EDM Music Subculture

Electronic dance music (EDM) is another name for EDM music. EDM Music refers to a variety of percussive electronic music styles that are often heard at raves, concerts, and nightclubs. The success of EDM Music has resulted in the creation of an EDM Music subculture (Michelangelo). A subculture is a community formed by popular culture as a result of shared fashion influences such as music and clothing style (Michelangelo). The electronic dance music movement evolved from traditional raves, where DJ mixes entertained crowds in the same space. The EDM Music subculture has several values and phrases that are used to classify members and have meanings (Michelangelo). EDM Music subculture emerged in the 1980s as a blend of funk, electro-pop, and boogie. At first, electronic dance music was linked to European rave and the club culture. EDM Music became popular in the 1980s especially after its first play in Chicago, and Illinois venue called the warehouse (Emília, Malheiro, and Tenreiro). Later people refer the music as the house music, and it stirs up from there to EDM. EDM festivals became popular and attractive thus most youth and old people became fond of attending EDM Music festivals because of its unique dance and entertaining DJ mixes (Emília, Malheiro, and Tenreiro). One of the oldest EDM Music festivals is Mysteryland festival, a multiple-day festival held in New York. In mysteryland was attended by many DJs from various parts of the world. The DJs come together was a sign of unity that can be brought by EDM Music thus it inspired many by people and triggered the development of the EDM Music subculture where members believe in peace, love, unity and respect. EDM Music gained its popularity in the US in the mid to late 1990s thus its dance genres become common in the US, and later the genre achieved an attention after “Ray of Light” song by Madonna hit in the US because the song attracted the attention of many

Section 2

EDM Music subculture has some factors that explain its qualities. The members believe that EDM Music subculture has best qualities regarding beliefs. There is a “PLUR” concept used and respected by members. “PLUR” stands for peace, love, unity and respect. Group believes in peace because the members embrace peace and not violence; hence the music played is festive music that shows how people are peaceful. Love aspect defines the qualities of the members because during the dance and festivals members dance together and share some items as a sign of love to one another. Unity is an essential aspect in the subculture because members are encouraged to act as the unifying tools during festivals and to have fun together inside and outside the festival arenas. Respect is the source of love in every culture because if members are respecting one another, it means love prevails in the subculture (Mark). The members are embraced to be respectful to the members and the entire world.

The EDM Music subculture can be identified from their rave habit and the bracelets or the “Kandis” they wear. Raving habit is characterized by attending nightclubs particular the electronic DJ mix parties and festivals that are organized during special occasions such as summer parties and international events such as football opening . The members design the “Kandis” right from the simple to the sophisticated ones. The EDM Music subculture respects the age limit regarding the festivals restrictions thus they have the age limit for one to be a member (18 years). The minor are not allowed to attend rave because the law does not allow minors to participate in the shows where people drink alcohol and use other drugs that are prohibited. Most of the EDM Music subculture members consume alcohol and smoke because they believe one is supposed to drink or smoke as a way of lifting the party spirits (Rebekah). Electro dance music is the key music for the group members because they derived the subculture name from the music (EDM Music subculture). Electro dance music is danceable music. Thus members do not focus on the message from the music; instead, they concentrate on the music beats and DJ mixing version. The members wear provocative sexual clothes during festivals. The provocative dressing style is not meant to provoke people rather they are meant for functions and theatrics features (Michelle). However, the society thinks that the raves social deviants due to the drugs involved in a rave, dressing style and the sexual activities that dominate the raves functions. Raves define themselves as peaceful, loving, unifying and respectful people in the society regardless of the stereotypic comments they receive from the other individuals in the society http://www.laweekly.com/music/inside-the-world-of-the-kandi-kids-dance-musics-most-colorful-subculture-7970667.

Section 3

The acronym “PLUR,” defines the message from the EDM Music subculture clearly identifiable. Members of the group and the major organizers of the international festivals argue that the group is the subculture is like any other function meant to embrace peace, love, unity and respect worldwide. Athletics and music are meant to pass messages such as love messages, peace messages, unity messages, and respect messages, and so EDM Music does. The group is not meant for a certain community, gender, race and religion because it welcomes all people regardless of their profiles. However, the group is dominated by male DJs and artists from various parts of the world http://www.refinery29.uk/2017/04/149671/female-djs-annie-mac-nightwave. The members argue that the subculture is a wide range of races, religions, and gender regardless of the male dominance because male artists dominate the music industry; hence EDM Music subculture has more male members. The key belief of the subculture is unity thus the functions organized are meant to unify the people from all the parts of the world. During special functions such as the football opening, competent DJs such as DJ-Guetta are invited to entertain the community https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2x3-b6JEj8. In the United States, there are special festivals held during summer seasons. In 2012, a function named; “whatever-you-do-don’t-call them-raves” attracted 320,000 individuals to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for three days thus the ideology regarding unity can be derived from the mass attraction. Whenever people win or celebrate blessings, they play music and dance together to show their team spirit, and so the EDM Music subculture does during the festivals and normal rave in nightclubs. The “Kandi bracelets” are shared by members during festivals as a symbol of unity and love among the members of the subculture. Members of the EDM Music subculture believes in theatric thus their dressing style is funky and sexual. The society has a negative view towards the dressing style due to the reason that many believe such dressing style is provocative and the substance abuse http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/26/edm-culture_n_5518106.html. Just like any other culture dressing code is important because it helps the group members to identify one another.

