A Comprehensive Guide to Electronic Music Genres

A look at some of the most popular electronic music genres, including house, techno, dubstep, and trance.

Introduction to Electronic Music

What is electronic music?

Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production, which encompasses a wide range of styles.

As such, it is difficult to define electronic music, as it spans a wide range of genres, styles and traditions. However, we can tentatively say that electronic music is any kind of music that uses electronic musical instruments or electronic sound-producing technology in its production. This would include, but is not limited to, genres such as electronica, techno, house, trance, drum and bass, dubstep and more.

The history of electronic music

Since the 1950s, electronic music has been one of the most rapidly evolving genres in the world. In the early days, it was mostly used for avant-garde and experimental purposes, but over time it has come to encompass a wide range of styles and subgenres.

Today, electronic music is one of the most popular genres in the world, with artists like Calvin Harris and Skrillex topping the charts. It’s also one of the most diverse genres, with subgenres like dubstep, techno, house, and trance all having their own distinct sounds.

Whether you’re a fan of electronic music or not, there’s no denying that it’s a genre that has had a profound impact on popular culture. Here’s a brief history of electronic music and how it became the global phenomenon it is today.

The early years (1950-1970)
In the 1950s, electronic music was still in its infancy. The first ever electronic instrument, The Theremin, was invented in 1920, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that other electronic instruments started to be developed. This includes the first synthesizers, which were invented in the late 1950s.

The first ever recordings of electronic music were made in the 1950s by composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Henry. These early recordings were mostly experimental and avant-garde in nature.

It wasn’t until 1968 that electronic music started to become more mainstream, with The Beatles’ iconic song “Yellow Submarine” being one of the first pop songs to feature synthesizers prominently. From here, electronic music started to gain more traction throughout the 1970s.

The rise of disco (1970s)
In the 1970s, disco became one of the most popular genres in the world. Electronic instruments played a major role in disco music, with synthesizers being used to create catchy melodies and basslines. The genre is also defined by its use of drum machines and sequencers, which allowed for complex drum patterns to be played with precision.

Disco reached its peak in 1977 with the release of Saturday Night Fever, which featured some of disco’s biggest hits like “Stayin’ Alive” and “Night Fever”. The movie was a massive success and helped to propel disco into the mainstream consciousness.

However, by 1979 disco was already starting to decline in popularity due to its association with drugs and hedonism. This decline was further hastened by the Disco Sucks movement, which saw anti-disco protests taking place across America. As a result of all this backlash against disco, many artists and producers started to distance themselves from the genre.

The Different Genres of Electronic Music

Electronic dance music is a broad range of percussive electronic music genres made largely for nightclubs, raves, and festivals. EDM is generally produced for playback by disc jockeys who create seamless selections of tracks, called a mix, by segueing from one recording to another.

Ambient

Ambient music is a genre of electronic music that putting an emphasis on tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm. A defining characteristic of ambient music is the attempt to create a “shifting mood or atmosphere through sound”, often organizing the basic tracks into repetitive forms to create an overall effect.

Ambient music often uses textural layers of sound without prominent melodies or rhythms, making it feel slower and more calming than other genres of electronic music. It is often associated with nature sounds, but it can also incorporate synthesizers and other types of electronic instruments. The genre has been described as “designed for listening in an ‘attentive’ manner, as opposed to providing entertainment or forcing one to think.”

The earliest examples of ambient music were in the form of Lighting and Sound Sculptures, audio-visual installations created by artists such as Tony Schwartz and Thomas Dudley Bass. These early works set the stage for what would become known as ambient music, by combining simple repetitive elements with experimental sounds and textures. In the 1970s, pioneering electronic musicians such as Brian Eno and Klaus Schulze began releasing albums that would further develop the genre. Eno’s landmark album Ambient 1: Music for Airports (1978) is often credited as the first true ambient album, while Schulze’s Irrlicht (1972) is one of the earliest examples of “space music”.

Today, ambient music continues to evolve and cross over into other genres, with artists like Aphex Twin, Biosphere, Boards of Canada, and Global Communication creating some of the most influential works in the genre. If you’re looking to explore ambient music, these are some essential albums to start with:

-Eno, Ambient 1: Music for Airports (1978)
-Schulze, Irrlicht (1972)
-Aphex Twin, Selected Ambient Works II (1994)
-Biosphere, Cirque (2000)
-Boards of Canada, Music Has the Right to Children (1998)
-Global Communication, 76:14 (1994)

Drum and Bass

Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated to D&B, DnB or simply DnB) is a genre of electronic music characterised by fast breakbeats (typically 160–180 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-bass lines, sampled sources, and synthesizers. The music grew out of the UK rave and jungle scenes in the early 1990s. When broken into its separate musical elements, “drums” usually refers to breakbeats, while “bass” denotes low-frequency basslines or samples. Drum and bass subgenres include breakcore, rollercore, darkstep, Hardstep, jump up , neurofunk , drill ‘n’ bass (a prominent London subgenre), techstep (characterized by complex functional minimalism), and drumfunk (which incorporates emergent themes from 1970s Afro-American funk).

