Electronic dance music (EDM) has been popular across the globe for years. In Europe, countries ranging from Belgium and Norway to Sweden and the United Kingdom became hotspots for some of the best DJs and producers in the world. Yet despite the popularity globally, EDM has only caught on in the U.S. in the last few years.
Although the U.S. was slow to get on board the EDM train, it has spread like wildfire, as evidenced by the fact that in 2012, the dance event Sensation is coming to the United States for the first time. The two-day dance party is slated for October 26 and 27, when it will hit the Barclays Center in New York. Given the event's track record across the globe, it's safe to say the Big Apple won't know what hit it.
Sensation can trace its roots back to more than a decade when it got its start in the Netherlands. From small beginnings, it quickly grew into something much larger. With everyone in attendance decked out in white, Sensation became one of the most popular house events in the country and by 2005, it had expanded to Belgium and Germany.
Eventually, Sensation established a presence in a number of other countries throughout Europe while attracting big-name DJs such as David Guetta, Tiesto, the Swedish House Mafia, Sebastian Ingrosso and Paul van Dyk - just to name a few.
While the lineup for the U.S. leg of the tour has yet to be announced, one look at the other Sensation events in Europe offer a glimpse into what you can expect if you make the trip to New York.
Earlier this summer, Sensation made a stop in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the experience would be one even the most grizzled dubstep veteran could appreciate. Heavy hitters in the EDM world Eric Prydz and Avicii both took the stage at SKK arena, and they surely spun a show to remember.
Will the U.S. ever catch up to its overseas counterparts in terms of EDM? That's hard to say, but landing an impressive dance event like Sensation is a good start. With homegrown events as the Ultra Music Festival and Electric Daisy Carnival attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees, it's safe to say the U.S. is well on its way.
It's hard to deny how popular electronic dance music (EDM) has become over the last several years. What was once largely popular in Europe and Australia has made its way to the United States in a big way. Need any proof? In June, the three-day Electric Daisy Carnival brought more than 300,000 people to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There are many stars of EDM, but here’s a look at some of the biggest.
Tiesto
The stage name of Dutch producer and DJ Tijs Michiel Verwest, Tiesto is considered to be one of the preeminent EDM performers in the world. Though he rose to fame in the early part of the 2000s, it wasn't until his 2009 album Kaleidoscope where he found mainstream success. The record, which featured contributions from well-known stars such as Calvin Harris and Nelly Furtado, cracked the top 10 on iTunes.
Skrillex
Few contemporary artists have done as much for American EDM than Skrillex. While he initially broke into the scene as the lead singer of the band From First to Last, by the time they broke up it was evident he was destined for bigger things. After trying his hand at DJing, he earned a great deal of followers after the release of his second EP Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites. In just four short years, the 24-year-old has risen from relative obscurity to be one of the biggest names in the music world and has three Grammy awards to his credit.
Deadmau5
Instantly recognizable for his distinctive cartoon-mouse head and renowned for his one-of-a-kind live shows, Deadmau5 is arguably the biggest EDM superstar on the planet. Deadmau5, whose real name is Joel Zimmerman, has achieved considerable crossover success and is popular among music fans of all kinds. It's hard to imagine EDM without Deadmau5, and he has been seen performing everywhere from the 2012 Grammy Awards to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
While arguably one of the most popular DJs, Deadmau5 has come to the forefront for more than just his talent. Recently the DJ spoke out on his blog stating, “I just roll up with a laptop and a midi controller and 'select' tracks [and] hit a spacebar.” The star further stated, “People assume there's a guy on a laptop up there producing new original tracks on the fly. None of the 'top DJ’s in the world' to my knowledge have. Myself included.” Ouch!
So is Deadmau5 committing the ultimate sin by airing the dirty laundry of his genre? Maybe … but that wasn’t the artist’s only intention. It appears that the DJ sees the scene as having been too commercialized, and made his attempt to reveal the man behind curtain, so to speak. Regardless, it appears that the EDM scene is continuing to flourish, despite Deadmau5’s effort.
Avicii
Still in his early 20s, Avicii has proven to be one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in the dance music scene. Thanks in large part to the popularity of the single "Levels," Avicii's popularity has grown by leaps and bounds in a short period of time and he even was one of the headliners of Miami's renowned Ultra Music Festival earlier this year.