Exploring the Digital Revolution of the Late 90s
Exploring the Digital Revolution of the Late 90s
The digital revolution of the late 90s and early 2000s profoundly impacted creative and technological fields. It also helped to create whole new music genres, with EDM in particular being one that benefited from the technological democratization.
The Digital Revolution
The late 90s was a pivotal time for electronic music. Software such as Pro Tools and FL Studio (originally Fruity Loops) helped to revolutionize the way that music was produced. DAWs like this allowed producers to compose, mix, and even master using a single home computer, eliminating the need for lots of pricey studio equipment.
This paved the way for lots of new techniques to be explored, resulting in the creation of several new music genres in turn. Crystal Method and The Prodigy are just a few examples of bands who took electronic sound effects and used them to blur the lines between genres, creating hits that are still popular to this day. They are also still bands that have continued to innovate in recent years, with Crystal Method still releasing new music, which you can find here: https://thecrystalmethod.com/#latest. Even though their current music is very different from their original hits, as you’ll see, they are still using the same core elements that helped them to become a cultural sensation.
And it’s not just the music sector that experienced this sea change either. The gaming industry also underwent a similar shift. Digital advancements made it possible to offer traditional games more readily to users and on a much wider scale. MMORPGs such as Ultima and EverQuest entered the fray, and online multiplayer modes became standard features of home video game consoles such as Sony’s PlayStation 2, an early innovator in this field.
These other gaming innovations coincided with the 90s casino boom, in which many physical slot machines transitioned to online formats, with table games also rising in popularity. This helped to pave the way for new titles, with increased variance in game styles, themes, and even bonus rounds. This game here is just one example: https://casino.betfair.com/game/fishin-frenzy-abp. It incorporates a lot of now standard digital features, such as scatter symbols that trigger free spins, and bonus rounds that lead to higher payouts, both things which used to be much harder to integrate in land-based machines.
The Digital Revolution Broke Down Boundaries
Thanks to the digital revolution, affordable hardware and software helped artists to replicate the feel and capabilities of being in a recording studio without the expense. This, combined with the rise of a DIY culture helped artists to market and distribute their music independently, allowing them to bypass record labels. This helped genres such as EDM to take off, and as artists had more control over their content, it was also possible to encourage cross-cultural collaboration. Artists could hence work with each other across entire continents, as was the case with Talvin Singh’s collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/may/08/how-we-made-talvin-singh-ok-album-interview-mercury-bjork.
This led to new genres and distinctive musical styles being created. Streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and even YouTube also made music accessible to anyone who had an internet connection. Algorithmic recommendations ensured that new songs that were gaining traction were put in the spotlight, which helped EDM in particular to take hold of the market while gaining more airtime on radio stations.
All in all, it’s not hard to see how EDM has benefitted from the digital revolution, and it’s also interesting to see how far it’s come. With artists like The Prodigy and Crystal Method blurring the lines between genres, and with many artists taking inspiration from them, it’s evident that the digital revolution has played a huge part in modern music.
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