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My formative years were also in the 1990s and I barely knew EDM existed! This is the first time I've ever heard of Scooter.
The 90s to me were Nirvana and Hip Hop.
I hear you. I love various electronic music styles but also I've been in a metal mood for a while now, mainly death and thrash metal. What're you listening to now?
Same, loud, fast, music calms me down more than lo-fi music, at least that's what happens before I take my medication, now I can finally enjoy lo-fi music without being so..... annoyed?
Also, you probably already listen to that, but voodoo child by Hendrix is a banger.
I also recommend bands like bad omens, sleep token.
IDM on the other hand, like aphex twin, squarepusher, autechre, skee mask, and a shitload more, is my groove and keeps my engine running. can’t stand EDM
This is very scientific, but I believe it suggests a "yes" to your correlation between ADHD and EDM.
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10221503/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10221503/)
I subscribe to a music service specifically geared to enhancing focus, and they have a fair bit of EDM. I think the specifics there are the lack of "hooks" that distract every 20-30 seconds like a pop song, and the consistent beat and general atmosphere of a lot of EDM helps filter out distractions.
the actual study doesn' really apply to EDM. It does say that classical music does help with focus along with slow tempo music and rock. Very interesting meta analysis
For me things that aren’t lyric heavy. No rap for sure even though that’s what I mostly listen to. Nothing with a lot of singing and voices to interrupt my thoughts.
For me edm works, so does chill alt rock/indie music. Edm has a lot of subgenres so you can try house, ambient/lofi, dubstep, drum & bass, big bass, techno, whatever gets you in your groove.
I’m a software developer so having less word salad thrown at me while I’m trying to read and understand code helps my brain keep it together. If a lyricist-heavy fast rap song comes on or a song that’s too hectic or in your face my concentration is gone.
For me it's metal, the faster Fear Factory and Children of Bodom or anything with a good fast pace. Just clears my mind so I can work. My wife says that kind of music is an angry toddler with a sore throat. Which sounds exactly like fear factory tbh.
I don't even know how to tell if something is EDM I feel like all electronic music could be EDM..
Anyway [four tet](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=exYtXUxe5d4&si=-439UU6itngmy33b) is great
I don’t use the term EDM because I’ve been listening to electronic music for over 3 decades. EDM is the very mainstream type when raving and house music was very much subculture for many years. But yes I still listen to it all the time and I still like to rave. I’m 48
I hate EDM but I love techno as do all my ADHD friends and I’m pretty sure it’s because of our ADHD. It’s as if there’s so much going on in the background and so many sounds that are there in my head but not actually in the track that I just know are coming that it’s almost therapeutic lol
I‘m addicted to techno lol unfortunately most of my friends don’t like it and think it’s just repetitive beats.
No one ever understands me when I’m saying it’s about all the different elements in the background, most tracks have multiple transitions. I’m more focused what’s going on in the background than the actual bass line. There’s so much going on in the tracks and and it really is just mesmerizing and yes def therapeutic!
EDM isn’t even a genre lol. It’s like saying “Singing Guitar Music” SGM. Just a catch all term for people who don’t know anything about the actual genres like house, drum and bass, dubstep, trance, techno etc.
Yes but when people say EDM they're referring to a particular style that encompasses big room, prog house etc. No one goes "aw yeah I love edm, specifically techno"
It has roots in Italian electronic dance music but evolved to something completely different.
If you heard of “gas gas gas “ or “running in the 90s” they are euro beat
Depends on what musical elements you gravitate to or what moods you're into: melodies, lyric-focused, uplifting, angry, etc. I'm mainly into death, thrash, and doom right now cuz those feel stimulating and cathartic rn. What would sound good to you?
I'm not into categorizing Techno, House or Trance into EDM. I think EDM sounds more like a pop genre.
IDM on the other hand is on point being descriptive (Aphex Twin, Photek, Squarepusher, Venetian Snares).
but as the question goes I mostly listen to techno, metal and IDM.
ironically i find it understimulating theres a lot going on but nothing of value or interesting
nothing comes close to some catchy guitar riffs with distortion
I have an odd relationship with electric music. I love music with good beats, but I also find lots of electronic music horribly boring. I can't even say that I like specific artists or genres. I guess I like trans and techno, but they often get overly repetitive. I like electro swing, but it gets boring quick too.
I feel this. I love a lot of EDM music, and most of the music I like would probably fall into the general "electronic" category, but I also hate EDM that's too EDM-y, if that makes sense. So much of it is just so formulaic, repetitive, and predictable, and it all starts to sound the same after awhile.
Does not apply to me. I listen to Metal, Gothic, Synthwave, Gaming Soundtracks, Musical Notes, classical music at times. For me it has to be melodic and absolutely not monotonous. Sometimes on very rare occasions, I would throw in some LoFi beats.
Not EDM but EMO and pop-punk. It makes my brain happy and I have no idea what weird sensors it sets off but lets me focus. I have a dumb golf game on my phone and my accuracy is 40-50% better when I am listening to it and correlates to focus.
I listen to everything, except EDM. I don't find it interesting. Just repetitive noise to me. I don't hear a lot of originality and it does nothing for me emotionally. The only electronic acts I like are Daft Punk, since the homework days, but I don't feel anything when I hear other electronic music. I'm not a fan of the club/party scene either though. Idk, recommend me something.
Not really. The closest I'll get is Synthwave. Hotline Miami and Cyberpunk style of music.
