Is EDM dead or is EDM life?

This is the question I asked myself when I first thought of this post.

But I didn't want to just dig through sales charts and concert attendance.

I wanted to know what people around the world were actually searching for.

So to find the answer, I turned to Google. Here's what I found out.

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Getting Answers from Google Autosuggest

When you type a query into Google's search box, Google shows you suggestions to help you finish the query, like this:

These suggestions are basically a summation of what other people are searching for on Google. The topmost suggestion is the topmost search query for the related keyword (in the above case: “Michael Jackson Dance”).

Thanks to Google's massive reach, the search engine's suggestions become a surprisingly effective indicator of its users' interests.

If Michael Jackson Dance shows up before Michael Jackson Songs, it's because more people are searching for the former than the latter at that moment.

Since the suggestions are pegged to current search volume, they also act as a great indicator of trends. If a musician has a new song out, you'll likely see it higher up in the list of suggestions. If a celebrity has a new scandal, it will dominate the suggestions.

For example, at the time of this writing, the new Thor movie, Thor Ragnarok is about to release in a few days. So of course, if you type in Thor into the search box, most of the top suggestions are for ‘Thor Ragnarok‘.

Further, these suggestions are based on your location. Google also has a presence in nearly every country around the world. Suggestions are tailored based on the search trends within that country.

This makes Google Suggestions an effective indicator of the country's thoughts and moods and interests about a topic.

Hence, I turned to Google Suggestions to figure out what people around the world think of EDM.

​Methodology

Here's the process I followed:

• I made a list of Google search engines for every country around the world.
• In each of these search engines, I entered the following query: “EDM is”​​​​
• I added the first word/phrase from the suggestions to a spreadsheet

At the end of this exercise, I had a spreadsheet like this:

Be warned that this is neither accurate nor totally reflective of a country's sentiment about a topic. I did this for the heck of it mostly. It is for illustrative purposes only.

The Results

Once I had my spreadsheet, I plotted them on a map.

Here's the result:

Clearly, there are a lot more people who think that EDM is “dead” than “EDM is life”.

Some – especially in Europe – also think that EDM is “not music”.

In Latin American countries, the belief that EDM is “trash” is also pretty prevalent.

In terms of sheer numbers, here's how they stack up:

Clearly, there are far more countries where people think EDM is ‘dead' than those that think ‘EDM is life'.

Let's look at each of the continents in more detail:

North America

Big though it may be, North America is dominated by three countries – USA, Canada and Mexico.

Surprisingly, both Canada and USA think that EDM is ‘dead'.

Mexico and its neighbors don't have a particularly favorable view either; they think that EDM is trash.

The further you move to South America and the Caribbean, however, the more people start searching for “EDM is life”.

Which brings us to…

South America

There is a north-south shift in sentiment about EDM among South American countries.

Ecuador, Colombia, etc. think that EDM is “life”. Brazilians thinks the opposite. Argentina and Chile have downright unfavorable views of EDM with more searches for “EDM is trash”:

Europe

Europe shows a definite trend: people in central and western European countries mostly search for “EDM is life”. Those in the eastern half, however, think that “EDM is dead”.

If I had to explain it, I'd have to say that western Europeans are generally more receptive to electronic genres. In fact, most of the top EDM producers right now are from western Europe (Tiesto, Hardwell, Afrojack, etc.)

EDM doesn't have nearly as many takers in Russia and the Baltic countries.

Looking at the map, it's almost as if loving EDM is a EU phenomenon.

Which brings us to Asia​​​​

Asia

The verdict in Asia is clear: EDM is dead.

Outside of the island countries in South-East Asia, people in most countries think that EDM is “dead”.

This shouldn't be surprising; electronic genres aren't particularly popular in two of the largest countries in the continent – India and China.

And with a combined population of nearly 3 billion, India and China pretty much dominate the Asian map.

In Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, however, EDM is still “life”.

Take note of that, EDM artists.

Africa

Africa shows the same trend as Asia – most countries search for “EDM is dead” and only two countries think otherwise.

South Africa and Namibia are the only two countries that search for “EDM is life”. The rest do the opposite.

Incidentally, South Africa is also one of the most advanced economies in the continent. Could there be a correlation between income and EDM? Are richer countries more likely to listen to electronic music?

Interesting questions…

The data for Africa isn't particularly accurate though. There are too few internet users in most of the countries, which makes the data unreliable. Take this for illustrative purposes only.

Which brings us to the final stop on my list.

Australia, New Zealand

Neither Australia nor NZ are fans of EDM:

What I Learned From This Data

I never really set out to learn anything from this data; I did it mostly as a fun exercise in digging around with Google suggestions.

However, once I started digging in, a few clear trends emerged.

