Electronic Dance Music, or EDM as it is more commonly known, seems to be more popular than ever. This music is made by DJs with typically loud and continuous beats. It has been on the rise recently and has been integrated into mainstream radio and television.
The popular music festivals such as Electric Daisy Carnival saw crowds of about 320,000 people over three days, all there to enjoy the music. Although EDM has only recently become popular, it has actually been around for years, as it started as an underground movement in the 1980s.
Many young people believe EDM is more than a music genre for some it has become a lifestyle. Hardcore EDM fans revolve their lives around the music, shows, and artists. There are numerous blogs dedicated to this genre where fans communicate and bond over the DJs, new music and their experiences at the festivals.
The reason why EDM is so important and life changing is because of the different things you experience and learn from the music and the festivals.
The EDM community does not discriminate against any color, shape or size. There are no judgments at these festivals but rather a culture based off of the idea of PLUR. PLUR stands for peace, love, unity and respect. The EDM world lives by PLUR, not only at raves but also in their everyday life. No one is treated like an outsider. It is a community made up of numerous types of people, where everyone is kind and accepting of one another. The friendships forged through the idea of PLUR at festivals are some of the most important relationships in these EDM fans’ lives.
Every new show attended is a new friendship made. Fans of EDM call themselves rave families. These rave families are from all over the country and only get together for raves.
A fan’s feeling towards her rave family, “I’m not close with a lot of people, but my rave family sees me at my most ratchet, my most happy, most sad, most hideous and most beautiful and they love me regardless.”
If people can come together and show love and respect to others at music festivals, many believe this positive mantra will carry over into everyday life. The people they meet at shows teach fans that no matter what is going on in their life they can all come together as a group for the music.
PHOTO TAKEN from crossfadar.com
