Club

Club music encompasses all electronic genres designed to animate dancefloors: house, techno, trance, drum and bass, EDM and their countless derivatives. Born in Chicago and Detroit clubs in the 1980s, this musical culture has spread across the world to become a global phenomenon, transforming the way people dance, socialise and experience music. The club is a ritual space where DJ and audience share an intense collective experience.

What we call 'club music' is defined first and foremost by its function: making people dance. Productions prioritise looping structures, powerful bass, a prominent kick drum and meticulous work on dynamic transitions. Club culture rests on the art of the DJ who, like a musical narrator, constructs a sonic journey over several hours. Improvisation, reading the crowd and deep musical knowledge are the hallmarks of great DJs.

The global club scene is represented by artists spanning very different styles. Calvin Harris embodies the mainstream pop face of global club music, with productions that reach millions of listeners. Andy C is a drum and bass sound system legend. Chase & Status bridge club and live performance. Âme and WEVAL represent deep and melancholic house. Cascada popularised eurodance in clubs. Mall Grab and Bakey embody the new generation of producers.

Electronic music festivals have considerably expanded club culture into the open air. Our club festivals section lists events that recreate the atmosphere and energy of the best clubs under the open sky. Festivals like Tomorrowland in Belgium, ADE in Amsterdam and the many Iberian beach events have made club culture a spectacle in its own right, accessible to ever broader and more diverse audiences.