As 2018 approaches, let’s take a moment to look back on some of the memorable moments in the Electronic Dance Music community for 2017.
January:
The year started out with some hilariousness from producer Dillon Francis. Francis used his Snapchat account to both narrate and voice his opinions on popular dating show, “The Bachelor”. Those who followed Francis on Snapchat enjoyed his videos so much he continued to broadcast them during more episodes.
January did not end as well as it began, however. Producer Porter Robinson posted on his Twitter account on January 23rd, in which he stated he was disowning all but 11 tracks he had produced.
Fans expressed mixed reactions, but this did not stop him from performing over the course of the year on his “Shelter” tour.
February:
Canadian-duo, Zeds Dead, had a groundbreaking debut in the second month of the year. They announced the release of Deadbeats first compilation album on February 11th. The release of this album was not just a milestone for Zeds Dead, but those signed to the label, and fans. Read more: Zeds Dead Introduces First Deadbeats Compilation Album
March:
March began with what some would say was a surprising, and accidental, reveal. Producer Feed Me posted a photo to his Snapchat account on March 5th showing the true identity of fellow producer Marshmello a.k.a. DotCom. The news came as a shock to some, but many had already speculated the identity of the masked producer. Regardless of the mishap, Marshmello is still playing sold out crowds. Read more: Marshmello Identity Confirmed
April:
In April, a scandal struck the festival community. Fyre Festival, which was advertised as a glamorous and costly two-weekend retreat in the Bahamas, turned out to be a mega-scam. When festival patrons arrived, they were greeted with rundown living conditions, an inadequate amount of food and water, and festival workers who had no idea what to do. The founders of the festival eventually issued an apology, however many doubt the festival will return. The scandal was the subject of memes and jokes for weeks within the EDM community. Read more: Fyre Festival Crumbles Amidst Organizational Chaos, Leaving Hundreds Stranded in Bahamas.
May:
The month of May came with somber news as producer Rusko announced via Twitter he would be undergoing treatment for gastric lymphoma, and would be cancelling any tour dates until further notice. Fans and followers wished Rusko a speedy, healthy, and successful recovery. Rusko announced he was officially cancer free on Oct. 24.
June:
June was another big month for Zeds Dead, as they shared on June 30, their label, Deadbeats, had their first official tour run. The tour titled, “Deadbeats – The Tour”, spanned across the nation and was accompanied by Rezz, NGHTMRE, and more. Alongside the tour announcement, Zeds Dead announced “Deadbeats Radio” on Sirius XM’s Electric Area channel 52. Both the tour and radio show gave Zeds Dead, and Deadbeats a massive amount of exposure.
July:
The month of July was monumental for producer Rezz. She debuted four songs from her highly anticipated album titled, “Mass Manipulation”, announced the release date of the album, and presented the dates for her world tour, also titled, “Mass Manipulation”.
August:
July may have been a big month for Rezz, but the beginning of August exploded her career with the official release of her debut album on Aug. 4. Fans were overjoyed and took to social media to share in their excitement.
One of the biggest names in EDM, Deadmau5, got married on Aug. 12 to longtime fiancé, Kelly Fedoni. The news came via Deadmau5 Twitter, when the producer tweeted, “k brb getting married”. Fans shared their love and congratulations on Twitter.
September:
Back in April, Odesza released their first new single in two and a half years titled, “Line of Sight”. The song hyped fans up for the return, while they eagerly awaited new music, which came out in the form of a second album titled, “A Moment Apart”, on Sep. 8. The release was highly anticipated by fans, as they had been teased with releases of two singles and the track list in months prior. Read more: Odesza Announces New Album, Tour Dates, and Releases Two New Songs
October:
October was a month of laughs and celebration. The first annual Lost Lands Music Festival, an all dubstep/bass music festival curated by Jeff (Excision) Abel, took place from Sep. 29 and concluded on the first of October. During the course of the festival, videos emerged of an unconventional eating contest, the “Booty Eating Competition”. Those who attended the festival and those who did not, found humor and plenty of jokes from the situation. The festival was a resounding success and dates for next year have already been released. Read more: Lost Lands Music Festival Photos & Review
November:
November started off with a collective laugh amongst the EDM community, more so within the Basshead community, when it was discovered Natalie Maines, lead singer for the Dixie Chicks, had posted a new tattoo on her Instagram account. Although the post was uploaded in early October, it had not been “discovered” until early November. The tattoo, which resides on her right “big” toe, is a bassdrop, which is a symbol producer, Bassnectar, uses. Maines was under the impression the symbol meant “strength”, with origins in Greek language.
December:
The year ended on a loving note for producer Alison Wonderland. Australia, where the producer is from, legalized same-sex marriage on Dec. 7. Two fans got engaged during Alison Wonderlands’ set on Dec. 12, at The Wonderland Scarehouse Project.
All-in-all, 2017 was a year full of music, love, laughter, and discovery for the EDM community. Time to see what the new year will bring.
Sources: youredm.com, twitter.com, instagram.com