For example, western European countries mostly search for “EDM is life”. Countries in Eastern Europe think the other way around. Being in the EU, it seems, makes you want to love EDM.

Unsurprising, then, that most top EDM artists come from Europe as well.

Other than this, the data reflects the ground realities in most music markets. It's not that India thinks “EDM is dead”. It's that other genres – namely Bollywood – dominate the Indian market.

Similarly, Americans might be receptive to EDM, but there are far too many other competing genres in the country, from rock and rap to, well, country. ​

Thus, while EDM might fill stadiums and concerts, it has stiff competition.

Finally, understand that this data only shows what the people are searching for. It does not mean that EDM is actually “dead”. It's only an illustration of the most popular searches in a country.

So to answer the original question: yes, EDM is dead. At least that's the dominant search in most countries in the world.

But otherwise outside the domain of internet searches, EDM continues to thrive.

What do you think about this research? Share this post and comment below!

If you want the raw data, send me an email through the contact form.

When I first started my production career, I would obsess over what equipment my favorite producers were using.

I reckoned that if I could get my hands on the same equipment as them, maybe I too could sound like Moby or Tiesto.

(Little did I know then that the only way to sound like my favorite producers was good ‘ol hard work and talent.)

That early obsession, however, turned into a fascination with producers and the equipment they use. I've been tracking what headphones, keyboards, production software, synths, and monitors my favorite producers use.

That's exactly what I'm going to share in this post.

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How I Found My Favorite Producers' Favorite Equipment

The first thing you should know is that top producers use a lot of different equipment.

Your favorite producer might have dozens of different synths, a handful of headphones, and tons of other specialized equipment.

Plus, someone like Tiesto gets offered equipment for free from sponsors. Unless the equipment is highly specialized or a personal favorite, there's a good chance a major headliner didn't actually pay for the equipment.

So instead of focusing on producers' equipment, I focused on their favorite equipment.

And how did I figure that out?

Simple: their social media.

Nearly every major modern-day producer has an active social media presence. On their social media posts, producers invariably end up sharing shots of their studios mid-composition. Or they might directly tell their fans what equipment they use and love.

I trolled through the social media posts of all the producers on this list in order to see what kind of equipment they were using.

The end result was this spreadsheet:

Yep, I love my spreadsheets.

Each of the items on this list was culled from careful research.

For example, in this video, David Guetta is sitting in his studio with a Novation 61SL MKII keyboard.

This way, I built together my spreadsheet and am sharing the result with you below.

Your Favorite Producers' Favorite Equipment

Here's an infographic with all the equipment in a single image. Click here or tap the image for a larger image.

Click here for a larger size

For a more detailed breakdown of producers' equipment, and how I found them, read on.

What Equipment Does David Guetta Use?

Despite being one of the world's best known producers, David Guetta's equipment stack is surprisingly approachable. He uses an affordable set of headphones – the Sennheiser HD25-1 II. His favorite synth is a Roland TB3 which, at under $300, is on the low-end of the synth curve.

Here's some of David Guetta's favorite equipment:

Headphones	Sennheiser HD 25-1 II HeadphonesBeats By Dr. Dre Mixr On-Ear Headphones
Studio Monitors	ADAM A77X Powered Studio MonitorGenelec 1034B Main Control Room Monitoring System
MIDI Controller	Ableton PushNovation 61SL MkII 61-Key USB Keyboard Controller
Synthesizer	Roland TB3

What Equipment Does Tiesto​​​​​ Use?

Tiesto has been seen in several videos using his self-branded AKG Tiesto headphones. I haven't ever come across anyone using them in the real world so can't really comment on their performance.

Tiesto also uses one of the most popular synths ever made – the Juno-60. As you'll find out later, TONS of producers use this synth.

Here's the complete equipment list for Tiesto:

Headphones	AKG K267 Tiesto HeadphonesStanton DJ Pro-2000 headphones
Studio Monitors	Yamaha HS80M Active Studio MonitorL'Acoustics DV-DOSC monitors
MIDI Controller	M-Audio Keystation 61es MIDI Controller
Synthesizer	Roland Juno-60

What Equipment Does Avicii Use?

I've caught Avicii in several videos and social media posts with the remarkable Teenage Engineering OP-1 synthesizer. This tiny synth is probably one of the most revolutionary innovations I've ever come across in the music business. It's also one of the most fun.

No wonder it's an Avicii favorite.

Here's the complete list for Avicii:

Headphones	V-Moda Crossfade LP2 Over-Ear HeadphonesPioneer HDJ-2000 Headphones
Studio Monitors	KRK VXT8 Active Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	M-Audio Keystation 88es MIDI ControllerAkai Professional MPK49 USB MIDI Keyboard
Synthesizer	Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer

What Equipment Does Deadmau5 Use?

