FAQ

Is 30 too old to attend an EDM festival?

There has been much discussion about the EDM music scene and its age range. Some people think that EDM is restricted to a certain young audience with a maximum age of something in the late 30s. Some believe that EDM is just a range of age groups based on the style of music. Some commercial dance music will appeal to the late teens and therefore a younger audience, than perhaps the more deep house and techno music which is known to have a more “connoisseur” and musically mature audience.

In general, music is global and appeals to people of all ages in its many forms. Electronic dance music is also a large label that covers a wide range of subgenres and music styles. It is a broad range of percussive electronic music genres, which employ electronic musical instruments, digital instruments and circuitry-based music technology. It is true that every age has a general preference to a type of EDM, but there are several reasons to attend a festival at any age.

You’re never too old to attend an EDM Festival! Art and music are ageless. People of any age, race & background have the right to enjoy them no matter where they are and what they specifically like to do in life.

People have the right to enjoy their life they way they want it, even if it means dancing the weekend away on a festival dance floor. Electronic music culture is all about togetherness, emotional well-being, and judgment-free self-expression. Moreover, most headliners are now over 30 years old, so why not have followers of the same age group? On another hand, EDM is known to have become the “new rock”.

According to an in-depth survey done by Currys PC World in the United Kingdom, over 50% (46 percent) The majority of individuals questioned disliked social gatherings or evenings out, preferring to “lounge” at home instead. A lot of these polled adults gave reasons like facing hangovers, the efforts they need to put into dressing up, the efforts and trouble they’ll face if they need to book babysitters for example and arrange travels, and transportation issues. But, if you are familiar with the EDM culture, they should not be a major concern. People are more laid-back than these folks may believe.

Is 30 too old to attend an EDM festival?

Let’s start by looking at music in general, then go into particular age groups before outlining why you may attend an EDM concert at any age.

Music Is For Everyone

“Music is something that we can all connect to regardless of age, and is frequently essential to a person’s sense of identity,” according to the British Association for Music Therapy. It allows us to connect and share our feelings, memories, and experiences with others, as well as providing stimulation and stimulate expression. Music therapy may help improve inquisitive and creative talents, as well as self-esteem and the sensation of being respected and heard.”

On the other hand, individuals all around the globe may listen to an instrumental soundtrack and understand precisely what the artist was attempting to convey. In this manner, it links us. It is a chance to learn more about the other person while also exploring our own sentiments. Music allows individuals to communicate the feelings they are experiencing inside themselves. When it comes down to it, music is basically entertainment for us as well.

Indeed, not all genres of music will appeal to everyone. But putting musical taste aside, there is something universal about music: all cultures have it. Music is an important aspect of most cultures’ communities. From religious rituals to weddings and social gatherings, music is always present and is a force that helps bring people together.

What, for example, makes a wedding celebration so enjoyable? It’s because of the music! Notice when everyone is on the dance floor and singing along to a classic song, everyone at the party is in joy and the dynamic is perfect.

Scientists still aren’t quite sure why music has so many benefits on the human mind and body. Yet they are certain that music makes people happy.

Exploring age-specific Music Preference

Let’s explore the music preferences based on age groups in the United States, a major market in the music industry. According to statista.com, pop music consumption accounted for 17.2 percent of overall music consumption in 2017. Rock music, on the other side, received 22.2 percent, R&B 8.7 percent, and EDM just 3.9 percent. According to the source, 57 percent of respondents aged 16 to 24 years stated that pop music was their favorite music genre in the United States in 2017.

According to The Nielsen Company, the electronic music listener is a college educated, mostly white individual. Those between the ages of 18 and 35 make up the majority of the age group. More specifically, boys aged 18 to 24 make up the majority of this music’s fanbase.

On another hand, in a study conducted by Eventbrite, EDM Fans expressed significantly less fandom around specific artists compared to fans of other genres of music. EDM enthusiasts lobbied for their favorite musicians almost twice as often as general music lovers. While there was still a significant portion of conversation driven by people advocating for, and communicating with, their favorite artists, EDM as a whole is less artist-centric and more based around the EDM lifestyle.

The study also showed that EDM fans talk about concerts and events 30% more than other music fans, which builds more awareness around EDM festivals and concerts compared to other genres of music. Overall, EDM subculture themes such as PLUR lifestyle debate and EDM Podcasts and DJ mixes accounted for 14% of total EDM fan communication.

