UPDATE: Amy Thomson has informed us that she was originally misquoted by Dancing Astronaut. We apologize for overly trusting another source.
Amy Thomson is an EDM power that says what is on her mind, and does not hold back. After managing Swedish House Mafia to great heights, the British manager established herself as an electronic music powerhouse. She was recently at IMS Engage in LA and sat alongside Troy Carter, the manager of Lady Gaga. Thomson, per the usual, was not going to beat around the bush; “Do you think the way America has grabbed electronic music will actually kill it? Because I do”, she asked Carter. Thomson feels that her own clients, Swedish House Mafia, selling out Madison Square garden began to turn Electronic Music:
It attracted a lot of people to the table and I wasn’t really comfortable with that. I worry that by doing that it’s attracting all these millionaires, billionaires, trillionaires coming in and all I can think about are the kids who must think that’s shit. They must think, I don’t want to go to a business conference, I want to go to a fucking rave.
She also emphasized the saturation of electronic music:
The saturation worries me. But who backs down? Which promoter stops? There’s a huge demand, it’s being supplied currently, but at what point do kids get sick of it, and whose fault will that be? I’m as guilty as anyone else.
I applaud Thomson for being extremely honest and I’m happy to see a dance music power standing up to express their opinions. I think this is something we need to think about and address as a community. The electronic music push is happening at such an alarming rate that there’s bound to be a tipping point, the dam will overflow. We need to ask ourselves at what point does it become too much? When is the push pushing too hard?
Why is America in question? Because we have the never-ending need to be bigger and better. We have the need to take everything we love and put it on a pedestal. It is great that we are beginning to love dance music so much in America but we must be careful. As dance music gets more popular we must be sure not to lose sight of the music’s meaning. It is about the community, about dancing, about the four on the floor beat thumping in sync with our hearts, not about money. Yes it is an unfortunate reality that it will always be about the money but there must be a balance. I fear that this is a balance that we are slowly but surely losing sight of; tipping ever so slowly in favor of monetary value. We must remember the pioneers that braved low pay, long hours in the club, and no limelight whatsoever so that dance music could rise to where it is today. Where is that passion now? No money can buy what the true artists and DJs bring to the table, and no money can buy true fans or true community. I plead with you, the dance music community, don’t let this passion slip into the abyss of financial benefits.
Source: InTheMix
Completely agree
MURICA, thank you, you fucking kill everything you see original, SUCKERS.
Music will forever be to get that amazing feeling you get from hearing an amazing track!
Passion > Money.
Music will forever be to get that amazing feeling you get from hearing an amazing track!
Passion > Money.
I don’t even get why this is a story. This is the second story I’ve read in the last 6 months with someone acting like the US JUST found out about electronic music. What a elitist ahole.
it’s too late.
I suppose two americans management teams breaking out into a fist fight after the conference didn’t do anything but solidify her point.
Guetta – Frenchman.
Afrojack – Dutchman.
SHM – Swedes.
Avicii – Swede.
Chuckie – Surinamese… don’t blame me, I’ve been here since the 90’s and fell in love with electronic music as a kid in the 80’s listening to skating rink breakbeats. Foreigners are making shit commercial music for American teenagers and the sping break and bottle club crowd. How is America’s fault again?
Oh, and who is saying that? The British manager of Swedish House Mafia. C’Mon sun! They’re shooting fish in a barrel and blaming the fish for getting shot.
Thanks Ed.
Good music will always be here. Long before we were and long after we’re nothing but a memory. If you think the commercialization of some pop songs that people classify as dance because it has some kick drums will change the real heads you’re floating. Tether down, get a drink, call your friends and go listen to a good local DJ rock a house with 30 people. Then tell me the passion is gone, tell me everything is bleak and on the edge of ruin etc. I’m glad you have passion, glad you love the scene, glad you’re writing about it. But don’t be so dramatic. Things are cyclical. We’ll all go back to being fringe outcasts soon enough.
Every genera of music eventually gets played out. Why are we acting like this is something new? Heck, I’m grateful that electronic music is getting its 15 minutes of fame. I’ve spent most of my life having to listen to rap and rock as the acceptable mainstream in the states. I’ll take even a brief period of electronic music in the limelight. And when it’s not anymore, well, the dance parties will just be minus a few frat bros. I’m okay with that.
Every genera of music eventually gets played out. Why are we acting like this is something new? Heck, I’m grateful that electronic music is getting its 15 minutes of fame. I’ve spent most of my life having to listen to rap and rock as the acceptable mainstream in the states. I’ll take even a brief period of electronic music in the limelight. And when it’s not anymore, well, the dance parties will just be minus a few frat bros. I’m okay with that.
so much Truth we were doing a good job here until that Dutch house Crap Flooded the Market. even when trance was huge the folks who went to that at least understood it.
so much Truth we were doing a good job here until that Dutch house Crap Flooded the Market. even when trance was huge the folks who went to that at least understood it.
Just because they are dutchmen and are play what’s popular in their countries means that all people who are Dutch listen to that kind of music or can produce it.
I hate when people feel they can comment when they stopped going out years ago. theyr making decisions on #s and sellouts.that’s corporate behavior not cultural movement. and here in the u.s. we are privy to both. that’s way I don’t go to websterhall or Madison sqare. or watch mtv or listen to the radio. but you go to where springsteen came from whare jz nas biggy came from. and then you see and feel the pulse of the movement.. and lets be real producers produce to sell. you get big you get popular you also get rules and issues. the u.s.a isent ruinig edmits pumping money in.. artist that use edm producers for ther beats but never give credit is ruining edm. for the world. the corporate bottom line is ruining edm. and the sync button sshhhhiiit don’t get me started. at any 1 point I have 10 er20 real edm partis happening here allyear. and ther would be more but laws forbid things so only a few can pull it off. ;/ frustration cuz thers so much new talent being put down. thepinkjuice good song title.
See Also: Disco in the 80’s
Paris Hilton is best DJane in the world.
And best DJ is glorious Pauly D.
What I’ve thinking