Research Proposal


EDM Research Proposal
Without even realizing it, people are constantly being surrounded by music. Whether its just driving in the car and listening to the radio, sitting down in a restaurant with background music playing, or even watching television and listening to commercials, people are bound to hear music throughout their everyday life. It can be used as a way to relax, express yourself, or inspire creative flow. There are a lot of different genres of music that speak to many different people across the globe. One genre specifically, Electronic Dance Music (EDM), is quickly expanding in popularity as DJ’s are using digital recording systems, to make unique beats and sounds. I’ve decided to dive further into the world of electronic music and discover what really goes on into making this type of music and find out, should EDM be considered “garbage”?
With more mainstream musicians incorporating electronic beats and drops into their songs, EDM is rising in popularity as more young adults across the world are becoming what are known as “bassheads”. The fasciation with this genre of music is truly unique and only touches upon a certain type of person. This lead me to want to research what makes people fall in love with EDM, and why do some people hate it?
As I have begun my research I have learned that there is typically a harsh divide when it comes to enjoying EDM. Most people either love it or hate it, with a few in-between. I have decided to start my research by looking into the history of EDM to understand more about how this type of music evolved from other music, and how it became so popular.
In the 1980’s-90’s, as technology was advancing, the disco movement faded out and electronic production consumed the music industry. DJ’s and producers were using computer programs to make beats and engineer them together to make a song. This is completely different from the traditional way of music, which usually involves hand-held instruments along with the voices of singers. Because this music style is so different from what was usually accepted as music, many people were turned off by it and did not see it as “real” music. But with most things it took time, and eventually EDM begun to rise in popularity and more famous artists today incorporate electronic drops in their songs.
From what I have seen so far, age plays a factor into the enjoyment of EDM, of course with some exceptions. The majority of ravers and people going to EDM festivals are young adults ranging from 18-25 years old. This is mainly because the rave scene is known as a party scene, and this attracts college students. In addition, this style of music became mainstream around the youth’s generation, and adults (40-60 years old) were not exposed to this type of music when they were growing up.
As I have started my interview process, one person I interviewed was telling me how crucial raves are to her life, and how they make her a better person. This statement was bold, and made me think that raves really do affect people in a positive way, and can even alter their overall thinking in life. Because of this, I want to interview more people about this unique rave feeling and better understand from a different perspective how it plays a role in people’s lives and if it changes their life for the better. I also hope to learn more about what goes on in a rave, and what makes rave culture so unique from going to other concert venues.  To understand how electronic music is made, I want to research more about how producers make songs, and how much work goes on in creating this type of music. And finally, to get two sides of the story, I hope to gather information from individuals who do not like EDM and get an idea of why someone would be turned off by this culture.
Preliminary Sources
Durkin, Regan. Interview. 10 Nov. 2016.
"East Coast Rave Community." Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
"JMC Academy Audio Student Talks about the History of Electronic Dance Music, Electro and    Dubstep." JMC Academy Audio Student Talks about the History of Electronic Dance Music, Electro and Dubstep - JMC Academy. JMC Academy, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
PBWorks. "What Is PLUR." Ravers Guide / What Is PLUR. PBWorks, Jan. 2005. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.

Tedx Talks. “Women, STEM, and EDM [Dani Deahl], TedxParkerSchool”. Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube, 29 Jan 2015. Web. 10 Nov. 2016

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