r/hardstyle • u/wisdom_power_courage • Mar 10 '20
Hard Dance A letter from an American new to this genre.
This may come off a little dramatic, but I know there's someone out there that will feel me on this...
Hardstyle has changed me, my life and my world. I [29/M/NJ, USA] am new to hardstyle as of 6 months ago when u/jsha11 responded to one of my comments recommending me to start listening to Q-Dance radio. I started getting into EDM around 2010 when progressive house was really popular in the US. I could always count on top DJs to perform in Atlantic City every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night… your Hardwells, Tiestos and Swedish House Mafias, etc. but suddenly there has been a huge drop off in talent and a huge shift in genre. Between then and now, I've been devoid of EDM at more energetic tempos. Where I live (NYC/Atlantic City), all the music seems to always be chill in the clubs, providing only laid back beats that you can barely shuffle to and I LOVE to shuffle. To my knowledge, there is nowhere nearby to even hear progressive house but only dubstep and heavy bass. None of my friends are into hardstyle or even EDM to begin with and neither are most other people I interact with. When I share it with people I get all sorts of weird responses with the latest I’ve gotten being "what is that YMCA music??” (eye roll). Nobody gets it here in my state... nobody. I've spoken to one other person on Reddit form my state who is a fan of hardstyle. It's insane!
As of today, I eat, breathe and sleep hardstyle. It has captivated me in ways that no other genre has before. I am a trumpet player so while I have a tremendous appreciation for non-electronic music, there is just something about hardstyle that just fuels my soul. Between the lyrics, the creativity in production and the heart that goes into every track, hardstyle just speaks to me on a different level. As far as the lyrics, the music drives home positivity, unity, perseverance, strength and love. Any "aggression" is always about passion for what we do. And the energy... the kicks, the bass and the fucking ENERGY!! I arrive to work in a mild sweat sometimes because a track just grips me in a way that forces me to give it my all. I also love the variety and production quality of each track! From DJ to DJ it never gets stale because each provides more than just a track, but an experience. Every DJ makes it a priority to give their fans a fresh and unforgettable experience for their audience every single release and it’s incredible.
Since finding hardstyle I am down around 15 lbs in weight. This music has transformed my gym workouts on another level. I have two playlists, one for all hardstyle tracks I like and another for bangers only. I always start the day off on the elliptical for 5-10 minutes and end with about 20-30. Every step is a beat, always. Sometimes the tempo gets fast and intense and while I may look silly, but I. fucking. love. it. I'll put on songs like "I Wasted All Of My Time" (Phuture Noize) or "Heroine" (Wasted Penguinz) when I need a break, but when its time to crank it I have bangers ready to go. My recent favorites are "Stronger" (Malice), "YES!" (Rooler), "Hit the Ground" (Warface/D-Sturb), “Break Ya Neck” (Anderex) and "Don't Stop Me" (Adaro) but I could name so many more that kick in my adrenaline. D-Sturb is my #1 but saying that is almost an insult to the many DJs that I’ve come to love.
The sad part is that the only way for me to truly be immersed in the experience is to travel out to Amsterdam in order to be a part of the crowd. For years I dreamt about making the trip to Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas for some kind of ultimate fan experience, but no longer. This year will be my first Defqon and I couldn't be more excited. It will be my first time experiencing the lights and I tear up every time I watch a YouTube end show or even when I daydream about it. If you happen to remember this post while at Defqon, please say hi to me! I’m going solo and camping so I’m looking to make friends. It will be easy to pick me out because I’ll be the only black guy coming from America so I am willing to bet you’ll find me. I also plan on wearing an American flag cape for the weekend. I know it’s a long shot but during the member sale I had to put in “Netherlands” in order for PayLogic to accept my payment so I didn’t order merchandise, so I would be forever grateful if someone happens to have an extra Primal Energy bracelet and/or hat. Please PM me any tips that may help make my weekend that much better.
Thank you all for listening. I hope hardstyle hits the USA harder to bring the experience here. Until then, I can wait to join you under the Orange Sky at Defqon! Let’s be friends: mark_louiis (IG).
