Why Americans hate "electronic music"

If there's something you don't like about America(besides Iraq, Afghanistan, Israeli support & its hatred of soccer), is the fact that they hated electronic music. And it's very obvious. If you compared rock music of America with rock music from the UK, American rock music comprises only of guitars, drums & a vocalist, with the exceptions bands like Slipknot & Nine Inch Nails which totally endorses every electronic instruments. But in the UK, British rock music fully endorses electronic materials, starting from the birth of synthesizers, to the acid house drum machines & computers.

And here's another comparison: Give an American teenager a song from Tiesto or Sasha, and a reply would rather be like "Fuck this techno sounding shit". But give the same song to a Brit, and he'll reply "Woah mate, this is MASSIVE!"

So yeah, there is a difference in use of electronic music in both US & UK. But why? Why does Americans hate "techno? Why don't the majority of US rock bands use electronic instruments while the UK ones endorsed it?

Well, i've once tried to get some answers from folks at LowYat.net forums and there's no clear answer to it. But there is alot of reasons why. It all starts with "the soccer problem". America is the only nation that doesn't care about football aka soccer. Even if the US hosted the 1994 World Cup, America still doesn't give a shit. Why? Because football is not easy to follow. Baseball, American football and basketball have long since put down deep roots, claimed particular seasons of the year as their own (although they now overlap) and gained the allegiance of the sports-following public. One in particular of those three sports - basketball - poses a singular obstacle to the national acceptance of football. The two are too similar for them both to succeed. Each belongs to the family of games whose object is to put a ball (or similar object) in a goal. Because the two games are similar, they have the same kind of appeal. Both are easy to follow; you can immediately understand the point of each one. The rules and strategies of cricket, baseball, rugby and American football, by contrast, are less straightforward. The action of a basketball game and of a football match are easier to follow than that of other team sports as well because the ball is larger than in cricket and baseball and is never hidden in a tangle of bodies or a scrum, as it is in American football and rugby. And the same applies to electronic music. Rock music like Nirvana and ugh, the Jonas Brothers is easy to listen to, while trance, techno & House requires some melody, repetition & tranquility, three elements that is rare in American music culture.

The second reason is the disco-bashing culture. Americans, especially those folks outside Chicago & NY that hates disco. And it's true. There was a "Disco Sucks" movements which has faded the popularity of many disco entertainers like Larry Levan & Donna Summer. Why? Because disco is loved by the black, European, Asian & gay community, and these communities were despised by middle America. Also, blame it on the US radio conglomerates (Clear Channel, for example) that own and program almost ALL of the radio stations in the US. They don't play dance stuff anymore--except on certain Saturday night programs where they try to give a taste of club sounds to the folks at home or in their cars goin' to the clubs. So when an American listens to some nice house tracks from Hed Kandi or Pete Tong or David Guetta, there's a definitive chance that they'll hate it, since house was evolved from disco.

Another reason is because Americans are not raised with electronic music. If you look at the UK, they are completely raised with the electronic music culture. Shows like Doctor Who & Blake's 7 contains true electronic music soundtracks & theme songs, thanks to a lady named Delia Derbyshire(and using synthesizers are way cheaper than an fully-conducted orchestra). Britain introduced the world to synthesizers through musicians like Brian Eno. And when house DJs like Marshall Jefferson played at London & Manchester clubs, the British quickly endorsed the music, way faster than the Americans. Why? All thanks to Doctor Who & Brian Eno, since many Chicago house musicians used the same equipments by those in British electronic music. Only a small fraction of Americans were raised through electronic music, and this is because that they were either influenced by Doctor Who, or if they've grown up with synthesizers, drum machines & turntables. And it's kinda true. Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails admitted to liking Brian Eno, the Sex Pistols & Doctor Who, and so was Slipknot, Madonna and DJ BT.

I also find that Americans don't get used to a DJ or a synthesizer/drum machine player just standing there playing music & not moving his legs. If you compare a rave party hosted by Armin Van Buuren to a Miley Cyrus concert, many would rather go to a Miley Cyrus concert, because they liked to see a performer dancing & movies his/her legs. And most Americans can't dance, so they would rather see the singer & performer dancing rather than themselves.

And another reason is because of snobbery. Corporate snobbery. Corporate radio like Clear Channel despised disco & other forms of dance music because they believe it won't sell(The "Always Judge a Book by its Cover" mentality). And Gibson, a guitar company is one of the most popular guitar brands in the US, and they also the most snobbish. They quickly despised synthesizers & turntables, saying that both are "not real instruments". And since many American bands used Gibson guitars, many of them joined the bandwagon of hating Djs & synthesizer players. And that's a snobbish attitude presented in corporate America.

So how will Americans get into the electronic music thingy? Well, there's still some hope. In the late 90's, the Big Beat house movement comprising of DJs like Chemical Brothers, Junkie XL, Fatboy Slim & bands like Prodigy became totally popular, and influenced non-electronic bands like New Radicals, Linkin Park & Crazy Town. And this movement was popular due to its use of joining together guitars & DJing, as well as the rebirth of liberalisation thanks to Clinton & the Cool Britannia movement which exports Fatboy Slim & Paul Oakenfold to the US. And this is what America needs: Another electronic movement similar to the Big Beat movement. And it could be very possible. A new breed of electronic-oriented bands & DJs from the US, Australia & UK in the likes of Justice, Cobra Starship, Hot Chip, MGMT, Pendulum & Bloc Party are making waves in America, and this proves that electronic music is making a comeback to the US. So there is hope.