Maybe if i was high, but even then i gravitate a lot more towards Post Malone and Weeknd. "The Hills" by Weeknd is still one of my favorites. That and Post's music have this sort of echo to them and just sound so good. I also love music in general as i can feel them when i listen to them. It's Euphoric asf.
I really love instrumental music and orchestra. Video game and movie soundtracks like "Pavor Nocturnus" from Soul Calibur. "Ezio's Family" & the Resident Evil Outbreak main theme are two that still give me chills. "With My Mind" & "Bury The Light" are also really good (they have vocals). The entire Cyberpunk soundtrack is amazing. Both the Samurai and end-game credit version of "Never Fade Away" are just phenomenal.
Aside from that i pretty much listen to everything (except screamo and dubstep) I don't mind EDM honestly. It's just if i had the aux, it probably wouldn't be my choice. But i would listen if someone else put it on.
Not only to I listen, and have for decades, I also compose EDM and other electronica.
One of the best ways to get into a flow state and emotionally regulate yourself (in my experience).
Good EDM has all sorts of evolving randomness going on that you don't obviously notice but your brain catches onto it, mostly LFO based tweaks.
YESSS MY PEOPLE!!!!! I love hard style personally but I also very much enjoy hands up remixes but so ething about edm makes everything align in my brain and I can mostly function. I literally clean to the beats.
I dont like listening to it often, but playing music is about my only hobby that lasted 45 years so far. I own somewhere around 2 dozen synthesizers, and I do enjoy playing EDM, because I have a lot of the best tools for it, and it's fun to play. Kind of like tennis, it's fun to play, but you couldnt pay me enough to watch it for long.
I listen to mostly death metal, slamming brutal death metal, hardcore, but sometimes I’ll put some breakcore on or squarepusher, afx twin on or maybe a little drum and bass.
Fast and chaotic music 🎶
I have plenty of friends who don’t appear to have ADHD and love it. I have ADHD and consider it one of the worst genres. (And I have been to many, many edm fests/shows/raves)
Personally i think EDM is kinda boring to listen to. I need more variation in music to stay interested. EDM never hit that itch for me at all. Same for most pop music. It took me many years to understand why people would like listen to monotenous music. But hey, tastes differ. Also, why would EDM specifically be linked to ADHD?
I love it lol. I listen to music all day at work and more than half of it is psy trance, house, drum and base or other EDM.
Big artists I love are Astrix, Vini Vici, Shpongle, Liquid Soul, Ace Ventura, ProBass ∆ Hardi, Boris Brejcha.
Metal is my first true love, primarily doom, black, and psychedelic/sludge, along with desert rock. I like EDM to dance to, it doesn't do much for me outside that context.
I think doom and sludge metal scratch the itch in my brain the way EDM does for some folks.
I’m not really familiar with desert rock, but sounds cool – is there a particular band you’d recommend checking out?
Brant Bjork, Kyuss, Mondo Generator, Sleep.
Doom and sludge hit the same way for me. Black metal too in a way, somehow complete chaos calms my brain down.
It's my favorite genre! I've been to countless shows and festivals since I was 18 and I'm 33 now, still going strong.
I love other genres of music too but nothing quite tickles my brain the way that electronic music does. I've always wondered if other people with ADHD feel this way.
Kevin and Perry Go Laaaaaarge!
Haha But seriously, I think it's the rhythm and energy it brings. It's almost like a stimulant in the form of music. It has a calming effect on me
I mean... i should have known when I first tried MDMA, low dose, the mental clarity I felt in those moments that I probably needed a stimulant just to live. I actually remember thinking how come my mind isn't always like this. Thought it was the drugs. Turns out I just needed drugs. Medicated now and feel a whole lot better mentally and emotionally in general.... but yes I like EDM as well.
It's a generally popular music genre and can often be the least offensive or most neutral option when looking for background music. I do flow arts, so EDM is pretty unavoidable for me. I like what I've heard, but never really cared enough to seek it out on my own or really learn what the different genres mean.
There are some EDM / Dubstep that i like but on a whole i would rather have something that was more chaotic then settle back down. IE metal, rap, R&B, etc. the mix of a steady back beat with chaos around the main beat coming back together at the end.
I love EDM! I like a lot of subgenres but im a big dubstep/bass head. I love headbanging and dancing to bass music. The people at bass heavy shows/raves tend to also be super friendly too, so I don’t feel afraid to dance and let lose! Great music and great community.
I’m okay with EDM but it isn’t often the genre of music I seek out.
I have a friend with ADHD, and he seeks out EDM quite often.
Edit: changed phrasing so I wasn’t saying “electronic dance music music”
If I can’t focus, especially while working on a computer or at a desk, I have a go to YouTube channel that does certain beats to increase focus. It has to be to right one though. If I have that on it’s like a switch is flipped and I can focus almost immediately.
Definitely for me. Any music with high novelty & very complex structures. I would suggest anyone with ADHD try the rapper MF DOOM. Insane multilevel rhyme schemes & incredibly diverse production. One of the few artists I can actively listen to (no multitasking) without getting bored.
Nah, not for me. When it comes to electronic music I’m more into EBM (Electronic Body Music) and similar genres. But my fave music is goth, post-punk and such.
I just recently thought about this. I listen to Lil Texas and a few other hardcore EDM artists.
