Which major music styles are included under electronic dance music?

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Electronic dance music (EDM) is an umbrella term for a wide variety of musical styles that emerged in the mid-1980s, primarily designed for dancing in clubs and at raves. Rather than a single genre, it encompasses a vast spectrum of sounds ranging from beatless ambient music to high-tempo hardcore.12

Major styles and subgenres include:

  • House music: Originating in Chicago, this style fuses 1970s disco with synthesizer-driven sounds. Subgenres include acid house, garage, progressive house, and tech-house.3
  • Techno: Developed in Detroit, techno is characterized by machine rhythms and synthesizer melodies. It has evolved into various forms, including minimal techno and hardcore.45
  • Drum and bass: Initially known as jungle, this style features sped-up hip-hop breakbeats paired with dub-reggae-style bass patterns.5
  • Trance: Known for its metronomic beats and lush, cosmic melodies.45
  • Dubstep: A prominent style often associated with the broader EDM landscape.12
  • Other notable styles: These include ambient music, downtempo (trip-hop), big beat, and gabba (or hardcore).145