DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

            Electronic Dance Music, or EDM, has been around as a genre of music for the past three decades. It most prominently became a "scene" in the 1980's when raves and techno music first came into existence and formed a subculture around the style of music. The popularity of the electronic dance music movement occurring now in the United States can be traced to the origins of the style of music in Detroit techno and Chicago house, "The genre's Greece and Rome" and the explosion of rave music across Europe its "Renaissance" (Nitsuh). Those members of the youth that attended raves and listened to techno music were in large part there due to the scene's association with drug usage as an escape from reality. However, how the association between the two has never been figured out. Comedian Henry Rollins ponders this question when he sarcastically comments, "I don't know which came first: s**tty rave music or the drugs. [were people listening and said]...'G-d, this sucks.' [and someone suggested]...'no, no, take this drugs.' '...f**k, that's SO good.' Or were there just a bunch of people sitting in a warehouse with a bunch of Ketamine and ecstasy, and they took a bunch of it, and someone said 'here, now make some music.'"

            EDM music and the rave culture had failed to become popular when it began because of the image it had as being "a sketchy scene of secret venues and illicit drugs." (della Cava) However, today it is emerging as a mainstream style of music. The style of music is coming into the media as something new, rather than a cult movement as it had been seen as before; it is being introduced to society in a fusion with mainstream artists as a mass movement with producers like David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and Zedd providing the background music for many chart topping artists like Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, and Justin Bieber. Unfortunately, for much of the youth, the culture of the music being associated with drugs has not been eliminated, and has increased the number of adolescents exposed to their harmful effects. A new perspective is now being taken on it. Whereas much of the youth used to turn away from the drug usage and permanently had a negative connotation of it, it no longer has the same image with the youth today. As the style of music and the culture of electronic dance music has become increasingly popular, the number of teens exposed to hard drugs like ecstasy and Ketamine has drastically increased as have drug related deaths.

            The surge of EDM in America today is not happening in the same way across the world. Dutch DJ Tiesto said about the emergence that, "The EDM scene in Europe has always been huge, but what we're seeing now is a complete explosion in the U.S. What I love about American fans is that they're open to anything" (della Cava). The music has come a long way from being referred to as simply "techno." Now, there are new different developing subgenres of EDM that range widely not only in differences in sound but in their names as well, from trap to moombahton. There is nothing new in the genre other than the popularity and attraction of the majority of the youth. Popular DJ David Guetta talked about the issue saying that "hip-hop went from the ghetto to trendy mainstream, and the same thing is happening with EDM. It's the new sound of American pop music" (della Cava). He believes that the rise in popularity is potentially unlimited.

            The music has progressed from that of the 90's underground raves to the mainstream media making DJ's rise to the popularity of rock stars. Greatly attributed to the rise are social networking and YouTube, which allows fans and DJs to stay connected and share new sounds without necessarily being signed to a record company. Artist Sonny Moore, or Skrillex as he has come to be known by most fans, moved up in life from sleeping on his friends' sofas to being a six-time Grammy winner. In 2011, Canadian producer, deadmau5, was the first EDM artist to ever headline the mainstream music festival at Lollapalooza in Chicago.

            Believed by many to be the reason that EDM has become so popular, born Pierre David Guetta, DJ David Guetta for years received low paychecks and no recognition. Except for among the locals in the Parisian night clubs in which he played, he was just another guy on the street. Will.i.am, a member of a mainstream American pop group, the Black Eyed Peas, asked Guetta to make the music for their song, I Gotta Feeling, after Guetta released a hit single in Europe with American singer Kelly Rowland. This collaboration over simply one song allowed him to make a name for himself in the mainstream media and allowed other EDM artists to do the same. Guetta says about the phenomena that, "We have turned it into a musical movement. It's our time now" (della Cava). Thus, with the help of the Internet and several major artists, EDM made itself the new pop music of this era in America.

            The music has made itself a permanent aspect of American culture to be taken seriously and professionally. A plethora of new businesses have developed around the change in culture. Most prominently is the expanding number of mass events being held at concert venues rather than underground warehouses and music festivals specifically dedicated solely to EDM. Many believe that these mass events and festivals have become so popular among the youth due to social changes. Assistant managing editor for Rolling Stone, Jonathan Ringen quoted that part of the scene is "The simple fun of gathering with others to dance to music made just for dancing. But there's also a sense of release from bad economic news, the ongoing wars and the just the sense that the world is a scary place" (della Cava). Like the hippies and counter culture in the 60's and 70's, the youth today, although not protesting and claiming specific issues, are expressing their fears by avoiding them and just having fun.

