The 80s Music Renaissance: Techno
The 80s were a time of big hair, neon clothes- and a music renaissance that gave birth to genres like techno.
The Birth of Techno
In the late 80s, a group of kids in Detroit were exposed to a new style of music coming from Europe. They loved it so much that they decided to create their own. And so, techno was born. These kids were pioneers in a genre that would go on to change the face of music forever.
Detroit’s music scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s
In the late 1970s, Detroit was a city on the verge of ruin. The auto industry was in decline, and the city’s once-vibrant manufacturing sector was in decline. But in the midst of this urban decay, a new form of music was born: techno.
Techno is a style of electronic dance music that emerged from the Detroit club scene in the early 1980s. It is characterized by a heavy reliance on synthesizers and drum machines, and it often has a minimalist, repetitious structure.
Techno was initially developed by a group of African-American DJs and producers who were influenced by the electronic music of European artists like Kraftwerk. These pioneers includes figures such as Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson, who would go on to become some of the most influential figures in techno history.
In its early years, techno was primarily an underground phenomenon, but it began to achieve mainstream success in the 1990s with hits like “Strings of Life” by Derrick May and “Big Fun” by Inner City. In the 21st century, techno has continued to evolve and remain popular with DJs and clubgoers around the world.
The influence of European electronic music
While the United States is typically thought of as the birthplace of techno, the genre actually has its roots in Europe. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a group of European musicians and producers began experimenting with electronic music, creating a new sound that would eventually come to be known as techno.
These European artists were influenced by a wide range of music, from disco and funk to Kraftwerk and New Wave. They took these diverse sounds and combined them with heavy synthesizers and drum machines to create a new kind of music that was both danceable and experimental. This new sound quickly caught on in Europe, especially in Germany and the United Kingdom, where it became hugely popular in underground clubs.
The Development of Techno
Techno is a genre that developed in the 1980s and is associated with electronic dance music. The word “techno” is often used to describe a wide variety of electronic music. Techno is characterized by a heavy use of synthesizers and drum machines. The genre developed in Detroit, Michigan, and is often considered to be a product of the city’s African-American community.
The first techno tracks
Techno is a genre of electronic music that first emerged in the mid-1980s. Techno music is characterized by a repetitive 4/4 beat, often accompanied by synthesizers and drum machines. The first techno tracks were created by DJs and producers in Detroit, Michigan, USA. These early tracks were influenced by a wide range of music styles, including electro and funk.
The development of the Detroit sound
Detroit techno is a type of techno music that generally includes the use of electronic instruments such as drum machines, sequencers, and synthesizers. It was developed in the early 1980s by a group of musicians and producers in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The first Detroit techno track was “Just Wanna Dance” byelectronic musician Kevin Saunderson, released in 1982.
The Detroit sound is characterized by a heavy use of basslines and syncopated drum patterns, often generated by drum machines. It also often features elements of Chicago house music, such as the use of Roland TR-909 drum machines and acid house-style synth lines. Detroit techno is generally slower than other forms of techno, with tempos typically ranging from 120 to 140 beats per minute (bpm).
The genre was strongly influenced by the work of European electronic music artists such as Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder. In the late 1980s and early 1990s,Detroit techno evolved into a more commercial form of techno known as “rave music”, which was popularized by artists such as Carl Cox andAwesome 3.
The Popularity of Techno
Techno first originated in Detroit, Michigan in the 1980s. It is a type of electronic dance music that is mainly characterized by a repetitive four on the floor beat. Techno is often associated with a science fiction-like atmosphere. In the 1990s, techno became popular in the club scene of Europe.
The rise of rave culture
The late 80s and early 90s saw the rise of rave culture, with clubs and illegal warehouse parties popping up all over the UK, Europe and North America. This new underground music scene was defined by its hedonistic, all-night parties where like-minded people came together to dance and socialize. Ecstasy (or MDMA) was commonly used at these parties, giving ravers an extra boost of energy to keep them going through the night.
Techno was the perfect soundtrack for these parties – its hypnotic rhythms and futuristic soundscapes transported dancers to another world where they could escape the anxieties of everyday life. The music was also capable of uniting people from different backgrounds and encouraging them to let go of their inhibitions and judgment.
In the 1990s, techno became more mainstream, with several hits crossing over into the pop charts. The Prodigy’s “Firestarter” and The Chemical Brothers’ “Setting Sun” are two examples of techno tracks that enjoyed widespread popularity in the UK. At the same time, techno was evolving and splintering off into new subgenres such as trance, hard trance, jungle and drum & bass.
Today, techno is more popular than ever, with huge festivals like Berlin’s Love Parade attracting hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world. The music has also inspired a new generation of ravers who are committed to carrying on the tradition of all-night dancing and hedonistic excess.
The popularity of techno in the 1990s
In the early 1990s, techno achieved mainstream popularity in Europe as well as North America, with hits such as “G Ang P” by Fluke and “Nuxx” by Apollo 440 appearing in the charts. By the mid-1990s, however, the genre had largely fallen out of favour with the mainstream music press, with outlets such as NME and Melody Maker declaring it “dead”.
The Legacy of Techno
Techno is a genre of music that was created in the 80s. It is a blend of electronic music and African-American music. Techno is known for its repetitive beats and its use of synthesizers. The genre was created in Detroit, Michigan by African-American DJs.
The influence of techno on contemporary electronic music
Techno is a genre of electronic music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid-to-late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a type of music, was in 1988. Many styles of techno now exist, but Detroit techno is seen as the foundation upon which a number of sub-genres have been built.
Contemporary electronic music includes many styles that are direct descendents of or influenced by techno, including house, trance, drum and bass, and minimalism. Even though techno’s popularity has waxed and waned over the years, its influence on contemporary electronic music is undeniable.
The influence of techno on popular culture
Techno is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States in the 1980s. The first Detroit techno producers such as Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson were inspired by European electronic music such as Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder and Vangelis, as well as Afro-American Funk and soul music. They developed a style of music that was based on repetitive beats and samples.
This new style of music quickly spread from Detroit to other cities in the US and then to Europe. In the 1990s, techno became one of the most popular genres of electronic dance music. Today, techno is still popular in clubs and underground parties around the world. It has also influenced other genres of music such as house, drum and bass, and trance.
