from other genres like pop and rock to create new combinations of music.

Keep scrolling to learn about more interesting EDM facts.

History Of EDM

EDM music did not originate from a single country or place. Similarly, no one artist can be credited with the invention of this umbrella genre either. However, the history of the evolution of EDM is quite long and complex with different types of music and people coming together to create a unique sound.

Disco music became popular from the beginning of the '70s and had tunes and beats that people could dance to freely.

Simultaneously with disco music, hip-hop music also grew in the United States of America.

The tough beats and bassline of hip hop music had a massive effect on music all over the world.

As a result of some new wave genres, dancehall and synthpop music growing in different parts of the world, electronic dance music became an established genre in the '70s.

Dance-pop slowly became more popular in the United Kingdom and the USA in the mid-'70s.

In the '80s, trance music spread throughout Europe, especially in the countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

In the mid-'80s, techno music and Chicago house music became quite popular.

The late-'80s saw the rise of ambient house music that consisted of a set of melodies with a strong rhythmic pattern.

In 1998, dubstep music finally took over the electronic dance scene in the United Kingdom.

From the late '90s to the early 2000s, bass music and baseline music started to evolve. This was the most visible precursor of EDM music as we know it today.

At the same time, the electro house music genre became popular throughout the world.

In 2006, the synthwave tradition started to grow in France while the UK developed its own funky rhythm.

In 2010, the trap style of EDM became quite popular in the United States of America.  

Social Impact

EDM music has significantly changed the face of the music industry. More and more people are willing to branch out to experiment with new genres of music that cater to parties.

As a result, even the most well-known award shows are recognizing and honoring the EDM musicians who make amazing dance tracks. A number of special music festivals have also been started where people can listen to special EDM tracks live and enjoy them.

Many music festivals have popped up around the world specifically for listening to and dancing to EDM music.

The Brit Awards has an award named 'Best Dance Act' which was stopped in 2004 but revived again in 2022.

The Grammy Awards also give an award to artists every year for Best Dance/Electronic Recording.

Skrillex, Justin Timberlake, Diplo, and The Chemical Brothers are the only artists to have won the Grammy award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording more than once with Skrillex winning it three times.

Madonna and Justin Timberlake have the most nominations for the Grammy award.

The Grammy Awards also recognize the Best Dance/Electronic Album each year.

The Chemical Brothers and Skrillex have won the Best Dance/Electronic Album three times while Daft Punk has won it twice.

The American Music Awards have an award named 'Best Electronic Dance Music Artist'.

The Chainsmokers, Calvin Harris, and Marshmello have won the award twice. Calvin Harris remains the most nominated artist in this category with six nominations so far.

The DJ Mag also presents a list at the end of each year with their own Top-10 list. This list recognizes the achievements of famous EDM DJs.

A special award festival named DJ Awards is also held each year in Ibiza, Spain where different DJs are awarded in 11 categories.

The categories include house, techno music, trance, electronica, and big room house music.

Armin van Buren is the most successful EDM artist with 13 DJ Awards to his name.

Commercial Success

Due to the massive rise in the popularity of EDM music, it is now also one of the most profitable genres of music. Many EDM artists have earned more than famous pop musicians in a year due to their appearances in music festivals, their international tours, and club residencies.

In 2014, Forbes had reported that the top 10 EDM artists in the world had earned a total of $268 million.

Calvin Harris, the highest earner in the year of 2014, had earned $66 million. Harris is also known for his unique style of combining disco music and rock music along with funk rhythms and trip-hop.

The Chainsmokers, an American duo, were recognized as the top-earning EDM disc jockeys in 2019 by Forbes magazine. The Chainsmokers are a huge favorite among young people because they don't make repetitive music but focus on soulful sound and soulful style with alternative dance influence.

Marshmello was the second highest-earning DJ in 2019 with his own special residency show in the United States of America. Marshmello's residency is quite famous as it is performance art with influences from acid house, deep house, wobble bass, and heavy use of drum machine.

Billboard magazine started its own chart in 2013 where it would rank the most popular 'Hot Dance/Electronic Recordings'. 'Scream and Shout' by Will.I.Am and Britney Spears was the first song to get to the number one spot on this list.

The Chainsmokers have created a record of having six of their songs that have topped the chart. Some of those songs include 'Roses', 'Don't Let Me Down', 'Closer' and 'Something Just Like This'.

British artist Calvin Harris has also had three songs that have hit number 1 on the chart; 'Feels', 'Blame' and 'This Is What You Came For'.

German artist Zedd also has three songs that have topped the chart with songs like 'Stay' and 'I Want You To Know'.

The song 'Closer' by The Chainsmokers with singer Halsey spent 27 weeks at the number 1 spot in the chart which created a record.

The song 'Wake Me Up' by Swedish artist Avicii held the record before The Chainsmokers with 26 weeks atop the chart.

The track 'Lean On' by EDM group Major Lazer spent 23 weeks at the number 1 position in the chart and was declared a successful worldwide hit.  

FAQs

Q: What is unique about EDM?

A: EDM songs are unique because most of the songs are created using electronic media. Thus, these songs rely very less on actual people or instruments.

Q: Who created EDM?

A: No single musician or artist can be credited with the creation of the EDM genre. It is an amalgamation of several genres including electro house music, pop music, and dub.

Q: What are the main features of EDM?

A: The main feature of EDM music is that it is specifically made for dancing all night. Thus, there is a heavy focus on the ambient music as well as the rhythm and bass drops. Unlike most other songs, EDM music does not focus much on the lyrics of the song.

Q: What is EDM music?

A: EDM is Electronic Dance Music, which is a unique type of umbrella genre that consists of tracks that can be danced to all night long.

Q: What is an EDM machine?

A: Most EDM musicians use synthesizers or instruments like midi to create a unique EDM song.

Q: Where did EDM originate?

A: EDM did not originate in a single place or country. Rather, several genres like hip-hop, dub, electro-pop, and more from different parts of the world came together to create the EDM genre as we know it today.