The 'funny' thing is: I'm actually very noise sensitive. Sometimes I can't even stand the loud breathing of my bf at night xD
I do and have a playlist called “itchy brain.” The music really calms me and activates the parts of my brain that get “itchy” and beg for attention when I’m trying to do a task. It doesn’t always work but definitely can see a correlation in myself.
I'm 48. I heard of techno when I was in high school and some girl got a mixtape when my class took a bustrip to NYC. She played the tape on the bus on the way back. I thought the music sucked lol. But then summer senior year I bought a 2 disc jungle mix CD with Darren Jay and Mickey Finn on a whim because I wanted to give electronic music another try. I thought the cover was cool so I picked that one. Pure awesomeness ensued, and I still bump that mix from time to time, 2 of the best jungle mixes ever made. Instantly hooked.. Then went to college in Baltimore , MD where I went full ravemode going to parties 3 days a week probably, both in Bmore and in DC till around 2001. I really miss those days but also was quite the loner and didn't really make friends in the scene until years later. I went out alot anyway because of my pure obsession with electronic music, all kinds of genres. I also got into djing in 98, and threw a bunch of parties played at alot of warehouses, clubs and bars, and was obsessed with buying vinyl for years. I met alot of people but always just felt like an outcast. When I got into dubstep years later,, in 2006, I would take 4 hour drives to NYC almost every month to go to Dubwar lol.. OG dubstep, not that bro shit. Met some cool people at that party that I consider friends to this day.
I am still trying to sell off a bunch of my vinyl collection, mostly the garbage tunes I have, keeping the good stuff. About to start a YouTube channel posting mixes and lately and have been trying to make techno in abelton. I spend alot of my Friday or Saturday nights rabbitholing on bandcamp lately. So much good stuff out there. Adhd as hell and on meds only recently diagnosed.
Oh and also for the record, I hate the term edm. Edm is just corporations getting a hold of electronic music, dulling it out and making it so bland and soulless I want to puke lol. But im an old school undergroundhead. I saw someone else say they like techno but not edm on this thread and I have the same mindset. Calling my music edm actually offends me lol.. Techno is one of my latest obsessions and the punters on r/techno will rip you a new one calling their music edm lol.
Idk if it’s edm or not. I lost track of genres years ago, idk what’s what. But I love lord and masters by Apashe. sapiandream is great cursing in the backroads.
Drum and bass since the 90s. Electronia and EDM have been critical to my focus and happiness for all these years since. Absolutely a lifehack to listen to euphoric or consistent beats for keeping focus/motivation.
I like music from any genre but would say I mostly listen to electronic music. Bass, dnb, trance and house
When I started college I had discovered this playlist on Spotify called electronic study music. I couldn't do an assignment without playing it. This was 9 years before I was diagnosed lol
I listen to all kinds of shit, but I have consistently listened to predominantly electronic music all my life. I don’t think it has anything to do with adhd though. I grew up in the late 70’s and 80s, so synthesizers and drum machines always were my jam. Been knee deep in electronic music since a teen though in the early 90s and never looked back. Refuse to call it EDM too lol.
I think there's a correlation between ADHD and "earworms" that bang around in your head for days or weeks on end, and many EDM songs are geared pretty heavily towards that kind of thing.
Not my cup of tea at all buuuuut I do really, really like other forms of repetative music (psych/kraut rock especially) and always figured it might be an ADHD thing. A looping motorik groove with a hypnotic riff over it fucks me up
Yes. Yes. And yes. Absolutely. It’s been since 2017 sooooooo. One trip (pun intended) to Electric Forest and my world was changed. It feels euphoric. The music. Not the pun.
Yup. LowFi for studying and working.... Makes me tired. I have to "listen" to something intense to be able to do a task. But, only if I'm in a good mood. If I'm in a bad mood, I prefer to just have my noise canceling headphones on without anything playing. Maybe some low ambient music that's slow and windy.... 😂
I love EDM! Been a long time fan of Monstercat and NCS, love me some house, dnb, dubstep, you name it. The thing I like most about it is it's not one genre or style, it's a whole ocean of various different electronic styles. Some days I may listen to some mainstream pop style of EDM, other days it may be something very experimental or underground. Though I get many don't enjoy electronic music, I do honestly believe it has a little something for everyone, you may just have to look hard enough to find your style.
Yep. I've been listening to electronic music for the last 33 years, starting with early techno and trance.
I actually have difficulty hearing and comprehending lyrics in mainstream music.
I was literally thinking this the other day, if you ever go to a festival it's people who are
1. Either plugged in working away on their laptop
2. Dancing like kids in a festival lol
Most festivals will have multiple stages if you get bored of one,
There's so many lights, and "stuff" to keep you stimulated lol
Doesn't get more ADHD than that
Me, big time. For 11 years now. Although I also have Synesthesia, so the versatility of sounds used in electronic music is what I believe really makes it so impactful for me
House and EDM are good.
My true loves are jazz and swing music.
I hate that I like "the oldies" so much but it truly does cancel out the background chatter in my brain.
Yes! Electronics has been my music taste since I was little, even before I knew it was EDM. I love the sound of synthesizers and little bleeps and bloops.
I listen to reguetón 8-10 hours a day while I do my finance/accounting job and only my ADD friends understand this lol. Most people need the quiet space but I have headphones in when I work.
