By Jake Lawlis
This summer, Zedd had a huge impact on EDM for radio play music. His single “Clarity”, along with the name of the studio album, hit number one on radio play. Zedd has spun more album hits than Katy Perry, who is number two.
The music video for “Stay The Night”, another single off the album, came out on September 10th, and has already reached into the iTunes Top 10. Single releases and EPs are the main way to get a DJ to play a producer’s track.
Now it seems as if studio albums are the way to go, especially for radio play. Avicii, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Zedd, are all examples of mainstream producers who are blowing up because of their anticipated studio albums.
Once Avicii, a Swedish house producer and DJ, drops his new album, TRUE, it will destroy Zedd in the charts. Calvin Harris nor David Guetta will be able to live up to it.
The huge single off of the album, “Wake Me Up”, reached number one on the iTunes Top 10 in 14 different countries at one time. The song was first played at Ultra Music Festival 2013, and nobody had a clue what was going on because it mixed country music with electronic music. Many audience members were wondering why this country music singer just decided to take the stage. Now it is the biggest song in the dance music in the world.
Some older, more established DJs think the American dance revolution is a bubble that is going to pop. I strongly disagree. I have been listening to electronic music since I was six. Over the years I have seen how dance music has slowly but surely been incorporated into mainstream radio play.
For example, the first electronic song I heard on the radio was “Barbie Girl” by Aqua and soon after, “I’m Blue” by Eiffel 65. People liked the song because it was fun and different, but radio play was as well.
Eight years later the song “Listen To Your Heart” by DHT, and “Every Time We Touch” by Cascada, crushed the charts. Not too long after, mainstream music collided EDM.
For example, “We Found Love” by Rihanna. That was the first song that I heard and thought was an extremely pivitial moment for music. EDM has finally crushed into radio play.
Everyday, more and more people are starting to try to make music, which is good, and good for our culture. The lifestyle, the music, the family, everything about our culture is going mainstream, but that could potentially ruin this type of music entirely for me.
However, Avicii and Zedd are doing it right. They know what the fans want, and deliver through huge album releases. Albums take forever to make as a producer, because it is just you and since they are constantly touring, it is hard to find time to produce songs. Hopefully these number one slots stay filled by EDM music.
I would rather that than Katy Perry anyday.