2013: The Year in Electronic Music

2013 was a big year for electronic music. We saw the rise of new genres, the fall of old ones, and the emergence of some truly talented artists. Here’s a look back at the year in electronic music.

Introduction

2013 was a big year for electronic music. New artists and sounds emerged, while established artists continued to push the envelope and experiment with new styles. Here’s a look at some of the highlights of the year in electronic music.

One of the biggest stories of the year was the rise of trap music, a subgenre of hip hop that originated in the late 1990s/early 2000s in the southern United States. trap music is characterized by its heavy use of 808 drums, melodic synth lines, and rap vocals. Trap music exploded in popularity in 2013, with artists like Flosstradamus, Baauer, and RL Grime releasing some of the biggest tracks of the year.

Another big story was the continued rise of dubstep. While dubstep had been around for over a decade, it really began to enter the mainstream consciousness in 2012 with tracks like Skrillex’s “Bangarang” and Rusko’s “Somebody to Love”. In 2013, dubstep continued to evolve, with artists like Zeds Dead and Bassnectar experiment with new sounds and styles.

While trap and dubstep were certainly some of the biggest stories of 2013, they weren’t the only ones. Drum & bass also had a big year, with artists like DJ Marky and Calyx & Teebee releasing some highly acclaimed albums. And techno also enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, with artists like Richie Hawtin and Carl Cox headlining major festivals around the world.

So what does 2014 have in store for electronic music? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: it’s going to be an exciting year.

A Look Back at the Year in Electronic Music

2013 was a big year for electronic music. We saw the rise of many new artists and the fall of some older ones. Some genres rose to popularity while others faded away. This was also the year that electronic music became more mainstream than ever before. Let’s take a look back at the year in electronic music.

The Rise of Electronic Music

2013 was a big year for electronic music. We saw the rise of new genres, the continued popularity of EDM, and the increasing influence of technology on the music itself.

One of the biggest trends was the rise of trap music. This genre, which originated in the south, combines elements of hip hop and electronic music. It’s characterized by its heavy beats and often dark, aggressive lyrics. Trap music blew up in 2013, with artists like Lil Jon, A$AP Rocky, and Juicy J helping to bring it to the mainstream.

EDM also continued to be popular in 2013. festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival and Ultra Music Festival drew huge crowds, and artists like Calvin Harris and Avicii had a great year commercially. David Guetta even won a Grammy for his work on Madonna’s album MDNA.

Technology also had a big impact on electronic music in 2013. We saw the rise of new software like Ableton Live 9 and FL Studio 12, which made it easier than ever for producers to create professional-sounding tracks. We also saw more producers using digital instruments like MIDI controllers and drum machines to create their music. And finally, we saw an increase in the use of mobile apps like garageband to create or perform electronic music.

The Fall of Electronic Music

2013 was a tough year for electronic music. Unprecedented EDM festivals like TomorrowWorld and Ultra Music Festival drew hundreds of thousands of attendees, but the mainstreaming of the genre also brought new scrutiny from lawmakers and law enforcement. In Las Vegas, a string of nightclub closures put a damper on Sin City’s reputation as a party capital, while drug-related deaths at festivals like Electric Zoo and South by Southwest caused widespread soul-searching within the scene.

In spite of all the negativity, 2013 was also a great year for electronic music on a number of fronts. Below, we take a look back at some of the biggest stories from the past 12 months.

The Year in Electronic Music Festivals

As the weather warms up and the days get longer, music fans all over the world start anticipating their favorite summer festivals. From roving international events like Tomorrowland and Burning Man to local favorites like HARD Summer and SXSW, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to seeing your favorite DJs and producers perform live. This year was especially eventful in the world of electronic music festivals, with several new festivals making their debut, some established fests expanding to new locations, and others sadly calling it quits. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights of the past year in electronic music festivals.

Tomorrowland: Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2013, Tomorrowland is one of the biggest and most well-known electronic music festivals in the world. The festival takes place in Boom, Belgium and features more than 400 DJs and live acts spread out over 15 stages. This year’s lineup included everyone from Tiësto and Armin van Buuren to Steve Aoki and Martin Garrix, making it one of the most diverse lineups in recent memory. In addition to attracting some of the biggest names in dance music, Tomorrowland is also known for its stunning stage production, which featured everything from life-sized elephants to unicorn puppets this year.

