Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music originated in the early 1990s. It combines many elements from House, Hi-NRG, Italo-Disco, and Hip-Hop. In 2000s, Eurodance production continues to evolve with a more modernized style that incorporates elements from Trance and Techno music.
Eurodance music is heavily influenced by the utilization of rich melodic vocals, either exclusively by itself or inclusively with rapped verses. This, combined with cutting-edge synth, strong bass rhythm, and melodic hooks establishes the core foundation of Eurodance music.
Definition:
The term "Eurodance" gradually became associated with a specific style of European dance music over time. During its golden years in the 1990s it was just as likely to be referred to as "Euro-House" or "Euro-NRG"; in Europe it was often called "Dancefloor" or simply "Dance".
While some use a much broader definition of what is considered "Eurodance" over time, the term particularly came to refer to an NRG-based genre from the 1990s which included a solo vocalist or a rapper/vocalist duet and is also used to describe later European dance acts such as Cascada.
Eurodance is nightclub-oriented music that is usually produced somewhere in Europe and sounds commercial enough to be played by radio stations and music television. Some of the more prominent Eurodance songs go international, especially if an act manages to score more than one hit.
After the early 1990s, Eurodance music had split into several categories:
"Classic" Eurodance (1990s) - As noted, often a female vocalist and a male rapper were used for songs within this genre. The music features thicker and more detailed production and is slightly slower than most Eurodance that appeared afterward. This sound features arrangements, production touches, synths, and basslines unique to the early and mid 1990s, and is strongly favored by those who were fans of Eurodance during that time.
Bubblegum Dance - Essentially the Danish Eurodance version of bubblegum pop. While the instrumental style is similar to "classic" Eurodance, the lyrics tend towards a tongue-in-cheek humor very different from typical "disco" lyrics. Topics tend to be such things as toys, cartoons or video games, double-entendres, and fairytale motifs ( ex. Magic Love by Me and My ). Bubblegum may use either a chorus or a male rapper/female singer duet, though it tends not to make use of American rappers as classic Eurodance does. See also Happy Hardcore, which is the "hardcore" techno version of bubblegum dance.
Euro-Trance - Has a more open-ended structure compared to the tightly knit vocals and melodies of "classic" Eurodance. Vocals sometimes vague or repetitive without verse/chorus structure, often with echo and other effects. Often Euro-Trance has a strong synth line with ethereal chords and strong percussion.
Examples:
EURODANCE: Snap!, Culture Beat, La Bouche, Real McCoy, Dr Alban, Ice MC, etcs...........
BUBBLEGUM: Toy Box, Aqua, Hit 'N' Hide, Me & My, Smile Dk, Bambee, etcs.........
EURO-TRANCE: ATB, Ian Van Dahl, Lasgo, Sylver, Milk Inc, DJ Sammy, etcs.........
TOP 10 EURODANCE COUNTRY:
1. Germany
2. Italy
3. Belgium
4. Canada
5. Netherlands
6. Denmark
7. Sweden
8. France
9. United Kingdom
10. Romania