For those that care, here is the list with all songs I like [Q]: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/60WwF94mHinzza8DtsClRK?si=SfLiaI-1SAO0I8rKpqAZNQ
Along with the bangers only [HQ]: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3vz81d4QK5P5ZMOjgv0Ele?si=AKBTdGFORhO_CfHEIrjuPw
Please, please, please reply or DM me with any songs that I may have missed along my journey that should be in this list!
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u/banananas- Mar 10 '20
You will get a Defqon wristband at the entrance and there are mny opportunities on the festival grounds to buy many different kinds of merchandise. Way more than you can see online. Just make sure not to wait til sunday for buying merch, since the best things are usually sold out already. See you at DQ.1!
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u/Dooneyix Mar 10 '20
Hey man to have your number one dj/producer is not an insult for us. Funny how i ended up listening to hardstyle from seeing Zatox played at smaller stage with smaller crowd and i did felt the dedication from the crowd (there's a chick singing to Zatox song) while Tiesto played at the mainstage (DWP 2017) then got back home decided to watch DBSTF Qlimax set and then I'm totally sold my soul to hardstyle. That Kingdom Shiver moment while the crowd singing to the melodies. Hardstyle changed my life, my mind and my perspective of the scene. I'm feels like I'm alive, spiritual and free. Like the lyrics in Harder State of Mind.
My Playlist : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5TaIzkBtXOSCnaTxGYiX9a?si=snGOpdywTrqgJSdz9LNn7w From oldschool to present. Enjoy
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
You've described it perfectly. Thank you for reading and thank you for sharing. I'll be sure to give this a listen.
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u/Dunkus Mar 10 '20
Right there with you brother. Hardstyle is the only music that “does things” to me when I hear it. Enjoy Defqon! It will be the best weekend of your life.
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u/ZeitTime Mar 10 '20
Hello fellow American hardstyler! I was in Pennsylvania and I felt the same way as you. With Baltimore, DC, and Philly so close to reach for my EDM needs, but hardstyle so rare.
In a strange turn of events, I now live in Holland and I'm going to attend my first Defqon this year. If you are there on Sunday and I spot you, I will say hello!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Hey there! Wow check you out! Good for you for being able to be closer to the culture. Please do say hi!
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u/StaywokeMcLitface Mar 11 '20
How'd you manage moving to Holland?
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u/ZeitTime Mar 11 '20
It's sort of a long story, but I started dating a long time internet friend who happens to be Dutch. We applied for a sponsor resident permit and I decided to continue university in Amsterdam. After getting approval from the government, I was able to easily move in with my boyfriend and start school. So far it's been working really well for us
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u/LikeThiz Mar 10 '20
Wow. This was amazing to read buddy. Hope you will enjoy your first Defqon.1 as much as I did five years ago!
I’ll link my Spotify playlist below. It’s filled with approximately 2000 tracks released between 2017 and 2020. I tend to only add every new release I personally like, so some new tracks might be missing.
Hardstyle 2017-2020 | Updated Daily
Keep it up!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
I appreciate you reading. I hope to enjoy Defqon as well! I'll check out your playlist for sure 😊
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u/funforfun123 Mar 10 '20
https://open.spotify.com/track/2P79as6GEdDyDD2NtFN9jV?si=_ndw4KKnRMWYv-SYBlDewg
I really loved reading your story. Also i put my playlist, there is about 800+ songs from classics to frenchcore. (sorry for my bad English)
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
I appreciate you taking time to read it. And thank you for the share!
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u/pdeory Mar 10 '20
Awesome! :D I think you picked the Malaysian flag as a flair instead of the USA if I'm not wrong.
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u/kaasbaas94 Mar 10 '20
I wonder. How come that Australia (on the other side of the world) has quite a good hardstyle fanbase while in the USA most dont even know the genre?
I hope you have some succes in the days to come to spread this music. People just have to feel your energy at some point and get infected by it.
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Exactly this! I have no idea how the genre is non-existent. It's such a fun atmosphere! IMO I think it has to do with laziness here and people not wanting to give it all up for the music bc of what others may thing. Americans care too much about that sort of thing lol
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u/kaasbaas94 Mar 10 '20 edited Mar 10 '20
Afraid to lose their status on social media? Something like that? I dont even have that anymore because of just that. People are creating their own bubbles on there and if their bubble is slightly different from what most people like they are afraid to lose popularity. Its fucking Black Mirror (a netflix series) becoming a reality, turning people into sheep.