Ultra Music Festival: One of America’s most popular EDM festivals, Ultra Music Festival took place in Miami this past March and featured headlining sets from Avicii, deadmau5, Tiesto, David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, Skrillex, Fatboy Slim, Calvin Harris, Kaskade, Afrojack,Steve Angello Above & Beyond. With a lineup like that, it’s no surprise that Ultra sold out all 150,000 tickets for this year’s festival within hours of going on sale. In addition to attracting huge crowds from all over the world (an estimated 330,000 people attended Ultra this year), the festival is also known for its after parties, which take place at some of Miami’s hottest nightclubs and feature even more big-name DJs.

Electric Daisy Carnival: One of the largest electronic music festivals in North America (and possibly even the world), Electric Daisy Carnival took place in Las Vegas this past June and featured more than 300 DJs spread out over 8 stages. This year’s lineup included everyone from Calvin Harris and Tiësto to Bassnectar and Zedd, making it one of the most diverse lineups in recent memory. In addition to attracting some of the biggest names in dance music, Electric Daisy Carnival is also known for its incredible stage production (think enormous ferris wheels and fire-breathing dragons) and spectacular pyrotechnics displays.

The Future of Electronic Music

2013 was a big year for electronic music. We saw the rise of trap, the continued popularity of dubstep, and the explosion of EDM. But what does the future hold for electronic music? Let’s take a look at some of the trends that are shaping the future of this genre.

The Rise of EDM

Since the early 2010s, electronic dance music (EDM) has been gaining in popularity both in the United States and around the world. In 2013, EDM finally broke into the mainstream, with several mainstream pop artists releasing singles with EDM elements. At the same time, a number of EDM festivals and concerts have been held in major cities around the world, attracting huge crowds of fans.

With its growing popularity, EDM is sure to have a bright future. In the years to come, we can expect to see more mainstream artists incorporating EDM elements into their music, as well as more EDM festivals and events being held in major cities worldwide.

The Fall of EDM

The electronic dance music (EDM) industry has been on a roller coaster ride the past few years, and 2013 was no different. From the explosive growth of festival culture to the controversies surrounding drug use, the EDM world has seen it all. But perhaps the most significant development in 2013 was the beginning of the fall of EDM.

The writing has been on the wall for some time now, but 2013 was the year that many long-time EDM fans and insiders began to turn their backs on the scene. A combination of falling ticket sales, over-saturation of festivals, and a general feeling of “been there, done that” has led to a decline in interest in EDM among its core audience.

This is not to say that EDM is dead or dying, but it is clear that the industry is facing some serious challenges. The question now is whether EDM can adapt and evolve to meet these challenges, or if it will continue to decline in popularity. Only time will tell.

The Future of Electronic Music Festivals

Looking back on 2013, it’s safe to say that it was a banner year for electronic music. We saw the rise of unexpectedly popular genres like future bass and trap, the continued dominance of dubstep and electro house, and the ever-growing popularity of festivals specializing in electronic music. But what does the future hold for this rapidly growing scene?

There’s no doubt that festivals are here to stay. In North America alone, there are now over 100 different festivals dedicated to electronic music, with new ones popping up every year. And as the scene continues to grow in popularity, we can only expect this number to increase.

What we may see in the future are more niche festivals, catering to specific sub-genres or even micro-genres. We’ve already seen this happen to some extent with festivals like Dirtybird Campout and Symbiosis Gathering, and we can expect to see more of it in the years to come.

Another trend we may see is an increase in collaborative efforts betweenfestivals, promoters, and brands. We’ve already seenthis happening with many festivals partnering with apparel companies or energy drink brands, but we may see even more Collaborations in the future as festival organizers look for waysto stand out in an increasingly saturated market.

Of course, predicting the future is always a tricky business, and only time will tell what direction the electronic music scene will go in. But one thing is for sure: 2013 was just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see what the next year has in store.