After a Certain Age, Preferences Change

According to several surveys, EDM music tastes evolve towards tougher and darker subgenres as people become older. Some audiences begin with commercial EDM music, which exposes people to the style (particularly now that it is played on radios and is widely accessible). A more mature selection, on the other hand, involves the individual becoming more active in the underground scene and choosing music that is more “selected,” experimental, and distinctive.

For example, a 34 year old fan of EDM discusses how he listened to all kinds of subgenres throughout the years: from dance to trance developing to hard trance, hard house, vocal trance, happy hardcore, hardstyle which moved to techno and deep house. He also discusses how he constantly goes to parties:

“As soon as I began listening to it, I went to 7-9 hardstyle parties. I even pulled my primary BFF party friend, who isn’t very into it, along for a few of my rolling rides. I can’t remember a year when I didn’t go to Qlimax; I have to go there to fulfill the hardstyle part of my musical soul.”

Openness to experience has been proven to have the highest influence on genre choice of all the qualities studied. Open individuals show a preference for diverse musical styles, but do not prefer popular forms of contemporary music, which reflect a certain limit on their openness. No matter the age, people who are open to a new musical experience will always look for novelty in the music, a characteristic of EDM in general, and will always try to experience something beyond the conventional. These are the sorts of lively, happy folks you’ll encounter at festivals.

Is 30 too old to attend an EDM festival?

Photos by Freepik

Reasons to Attend EDM Festivals At Any Age

Art & Music Are Ageless

Since anybody can create art, it is timeless. It is an expression of the culture it is created within. It is timeless since it is always present throughout the generations. Music is another form of expression that transcends time and culture.

When it comes to music festivals, some are quite commercial and appeal to younger groups that like commercial dance music. Some events attract a more adult audience and showcase more underground musicians and subgenres such as techno and tech house. Significantly, EDM festivals are for everyone, and the festival selection, depending on the performers and concept, is more crucial. With time, the 20-year-old audience will start looking for a more “proper” sound, which they might find in tech house and techno for example, or maybe the hardstyle type. These more “developed” subgenres of music are acquired preferences in an environment that seems considerably more mature.

Choose to Enjoy Life

Individuals opt to appreciate live music despite the fact that many other people their age do not or are too busy to do so.

Maybe it’s because we obsess over youth, and don’t allow older people the dignity of a soul or even hints of a vibrant social and sex life. Maybe it’s because you can gaze at art or cinema without knowing if the artist is young or elderly.

Those we admire the greatest are those who just don’t care. Consider this: they are the most attractive people to us, and they make us feel at ease in their presence. A lady in her eighties from Paraguay is an excellent example. She smoked cigars, played poker past midnight, and nudged at parties to pass me the bottle of cheap liquor before hitting the dance floor, smiling with one ancient tooth hanging on while she danced with her grandson. It’s lovely to see joyful individuals of all ages wearing flamboyant outfits, wearing pink hair, and sipping a drink in the sun.

I recall Armin van Buuren doing his A State Of Trance radio program event in Beirut a few years back. It was a celebration of his 600th episode. I recall watching people from all around the globe gather to rejoice with the musicians, but one thing astonished me was during Armin’s warm-up session. The doors were barely open at the start of the event, and I was one of the fortunate few who made it inside. The dance floor was almost empty but with a few minutes in, I noticed a large number of “older people”, people in their 40s and later 30s dancing alone and singing along at the early start of the show. They were unconcerned about everything else in the world. It was breathtaking to witness them surrender to the music, to the rhythms and melodies. They seemed to be in a magnificent state of trance.

Why Let people’s Opinions Decide How You Live Your Life?

When other people’s opinions are more important than your own, you live life on their terms instead of your own. Why would you want to live a life that isn’t entirely focused on what you desire? Why should you deceive yourself into presenting people what they want to see rather than the real you? Nobody will ever grant you permission to live your dream life. It is entirely your responsibility.

Are you a 40 year old who likes Skrillex and he’s brining his show to your area? So, what’s the harm in going there and experiencing it?

When people are worried about what other people think, they’re projecting their own fears and judgments onto other people. You don’t have to feel guilty or embarrassed; that’s simply fear. It’s because of this projection of your sentiments onto other people that humiliation feels so bad.