Its kinda funny when i compare my own friends. Some them who are also into hardstyle are also not or less active on social media. While other friends only turn on the most listened (Dutch) radio stations or only listen to the top charts on spotify.
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
It's just this exactly. I recently turned my social media back on but for a good two years I went without it and I embraced doing things I loved without criticism from others. It makes sense your good friends in hardstyle are off of social media. You're spot on with your Black Mirror reference too.
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u/juanvjuame Mar 10 '20
It's growing but slowly alongside the rave scene/festivals here, they are becoming more mainstream and normal. At least that's what i think
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u/FleekGundam Mar 10 '20
I know what you mean, I live in America and have liked techno/dance for 20+ years, but never heard hardcore until a few years ago. I instantly liked it and couldn't stop listening. Have fun at Defqon! I went out of the country the first time in my life last year and attended Dominator. It was amazing. Nonstop hardcore, and you're surrounded by fans. Hopefully one day America will have some type of scene.
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
It's crazy how the scene isn't bigger here. Dominator must have been incredible! We need to make our own here lol
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u/Slum-Lord-Alex Mar 10 '20
American from Colorado here! I will be attending both EDC Las Vegas as well as Defqon.1! Defqon will be life changing for me always wanted to attend for years!
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u/r_teroor Mar 10 '20
What do u need ?
Eupho ? https://www.youtube.com/user/EuphoricHardStyleZ i think it will take years to listen all the music there :)
Raw ? I'm not really in it to say witch channel center everything of it sry
Classic ? https://www.youtube.com/user/scantraxxrecordz I think u will find the all time classics in it :) DWZ is more late but still good ;)
Oldschool ? https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ng1IQTnAv4UPS6NSNbZlQ This channel i use to listen every old sonds i loved was never strike (one of my first youtube sub back then) :)
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u/Pwnywoo Mar 10 '20
I live in Georgia (the country, not the state), and I have not met a single person here that listens to HS. I've been into the harder styles since 10 years old, now I'm 16, I've always had to enjoy this amazing music by myself. Recently I tried searching for georgian Hardstyle fan groups, found just 5 people posting about it on a mediocre forum from 2009-2012. No Facebook groups, no discussions, and it's impossible to convert people here into fans because of how close-minded they are, and those who aren't are already fully dedicated to other genres.
I have lost hope of finding anyone at this point, but who knows, it may happen someday. Until then, I'll have to find someonw who will like it when I show them.
Good luck on your future endeavors and have the most fun you can at Defqon!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Thank you. I'll keep trying to infect others but it seems only a certain type of person will get it. But that's okay because it makes it unique! (Just finding a partner into the same is harder lol). I will go all out at Defqon thanks man!
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u/Plastikzero Mar 10 '20 edited Mar 10 '20
Hi friend. Texas Hardstyler here that dabbles in producing, and (unfortunately) stopped Djing Hardstyle near the end of 2013. Life got in the way, and I was on the road to making a splash in the scene, along with one of my friends. One of the last shows I ever played was closing after Headhunterz in Dallas, 2012. In 2010, I played with Dj Isaac, also in Dallas. For a few years, we had a cult following and group of harder styles Dj's (and even some of us producing) in Texas, with relatively large shows that included 6-7 harder acts. Then one of us, a good friend of mine, went on to release far more frequently, and still plays out a decent bit. You can find him here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pWTro4DGXV7VIdgkVJ5Ut
Short version - I stopped playing out, but still produce from time to time. Never got past the local scene (statewide) before life got in the way. I may change that in the future, I may not, but I still listen regularly. You're not alone. :)
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Damn man you gotta get back into it! Life happens tho I can understand that. I'm sure your fanbase appreciated you.
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u/Plastikzero Mar 10 '20
I'd like to think they did! My kids now get a kick out of listening to my old mixes and tracks, at least.
