Edm?
I’m a bit confused about EDM as a genre. Out of nowhere I started seeing it here in Japan and I thought it just meant what it sounds like and thought, “Well that covers just about all things doesn’t it,” but would “pop edm” but a more accurate way to describe it in terms an older person would understand? Or would units like Daft Punk or older albums like Donna Summers be considered EDM?
Its a term to prevent americans getting confused ducks
EDM stands for Electronic Dance Music. So EDM should be anything that’s electronic music that you can dance to. Some pop would be considered EDM. I would also say Daft Punk makes EDM. But I mean, there’s sub-genres, and you can get more specific. I would never make a playlist called “EDM”. I would do a House playlist, Dubstep, Pop, Hip-Hop, Progressive House…
I’m aware of the sub-genres but confused why I’m seeing all these DJs saying they hate EDM, like isn’t that what you’re playing?
It’s because this is too hard to pronounce. 
EDM has taken on the meaning, at least in the US for the “top 40” house - progressive/electro/big room/beatport top 10 type songs.
And as an American, I agree with Jester.
Thanks. Now I understand.
“EDM” is not a genre. It is a generalisation.
REAL genres ARE NOT sub-genres of “EDM”.
It takes ZERO effort to proclaim yourself an “EDM” fan.
The term EDM is a product of festival culture. Promoters needed a term to lump together all the DJs they bring and decided since all the DJs drop electronically produced beats that people dance to, hey, let’s call it electronic dance music! Because really, there’s nothing else the different genres share. Trance, house, dubstep, drum & bass, techno, etc. all have different cultures and sounds and the only way promoters managed to lump them all together to make as much money as possible is strip down all their different histories and cultures and present us with a stupid and meaningless term that means fuck all.
But a lot of people refer to electro, big-room house as EDM, because that’s the mainstream sound of festival culture.
Up till this year I never saw it to be honest and now when I see a list of DJs some will list what they play as house or techno like one would expect and then right next to them will be a DJ and EDM so I was just trying to understand why. Thanks for the info.
EDM is a term created by the big record labels to sell dance music to the lucrative US market. Once MDMA and subsequently dance music gained traction in the US big labels realised it’s easier to make big money with a single-person push-button stage show than a whole band and backline.
Hence EDM was born. With the express intention of taking money from the pockets of idiots.
If you’re an EDM DJ you have all the credibility of a 13 year old girl with bedroom walls covered in posters of Justin Bieber.
Dude, to me you sound sillier than a 13 year old girl to be honest. Hating on people for their musical tastes? Grow up.
If a mod could close this thread would be great. Just wanted to understand how the term was used overseas, didn’t want an excuse for people to start a hate fest. Thanks
Not really hating on people’s tastes - just the fact they have been suckered in by the marketing.
Chances are people that listen to EDM actually have slightly more refined selection in music…they have just bought into term as a brand more than a musical genre.
^ This
EDM is not a musical taste or genre, thats the point 
EDM as a term = anything that could get in the American top 40 and has a club beat.
Some Examples:
4/4 beat + Gareth Brooks =EDM
4/4 beat + Eminem = EDM
Careful Now:
4/4 beat + old jazz or funk record = House
EDM DJ = Commercial DJ / Chart DJ / Top 40 DJ or whatever else you wish to call them
Fixed it for ya
Not sure I agree with the Brooksie ammendment, but the first one you made 
“Electronica” was the first term they created, and it was pretty much rejected.
No idea why “EDM” stuck.
Because we’ve become a culture obsessed with using acronyms.