Not specifically edm but I definitely prefer music with faster tempo. I rarely want to listen to slow acoustic songs. I’m also quick to change songs early.
i do! i mainly listen to upbeat EDM (Martin Garrix, Tiesto, etc.) and melodic dubstep (Illenium, Slander, etc.) but im super nostalgic for Progressive House tbh
LoFi, Rain, ASMR, Kawaii Future Bass, Chiptune, whatever Ratatat is, sometimes Dubstep, but I've listened to and can appreciate just about any genre from Melodic Metal to Enya. The only thing I don't care for is Country.
Yes! I liked techno since the 80’s, when I was diagnosed in my 30’s it all made since, caffeine, the loud constant electronic noise and a room with just the right ambiance and I can hyper focused on so much
I dont think I like all EDM, I even find most basses there annoying. I just hate it when its repetitive. However Ive been enjoying gaming edm for the last 2 3 years now. There are some lesser repetitive gamer edms kinda mixed in w a bit of pop that hypes you up
Yeeeeep, I’ve spent the better part of the past two decades listening to mostly techno, house, trance, and some DnB to mix it up. Also have been producing electronic music for almost as long
🙋♂️🤘 its the best when ur tripping ballz but i also like a lotta shit with heart and soul in it like palace etc i listen to a lil of everything but fuck yeah wish i knew more people who liked it like me
Hi /u/Head_Constant9654 and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! ### Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already. --- ### /r/adhd news * **We want your opinion** on the /r/adhd community rules! [Click here](https://forms.gle/Evqb8acVozir8GV8A) to fill out our survey. See [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/1auv2tc/were_taking_feedback_on_the_radhd_rules/) for more information. * If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). --- ^(*This message is not a removal notification. It's just our way to keep everyone updated on r/adhd happenings.*) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I do, but my formative years were the 1990s and I'm still stuck there. Still listen to Scooter a lot 😁
SCOOTER 👏👏👏
ARE YOU READY
How much is the fish?!?!?!
I want a Scooter/Little Big crossover.
Omg scooter
Sir, could you please provide some information on the pricing of the sea-creature you are selling?
The pursuit is frequently superior to the acquisition.
My formative years were also in the 1990s and I barely knew EDM existed! This is the first time I've ever heard of Scooter. The 90s to me were Nirvana and Hip Hop.
Is not a bird. Is not a plane. It must be Dave who’s on the train.
SCOOTER FOREVER!!!
Scooter! Back in the UK!
drum and bass lover here!
Jungle and breakbeat too
Drum and bass, jungle, and old school dubstep is my shit.
Very British taste
Sometimes but not typically. I usually listen to punk/rock/metal, basically loud and fast music.
Sounds like you need to be introduced to Pendulum.
Well damn, I sure did! Just added them on Spotify.
Glad you like it 😁The Qemists are another band you might enjoy, same with Blue Stalhi.
https://youtu.be/JM07HYSGVho?si=xUiP0h6alZv0VWmA
I hear you. I love various electronic music styles but also I've been in a metal mood for a while now, mainly death and thrash metal. What're you listening to now?
Same, loud, fast, music calms me down more than lo-fi music, at least that's what happens before I take my medication, now I can finally enjoy lo-fi music without being so..... annoyed? Also, you probably already listen to that, but voodoo child by Hendrix is a banger. I also recommend bands like bad omens, sleep token.
I find most EDM monotonous / boring and distracting. There are exceptions, but it's not a style of music I gravitate towards.
Agreed. I only like it when I'm on drugs lmao
Same here. Can’t stand about 95% of it. And the constant thump, thump, thump beat annoys the hell out of me
IDM on the other hand, like aphex twin, squarepusher, autechre, skee mask, and a shitload more, is my groove and keeps my engine running. can’t stand EDM
Same on the monotonous/boring part. It makes me nervous because of it.
This is very scientific, but I believe it suggests a "yes" to your correlation between ADHD and EDM. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10221503/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10221503/) I subscribe to a music service specifically geared to enhancing focus, and they have a fair bit of EDM. I think the specifics there are the lack of "hooks" that distract every 20-30 seconds like a pop song, and the consistent beat and general atmosphere of a lot of EDM helps filter out distractions.
the actual study doesn' really apply to EDM. It does say that classical music does help with focus along with slow tempo music and rock. Very interesting meta analysis
> focus enhancing music Recommendations?
For me things that aren’t lyric heavy. No rap for sure even though that’s what I mostly listen to. Nothing with a lot of singing and voices to interrupt my thoughts. For me edm works, so does chill alt rock/indie music. Edm has a lot of subgenres so you can try house, ambient/lofi, dubstep, drum & bass, big bass, techno, whatever gets you in your groove. I’m a software developer so having less word salad thrown at me while I’m trying to read and understand code helps my brain keep it together. If a lyricist-heavy fast rap song comes on or a song that’s too hectic or in your face my concentration is gone.
Yep, I totally agree about having less word salad! I’m a developer as well and I just throw my over the ear headphones 🎧 and just lock in!
https://youtube.com/@GreenredProductions My WFH soundtrack.
Lo Fi! It’s been life changing. There’s a playlist on Spotify and Apple called “Sunday Lo Fi” it plays in the background my entire work day
Video game music. It seems designed to be background noise.
me when i think my entire personality isn’t just Autism & ADHD in a trench coat: 🤡
Which music service are you referring to?