Another factor to make is the comparison with others. Every person’s life is and should be unique. We look at everyone around us and want to do the same thing the majority is doing to avoid any feelings of failure. This is self-imposed torture and the results of it will make you feel bad.

 

EDM is about uniting under one thing: The music

We’ve spoken a lot about EDM culture and the PLUR movement in previous postings. That is an essential concept that should help you understand why age is simply a number. Our culture and music scene are connected by music, positivism, and acceptance of others. Everyone from any nation and of any age is invited to join our music-loving community. Even if the genre they choose is very different from the one I prefer. These distinctions make dance music a way of life, diversifying the general mood and making it a beautiful and natural reflection of the world we live in.

The music is the unifying aspect, it’s beats and melodies bring people together and since it’s all about the music, your age doesn’t matter, your background doesn’t either. Therefore, who wouldn’t want to be a part of such a positive, encouraging culture?

A Generation Should Not Miss Out On Something

Music festivals are made to be an open, friendly and supportive space for everyone to come and express themselves freely through the music they love. Therefore, why are we excluding persons of a specific age from attending?

Support Emotional, Psychological and Social Wellbeing

We’ve talked a lot about the supportive culture of PLUR and dance music. This pleasant mood provides much-needed “treatment” to people of all ages. Elderly individuals are recognized to have experienced much more than younger generations, and they also have far more obligations and stress in their everyday lives. That’s simply a normal part of life. It is thus critical that they express themselves, vent their frustrations, and renew themselves in a pleasant, inspiring, and accepting setting.

We All Need Our Spirits Lifted

Everyone has their own set of challenges and issues to deal with in life. It is how we progress through our days and become better people. Yet, tackling obstacles without taking much needed rest is a stressful way of life. As a result, taking the time to celebrate life and let go of tension is a necessary activity that should be done on a regular basis. EDM events are a colorful concoction of music, art, and people. A beneficial combination of ingredients that lifts the human soul to much-needed heights.

Is 30 too old to attend an EDM festival?

EDM Could Be The New Rock

EDM’s rise parallels the debuts of jazz, rock, and hip-hop in many aspects, from its pushback to its pedigree to its mainstream appeal. From dance music radio stations to the development of performers like Deadmau5 and Avicii. The true home of music is at festivals, raves, and DJ events, where attendance and enthusiasm have been defying the preceding two decades’ conventional knowledge about American teenage preferences for rock, hip-hop, or country. Similar to how pop music and jazz evolved into rock & roll and hip-hop, societal debates about the value and meaning of EDM signal that music has entered a new age.

Nobody’s There To Judge You

During an EDM concert, Nobosdy is there to decide what is suitable and has the authority to say what is and is not. Everyone who does so has a rigid, fear-filled psyche. This leads to division rather than togetherness.

Most Headliners Are Older Now

Today, a few years after the boom of EDM and the massive growth of festivals, headliners are getting older. Several of them are in their forties, and others are in their late fifties. Their works appeal to a broader audience, which you may join. With their experimentations through sound, they become more interesting as artists and bring much needed new variety to the EDM genre as a whole and the sub genre specifically.

Remember that age is just a number. It is unnecessary to be concerned about what other people think. What would be really pitiful is allowing the imagined views of others to dictate how you conduct your life. No matter what, enjoy it to the utmost. Music has no age; it represents freedom and love. Let it to be a spark for your interactions with others.

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Related Questions

  • Is 30 too old for music festivals?

    At some point, you’ll probably feel like you’re too old to attend a music festival. First, allow me to speak for a significant percentage of the people reading this when I incredulously yell, “Quarter-life crisis?!” Indeed, you are not too old to attend music festivals. But, you are never too young to feel elderly.

  • Am I too old to go to an EDM festival?

    You are never too old to have a good time. So go out and enjoy the music and the festival. Live in the moment. Because you’re never too old to listen to music.

  • What is the average age for EDM festivals?

    Those between the ages of 18 and 35 make up the majority of the age group. To be more specific, males between the ages of 18 to 24 are the bulk of this music’s audience.

  • Is 30 too old to rave?

    You are never too old to have some fun. The one thing I’d be wary about is the company you’re with. And the place you were going. Having someone about your age out at a rave would make it more enjoyable.

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