First it was Rock&Roll, followed by pop and now it is reggaeton, the genre that represents a whole generation.
Many admirers, also many detractors, but what is unquestionable is that this genre is here to stay. Its catchy melodies have conquered the whole world based on Latin rhythms.
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When we think of electronic music, we all imagine the spectacular parties held during the summers in Ibiza or large clubs and festivals around the world, with the presence of large stages and the most famous DJs. But, although it may seem a very current genre, the truth is that it began to experiment with these sounds several decades ago.
Do you want to know its beginnings and its impacts on Spanish nightlife today?
Electronica is considered to be any music that uses electronic instruments, such as samplers or synthesizers, being the phonautograph (1857) the first device to record an electronic sound. The influence of jazz, funk, soul, new age or disco, among others, can be glimpsed in the different musical currents of electronic music.
However, it is considered that the first sounds related to the current electronic music came in the sixties, being the Moog synthesizer, the tool that allowed us to start experimenting and commercializing with the genre we know today.
Already in the seventies, having settled this type of sounds, the popularity of this style grows thanks to names like Kraftwerk and Jean-Michel Jarre, who eventually gave way to David Bowie or Pink Floy, who helped the public to catch the taste for electronic music, going from the underground to something highly commercial.
In the eighties, the use of the synthesizer was very widespread among the artists of the moment. This is when house, techno or electronica emerged in a more official way. In the nineties, this type of sound was already fully extended and established, beginning of the new millennium, the electronic culture we know today is forged in the United States, inspired by all the previous artists of the genre, which has spread globally.
One of the main reasons for the success of electronic music is that artists can simulate the sound of any instrument without knowing how to play that instrument, facilitating its production. Thus, a greater number of people can have access to produce it, since it does not require the purchase of instruments, which are usually very expensive, but everything can be produced through various softwares.
This favors that the supply of songs is greater, bringing the genre closer to the demand of very numerous and diverse people.
In addition, we must highlight the role of Ibiza in the triumph of this music because, after becoming popular in the U.S., came to the island, already well known among international tourists, to change its tradition of rock towards electronic music, promoted by legislation that forced the installation of noise limiters in sound equipment. In fact, the closure of Ibiza’s clubs in 2020 is one of the aspects mentioned in the IMS Business Report 2021 regarding the difficulties experienced by this genre.
As previously mentioned, it is in Puerto Rico where reggaeton emerged and where it was defended tooth and nail; but it does not stop there, this country continues to be cradle of the most prominent artists of the current international Latin scene.
Among these artists we find a long list of more than recognized names, such as Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, Yandel, Ozuna, Don Omar, Nicky Jam, Ivy Queen, Anuel AA, Myke Towers, Tito el Bambino, Wisin, Ñengo “Flow”, Luis Fonsi o Rauw Alejandro, although the list does not end with them.
We wonder why the vast majority of the artists in this genre come from the same country? The answer is that, in addition to being the birthplace of this genre, the artists named are very committed to their country and to the social and economic improvements it deserves and, therefore, bet on the national product, helping new artists in the area to emerge and achieve fame.
Although the social involvement is not similar, we can also find some Spanish artists related to this music. The most popular are Lola Índigo, Juan Magan, Ana Mena, Bad Gyal and Enrique Iglesias, with Rosalía and C. Tangana drinking from this genre for part of their repertoire. These artists are becoming or already have international fame, although the Boricuas (or Puerto Ricans) take the cake
The nights of big cities around the world such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, PAris, London or Barcelona, as well as Ibiza, are characterized by the demand for clubs dedicated to electronic music.
Specifically in our country, it is estimated that, in 2017, electronic music had a presence in 60% of national festivals and in more than 30% of music radio programming.
However, given the health restrictions established during 2020 and part of 2021 in response to the pandemic, such a loss was generated that the market fell by 56% compared to 2019. In other words, in just one year, the market went from generating $7.3 billion to $3.3 billion. In this period, it is estimated that more than 200 electronic music festivals were canceled or postponed globally.
As far as nightclubs related to this genre are concerned, during the summer of 2019 alone, two million tickets were sold in Ibiza, which accounted for an income of 80 million euros. On the other hand, the total profit of these events, counting accommodation, food and some complementary activities, amounts to 500 million euros, according to the IMS Business Report 2020.
As for the economic impact in other regions of the country, no specific data is available, but cities such as Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia are well known for their techno and house music clubs, among other electronic subgenres.
In addition, as an extra fact about the contribution of electronic music to the global economy, artists of this genre were precisely the pioneers in NFT (Non-Fungible Token), accounting for 64% of the total music NFT, that is, a market of more than 55 million dollars.
Although the complete offer is much wider, we will talk about some nightclubs that regularly offer electronic music sessions throughout Spain, demonstrating that there are many cities where it has a place.