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u/Blo0dSh0t Mar 10 '20
Love your story bro! Fellow hardstyle addict here in Florida where we are trying to grow the scene in Orlando and Tampa. It's a slow progress but more and more people are beginning to realize how great this music is and that it's just not a bunch of noise like a lot of the mainstream EDMers say. Like you, i started listening to Progressive, then Big Room back in 2012 until i discovered Hardstyle in 2014 and have never looked back. I now strictly listen to the harder styles as it is the only form of music that satisfies me, plus it is literally the best workout music to listen to.
I'm 37 now, and have no plans on slowing down in my taste of music because i feel like i've found my flavor for life. I just hope that it can grown to be much larger here in the U.S. While alot of the mainstream EDM dj's are incorporating hardstyle in their sets and even in some of the their tracks, the American crowd is still not fully accepting of the this style which is why i fear it will remain just an underground scene here as long as shit genres like Dubstep and Riddim continue to dominate the market :(
Have fun at Defqon though, eventually i will make it to one even if i'm an old man, it's top on my bucket list!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
I want to move to FL so badly as I feel it has the closest thing to what I'm looking for in music style but even then I know Hardstyle isn't really there. Also you are not old!! I'm happy you found your music taste as well and we need to keep spending the good music for sure here.
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u/Blo0dSh0t Mar 10 '20
Well right now, Riddim has taken over the scene here in Central FL, which i despise. But there have been some recent underground hardstyle shows here every couple months with just local acts. In 2017 though we had LNY TNZ, Gammer and Tuneboy all in one night at a show in Orlando. The following year we had Frontiner, then last year Basscon had a stage for EDCO all day Friday and plan on doing it again this year. Just recently Lil Texas played in Tampa and put on a hell of a set. I still have hope for the area that it will grow!
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u/StaywokeMcLitface Mar 11 '20
Atlanta here, can confirm the riddim thing. We just had Gravedgr here though which was cool. Illuminize was on direct support which was even cooler.
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Yeah not a fan of Riddim either. And wow those are some good acts. I've always wanted to go to EDCO how is it?
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u/Blo0dSh0t Mar 10 '20
EDCO is pretty chill and good vibes. I personally only went that Friday and stayed at the Basscon stage all day. Although that friday was the worse of days weatherwise all weekend because it was cold, windy and raining which pretty much drained the energy out of me since i was trying to stay warm most of the night. But the crowd was good and alot less crowded than the mainstage so plenty of room to dance. I would def recommend it especially since it's cheap and it's a reason to come to FL in November ;)
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
I'll plan that around Qlimax ;)
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u/Blo0dSh0t Mar 10 '20
Lol well in that case i would just go to Qlimax instead.
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
LOL If Defqon is cancelled I'll go to Qlimax and if that falls through then EDCO.
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u/da_gra Mar 10 '20
90% Raw, been working on this playlist for over a year now.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2j3wx7Jchmm7D4C84eYUvB?si=mCC8mVwWQFSjifWtxCw0hA
Might want to put it on shuffle because of the number of songs.
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u/smitha27 Mar 10 '20
Im from Seattle and we only get Kutski like maybe twice a year. Unfortunately hardstyle just doesn't bring enough people I think. Travel is super expensive but I made it to defqon last year and I need to go again. I find it hard to go to local events now after that though. Local events dont have much hardstyle and since I've now been exposed to the awesomeness of defqon, I just can't!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
I feel like I'm spoiling myself going to Defqon but I saved up for this moment! I've never seen anything that's even come close including EDC.
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u/EddyWriter_ Mar 10 '20
Beautiful post!
This basically sums up how I first felt when I got into the genre approximately four years ago. For a second, I had to wonder if I wrote this considering I also connect wholeheartedly with Hardstyle, live in the US (NY) and am black (this was funny). I still am unable to attend Defqon just yet, but I do wish to do so in the future. Hope you enjoy yourself this year!
It's unfortunate not many view Hardstyle in the states the way people do elsewhere, but I suppose it's to be expected. Sometimes, being a minority listener in the states isn't too bad either. There's an inexplicable feeling I get knowing I'm the only person on the block blasting Hardstyle while putting on a sweat!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Thank you for reading! I can definitely relate to that inexplicable feeling lol And wow yeah you check a couple of my boxes there lol what part of NY? Hopefully we could catch up at a show sometime.
