You’ve no doubt heard of Skrillex. This dubstep – or more accurately ‘brostep’ – artist has seen phenomenal success in an area of the music industry previously guarded by those involved or totally ignored by the Mainstream.

 

While us humble Brits have been dancing to repetitive beats and consuming Class A drugs for nigh on 20 years, those pesky Yanks have now come along with the creatively coined EDM (electronic dance music) to do what they do best. Take something, plough money into it and take it to bizarre – often-excessive – new levels.

America’s mass EDM movement is driving dance music on a global level – from Rihanna’s rave anthems hitting number one to rave-inspired fashion and a booming events industry. While the US is blowing up, their big-production influence is being felt over here as well. Raves (and I use the term ‘Rave’ in the loosest sense – originally this was more about sticking a middle finger up to the establishment and breaking into fields for 3 day long illegal parties) are now a heavily commercialised, huge money making business.

In the UK Dance music has come to replace the popularity of band music, therefore it is no longer contained to just one Tribe – we see its effects in all of our segments, less so in the fiercely loyal Alternative segment (although some hard drum’n’bass is sometimes called for) but each Tribe’s approach is different.

Chavers are enthusiastic about music and enthusiastic about drugs, these guys and girls are the last link to the original rave scene. DIYers, the ones with the influence, are even more dedicated to the music (less so to the drug taking – they’ve got work to do) and then the mainstream Townie which makes up the majority is more concerned about the experience of a big sell-out stadium rave, with a pinch of love for music and the odd pill.

The size of these Tribes is dictating where the money is spent. For the Mainstream Townies, Swedish House Mafia might sell out 65,000 tickets Milton Keynes Bowl, akin to the scale of US events. The Chaver will be attracted to the slightly more humble 1100 capacity Electric Ballroom in Camden to see Dubstep icons ‘Feed Me’, while the DIYer might be DJing at Warehouse Project in Manchester. Rarely will the Tribes merge, except during festival season at events like Global Gathering in Stratford-upon-Avon. But on the whole they are divided, the variations between the music they listen to are subtle but the divide between the tribes, huge.

Chavers have a certain amount of animosity towards the Townies, who have very little dedication to the music – but this is the Tribe at the core of the UKs own EDM movement. With the whole scene having more money injected into it as a result of dance music’s mainstream success, ravers across the different Tribes are now treated to a multi-sensory experience with an ear shattering sound system, packed crowds and merchandise to boot.

While the UKs EDM movement takes off, the more loyal Chavers remain faithful to their rave roots – but if Andy C played at Milton Keynes Bowl this summer, they’d jump at the chance!