If you are looking to find the best electronic dance music of the 1990s, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will introduce you to some of the most popular and influential electronic dance music of this decade. Many of these artists have gone on to fame and fortune, while others only achieved notoriety.
First, a little history. The 1990s was a banner year for electronic dance music. This was the first decade where electronic dance music had attained mass popularity and acceptance. Music groups from all over the world were either hit or miss, with major hits happening mostly with the major clubs and radio stations. DJs at this time were forced to push the limits of what was “safe” to play in terms of the radio station and radio audience.
Dance music at this point was still firmly grounded in rave, techno, and breakcore. These were the three major influences of the 1990s and remains to be to this day a form of electronic dance music. Still, with the rise of house music and techno, there has been a move to branch out from these traditional genres, as well.
In the late 1990s, producers were starting to realize that the electronic dance music of the 1990s was beginning to take the market by storm. Now, with much less vocals and instruments, it is not so far removed from the “traditional” styles. And yet, with less production and vocals, it’s appeal has grown even more. People have begun to realize that dance music from this decade is appealing to their likes as opposed to those of other years. It has also become more relatable to many people and as a result, the popularity of it has skyrocketed.
The sound technology in the 1990s was quite rudimentary compared to today’s. Of course, computers and other modern gadgets weren’t even around then. Back then, sampling a track was very difficult and the limitations were obvious. A lot of the electronic dance music from the 1990s featured sample-based beats or just simple rhythms. Many artists of this era preferred to go with the raw emotion of a track rather than trying to recreate a hit from a popular album.
This lack of experimentation in the production of electronic dance music also meant that artists were often more focused on making their tracks as unique as possible. They also had a penchant for laying down complex rhythms and melodies without worrying about being original. Thanks to these artists, producers had the option of creating electronic dance music that was as diverse as it was catchy.
In addition to this, a lot of producers experimented with non-traditional forms of mixing. Sampling from other songs and using them for your own track is one of the most popular trends from this time. Other electronic music from this decade that bears traces of this style includes hip-hop and techno. Many DJs at this time were also taking the technology further by producing their own music and putting it out on CD. This paved the way for electronic artists to express themselves more creatively and build loyal fan bases.
There’s still quite a bit of work to be done when it comes to this genre of electronic dance music. Though there are plenty of great songs out there already, it seems that the genre won’t die down for a long time. As technology continues to improve, there will always be room for innovative beats and sounds. Thanks to the many talented producers of the 1990s, we are likely to see many more classic and obscure gems emerge over the next few decades. It’s clear that the evolution of electronic dance music has just begun and the future looks bright for all of us.