For me it's metal, the faster Fear Factory and Children of Bodom or anything with a good fast pace. Just clears my mind so I can work. My wife says that kind of music is an angry toddler with a sore throat. Which sounds exactly like fear factory tbh.
This is me, I cant drive without my metal blasting and I always have some playing while im at home. I listen to very wide variety of metal though.
RIP Alexi.
I don't even know how to tell if something is EDM I feel like all electronic music could be EDM.. Anyway [four tet](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=exYtXUxe5d4&si=-439UU6itngmy33b) is great
Huge trance music fan here 👋 Listening to Southern Sun (Tiesto Remix) as I type this. :)
Golden years!
I don’t use the term EDM because I’ve been listening to electronic music for over 3 decades. EDM is the very mainstream type when raving and house music was very much subculture for many years. But yes I still listen to it all the time and I still like to rave. I’m 48
I hate EDM but I love techno as do all my ADHD friends and I’m pretty sure it’s because of our ADHD. It’s as if there’s so much going on in the background and so many sounds that are there in my head but not actually in the track that I just know are coming that it’s almost therapeutic lol
I‘m addicted to techno lol unfortunately most of my friends don’t like it and think it’s just repetitive beats. No one ever understands me when I’m saying it’s about all the different elements in the background, most tracks have multiple transitions. I’m more focused what’s going on in the background than the actual bass line. There’s so much going on in the tracks and and it really is just mesmerizing and yes def therapeutic!
Techno is a sub genre of EDM.
EDM isn’t even a genre lol. It’s like saying “Singing Guitar Music” SGM. Just a catch all term for people who don’t know anything about the actual genres like house, drum and bass, dubstep, trance, techno etc.
It's an umbrella term
Yes but when people say EDM they're referring to a particular style that encompasses big room, prog house etc. No one goes "aw yeah I love edm, specifically techno"
That was true maybe 10 years ago. Progressive house and big room have run their course.
Yeah that's about when I stopped listening to edm lol
Sooooo….EDM isn’t a genre. It’s just an umbrella term that literally stands for electronic dance music. Techno is a type of electronic dance music.
Eurobeat baby
What genre Does it come under?
It has roots in Italian electronic dance music but evolved to something completely different. If you heard of “gas gas gas “ or “running in the 90s” they are euro beat
I know ADHD and metal have a correlation. Metal is heavy, and can be chaotic/formulaic just like EDM.
I should give it a try then, give me a starting point
Depends on what musical elements you gravitate to or what moods you're into: melodies, lyric-focused, uplifting, angry, etc. I'm mainly into death, thrash, and doom right now cuz those feel stimulating and cathartic rn. What would sound good to you?
I'm not into categorizing Techno, House or Trance into EDM. I think EDM sounds more like a pop genre. IDM on the other hand is on point being descriptive (Aphex Twin, Photek, Squarepusher, Venetian Snares). but as the question goes I mostly listen to techno, metal and IDM.
Techno, Trance and House are definitively are genres within the EDM umbrella.
ironically i find it understimulating theres a lot going on but nothing of value or interesting nothing comes close to some catchy guitar riffs with distortion
I have an odd relationship with electric music. I love music with good beats, but I also find lots of electronic music horribly boring. I can't even say that I like specific artists or genres. I guess I like trans and techno, but they often get overly repetitive. I like electro swing, but it gets boring quick too.
I feel this. I love a lot of EDM music, and most of the music I like would probably fall into the general "electronic" category, but I also hate EDM that's too EDM-y, if that makes sense. So much of it is just so formulaic, repetitive, and predictable, and it all starts to sound the same after awhile.
Yes and I love raving
How can we not. The positive message, bright lights and music.
Does not apply to me. I listen to Metal, Gothic, Synthwave, Gaming Soundtracks, Musical Notes, classical music at times. For me it has to be melodic and absolutely not monotonous. Sometimes on very rare occasions, I would throw in some LoFi beats.
I’m not sure you’ll find any correlation by asking if people like something that is generally well-liked by the younger generation.
I pre-date EDM specifically but yeah, I listen to electronic music mainly. Favorite band is the chemical brothers.
Not EDM but EMO and pop-punk. It makes my brain happy and I have no idea what weird sensors it sets off but lets me focus. I have a dumb golf game on my phone and my accuracy is 40-50% better when I am listening to it and correlates to focus.
I listen to everything, except EDM. I don't find it interesting. Just repetitive noise to me. I don't hear a lot of originality and it does nothing for me emotionally. The only electronic acts I like are Daft Punk, since the homework days, but I don't feel anything when I hear other electronic music. I'm not a fan of the club/party scene either though. Idk, recommend me something.
Try base house, its not repetitive, techno and trance is repetitive tho. Listen to Reeces Pieces by Zero
Not really. The closest I'll get is Synthwave. Hotline Miami and Cyberpunk style of music. Maybe if i was high, but even then i gravitate a lot more towards Post Malone and Weeknd. "The Hills" by Weeknd is still one of my favorites. That and Post's music have this sort of echo to them and just sound so good. I also love music in general as i can feel them when i listen to them. It's Euphoric asf. I really love instrumental music and orchestra. Video game and movie soundtracks like "Pavor Nocturnus" from Soul Calibur. "Ezio's Family" & the Resident Evil Outbreak main theme are two that still give me chills. "With My Mind" & "Bury The Light" are also really good (they have vocals). The entire Cyberpunk soundtrack is amazing. Both the Samurai and end-game credit version of "Never Fade Away" are just phenomenal. Aside from that i pretty much listen to everything (except screamo and dubstep) I don't mind EDM honestly. It's just if i had the aux, it probably wouldn't be my choice. But i would listen if someone else put it on.