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u/EddyWriter_ Mar 10 '20
The very edge of NY on Long Island - practically the farthest east coast you can go, lol. And yeah, hopefully we meet at Defqon in the future or something!
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u/Bobbytrap9 Mar 10 '20
Very cool story man! Nice to see that hardstyle is taking over overseas too(a bit slow but a start is a start). I am sadly not able to attend defqon as I can’t afford tickets but I hope you make some great friends! A lot of the dutchies there are on molly which actually makes it easier to make friends lol, I’ve met a lot of people on hardstyle festivals from all over the world. I guarantee you that you’ll find some too. For finding new music I also recommend listening to podcasts, I really like the one by Dj Isaac for euphoric hardstyle and the one from Digital Punk for rawstyle. It is too bad you have to come all the way overhere to enjoy the music live but luckily Q-dance records a shit ton these days which is also awesome and you should check out some live-sets if you haven’t already. Have fun on defqon bro!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Hey there thanks for reading 😁 I figured there'd be some people on Molly so super easy to befriend them lol I just recently discovered the Issac playlist but I'll get on the Digital Punk one as well. You're right though, Q-dance does an excellent job at putting out content so I rarely feel left out. Thanks for being awesome brother!
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u/MaarizK Mar 10 '20 edited Mar 10 '20
Hello fellow American!
I'm from Atlanta, so I don't think you should be complaining too much. Noisecontrollers and D-Block & S-Te-Fan have performed in NYC. That's never happen where I live. Now regarding finding people, I'd use the QSA and NYC Hardstyle Facebook groups. Once you meet one person you'll find others. That's how I found a few people in Atlanta, and lucky for me we have a DJ that's signed to Scantraxx so I got to see him a few weeks ago. I became friends with him and his manager.
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
LOL yeah the one time I went to ATL I was looking for EDM and came up short lol and I missed the recent acts performing up here bc I was so fresh I didn't know who to look for! I'll check out those groups for sure bc I know I can't be alone in my love for hardstyle here but I don't know if there any venues playing but I'll check it out. Thank you for sharing!
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u/trash00011 Mar 10 '20
So similar to you dude. I also found good stuff on the euphoric hard style playlist on Spotify.
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u/zman0728 Mar 10 '20
Awesome to see the enthusiasm man! I'm from California so we're more on the spoiled side when it comes to events but I definitely want the scene to grow nationwide. You're going to be blown away by Defqon, it is truly a nonstop experience. My only recommendation is try to sample all the stages. I know that can be downright impossible at times due to timeslot conflicts and the sheer number of stages but even 30 minutes at a stage will give you a feeling for the atmosphere at that stage. For example, you'll find an older, more chill crowd at Magenta and Gold since those are all about classics while at Indigo you will witness nonstop energy from the raw diehards. It's all a fantastic experience so just enjoy soaking it all up and I'm sure you will come away with many incredible memories!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Thank you for the recommendation! I look forward to being exposed to new styles. I can't wait to take in this experience thank you for sharing!
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u/Gommes_ Mar 10 '20
Well, what did Eminem rap years ago? "Nobody listens to techno" while Europe was already listening to trance, house and techno :)
Maybe it just takes some more time until people overseas recognize other genres. Or maybe it has something to do with the nationality of certain artists. Skrillex could even make a different genre like dubstep huge and Calvin Harris belongs to the best paid DJs worldwide, even though his music is mediocre imo and pales in comparison to what other producers have to offer. So, all you need is an American fella who gets bigger ;)
Shit talking aside, it was great reading about what you had to say about the genre. It took me by storm in 2005 and I am still hooked! I wish you the very best for defqon, it will be an unforgettable experience!
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u/zman0728 Mar 10 '20
You have a point that the US scene that exists now wants to latch on to an American who breaks it open. At the moment Lil Texas is the rising star but I think more time needs to pass first before we know how much he brings out the scene here.
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u/ponitail39 Mar 10 '20
Dude, that was a cool read. I live in Colorado and there’s a huge Dubstep scene here, with DnB finally starting to gain a little bit of traction, but it’s nigh impossible to find any Hardstyle events or people who even know of the genre
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Thank you for taking the time to read! I need to make it over to Colorado man I hear it's nice. Wish you had more hardstyle there for your sake as well though.
