The Best Electronic Dance Music of the ’90s

We’re taking a look back at the best electronic dance music of the ’90s. From trance to techno, these are the tracks that defined the decade.

Introduction

In the 1990s, electronic dance music (EDM) began to rise in popularity around the world. This was due in part to the increasing popularity of clubs and festivals that featured EDM music, as well as the growth of electronic music media such as MTV’s dance show “Club MTV.”

During this decade, many different subgenres of EDM emerged, each with its own unique sound and style. Some of the most popular EDM subgenres of the ’90s include techno, house, trance, drum and bass, and trip hop.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best EDM tracks of the ’90s. We’ll also briefly discuss the history and evolution of each subgenre. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready to relive the glory days of ’90s EDM!

The ’90s EDM Scene

The ’90s was a golden age for electronic dance music. Many of the best and most influential EDM artists of all time got their start in the ’90s. The ’90s EDM scene was characterized by its experimental and innovative nature. This was a time when new music styles and subgenres were being created all the time.

The Birth of Rave Culture

The 1990s was a decade of incredible diversity in Electronic Dance Music. House, Techno, Drum & Bass, and Trance all evolved and diversified in the 1990s, giving rise to sub-genres and scenes that would come to dominate the next decade of dance music. In particular, the ’90s saw the birth of rave culture, which would come to define EDM for generations to come.

Rave culture developed out of the Acid House movement of the late 1980s, which itself was a direct descendant of the first wave of electronic music in the 1970s. Rave culture is characterized by its underground nature, its DIY ethic, and its focus on hedonistic pleasure. Raves are often associated with illegal drug use, particularly MDMA (ecstasy), but drug use is by no means a necessary component of rave culture.

Rave culture first gained mainstream attention in the early 1990s with the rise of so-called “superclubs” like Cream in England and Palladium in New York City. These clubs featured huge sound systems and world-renowned DJs playing marathon sets that would often last 8 hours or more. The popularity of superclubs helped to spread rave culture around the world, and by the mid-1990s raves were being held on every continent except Antarctica.

The 1990s also saw the rise of electronic dance music festivals, which continue to be hugely popular today. Some of the most notable ’90s EDM festivals include Love Parade in Germany, Glastonbury in England, and Boom Festival in Portugal. These festivals provided a space for ravers to come together and experience the music on a whole different level.

While rave culture is sometimes derided by older generations as being superficial or hedonistic, there is no denying its massive impact on electronic dance music as a whole. The ’90s was a decade that saw EDM explode onto the mainstream consciousness, and it is owing largely to rave culture that EDM has become one of the most popular genres in the world today

The Rise of House Music

In the late ‘80s, a new style of dance music was taking shape in the clubs of Chicago. Built on a foundation of African-American and Latino music styles such as disco and Latin freestyle, house music was characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor bass drumbeat, trance-like synthesizer melodies, and soulful vocal samples. House music quickly spread beyond the Windy City’s club scene, finding its way to Europe where it would come to be known as rave music. By the early ‘90s, house music had become one of the most popular genres in the world.

The Rise of Trance Music

Trance music rose to prominence in the early 1990s, with early hits includingcovers of Vangelis’ “Chariots of Fire” andTheme from “Sledge Hammer”. In 1992, ManchesterDJ and producer Paul Oakenfold releasing his influential album Colourful Sttrings’, which helped to popularize trance music outside of Europe. In 1994, Dutch duo Safri Duo released their hit single “played-A-Live (The Bongo Song)”, which became a global phenomenon and furthered the rise of trance music. In the late 1990s, Trance DJ and producer Tiësto released his magnum opus ‘Magik’, a five-hour long DJ mix album which became one of the most influential trance albums of all time.

The Best EDM of the ’90s

The ’90s was a great decade for electronic dance music. Many different subgenres emerged and there was a lot of experimentation. This resulted in some truly amazing music being produced. Here are some of the best tracks from the ’90s.

The Prodigy – “Smack My Bitch Up”

“Smack My Bitch Up” is a song by English electronic music group The Prodigy, released as their fifth single on 30 November 1997. The song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one in Ireland. On 19 December 1997, the song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording but lost to The Chemical Brothers’ “Block Rockin’ Beats”. From late 1997 to early 1998, it was ranked highly on various year-end and decade-end lists. In 2010, NME placed it at number 73 on its list of “150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years”. In June 2015, Pitchfork ranked “Smack My Bitch Up” at number 101 on their list of “The 200 Best Songs of the 1990s”.

The Chemical Brothers – “Block Rockin’ Beats”

An instant classic as soon as it was released in 1997, “Block Rockin’ Beats” saw The Chemical Brothers hitting their stride as the undisputed leaders of the big beat genre. Combining massive breakbeats with a healthy dose of funk and soul, the track is a perfect example of why the ’90s were such a special time for EDM.

Fatboy Slim – “Praise You”

The ’90s were a golden age for electronic dance music, and Fatboy Slim’s “Praise You” is one of the genre’s defining tracks. The song was released in 1998 and quickly became a global club hit, propelled by its infectious hook and Slim’s clever use of sampling. “Praise You” is a perfect example of the energy and creativity that characterized EDM in the ’90s, and it remains one of the most iconic dance tracks of all time.

Conclusion

EDM, or electronic dance music, is a genre of music that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This genre is characterized by heavy synthesizer melodies and thick basslines. It is also often associated with the rave culture. The ’90s was a golden era for EDM, as it saw the rise of many subgenres and artists that would shape the genre for years to come. In this article, we will countdown the 10 best EDM tracks of the ’90s.