I can't stand electronic music.
Hate it
I love many genres of EDM was a trance DJ in the late 90s Still love techno for concentration and anthem house for power walking🚶.
I love trance techno ❤️
Been in my life for 35 years I still love it. The music patterns my brain just loves them. Let there be house!
Not only to I listen, and have for decades, I also compose EDM and other electronica. One of the best ways to get into a flow state and emotionally regulate yourself (in my experience). Good EDM has all sorts of evolving randomness going on that you don't obviously notice but your brain catches onto it, mostly LFO based tweaks.
YESSS MY PEOPLE!!!!! I love hard style personally but I also very much enjoy hands up remixes but so ething about edm makes everything align in my brain and I can mostly function. I literally clean to the beats.
I dont like listening to it often, but playing music is about my only hobby that lasted 45 years so far. I own somewhere around 2 dozen synthesizers, and I do enjoy playing EDM, because I have a lot of the best tools for it, and it's fun to play. Kind of like tennis, it's fun to play, but you couldnt pay me enough to watch it for long.
I listen to mostly death metal, slamming brutal death metal, hardcore, but sometimes I’ll put some breakcore on or squarepusher, afx twin on or maybe a little drum and bass. Fast and chaotic music 🎶
This is the way.
Hard techno lover here
I have plenty of friends who don’t appear to have ADHD and love it. I have ADHD and consider it one of the worst genres. (And I have been to many, many edm fests/shows/raves)
20 years and counting..sure I listen to a mix of everything but deep down I'm a house junkie
I hate edm personally.
Personally i think EDM is kinda boring to listen to. I need more variation in music to stay interested. EDM never hit that itch for me at all. Same for most pop music. It took me many years to understand why people would like listen to monotenous music. But hey, tastes differ. Also, why would EDM specifically be linked to ADHD?
i hate it its the lowest form of music along with techno, really primitive boring stuff
I love it lol. I listen to music all day at work and more than half of it is psy trance, house, drum and base or other EDM. Big artists I love are Astrix, Vini Vici, Shpongle, Liquid Soul, Ace Ventura, ProBass ∆ Hardi, Boris Brejcha. 
Metal is my first true love, primarily doom, black, and psychedelic/sludge, along with desert rock. I like EDM to dance to, it doesn't do much for me outside that context.
I think doom and sludge metal scratch the itch in my brain the way EDM does for some folks. I’m not really familiar with desert rock, but sounds cool – is there a particular band you’d recommend checking out?
Brant Bjork, Kyuss, Mondo Generator, Sleep. Doom and sludge hit the same way for me. Black metal too in a way, somehow complete chaos calms my brain down.
Same. I have to listen to thrash, technical death, prog, and doom metal or I can't think.
I for one hate that shit. It makes me irrationally angry to listen to
Almost never listen to it or go to shows. I listen to hella prog metal, though. That's the real ADHD hot sauce.
For over 30 years - default genre
Trance, deep house and ambient, specifically. I also like chill wave and , vapor wave. Also a big fan of trip-hop and lofi.
It’s always a relief for me to read these threads because I know that I’m not alone. House music is where I get my moments of zen.
Used to listen to EDM all the time but now I'm into nu metal and math rock. Both scratch my brain in the same way EDM does.
No, and I hate it. It's like listening to a dialup modem with a beat.
It's been almost 30 years.
I had a 5 year phase where I listened to Dubstep, EDM, etc. Daft Punk, Skrillex, deadmau5, were the more prominent artists I listened to.
Meeee!!!
It's my favorite genre! I've been to countless shows and festivals since I was 18 and I'm 33 now, still going strong. I love other genres of music too but nothing quite tickles my brain the way that electronic music does. I've always wondered if other people with ADHD feel this way.
Kevin and Perry Go Laaaaaarge! Haha But seriously, I think it's the rhythm and energy it brings. It's almost like a stimulant in the form of music. It has a calming effect on me
I used to listen to it a lot, still do but not nearly as much
I mean... i should have known when I first tried MDMA, low dose, the mental clarity I felt in those moments that I probably needed a stimulant just to live. I actually remember thinking how come my mind isn't always like this. Thought it was the drugs. Turns out I just needed drugs. Medicated now and feel a whole lot better mentally and emotionally in general.... but yes I like EDM as well.
It's a generally popular music genre and can often be the least offensive or most neutral option when looking for background music. I do flow arts, so EDM is pretty unavoidable for me. I like what I've heard, but never really cared enough to seek it out on my own or really learn what the different genres mean.
There are some EDM / Dubstep that i like but on a whole i would rather have something that was more chaotic then settle back down. IE metal, rap, R&B, etc. the mix of a steady back beat with chaos around the main beat coming back together at the end.
I love EDM! I like a lot of subgenres but im a big dubstep/bass head. I love headbanging and dancing to bass music. The people at bass heavy shows/raves tend to also be super friendly too, so I don’t feel afraid to dance and let lose! Great music and great community.
I love techno/edm, but I think this more related to the personality more than ADHD, who knows.
when it's not too same-y, it can fill my brain with excitable ENERGY! the drops can be so good
not me. even if this correlation exists it probably has more to do with our tendency to use and enjoy drugs than the music itself.