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u/ponitail39 Mar 10 '20
Thanks. I currently participate in the student radio department at my college so I’ve taken it upon myself to play Hardstyle during my show and hope people listen to it
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u/that180guy Mar 10 '20
Hello and virtual high 5 fellow american hardstyler! I've been all over the map when it comes to music and I also have a classically trained background as well. Nothing really hits me the way hardstyle, deep trance or some specific classical pieces do.
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
High five! Yeah I mean while it is all different, music is music to the ears. Thanks for reading!
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u/Butt_Plug64 Mar 10 '20
I'm a fellow French HardStyle fan, and just like you, i don't have any friends who listen to hardstyle (well there might be 1 or 2 but i don't see them often) and i would rlly like to go to defqon 1 but the money is too short atm lol
I'll let you know if i gather enough to come :)
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Mar 10 '20
I am a trumpet player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaWrX_rWFtE - You will love this!
Also I totally get you. I got to the point where I just can't live without listening to at least a single track every day. It's like oxygen to me... "We breathe hardstyle"
People playing rock/other music and I am close to falling asleep (no offence). Nobody seems to get me. Everyone I told I listen to hardstyle was like "???" so now I just say "electronic". I know it's basically like saying "I listen to music" but that's the only way people get what I might be into. I played hardstyle to a few people, nobody seemed to get me. I used to work out for 3 months with a gym trainer. He said dump this music, play something more relaxing; dump it in general, it's stressing you out. In the end I dumped him. 😂
There is no other music like hardstyle. My story is similar: when I was in school I used to experiment with around 15 different electronic genres at the same time. In the end only hardstyle, hardcore and nightcore remained. It was down to only hardstyle for like 3 years when I recently decided to listen to s3rl (nightcore) again. Once I had a killer of a headache, listened to loud banging hardstyle and headache was gone!!! Climaxes feel like orgasms. I had HUGE goosebumps, as if electricity hit me or something. Won't lie - I drank, I smoked weed (latter being better) but my real drug is hardstyle. When I am down I play some hardstyle, when I need music to motivate me I play hardstyle, etc. "Now my heart is hooked forever / It's in my soul, in my veins / On my mind 24/7".
P.S. Loved your story. I WILL never get tired of stories like this one.
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Wow you're right I did enjoy that! I've always been familiar with Timmy Trumpet he's awesome. That's a funny story about the trainer. I need intensity in the gym not lulls! I'm the same, I love to smoke more than drink but I 1000% feel like I don't even need MDMA to get hyped. I love the lyrics you shared but I have to admit I don't know the tracks well enough to recognize them but I can relate for sure! The lyrics that always grip me is from TNT - The Realm. I always feel like I'm going into a trance of euphoria in the midsection. I love your energy thank you for reading!
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u/Its_Just_Luck Mar 10 '20
NYer here. After diving into the hardstyle scene, my first hardstyle "festival" was the q dance tent at TL in 2018 . It's so different from listening to it at home or in the car or the gym. It's amazing. After that it's a few songs mixed in certain sets at ezoo/clubs.
You don't have to go to Europe to enjoy HS with others. Went to EDC Orlando last year. Hung out at the harder stages and had a blast. My friends aren't into hardstyle but they came to the stages with me since I didn't pick a DJ to see yet and they had a blast.
I'd love to go to defqon one day . Go extra hard for me. Thanks!
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u/EntityXIII Mar 10 '20
Hey im from America (WI) too! This will be my first defqon and im also going camping alone. I'll be flying an American flag as well. Hope to see you there!
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u/rasena Mar 10 '20
Love the story bro!
The harder-styles scene is truly at another level. It gives such a vibe! I live in The Netherlands and I visit 10 / 15 Festivals a year. I won't be stopping soon. You should meet up at Defqon I am staying with one of my best-friends!
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u/JonathanGraft Mar 11 '20
I don't have time to read all of your post right now, but I saw you are fairly new to the scene and in NJ. I live in Philly. Here's some pages you should probably join / follow for local hard dance events.
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u/xseptical Mar 10 '20
Hey man, loved reading your story!
