Electronic dance music (EDM) mixes pop and alternative genres while experimenting with all sorts of rhythms and beats. People generally assume that EDM developed in the 21st century alongside modern technology, but its origins actually date back to the 1960's with the rise of the Beatles and Kraftwerk.

The genre existed as a “collection of subgenres such as House, Drum n Bass, Dubstep, Trap, and Hardstyle” in the twentieth century, according to John Martin Cass (JMC) Academy, an Australian institution for digital media and performing arts education. In the 1960's, Delia Derbyshire first produced electronic dance music by synthesizing elements of pop and soul music. Her music became the theme for Britain’s popular television show Doctor Who, and she was soon asked to create music for other television programs as well. Unfortunately, she did not realize the direction that EDM would take and withdrew from the industry, eventually taking jobs at art museums in England.

As disco grew in popularity during the 70's, the demand for DJ's at events also increased, and more and more hosts saw them as must-haves. Giorgio Moroder, Kraftwerk, and Donna Summer contributed significantly to the rhythmic sounds we hear in EDM today by using bass synthesizers and drum machines.

Many of the artists mentioned above are from European countries, including the United Kingdom and Germany. EDM gained popularity in the 90's with Madonna’s "Ray of Light," released in 1998. This song introduced her listeners to the new and developing genre of EDM and eventually caught the interest of Americans.

With the assistance of social media platforms such as YouTube and SoundCloud, local artists have gained greater success because large music producers can discover their music. These forms of media allow local artists to express themselves without the many boundaries that a larger producer sets. I have also noticed that many YouTubers use music from SoundCloud in the background of their videos, and this has given many artists greater attention. I am not a YouTuber, but in one video I uploaded, I included music from EDM producers on SoundCloud into my video, hoping to give it a more upbeat and exciting vibe.