The popularity of drum and bass at its commercial peak ran parallel to several other homegrown dance styles in the UK including big beat and hard house. But towards the turn of the millennium its popularity was deemed to have waned as the mainstream music press announced that Britpop was the new dominant force in rock music; however this was arguably an inaccurate observation as many mainstream acts including The Chemical Brothers continued to achieve critical acclaim as well as large scale success.

Dubstep

Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the late 1990s. It is characterized by a sparse, syncopated rhythm with heavy bass and sub-bass lines. The genre emerged as a response to the UK garage and jungle scenes of the time, and its early proponents include producers such as Skream, Benga, and Distance.

In the 2010s, dubstep became increasingly popular in North America, thanks in part to the popularity of artists such as Skrillex and Bassnectar. The genre has also been influence by other electronic dance music genres such as house and techno.

House

The origins of house music can be traced back to the early 1980s in Chicago. The first house tracks were created by DJs who were trying to extend the disco concept by creating a new style of music that was more minimalistic and focused on the rhythmic elements of the genre. House music became popular in clubs throughout Europe and America in the mid-1980s, and by the 1990s, it had become one of the most popular genres in the world.

Today, house music is still one of the mostpopular genresin clubs and festivals, and its sound has evolved significantly since its inception. The following are some of the most popular subgenres of house music:

-Deep House: Deep house is a subgenre of house music that emphasizes spacey, atmospheric soundscapes, hypnotic grooves, and soulful vocal samples. It is often considered to be a more mature and sophisticated sound than other forms of house music.
-Funky House: Funky house is a subgenre of house music that combines elements of disco, soul, and pop with a driving 4/4 beat. It is often characterized by its catchy hooks and feel-good vibes.
-Hard House: Hard housen is a subgenre of house music that features a harder, more aggressive sound than other styles of house. It often incorporates elements from techno and hard dancemusic.
-Tribal House: Tribal houselis a subgenre of house music that draws influence from world music, particularly African and Latin American rhythms. It is often characterized by its use of percussion-heavy beats

Techno

Techno is a type of electronic dance music that emerged in the late 1980s. It is characterized by a strong beat and often contains elements of other genres, such as industrial music. Techno is often associated with the rave culture and can be heard played at nightclubs, festivals, and parties.

The Future of Electronic Music

The future of electronic music is looking very bright. With the rise of EDM, more and more people are becoming interested in the genre. Electronic music is also becoming more and more popular in the mainstream. This guide will give you a comprehensive overview of the different genres of electronic music.

Where is electronic music headed?

The future of electronic music is always up in the air, as the genre is constantly evolving and mutating. However, there are some key elements that seem to be emerging as the defining factors of the next phase of electronic music.

One of the most important factors is the increasing popularity of streaming services. This has had a profound impact on the way that people listen to music, and has resulted in a massive shift in the way that electronic music is consumed.

In addition to this, there is also a growing trend for artists to experiment with new and innovative ways to create their music. This includes incorporating elements from other genres, such as hip hop and trap, as well as exploring new production techniques.

As electronic music continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these trends develop and what new directions the genre takes. Regardless of where it goes, one thing is for sure – electronic music is here to stay.

The rise of EDM

EDM, or electronic dance music, is a genre of music that is typically produced using digital audio production techniques. It is characterized by a fast tempo, repetitive beats, and synthesized melodies and basslines.

EDM has its roots in the disco and house music genres of the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1990s, producers began to use digital audio workstations to produced EDM tracks. The first EDM festivals were held in the early 2000s, and the genre has since become one of the most popular genres of electronic music.

The rise of EDM has been accompanied by the growth of electronic music festivals, which are now held around the world. EDM artists often headline these festivals, which attract millions of fans each year.

Some of the most popular EDM artists include Avicii, Skrillex, Deadmau5, and Calvin Harris.

The popularity of electronic music

Electronic dance music has been one of the biggest global music phenomena of the past decade. Thanks to the rise of festivals like Tomorrowland and Ultra, EDM has gone from being a niche genre to one of the most popular forms of music in the world.

However, as electronic music continues to grow in popularity, there has been an increasing demand for diversity within the genre. While many electronic music fans still enjoy the focused sound of a single sub-genre, others have started to explore the vast and varied world of electronic music, delving into different styles and genres.

This guide will explore some of the most popular electronic music genres, highlighting their key characteristics and providing examples of artists who have defined each style. Whether you’re a fan of EDM, techno, house, or any other form of electronic music, this guide will help you expand your musical horizons and discover new artists that you’re sure to love.