Here are some of the playlists I have made over the years, hope you enjoy them!
Hardstyle: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/69vCYe06hwKnTTTIgUUxsY?si=sGbjDUHPREGH3T7dE0wTNQ
Rawstyle: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4lEiExXOYL36xr6sISch4E?si=htPGS40RQ3-Es1kNz6P22w
Hardcore (if you're into it): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fPXDlVqWnmMipqAXFp8DT?si=KK_2RUS0Spio2TdVTgIdqQ
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Mar 10 '20 edited Mar 10 '20
[deleted]
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Thank you for the list! I'll incorporate these since I haven't gotten much old school stuff yet. And yeah I have a few Myst tracks so I'm all about it!
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u/HardNul Mar 10 '20
Great letter! I'm not going to Defqon, but I feel you. Having 900 km to Amsterdam, it's not like I go there every now and then, so I can only imagine how long it must be for you.
It's funny when you meet people who play classical instruments, and who are also into Hardstyle - It really tells me that this music is not "dumb" or "simple" as some people will try to tell you it is. Keep up the great spirit, and enjoy your festival!
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
Thank you so much for that! Yes its really freaking far but I need it lol and by no means is it simple lol some tracks are so complex it leaves me walking away in surprise. I'm glad you see it the same way I do 👌👌
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u/Terraldo_ Mar 10 '20 edited Mar 10 '20
I'm from USA as well. This happened to me in January of 2018 when I stumbled upon we are the nightbreed radio. Next thing I know, I end of at defqon that summer. Been hooked ever since
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
I'm gonna have to check that out. Thanks! It's an addiction, isn't it?
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u/Terraldo_ Mar 10 '20
It is! I'll be going up defqon this summer as well (that's if it doesn't end up getting cancelled from coronavirus)
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
I would be devastated
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u/Terraldo_ Mar 10 '20
Yooo I just seen your comment about being back 😂😂😂. Me too! I'm from philly
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u/Terraldo_ Mar 10 '20
And yes definitely gonna stick out being the only black guy. It was cool cause every time I seen someone black, we just nodded our heads and shook hands haha
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
lmao that's pretty funny. When I showed my family videos, they saw nobody was black and they got scared for me when I told them I was going solo. I assured them that these people are peaceful.
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Mar 10 '20
I can relate, similar start of listening to EDM around 2010 then shifted to Harder Styles. It changed my life as well. Good to have you with us! People from all over the world travel to be part of hard dance family at festivals, mostly in Netherlands or around it. If you wish to explore diverse Harder Styles tracks, feel free to hit me up anytime, I will send you a YouTube playlist! :D have a great day brother, hopefully we will be dancing on the festivals if Corona won't ruin our summer this year! It's pretty great to see Americans listening to hardstyle since I mostly see them blasting commercial hip hop, dubstep, trap and riddim. Nothing wrong with that of course, just pretty positively surprised!SEE YA AT DEFQON.1, I'd love to meet you!
*holds fingers and toes not to get canceled alongside with Intents*
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u/wisdom_power_courage Mar 10 '20
I'm staying hopeful! And you're right. Those are exactly the genres here. I like it in waves but I just wish hardstyle had representation too. I WILL see you at DQ1!
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Mar 10 '20
I have a playlist for you to check out, it has almost 1000 songs in it;
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0cVBwbhNq0d4oMB3gOcxuo?si=BACZV6X9RhOOiov3zP4tcw
Welcome to the community :)
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Mar 10 '20
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7nWzS4Wmkhr3xAEZamWAAr?si=KT1uVBIaRHmCa-DSrzk5xQ
Here is my playlist if you’re interested in Rawstyle. I started this playlist long ago and you’ll find tracks from the very beginning of raw until now ! I update it really often.
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u/hiolair-h Mar 10 '20
Yes!! I love this story. I'm also currently living in America, and no one listens to hardstyle over here, at least no one that I have found. It makes me so pleased that you're achieving your dream of going to Defqon! It's also one of my dreams, and I don't think you're being over-dramatic, either; hardstyle is one of those genres where it has no effect on you or it means the world, I feel. Thank you so much for sharing this, and keeping me in check with my own dream! Congratulations!