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Music

Here's a Brief Animated History of EDM, as Told by Spotify

The first episode of the streaming platform’s new web series teaches the roots of dance music.
Image via YouTube

With dance music becoming an increasing focus in pop culture and news, most people have come to associate it with neon-filled festivals, molly, that guy who dated Taylor Swift, and that one kid with the funny haircut making music for Justin Bieber. But Spotify wants them to know that it goes a little deeper than that.

As part of its push into original video content, the music streaming platform (in partnership with attn:) has made dance music the focus of its first episode in a new animated series, Deconstructed. According to Spotify's official blog, the web series "explores how music is shaped by political and social forces in culture," and it will discuss topics ranging from "the impact of fan girls in feminism, to the rights of LGBT rappers, to the meaning of national anthems and more."

The premiere, titled "How EDM Changed the World," briefly hits on the various roots of dance music, from Chicago's Frankie Knuckles and the Warehouse, to the Belleville Three creating Detroit techno, to 90s rave culture and its social repercussions, to the birth of PLUR. Of course, it can only so in-depth given its two-minute runtime, but it's a pretty decent primer on dance music. However, they fall into the same trap that many others have, in which they lump the aforementioned genres of house and techno into the category of "EDM," which has come to refer to a specific, corporatized strain of electronic music. Watch it below.

Read More: Stop Confusing EDM With All Electronic Music, Already

Dance music may only get two minutes in Deconstructed, but it could be getting an entire dedicated series if all goes to plan. Earlier this year, Spotify announced that its original video programming would include an EDM mockumentary, Ultimate/Ultimate, which follows contestants (including "frat brothers channeling their inner-Daft Punk") competing to become "the next great EDM star."