I also said "Probably just cultural attributes relating to the prevalence of pop music in the US." If pop music is more well received in the US than many other parts of the world, and this is influential in the prevalence of music due to limits such as air time (which pop music is specifically aimed towards), than it makes sense that said attraction to pop music does not limit its transfer into the US.
I really am wondering, though, why you're so upset about a statement with a conditional that made it extremely broad and nonprecise.
There are tons of festivals in the US that are like Hard Bass. Electric Forest in Michigan, the Electric Carnival in Vegas. Tons of shit just look. Also Beiber is from Canada. Blame them and Usher. There are lots of Electronic music festivals and festivals that have electronic music as a big headliner. Groups like Pretty Lights, Lotus, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Girl Talk, Big Gigantic etc are all major players in the electronic scene are were grown here in the US. The major radio and TV stations play Rock, Country and Pop because it sells to the masses.
Because of the limitations on air time and live performances. As pop music is specifically keyed towards such things, it can generally work its way in more, as opposed to say, metal music which is limited in where it will be played. As people generally develop their musical tastes along certain lines (and yes, I used the word generally again), and they are primarily exposed to pop music placing their tastes pretty much in the middle of the road, that is where their interests will lead from there on out.
Well the USA is one of the most open societies, and we let all the music in the world come here and its very much available because of the internet.
More musical mixing probably goes on here than in any other country because of the variety of cultures we have that bring their culture and music here and it gets mixed with other genres to make entirely different and new sounds.
I don't think it's a problem with most Americans "not" liking Techno or "Club" music, it's more of a mindset of what's popular. The exception being the overly zealous listeners of one particular genre that will never be swayed from there preferences (which from what I can tell from experience, tends to be the "hardcore" metal group, as well as country).
I used to listen to 80s/90s Rock & Metal, as that's what I grew up with, but I slowly moved away from it and gravitated towards techno and trance in the early 2000s and have been listening to all the various genres of EDM ever since, with a particular fondness for Progressive House, Dance, and Trance.
12 years later, here I am still listening to EDM as my primary choice in music, with film/game/anime soundtracks (usually orchestral) as my alternative choices. The biggest draw for me being the (mostly) lack of vocals. I don't mind lyrics, but so as long as it's minimal or adds to the song instead of detracting from the actual music.
Also, inserting the obligatory "Swedish House Mafia" below, ironically it's their "Live at Madison Square Garden" set.
Last edited by Anshinritsumai; 2013-01-16 at 04:44 PM.
The whole EDM scene is exploding in the U.S. atm. Perhaps not hardstyle, but trance, house and the likes are definetly rising at an incredible speed. A lot of DJ's are having U.S. tours these days, as that is simply where it's happening atm.
I can offer a few reasons. I'll preface this by saying that most of what I listen to is in the Christian/positive range lyrically, and fills genres from rock to alternative rock to hard rock to metal to metalcore to hardcore and such. This would include a rather large number of varying bands. To better explain who that covers, I'll give a few examples from varying styles (SKIP if you really don't care what kind of "terrible" music I listen to):
--Switchfoot
--Anberlin
--Thrice
--Underoath
--Haste the Day
--The Devil Wears Prada
--Demon Hunter
--Wolves at the Gate
--Oh, Sleeper
--We Came As Romans (really the only heavily-autotuned stuff I listen to)
--Emery
So, that's just a little bit of an explanation of where I'm coming from on the subject, just for context. What I don't like about techno/electronic/dance/club/house music is somewhat in-line with what I don't like with mainstream hip-hip, rap, dubstep, pop, and other similar types of radio-friendly music. As I said, most of my music is Christian, with basically all of the non-Christian stuff being either formerly-Christian or pseudo-Christian, in the sense that the lyrics are fairly positive in nature (the only strong exceptions would be the occasional Muse and Van Halen I throw in). I pick that stuff (over the mainstream, secular stuff, at least) because of its lyrical content. Stuff on the radio tends to have a negative influence in the lyrics (either in tone or topic, in my mind), but this also affects the stuff that you refer to because I like the vocals/lyrics of my music, and not having them present is a negative for me with that stuff.
The other part of it, in terms of the sound (rather than just lyrical content/presence of vocals) is the thing that you said you like: "good beats and a fast tempo." I do love a lot of the heavier stuff I listen to because of the pace, and how it affects my mood, somewhat (like I don't put on The Devil Wears Prada if I want something to help me sleep...usually). However, the whole thing where that stuff has a "beat" ruins it for me. I don't like the redundant, droning bass and beats with that stuff. I like the complexity and erratic sound of rock and metal (come so with the latter). I also like my music to have instruments involved, and I don't see the overly-processed stuff you're referring to as fitting that niche for me. Yes, I know that there is computer-based editing to all of what I listen to, but when you're not even recording a guitar or drum track, it's pretty sad. For example: I recently saw a video where a music video was shot with a Lumia 920. The thing consisted of drums and 2 keyboards, I think. I replied to the topic on the site that not having a guitar was just crazy.
So, I guess the short answer is: No vocals (or very few that don't affect the songs), boring beats, and too digitized, in terms of how it's made.
ill just toss daft punk in the discussion. allthough you cant place daft punk under techno or house. they r a genre themselves and its the best genre there is.
those guys r absolutely genius.
having seen them on their alive tour of 07, still the best performance i ever saw i my life.