Techno music, which falls under the sub-genre of Electronic Dance Music (EDM), is gaining prominence amongst young men and women. It is gaining prominence among young men who are inclined to attend many techno music festivals. Techno is also a rave hit, where many people of the younger generation are eager to attend. The dance/electronic music market “grew strongly” in 2021, according to the 2022 IMS Business Report, with an approximated 412 million “fans” across the globe consuming music from 130,000 “core artists” and 11 million “casual artists.” The International Music Summit (IMS) estimates that in 2021, electronic music will be valued at a total of $6 billion.
An unprecedented rise in the number of techno festivals around the world offers validation for the rise in popularity of techno music around the world. The rise of techno music can also be attributed to tech-house artists being nominated for Grammy awards. It is called the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album, with Beyoncé being the last recipient in 2023 for her album Renaissance. Men enjoy techno because it is upbeat and energetic. Continuous beats make the body move, generating excitement and an adrenaline rush. Techno music worldwide is usually played at rave parties or music festivals. Techno music is promising, and many young artists are passionately taking it up as a professional career. In this article, techno music is explored in an interesting way, and we try to paint a picture of techno music and its phenomenon.
What is Techno music?
Techno music is a sub-genre of Electronic Dance Music (EDM). Well, techno music is characterised by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and often features synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines with beats varying from 120 to 150 beats per minute (BPM). It is recorded in digital studios with other instruments.
Popular types of Techno music
Techno music, which falls under EDM, has many popular subgenres of its own. Some of the most popular forms of techno music are:
Detroit Techno: Detroit, a new wave of European electronic music served as inspiration for the development of techno music, which emerged from a decayed and recession-prone environment in Detroit, United States. It is characterised by its mix of a dark, mechanical vibe with a bright, soulful feel.
Minimal Techno: has a beat per minute (BPM) between 125 and 130, and its main characteristics are repetition, small changes, and a sense of being stripped down to the bare essentials.
Industrial techno: is a genre of music that first appeared in the 1990s and draws inspiration from the loud sound and visual style of industrial music artists like Cabaret Voltaire.
Deep Techno: Deep Techno uses simple beats that are repetitive with a booming kick drum, making it more enjoyable and “danceable”.
Tech House: Tech House combines elements of deep and minimal techno with jazzy and soulful aspects of house music. Grooves generally consist of short and distorted kick drums, choppy hi-hats, and noisy snares.
Hardcore Techno: As the name suggests, hardcore techno is “hard” and carries a BPM that varies from 160 to 200 BPM. It originated in Britain.
Melodic Techno: It ranges from 120–130 BPM and is characterised by its use of arpeggio harmonies, usually in the minor scales, which creates an atmospheric vibe.
Dub Techno: Representing the sound culture of “Jamaica,” Dub Techno is characterised by textural effects such as reverb and echo, which are added to give it an ambient quality.
History of Techno Music
During the 1980s, Berlin emerged as the techno capital of the world after taking inspiration from Detroit techno. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, artists were compelled to fill a creative vacuum in Germany. Slowly, Berlin emerged as the techno capital of the world. Initially, a slew of illegal parties were held in and around Berlin, but a more popular and acceptable type of party began to emerge. Frankfurt and Berlin were two cities where techno initially started and eventually captivated the whole world.
Techno gained popularity in the United States in the 1980s, drawing inspiration from Detroit techno and Techno in Germany. Some of the most popular places for techno are Ibiza, Berlin, and London.
Why is Techno music thriving so much
The 2022 IMS Business report had one pertinent takeaway, suggesting the Electronic music market reached a stagnant valuation of $6 billion! The dominant driving force for business profits is electronic club music. What, specifically, has caused the meteoric rise of electronic music? Well, EDM is thriving in Europe and the United States and also has visibility in Asian countries such as Thailand and South Korea. One reason that could be attributed to its success is rhythm and the body’s reciprocation of it through dance moves. A person can be easily infatuated with techno sounds as his body feels them and reciprocates through dance moves. Another technologically advanced and hyperactive generation is highly active in disseminating techno music.
World-famous techno festivals
Tomorrowland: Tomorrowland is a large-scale annual electronic dance music festival held at De Schorre provincial recreational park in Boom, Antwerp Province, Flanders, Belgium. The 2023 will take place over two weekends, July 21-23 and July 28-30. The line-up was announced in January. About 600 DJs will perform on 14 different stages.
Ultra Music Festival (Miami): The festival was founded in 1999 and named after the Despeche Mode album Ultra. It has primarily been held at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami and was a one-day festival from 1998 to 2006. Since 2011, the festival has expanded and become a 3-day festival.
Sunburn: Sunburn is an annual music festival held every year in Goa, India. The festival is ranked as the world’s third-most popular music festival. Spanning over three to five days, the festival has multiple stages with artists playing simultaneously. World-renowned artists perform at Sunburn.
In A Nutshell:
Techno is thriving, as is the infatuation of men with techno music. Techno is also notorious for having a drug culture where people consume drugs and attend techno events. One thing is certain: Technology is the way of the future.