| Genres | |
| Impact | Pervasive in nearly every style of popular music, a dominant force in contemporary music |
| Origins | Late 19th and early 20th centuries |
| Pioneers | |
| Early Usage | Academic and avant-garde circles (mid-20th century) |
| Mainstream Breakthrough | 1970s and 1980s |
Electronic music is a genre of music that utilizes electronic musical instruments, electronic music technology, and computational algorithms to create and manipulate sound. It encompasses a wide range of styles, from experimental and ambient to pop and dance-oriented. Electronic music has its origins in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and has had a profound and lasting impact on the broader musical landscape.
The origins of electronic music can be traced back to the late 19th century, as innovations in electricity, acoustics, and the science of sound opened up new possibilities for musical experimentation. Pioneers in this field included inventors like Thaddeus Cahill, who patented the Telharmonium, one of the earliest electronic musical instruments, in 1897.
Other key early figures were Leon Theremin, who created the eponymous Theremin instrument in 1920, and Clara Rockmore, a virtuoso Theremin player who helped popularize the instrument in the 1930s. These early electronic instruments laid the groundwork for composers to begin exploring new timbres and sound worlds.
Throughout the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, electronic music gradually gained traction within academic and avant-garde circles. Composers like Pierre Schaeffer, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Edgard Varèse pushed the boundaries of the medium, developing techniques like musique concrète, tape music, and serialism. The development of the first synthesizers in the 1960s, such as the Moog synthesizer, further empowered electronic music composers.
However, electronic music remained largely isolated from mainstream popular culture during this period. It was viewed as an esoteric, intellectual pursuit, confined to university studios and experimental performance spaces. It would not be until the 1970s and 80s that electronic music began to cross over into the mainstream.
The 1970s saw the emergence of several key electronic music genres that helped bring the medium into the popular consciousness. In Germany, the krautrock movement, featuring bands like Kraftwerk, Neu!, and Tangerine Dream, fused electronic textures with rock instrumentation and minimalist structures. Meanwhile, in the UK, the synth-pop movement led by acts like Depeche Mode, The Human League, and Ultravox demonstrated the commercial potential of electronic music.
Around the same time, the industrial music scene, spearheaded by groups like Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, and Front Line Assembly, began to explore the harsher, more abrasive possibilities of electronic sound. This paved the way for the emergence of genres like EBM, electro-industrial, and noise music in the 1980s.
As the 1980s and 90s progressed, electronic music became increasingly integrated into the mainstream of popular music. Hip hop, dance music, and pop music all began to extensively incorporate electronic elements, from drum machines to sampling to synthesized melodies. Artists like Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Depeche Mode achieved widespread commercial success, demonstrating the broad appeal of electronic music.
Today, electronic music is deeply embedded within nearly every genre and style of contemporary music. From the EDM explosion of the 2010s to the ubiquity of electronic production techniques in R&B, rock, and beyond, the influence of electronic music can be heard far and wide. It has become a dominant force in the global music landscape, shaping the sounds, aesthetics, and technologies of the 21st century.
