Simon Dunmore, the influential founder of Defected Records, has spoken out about the stereotypical nature of today's electronic music festival lineups.
Many would argue that dance music’s cutting edge has become opaque, dulled by years of recycled festival programming. Dunmore, who in July 2022 sold his label to its former CEO Wez Saunders, took to Threads to discuss this phenomenon and the urgency for new artists to “challenge the monopoly of the established hierarchy.”
“Festival artist rosters have been stagnant for four years, with the same 50 artists over and over again,” Dunmore wrote. “Does new talent need to break through and challenge the monopoly of the established hierarchy?”
He then praised Keinemusik and ANOTR, a pair of highly popular house music artists, as pioneers who are uprooting the trend.
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Whether or not the festival scene needs a radical change is subjective, but the conversation has only grown in recent years. Booking the same artists ad nauseum ensures consistent appeal and satisfies long-time fans hoping to see their favourites, but this approach often leads to a homogenised experience that removes the essence of what made electronic music festivals special in the first place: discovery and innovation.
This short-sighted approach has sparked a debate within the dance music industry about its vitality, and the ripple effects are far-reaching. Up-and-coming artists are deprived of crucial exposure, while stalwart headliners become complacent, perpetuating a vicious cycle and stifling progress within the genre.
While relying on long-standing headliners may seem safe in the short term, questions arise over long-term sustainability and the cultivation of future headliner-caliber artists. By failing to promote new talent and niche subgenres, it’s fair to wonder whether festival organizers are alienating the next generation of ravers and producers, and inadvertently laying the groundwork for their own irrelevance.
The economic implications of this booking trend are, of course, complex. As lineups continue to evolve, finding a balance between established, crowd-pleasing artists and emerging talent remains a key challenge for festival organisers.
Defective records, EDM.comThe best brand of 2022 is revered for its mastery of that balancing act. The brand hosts its own festivals in Malta, Croatia and Ibiza, among others, and recently announced an unprecedented New Year’s celebration that will span all six inhabited continents.
Reflecting on the sale of the business this week, Dunmore praised Saunders for continuing to spotlight up-and-coming artists and break new ground.
“Defected 2.0 is very much Wez's vision now,” Dunmore said in an Instagram post. “For any business to be successful, the direction has to be consistent and come from the top down and, as with me, it took him a while to adjust. It's great to know that Defected is treading new waters, uncovering new musical treasures.”
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