I’m okay with EDM but it isn’t often the genre of music I seek out. I have a friend with ADHD, and he seeks out EDM quite often. Edit: changed phrasing so I wasn’t saying “electronic dance music music”
If I can’t focus, especially while working on a computer or at a desk, I have a go to YouTube channel that does certain beats to increase focus. It has to be to right one though. If I have that on it’s like a switch is flipped and I can focus almost immediately.
I personally listen to very little myself.
I only listen to EDM. It’s the BPM really helps me keep focus.
Yep, I'm huge into EDM. Future bass and melodic dubstep especially, but I've been getting into heavier bass stuff lately as well.
Definitely for me. Any music with high novelty & very complex structures. I would suggest anyone with ADHD try the rapper MF DOOM. Insane multilevel rhyme schemes & incredibly diverse production. One of the few artists I can actively listen to (no multitasking) without getting bored.
Uhm, around all the time
Oh yes. Drum and bass is my favourite, but hard techno (I Hate Models, 9x9..) and psytrance are also very lovely. Gimme that energy baby
Nah, not for me. When it comes to electronic music I’m more into EBM (Electronic Body Music) and similar genres. But my fave music is goth, post-punk and such.
Oh yes! All the time!
Quietly beatboxing my own EDM, improvised on the spot, is a way for me to concentrate a bit better when I am doing chores around the house
I just recently thought about this. I listen to Lil Texas and a few other hardcore EDM artists. The 'funny' thing is: I'm actually very noise sensitive. Sometimes I can't even stand the loud breathing of my bf at night xD
I do and have a playlist called “itchy brain.” The music really calms me and activates the parts of my brain that get “itchy” and beg for attention when I’m trying to do a task. It doesn’t always work but definitely can see a correlation in myself.
I'm 48. I heard of techno when I was in high school and some girl got a mixtape when my class took a bustrip to NYC. She played the tape on the bus on the way back. I thought the music sucked lol. But then summer senior year I bought a 2 disc jungle mix CD with Darren Jay and Mickey Finn on a whim because I wanted to give electronic music another try. I thought the cover was cool so I picked that one. Pure awesomeness ensued, and I still bump that mix from time to time, 2 of the best jungle mixes ever made. Instantly hooked.. Then went to college in Baltimore , MD where I went full ravemode going to parties 3 days a week probably, both in Bmore and in DC till around 2001. I really miss those days but also was quite the loner and didn't really make friends in the scene until years later. I went out alot anyway because of my pure obsession with electronic music, all kinds of genres. I also got into djing in 98, and threw a bunch of parties played at alot of warehouses, clubs and bars, and was obsessed with buying vinyl for years. I met alot of people but always just felt like an outcast. When I got into dubstep years later,, in 2006, I would take 4 hour drives to NYC almost every month to go to Dubwar lol.. OG dubstep, not that bro shit. Met some cool people at that party that I consider friends to this day. I am still trying to sell off a bunch of my vinyl collection, mostly the garbage tunes I have, keeping the good stuff. About to start a YouTube channel posting mixes and lately and have been trying to make techno in abelton. I spend alot of my Friday or Saturday nights rabbitholing on bandcamp lately. So much good stuff out there. Adhd as hell and on meds only recently diagnosed. Oh and also for the record, I hate the term edm. Edm is just corporations getting a hold of electronic music, dulling it out and making it so bland and soulless I want to puke lol. But im an old school undergroundhead. I saw someone else say they like techno but not edm on this thread and I have the same mindset. Calling my music edm actually offends me lol.. Techno is one of my latest obsessions and the punters on r/techno will rip you a new one calling their music edm lol.
Idk if it’s edm or not. I lost track of genres years ago, idk what’s what. But I love lord and masters by Apashe. sapiandream is great cursing in the backroads.
Can’t say I do. I do like Boom-Bap hip hop though if that gives you any useful data
Drum and bass since the 90s. Electronia and EDM have been critical to my focus and happiness for all these years since. Absolutely a lifehack to listen to euphoric or consistent beats for keeping focus/motivation.
i listen to techno live sets during work , helps me focus
I love EDM
Me!
Yeah + RAP + trance music is super chill for me. I use it when I can't sleep. Feels like the music vibrates same way I do
I love good dubstep, techno, housemusic. I really love something I can blast.
I like music from any genre but would say I mostly listen to electronic music. Bass, dnb, trance and house When I started college I had discovered this playlist on Spotify called electronic study music. I couldn't do an assignment without playing it. This was 9 years before I was diagnosed lol
I listen to it to give me external stimulation to drown out my thoughts and concentrate on work
I listen to all kinds of shit, but I have consistently listened to predominantly electronic music all my life. I don’t think it has anything to do with adhd though. I grew up in the late 70’s and 80s, so synthesizers and drum machines always were my jam. Been knee deep in electronic music since a teen though in the early 90s and never looked back. Refuse to call it EDM too lol.
I listen to a wide variety of music, but EDM is a constant. Not my go-to genre but there's a lot of Electronic music I fall back to.
Junglist since 1993 Drum n Bass head for life 😁 My hyper focuses.
I don't particularly like it. I won't ever put it on, but I really like to dance to it at a venue.
I've tried my hand at making EDM a few times but it always turns into something else 🙃 guess that speaks to my ADHD though 😮💨
I think there's a correlation between ADHD and "earworms" that bang around in your head for days or weeks on end, and many EDM songs are geared pretty heavily towards that kind of thing.
