Electronic music’s greatest controversy: The pop-EDM crossover [Magazine Featured]

Once one of the most controversial tactics used by artists, the pop-EDM crossover collaboration is now commonplace within the electronic music industry. By joining forces, pop and electronic music pioneers have been able to mutually elevate their success by creating chart-topping hits that resonate with a larger fanbase. But this tactic isn’t without its controversy, and many have faced criticism in the past for their willingness to blend genres. Despite this, many of the music industry’s greatest hits to date have been founded upon the blending of genres, and in many cases, the genres in question are electronic and pop. But are crossover collaborations a positive or negative aspect of the music industry?

In most cases, artists that orchestrate a crossover collaboration are at the peak of their careers within the electronic music genre. This could be down to needing a solid track record in order to score a collaboration with a major name, or it could be due to other factors. Either way, crossover collaborations have been known to elevate an artists career further than ever previously imagined, generating a drastically larger reach for those involved. Venturing into the pop sphere allows artists to improve their chances of receiving plays on major radio stations, and even offers the opportunity for TV appearances during prime-time. It generates much greater publicity, and draws attention to their artistic career.

On the other side of the spectrum, many would argue that a pop-EDM crossover waters down both genres in order to create a radio-friendly anthem which doesn’t appeal to the core fanbase of either artist. There are some elements of truth to this opinion, as the electronic elements of a track (in most cases) must be subdued to a degree to ready a track for mainstream exposure, although there of course are significant exceptions to this rule.

Image Credit: David Guetta / Provided by Creamfields PR