            However, the drug fueled culture has reluctantly carried over with the new popularity into the mainstream. An article in the Los Angeles Times found that, "Since 2006, at least 14 people who attended concerts produced by Rotella [coordinator of Electronic Daisy Carnival and other large events], considered by the industry the nation's leading raver promoter, and Reza Gerami, another prominent Los Angeles-based impresario, have died from overdoses or in other drug-related incidents, a Times investigation has found" (Il, Pringles, and Blankstein). The information provided by an analysis of coroners' and law enforcement reports from nine states found that most of these deaths were linked to Ecstasy or similar designer drugs. And, although receiving warnings of drug risks from law enforcement and health officials, these festivals often receive the support of local governments because of the revenue they bring in. Judge Dave Barkemeyer, who issued a permit for a Rotella rave in Milam County, Texas was quoted saying that "It pretty well fills all the local hotels. It brings in a fair amount of commerce," and with that, the issue of drug related deaths specifically occurring at these events is pushed aside (Il, Pringles, and Blankstein).

            James Penman, the San Bernadino city attorney claims, however, that economics should never be justification for raves. He has long urged officials to disallow the multitude of rave events that specifically take place at the National Orange Show Events Center there claiming "The city should have zero tolerance for any activity where drugs are an integral part. A rave without drugs is like a rodeo without horses. They don't happen" (Il, Pringles, and Blankstein). However, by saying so, the assumption is being made that all attendees of these events are indulging in this culture entirely, including the drug usage. Personally, my friends have been attending EDM events for around two years now. Neither I nor the people that I go to these shows with have ever tried these drugs or plan on it. We do not see it as a risk of death, but know that there are serious permanent negative effects on the brain from these drugs. However, that has not stopped random attendees at various events from asking us, "Hey, do you guys have any molly?" The drug usage has carried over, there is no denying it, however, the real question is why. The entire scene, the music, the drugs, has been long associated with a sketchy subculture that no self-respecting individual would participate in, however, with this recent surge, the culture is becoming more open minded.

            Rotella and Gerami have, however, made a distinction between their events which they call "electronic music festivals" and "raves." Gerami was quoted saying, "There's a big difference between an illegal and unsafe event and what we're doing" (Il, Pringles, and Blankstein). Missing from these raves and clearly present at the festivals are security patrols, standby ambulances, and medical stations. Rotella's concerts also offer free water, which is depleted in those who take or overdose on ecstasy. Insomniac Events' website, which is responsible for Rotella's events, also warns ticket buyers that they will be prosecuted if they use drugs at the concert. Clearly, however, this has not been an effective deterrent. Perhaps the drug use is not because of the scene, but as a vehicle to escape the realities of today.

            Rotella's firm said in an interview that it does everything within their means to protect the safety of concertgoers, but the fans are responsible for themselves and their actions. They were quoted saying that "Despite the fact that the overwhelming number of our festival's hundreds of thousands of attendees have a positive experience, a small number of people make the personal decision to break the law as well as the policies of our events" (Il, Pringles, and Blankstein).

            Some parents that allow their children to go to these events feel a greater sense of ease that they are taking place in well-known venues. John Johnson, whose son, Joshua, attended Insomniac's Nocturnal Wonderland in San Bernardino in 2006 agreed with that notion. Joshua, however, at the age of 18, overdosed on ecstasy at the event and later died. No news covered the tragedy and there was no public notice. His father said, "That made me feel very angry and also a little hopeless about the situation, in terms of children and drug use and concerts" (Il, Pringles, and Blankstein). Many parents are in the same boat and express the same fear, and for that reason do not let their children attend these events. Some parents that do allow their children to attend succumb to being unfaithful of their children and drug test them to assure that they are not participating in the popularly illicit activities of the events.

            Unfortunately for promoters of these events and the youth that enjoy attending the events, death by ecstasy is a highly prominent and serious issue. The drug is known to enhance the effect of the beat-heavy music and pulsing lights known to EDM music. However, by doing so, it raises one's heartbeat and body temperature. Michelle Lee, a UC Irvine student, who was 20 when she attended one of Gerami's events in 2007, overdosed on the fatal drug. According to the coroner, it was reported that the ecstasy escalated her body temperature to 108 degrees, shocked her liver, and began destroying her kidneys and lungs. She died six days later. Many do not know of the serious effects the drug has on the body and assume that it is safe to indulge in a bandwagon ideology. Many only hear from those that are trying to push to the drugs and others at the event that it will make them have a "better" time.

            Apart from ecstasy, there are a handful of other hard drugs that attendees indulge in. Given its prevalence in the mainstream, many innocent, unknowing attendees of EDM events are swept up in the culture and sometimes never get a second chance to say "no." Perhaps it is the sense of community among fans that builds a sense of trust and eliminates any fears of those who have never indulged in the drug and are encouraged to. Whatever the case, it is a prevalent issue. The youth at large would not be so heavily affected by these drugs if it were not for the rise of EDM as a popular style of music. Innocent fans looking for a good time are rushed to the hospital begging for their lives. And, the only way to reduce this risk or eliminate it is to spread knowledge of the issue, to educate the youth that what they think may be just an increase in pleasure could lead to a decrease in their life.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.