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Abbey Road /The Birth of the Synth
The Beatles who introduced the use of electronic instruments to the mainstream, with the ‘Moog’ synthesizer on the Abbey Road album. -
Kraftwork
The German electronic band Kraftwerk is formed by Ralph Hutter and Florian Schneider. The duo started to play live with a variety of instruments processed through synthesizers and electronic-based effects. -
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Disco Fever
David Manusco opens "The Loft " in NYC and Disco emerges from the urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns. -
TSOP
The Philly Sound laid the groundwork for disco by fusing the R&B rhythm sections of the 1960s with the pop vocal tradition. -
I Feel Love - Donna Summer
Produced by Giorgio Moroder, this single has been described as a milestone and blueprint for electronic dance music because it was the first to combine repetitive synthesizer loops with a continuous four-on-the-floor bass drum and an off-beat hi-hat, which would become a main feature of techno and house ten years later. -
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (or MIDI) brought computers, instruments and other hardware together to communicate for the very first time. -
Remixing
Frankie Knuckles is credited with being among the first to splice disco tapes together to create longer sections. This music evolved into house music as we know it, and the birth of the modern remix came about as well. -
House and Freestyle Become the first descendant of Disco
DJs like Larry Levan and Frankie Knuckles were blending popular disco classics with elements of rock, pop, soul, funk, and rap at “The Warehouse” nightclub in Chicago’s South Side. Chicago record stores would attract fans of the emerging sound by labeling dance records “as played at The Warehouse,” which became shortened to “house music.” While in NY Freestyle music emerged with performers such as Exposé and Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam gaining mainstream chart success. -
Love Parade
In West Berlin, the electronic dance festival “Love Parade” is founded as a political demonstration for peace with 150 participants; Underground dance music gains popularity and new record labels are formed. -
EDM BECOMES A CULTURE WITH RAVES
In the 80s and 90s, Club-goers were faced with a 2 a.m. closing time in the UK, and would seek after-hours refuge at all-night warehouse parties.
In 1989, approximately 10,000 people at a time would attend commercially organized underground parties that were eventually labelled as “Raves”. -
EDC
The first Electric Daisy Carnival was held in 1991, and was first organized by Stephen Hauptfuhr. The name, was then sold in 1995 to Insomniac Events. Insomniac debuted their signature event, Electric Daisy Carnival, in 1997 at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California. -
Around The World
Daft Punk released, ‘Around The World‘, which saw electronic dance music reign supreme in the global music charts, with the record reaching No.1 in Canada, UK, US, Italy, and Iceland. -
The Grammys
Dance music was recognized by the Grammys for the first time, since disco, when NARAS created awards for Best Dance/Electronic Recording (currently held by Beyonce) and Best Remix. -
Ultra Music Fest
Ultra Music Festival was inaugurated and produced. The city of Miami has estimated that since 2012, Ultra has "generated approximately $995 million of economic impact", with $168 million in 2018 alone. -
SiriusXM
Sirius XM launches first Electronic/Dance channel, “BPM” (there’s now 5); -
The Bourn Identy
“The Bourne Identity” starring Matt Damon hits theaters with Moby’s “Extreme Ways” in the End Credits. Following it’s success, Moby’s song is used in the next 3 sequels. -
Beatport
The online music store Beatport opens with 79 Electronic Record Labels offered. Beatport quickly becomes the top retailer for dance music sales online. -
Coachella
Daft Punk’s “Alive Tour” starts at Coachella, where a pyramid-style stage with unique lighting and visuals is introduced. -
Kanye and Hip-hop
Kanye West releases the album Graduation, which includes the mega-hit single “Stronger” with Daft Punk. It’s success encouraged hip-hop artists to use electronic elements and revived disco house. -
Guetta
David Guetta produces two hits: “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas and “When Love Takes Over” by Kelly Rowland. His fame at this time is one of the many reasons EDM hits the mainstream audience. -
Deadmau5 DJs the VMAs
Deadmau5, was hired to mix the music for some of the performances and all of the music that was spun during commercial breaks. -
SHM performs with Usher at the VMAs
The trio of Swedes DJ’d Ushers set and were able to throw in brief snippets of “Miami 2 Ibiza” and “One.”
This is now the second time this year EDM has infiltrated mainstream awards ceremonies, and by far the biggest to date. -
SHM
Swedish House Mafia becomes the first dance/electronic act to sell out Madison Square Garden. -
Marshmello
DJ Marshmello takes mainstream to the Next Level as he becomes one of the most popular Halloween Costumes of the year -
Whitney & Kygo
Seven years after her death, Whitney Houston's camp releases a cover of Steve Winwoood's "Higher Love" reworked and produced, posthumously, by Norwegian DJ Kygo. In the U.S., "Higher Love" debuted at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with 6.6 million US streams in its first week. -
More Grammys
This June, the Recording Academy announced its addition of the best pop dance recording category to the Grammy awards.