Deadmau5 is a massive gear head. Of all the producers I've followed, no one obsesses as much over the latest and greatest gear as Deadmau5. If it is new and shiny, you can bet he has it in his lab.

This also means that Deadmau5 has few clear favorites. I've seen him switch between synths and keyboards within a session as a matter of routine.

As for studios, just take a look at this setup from 2011:

If that was in 2011, you can very well imagine how complex his setup would be today, 6 years later.

(Hint, it's even more complex. Check this video if you want to geek out)

From his videos and interviews, here's what I've learned about Deadmau5's favorite equipment:

Headphones	SOL REPUBLIC Deadmau5 Track5 HD On-EarSennheiser HD 800 Headphones
Studio Monitors	Genelec 1035B Main Control Room Monitoring SystemGenelec 8250A Bi-Amplified DSP Monitoring System
MIDI Controller	Clavia Nord Wave
Synthesizer	Moog Minimoog Voyager Lunar Gold Limited Edition

What Equipment Does Calvin Harris Use?

Calvin Harris is one of the world's highest paid musicians, and certainly the world's best-paid DJ and producer.

But Harris has a pretty unconventional approach to music production. Instead of software synths, Harris prefers an old-school hardware-focused approach.

Watch this video as an example. Note the number of synths and keyboards littered around his studio:

Is this the reason for his massive success?

Maybe.

Here's his favorite equipment list, just in case:

Headphones	Pioneer HDJ-2000 HeadphonesSennheiser HD 25-1 II Headphones
Studio Monitors	ATC SCM25A Pro Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	JUNO-G Workstation Keyboard
Synthesizer	Korg ARP Odyssey

What Equipment Does Hardwell Use?

With some producers, you get lucky if they have a studio tour on social media.

Hardwell was one such case. There's a video on YouTube where Hardwell gives viewers a tour through his new studio, highlighting what equipment he likes, what he doesn't.

Videos like these are a gold mine. For instance, in this video, Hardwell shares his speaker set-up. While he has a pair of Focal monitors in the studio, he also mentions that he “always” has his favorite Dynaudio BM6A speakers with him.

So based on this video and other social media posts, he's Hardwell's equipment list:

Headphones	Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO-80 Closed Studio HeadphonesSennheiser HD 25-1 II Headphones
Studio Monitors	Dynaudio BM6A MKI Active Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	M-Audio Keystation 49es MIDI Controller
Synthesizer	Roland JD-XA Analog/Digital Crossover Synthesizer

What Equipment Does Skrillex Use?

Producers like Skrillex essentially grew up on social media. And because they are so active on social media, it is also much easier to follow what kind of equipment they use.

For instance, there are pictures of Skrillex from his live performances where he is using Beats Mixr headphones:

There are also images floating around online of him working on a track with the Beats Dr. Dre Studio headphones on. Though with Beats, you can never be sure if the artist is actually using them or if it's just a product placement.

Based on these social media posts, here's my equipment list for Skrillex:

Headphones	Beats by Dre Pro HeadphonesAudio-Technica ATH-M50 Professional Studio Monitors
Studio Monitors	KRK ROKIT 5 G3 Studio MonitorBarefoot MiniMain12 Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	Akai Professional MPK49 USB MIDI Keyboard
Synthesizer	Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer

What Equipment Does Daft Punk Use?

Figuring out what equipment Daft Punk uses was particularly difficult.

The Daft Punk duo are very secretive about themselves, their music, and how they produce their tracks. These aren't social media friendly artists; you can't even find them without their helmets on.

To source information, I had to dig hard.

For example, I stumbled across this interview of Daft Punk's recording engineer where he mentioned the band's choice of studio monitors.

In some cases, I had to assume information. Like I assumed that Daft Punk might be interested in using the Monster Tron T1 headphones since, well, they carry Daft Punk's name on them (not that these are particularly good headphones).

So based on this scant information, here's what I have:

Headphones	Monster Tron T1 Daft Punk Headphones
Studio Monitors	Guzausk-Swist GS-3a Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	Doepfer MAQ 16/3 MIDI Analogue Sequencer
Synthesizer	Roland Juno-106 SynthesizerRoland Jupiter-6

What Equipment Afrojack Use?

Afrojack's equipment stack is pretty easy to figure out thanks to his interviews and social media posts. Afrojack hit it big through social media, so there are plenty of videos floating around of him in his early studio setup.

For instance, in this interview he says that he uses the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro headphones (fantastic headphones).

And in this video, you can see the KRK VXT8 monitors in Afrojack's studio.