Section 4

Kandi Bracelet has the primary use in the society, but currently, the EDM Music subculture is using the bracelet as a subculture symbol. The primary function of the bracelet is to wear on the lower leg, wrist or sometimes a section of strap cord used on larger part of the limb and sometimes used to stop severe bleeding. Kandi Bracelets are worn by the EDM Music members during festivals as a symbol of unity and love. Before the EDM Music subculture, people in the society used to wear bracelets basically for beauty purposes, and it had no cultural meaning in the society.

Due to the evolvement of the EDM Music Subculture, the meaning of the bracelets changed eventually, and its demand rose especially in parts such as Europe and America where the raves are regular and respected by the community. At first, the raves used the normal bracelets during the festivals. They usefd to sell or share the bracelets during the festivals as a symbol of unity and love among the members. Currently, technology plays a big role in the advancement of the bracelets. During the festival's tickets are sold by the organizers to the audience all over the world thus during the festival day, the members enter the arena by presenting their ticket numbers and immediately their tickets are checked, the members are given bracelet for the festival. The bracelets that are given to members are advanced in that they have the personal details of a member and a heart shaped button. The love shaped button enables a member to link with other members in the festivals because the button is configured in a way that a member can press and immediately he or she sends the personal email address to other members. After sending the email to other members he or she can be able to create a network of new friends. Therefore, the network created can enhance unity among the members in a particular festival. The wristbands are activated by the technical team of the festival to produce light thus making the festival colorful http://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/tuesday-may-9-2017-jean-michel-jarre-fiver-and-more-1.4101256/jean-michel-jarre-on-the-futuristic-appeal-of-electronic-music-1.4101699.

The advanced bracelets facilitate the unification of the members because it allows the members to be friends through social media such as the Facebook and emails. Most of the members have ended up making official friendships after the festivals thus it is clear that the bracelet plays a big role identifying the members and linking the together. The connection made via a bracelet button has made the members know each other regarding gender, occupation, and location; hence, currently, it is simple for members to know each other as compared to the past when they used to know one another by sharing the bracelets. It is important for the members to have digital bracelets as far as identification and network creation purposes are put into consideration.

The roles played by the bracelet (identification and networking) signify that the EDM Music subculture is developing and expanding rapidly. The solidarity among the subculture members is becoming strong as technology advances, and eventually, the EDM Music subculture is gaining popularity and winning more members considering the reason that most youths have to tend to be curious regarding festivals http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/exploring-extremes-in-music. The public is undermining the EDM Music subculture due to the reason that festivals are characterized by drugs and sex. However, members are growing annually due to advanced networking technologies. Furthermore, existing members are enticing other to join the subculture and have fun. The public members who are against EDM Music subculture are worried about the increase in the number of members regardless of the evil activities that members get into during festivals and nightclubs thus they are urging various governments to impose laws that restrict the substance abuse during the EDM festivals (Alexander). The public is much concern about the young generation because it is the largest portion of the subculture thus it shows future will be affected considering the reason that most of the young generation are abusing drugs and engaging in sexual activities during the EDM festivals.

EDM Music subculture is important because since the 1980s regardless of the negative comments from the counterparts and the public. DJs mixing music during the festivals are among the top ranking DJs in the world; hence, it means EDM Music subculture is offering entertainment services, employments and above all it unifies its members worldwide. The bracelet is an important symbol for the subculture and entire world because unity is supposed to be embraced across the world. Racism, sexual harassment, religion prejudice are among the serious issues facing the world due to lack of unity and love among the members of the public or society. Embracing Unity can be a technique for reducing racism, sexual harassment and religion prejudice and so the bracelet does to the EDM Music subculture members. The EDM Music subculture has a more positive impact on peace, love, unity and respect and therefore, the society should always consider embracing EDM Music subculture by advising them on the matter regarding substance abuse and sexual activities that group members are involved in festivals.



Annotated Bibliography

Matos, Michelangelo. The Underground Is Massive: How Electronic Dance Music Conquered America. , 2015. Print.

Michelangelo focused on the factors that lead to the popularity and essence of the EDM music in the society and businesses. The youths and the hustler’s are major players in the music business. The research made by Michelangelo is based on the Chicago festivals where young men and women participate electro music parties.

