Stereogum: "Just Dance" kicked off the EDM boom

[Sorcerer 12,055]

Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” came out in April 2008, when the world was completely different. Gaga had to work to put herself into a position where that song could even come out, and then she had to push the track relentlessly, performing it anywhere that someone might point a camera in her direction. She kept grinding, and the world eventually caught up to the song. There’s no chapter in my book about the EDM boom, since that whole era was so nebulous, its borders so porous. But if I had to pick one song to represent the shift, then the song would’ve been “Just Dance.”

https://www.stereogum.com/2222358/the-number-ones-lady-gagas-just-dance-feat-colby-odonis/columns/the-number-ones/

The column is so interesting. It tells how Gaga's career started, how RedOne started to work with Gaga, and why Colby O'Donis is featured in "Just Dance" instead of Akon.

[Schwerk 7,002]

Fun read. It's very true, she did create a shift and help put EDM on the map in the US. I lived in the US in 2006 and I was suprised radio only played rock music and poppy R'nB, no EDM, not even EDM influenced Pop. Whereass in Europe it was a staple.

She also made popstars dress like popstars again, with theatricality and drama instead of this everyday stuff on red carpets:

 

[DISZKO 651]

im not really sure about this, the whole album ''The Fame'' sounds very much like an impression of Timbaland's sound and production at that time.

[Defmix100 5,966]

2 hours ago, DISZKO said:

im not really sure about this, the whole album ''The Fame'' sounds very much like an impression of Timbaland's sound and production at that time.

Are there any Timbaland songs you're thinking of specifically? I thought he only had a slightly similar sound with Shock Value II but that was after The Fame. I would only have compared some of Gaga x Darkchild songs like Animal/Reloaded/Out of Control/Private Audition...

[DISZKO 651]

30 minutes ago, Defmix100 said:

Are there any Timbaland songs you're thinking of specifically? I thought he only had a slightly similar sound with Shock Value II but that was after The Fame. I would only have compared some of Gaga x Darkchild songs like Animal/Reloaded/Out of Control/Private Audition...

I feel like many songs from Shock Value (2007) has similar sounds to The Fame, like the song The Way I Are, its all that synthy weird bass with the obvious cymbals and horns, autotuned vocals and 808 drums.

[Controversiaga 9,416]

3 minutes ago, DISZKO said:

I feel like many songs from Shock Value (2007) has similar sounds to The Fame, like the song The Way I Are, its all that synthy weird bass with the obvious cymbals and horns, autotuned vocals and 808 drums.

You’re right. It’s very next level from his sound and pussycat dolls and Britney spears blackout etc.

Gaga’s sound for the fame just added on a more dance floor focused version of that sound.  And more synth heavy, more bubble gum and less rnb 

[nATAH 43,150]

6 hours ago, DISZKO said:

im not really sure about this, the whole album ''The Fame'' sounds very much like an impression of Timbaland's sound and production at that time.

struggling to find any timbaland song that sounds like disco heaven, boys boys boys, eh eh and brown eyes

[DISZKO 651]

6 minutes ago, NATAH said:

struggling to find any timbaland song that sounds like disco heaven, boys boys boys, eh eh and brown eyes

Dont have to be defensive, its not a criticism. There is nothing wrong with having an influence of sound. I didnt say she was a copy cat, its very obvious that the album was influenced by Timbaland as he is one of the biggest producers of those times and had a huge impact on the sound of 00s

[Guest]

7 hours ago, DISZKO said:

im not really sure about this, the whole album ''The Fame'' sounds very much like an impression of Timbaland's sound and production at that time.

I thought I was one of the only people who saw those similarities. I am not one who likes to discredit what Gaga has done to shape the musical sphere, but I feel like I was living in my own world when we talk about how she apparently shifted music when she released Just Dance. I saw it as very in line of what was being released at the time and I see the inspiration Timbaland's Shock Value (the first one, mainly) had. In fact, I would say that the soundscape shifted with Poker Face.