Here's my equipment list for Afrojack:

Headphones	Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro Studio HeadphonesSennheiser HD 25-1 II Headphones
Studio Monitors	KRK VXT8 Active Studio MonitorKRK ROKIT 8 G2 Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	Yamaha MOTIF XF8
Synthesizer	Moog Little Phatty Stage II Keyboard Synthesizer

What Equipment Does Martin Garrix Use?

Martin Garrix is one of my favorite producers, so I've been following him around pretty faithfully. His production style matches mine – a laptop, headphones, and as little equipment as possible.

Unfortunately, most of the videos and social media posts with Garrix talking/playing his instruments are usually live. This is far from a production setting and may not represent the equipment he actually uses in studio.

For example, in this video, Garrix is performing with Tiesto and using the AKG Tiesto headphones.

Based on his live performances, here's Martin Garrix's equipment stack:

Headphones	V-Moda Crossfade M-80 HeadphonesAKG K267 Tiesto Headphones
Studio Monitors	Genelec 8351 AWM (White) 3 Way SystemYamaha NS-10M Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	Cakewalk by Roland A-500S MIDI Keyboard Controller
Synthesizer	Roland Gaia SH-01 Synthesizer

What Equipment Does Diplo Use?

Diplo is another gear head. Dig through his social media posts and you'll find him wearing a huge range of headphones.

For instance, here is Diplo wearing Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones in this promo shot:

And in this Instagram post by Nocs, Diplo can be seen performing with the NS900 (though it's not clear if this was sponsored by Nocs).

Instead of cataloging every single piece of equipment Diplo uses, I decided to focus on equipment he most commonly uses while performing live.

Here's Diplo's equipment list:

Headphones	Pioneer HDJ-2000 HeadphonesSennheiser Adidas HD 25 Originals Headphones
Studio Monitors	ADAM Audio A7 Powered Nearfield MonitorsADAM A77X Powered Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	M-Audio Keystation 61es MIDI Controller
Synthesizer	Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable Synthesizer

What Equipment Does Steve Aoki Use?

The cake-throwing producer and DJ favors his own brand of headphones – the Sol Republic Steve Aoki HD headphones.

Apart from this, much of what I know about Aoki's equipment comes from his documentary (available on Netflix) – “I'll Sleep When I'm Dead”. It has tons of shots of him performing live, in his studio, or in his tour bus, working on a song.

For example, here's a shot of Steve Aoki's studio from the documentary. Did you notice the Teenage Engineering OP-1 on the table?

So here's Aoki's equipment list:

Headphones	SOL REPUBLIC Steve Aoki Tracks HD On-EarPioneer HDJ-2000 Headphones
Studio Monitors	Dynaudio BM6A MKII Active Studio MonitorPioneer S-DJ08 Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	Akai MAX49Novation ReMOTE SL COMPACT MIDI Keyboard
Synthesizer	Access Virus TI2 Polar Synthesizer

What Equipment Does Flume Use?

Flume is the quintessential modern-day producer. You won't find a ton of hardware in his studio; it's mostly software.

That said, Flume does have a few favorite instruments.

My source for much of this information was this video where Flume does a quick walk through his bedroom studio. You can see the Event Opal studio monitors and later, the Sennheiser HD600 headphones.

Based on this video, and others, here is Flume's equipment list:

Headphones	Sennheiser HD8 DJ Closed DJ HeadphonesSennheiser HD600
Studio Monitors	Barefoot Sound MicroMain27 Gen2Yamaha NS-10M Studio Monitor
MIDI Controller	Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S49 Keyboard
Synthesizer	Teenage Engineering OP-1 Portable SynthesizerRhodes Mark I 88

What Equipment Does Kygo Use?

Like Flume, Kygo too became big in the Ableton age. His equipment stack is similarly bare – headphones, monitors, and a laptop, at most.

In this video, you can see Kygo wearing his favorite (and mine) studio headphones – Audio Technica MTH M50x.

Similarly, in this Instagram post, you can see his Genelac 8040B and Yamaha HS7 monitors in action.

Here is Kygo equipment list:

Headphones	Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Monitor HeadV-Moda Crossfade M-100 Over-Ear Noise-Isolating Headphones
Studio Monitors	Yamaha HS7 Powered Studio MonitorGenelec 8040B Studio Monitors
MIDI Controller	Akai Professional MPK88 Keyboard and USB MIDI Controller
Synthesizer	Roland Juno-60Nord Stage 2 88-Key Stage Keyboard

So that's it! My list of equipment used by your favorite producers.

Understand that this is for illustrative purposes only. This is from my own understanding of what equipment top producers use based on their social media posts, interviews and videos. I can't vouch for the accuracy of this data, nor have I interviewed producers to ask them about their preferences.

That said, if you enjoyed this post, hit the share buttons below!