Simão, Emília, de S. A. Malheiro, and de M. S. Tenreiro. Exploring Psychedelic Trance and Electronic Dance Music in Modern Culture. , 2015. Print

The book by iSimão, Emília, de S. A. Malheiro, and de M. S. Tenreiro investigated the expansive scope of the EDMC, the relationship with the digital and the rise of the psycheldic trance culture in various part of the world.

Farrugia, Rebekah. Beyond the Dance Floor: Female Djs, Technology, and Electronic Dance Music Culture. Bristol, U.K: Intellect, 2012. Print.

The ADMC is characterized by male thus Farrugia choose to investigate on the factors that contribute to male dominance in the EDMC. The dance floors are dominated by men and also the DJ are men thus Farrugia find a good reason to study about the female DJ, technology and electric dance culture.

Phillipov, Michelle. Death Metal and Music Criticism: Analysis at the Limits. Lanham, Md: Lexington Books, 2012. Print.

EDM Music subculture is criticized by the non-members due to the reason that most of the members are sexuality driven and drug abuse is the order of the festivals. The death of the metal was used by Michelle to build the ground for criticism.

Beaumont, Alexander. Contemporary British Fiction and the Cultural Politics of Disenfranchisement: Freedom and the City. , 2015. Print.

The urban areas became the battle field for freedom. Among the freedoms that were fought for was the freedom for subculture. Therefore, the issue regarding the EDM Music subculture was raised and discussed by Alexander

Butler, Mark J. Playing with Something That Runs: Technology, Improvisation, and Composition in Dj and Laptop Performance. , 2014. Print.

Mark focused on the use of the technology to improvise the electronic music. Electronic music has been made complex and highly entertaining by the DJs who believe in advancement of the Electronic Music. The book by mark covers topic that are much concern about the role played by technology in the music industry.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/tuesday-may-9-2017-jean-michel-jarre-fiver-and-more-1.4101256/jean-michel-jarre-on-the-futuristic-appeal-of-electronic-music-1.4101699

Jean-Michel Jarre explains how the Electronic music is becoming the future in the music industry. Electronic music compares the electronic music between the year 2000 and now and finds and big difference in terms of popularity thus he believes electronic music and EDM Music subculture will be bigger and better in future.

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/exploring-extremes-in-music

France loves EDM Music thus it is among the nations where EDM Music is gaining popularity and winning over other types of music and eventually most of the people have joined the EDM Music subculture.



http://www.refinery29.uk/2017/04/149671/female-djs-annie-mac-nightwave

Female DJs are less in the music industry due to various reasons as it was reported in the Refinary29. Female artist are less due to the fact that male are more in the music industry. Women with passion and talent are the few who thrive in the DJ services.

http://www.laweekly.com/music/inside-the-world-of-the-kandi-kids-dance-musics-most-colorful-subculture-7970667

Kandi Bracelet plays major role during the festivals thus the news reported showed that members enter into the erana while wearing different versions of Kandis as it was reported by LAweakly.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/26/edm-culture_n_5518106.html

Drug abuse in the biggest issue associated to the EDM Music subculture. In most cases youth are involved in substance abuse as per the statistics done on the EDM Music subculture festivals that are held in various parts of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2x3-b6JEj8

In Miami Ultra Music Festival 2014, DJ David Guetta was the DJ. He entertained crowd by mixing various song in Electronic version because the festival was meant to entertain the audience in electronic music dance. For the video, the audience seems to be well controlled by the mixes by David Guetta.



Works Cited

Beaumont, Alexander. Contemporary British Fiction and the Cultural Politics of Disenfranchisement: Freedom and the City. , 2015. Print.

Butler, Mark J. Playing with Something That Runs: Technology, Improvisation, and Composition in Dj and Laptop Performance. , 2014. Print.

Butler, Mark J. Playing with Something That Runs: Technology, Improvisation, and Composition in Dj and Laptop Performance. , 2014. Print.

Farrugia, Rebekah. Beyond the Dance Floor: Female Djs, Technology, and Electronic Dance Music Culture. Bristol, U.K: Intellect, 2012. Print.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/tuesday-may-9-2017-jean-michel-jarre-fiver-and-more-1.4101256/jean-michel-jarre-on-the-futuristic-appeal-of-electronic-music-1.4101699

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/26/edm-culture_n_5518106.html

http://www.laweekly.com/music/inside-the-world-of-the-kandi-kids-dance-musics-most-colorful-subculture-7970667

http://www.refinery29.uk/2017/04/149671/female-djs-annie-mac-nightwave

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/exploring-extremes-in-music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2x3-b6JEj8

Matos, Michelangelo. The Underground Is Massive: How Electronic Dance Music Conquered America. , 2015. Print.

Phillipov, Michelle. Death Metal and Music Criticism: Analysis at the Limits. Lanham, Md: Lexington Books, 2012. Print.