Beats on Airwaves

This article investigates electronic dance music on German radio stations. How is this music selected by editors? Which terminology is employed and presented on-air? What are the implications of this for audiences and researchers? What types of electronic dance music and related music are currently featured on German radio? What are their characteristics? In order to address these questions, a multi-method approach is employed, encompassing playlist and musicological analyses, as well as interviews with radio editors. Electronic dance music on German radio is characterised by heterogeneity of variants and trends, with fluid transitions to other popular music. Distinguishing between different types of this music can often be a challenging task. Editors' expertise in genres is evident in their work, but this is only apparent at certain times, as genres are not mentioned on-air most of the time, which adds to the confusion surrounding electronic dance music and its contested meanings.