The EDM industry has been inflating like a balloon, which according to many, is likely to burst very soon. There have been fair warnings surfaced by many artists and organizers in the light of the current situation of this rapidly expanding market. The founder of ID&T, Duncan Stutterheim recently came forth at the annual Noorderslag Seminar in Groningen to talk about the biased profits made in the industry and the need for a balance to be restored.
As EDM concerts become more of a pop-culture statement and festival tickets get more and more expensive, there stands a question staring at us right in the eye- are we getting what we really deserve? Artists rising to fame charge exorbitant amounts to perform at festivals and clubs, forcing organizers to in turn charge more from their costumers, eventually making the festival/gig attendee bear the cost. Then again, when the clubs go full and concerts sold out, the artists continue to charge at the same price creating a whole cycle. Meanwhile, the underground artists who do not want to give into the mainstream for the fame and want to thrive with their own sound are forsaken from the same amount of recognition as their big room counterparts.
“The most popular 10% receive 90% of the pie. Of course, they make music and do it well. But it must remain in balance, which is now gone. It now is about so much money, that everything has changed. It also comes at the expense of the festival experience. At those high wages remains less over for good sound, lighting and decoration. That makes festivals less attractive.” says Stutterheim.
There is a high possibility of the industry growth facing a stump once the consumers of the music, that is its fans, realize the consequences of living in this oblivion and the fact that they deserve much more than an overly charged event that fails to meet their expectations. Just like any market seeks alternatives, this one will too and EDM could be replaced by another unexplored genre that intrigues the listeners.
As expressed by Stutterheim, “I do not pay that amount. EDM is killing the world, really. DJs should really go ask less, their fans deserve that. It’s stupid of those DJs to ask so much, for so you miss a large part of your audience.” So, it really has come to a point when we need to reconsider our weekend night out choices.
Source: QUOTE (Translated from Dutch)
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