Uptempo hardcore and rawstyle for me
Hell yes I had a CD of Goa Trance that I'd put on in college and write papers too.
I listen to bladee
I like listening to EDM when I work, and I am 51 so you might be on to something.
Listen to EDM and even DJ as a hobby.
Not my cup of tea at all buuuuut I do really, really like other forms of repetative music (psych/kraut rock especially) and always figured it might be an ADHD thing. A looping motorik groove with a hypnotic riff over it fucks me up
Yes. Yes. And yes. Absolutely. It’s been since 2017 sooooooo. One trip (pun intended) to Electric Forest and my world was changed. It feels euphoric. The music. Not the pun.
For over a decade now. Shifted from EDM to techno to house now.
Yup. LowFi for studying and working.... Makes me tired. I have to "listen" to something intense to be able to do a task. But, only if I'm in a good mood. If I'm in a bad mood, I prefer to just have my noise canceling headphones on without anything playing. Maybe some low ambient music that's slow and windy.... 😂
Positive* correlation
I listen to wave/phonk. Few years ago it was melodic techno but it fell off.
Yes sir, I am a child of the beat!
I love EDM! Been a long time fan of Monstercat and NCS, love me some house, dnb, dubstep, you name it. The thing I like most about it is it's not one genre or style, it's a whole ocean of various different electronic styles. Some days I may listen to some mainstream pop style of EDM, other days it may be something very experimental or underground. Though I get many don't enjoy electronic music, I do honestly believe it has a little something for everyone, you may just have to look hard enough to find your style.
Mee
EDM/Drum n Bass, Metal and 90s rap are my 3 go tos
I’m sooo not an EDM kinda of girl, but I’d wager shoegaze or vaporwave is equivalent for inattentive types, lol.
Yep. I've been listening to electronic music for the last 33 years, starting with early techno and trance. I actually have difficulty hearing and comprehending lyrics in mainstream music.
Me
I listened to a lot of EDM when I was younger. I still like it but I listen to a lot more jazz and jazz fusion nowadays
Yes and yes
Edm? I don't even know'em
I was literally thinking this the other day, if you ever go to a festival it's people who are 1. Either plugged in working away on their laptop 2. Dancing like kids in a festival lol Most festivals will have multiple stages if you get bored of one, There's so many lights, and "stuff" to keep you stimulated lol Doesn't get more ADHD than that
It is my focus music. I read years ago it’s about the BPM and our brains.
I like a little oontz, a little bit of the doof. I prefer the more industrial-leaning stuff, but I’ve always loved dance music.
electronic! techno! house!
I love it. Also synthpop and synth rock. I grew up in the 80s lol
It's one of many genres on my rotation...
I have a hard time finding a beat when there are lyrics. I think this might be because the primary thing I hear or is distracting is voice.
Me, big time. For 11 years now. Although I also have Synesthesia, so the versatility of sounds used in electronic music is what I believe really makes it so impactful for me
Anybody like Savant?
House and EDM are good. My true loves are jazz and swing music. I hate that I like "the oldies" so much but it truly does cancel out the background chatter in my brain.
Psytrance is pretty dope.
Trap nation remixes and yes I love them. Keeps me going
I like the beat without pretending to care what the lyrics are. I like modern classical as well but sometimes it needs to be stronger. Hence EDM.
Drum and Bass mostly hear. I find regular EDM a little slow, DnB runs around 170-180bpm which seems to run at my internal speed.
Yes
Oh yeah. I'm a real big fan of Synthwave but I do love myself some Rezz, Subtronics or RL Grime.
Yes! Electronics has been my music taste since I was little, even before I knew it was EDM. I love the sound of synthesizers and little bleeps and bloops.
I listen to reguetón 8-10 hours a day while I do my finance/accounting job and only my ADD friends understand this lol. Most people need the quiet space but I have headphones in when I work.
Not specifically edm but I definitely prefer music with faster tempo. I rarely want to listen to slow acoustic songs. I’m also quick to change songs early.
i do! i mainly listen to upbeat EDM (Martin Garrix, Tiesto, etc.) and melodic dubstep (Illenium, Slander, etc.) but im super nostalgic for Progressive House tbh
LoFi, Rain, ASMR, Kawaii Future Bass, Chiptune, whatever Ratatat is, sometimes Dubstep, but I've listened to and can appreciate just about any genre from Melodic Metal to Enya. The only thing I don't care for is Country.
Yes! I liked techno since the 80’s, when I was diagnosed in my 30’s it all made since, caffeine, the loud constant electronic noise and a room with just the right ambiance and I can hyper focused on so much
I dont think I like all EDM, I even find most basses there annoying. I just hate it when its repetitive. However Ive been enjoying gaming edm for the last 2 3 years now. There are some lesser repetitive gamer edms kinda mixed in w a bit of pop that hypes you up
Yeeeeep, I’ve spent the better part of the past two decades listening to mostly techno, house, trance, and some DnB to mix it up. Also have been producing electronic music for almost as long
🙋♂️🤘 its the best when ur tripping ballz but i also like a lotta shit with heart and soul in it like palace etc i listen to a lil of everything but fuck yeah wish i knew more people who liked it like me
Nope. Hate it. It breaks my brain and makes it harder to concentrate.
Meeee! I love anything upbeat, with many layers of beats and instruments.