What do you think?

I was in HMV (killing time between lectures as usual ) and noticed some of the charts. Firstly, 5 or 6 of the top 10 compilation albums were electronic music in some way (that chill-out CD, the "Mint" house CD, Dance Nation 2002.... er, and a few others) and we all know about the amount of air-time tracks like Rapture, Hide U and Resurrection are getting. Plus when you consider that even relatively obscure artists like Kosheen (before they sold out) and Timo Maas have albums in the top 40, its starting to look like we're onto something (if you had told me 18 months ago that Timo Maas - who was then my hero - was going to have an album in the top 20 in Australia by this point in time, I would have laughed at you).

Plus even if you just go into the "dance" areas of these stores you'll find that electronic music dominates the rap and r'n'b sections. When you consider how popular r'n'b is in the fucking pop culture, and then how that the area catering for electronic music is about 5 times bigger, again you can't help but take notice. Even people who are indifferent to dance music enjoy dancing to it in commercial clubs - in fact, I'd hazard a guess that 80% plus of the 18-21 age group have been clubbing at some point, which I can only assume is a massive increase from the years gone by. Clubbing's slowly becoming embedded in the Australian (or at least Melbournian) culture, to the point where it's no longer, really, considered underground at all. Even people who don't like dance music are quite happy to drag me out for a night of clubbing simply because they enjoy the atmosphere and it's become such a part of the youth culture. People turn up to these places, then, indifferent to dance music, but get converted as they find how much they can enjoy it. So, they rush out and by the CD's that have all the tracks they head the night before...... which explains why 6 dance music cd's are in the compilation top 10.......

Anyway, I'm talking crap. So what do you think? Is Dance music/clubbing becoming a part of mainstream culture then? And do you think that this would necessarily be a bad thing?

I saw the same thing yesterday when i was in sanity Brisbane. Was going through some records and all these business types were coming into dance arena and buying all these new Chill Type cds, they market them pretty well actually making the covers look oh so sleek and the ads always making u feel u want to be in the club.. to some not all..

I think clubbing is becoming a tradition in aus for sure, we are going the way of the UK.People love to be trendy and always want to fit into our stereotypical culture.

I just hope it brings more good than bad, i hate going to a club where the guys just get pissed up and pick fights and try and pick up on every girl.I've always gone to more underground clubs if i can, the crowd is like your friend and everyone is there to just dance and enjoy the vibe.

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i think its based on the fact of that on the weekend there is nothing else to do.....so go out clubbing, some ppl go into the clubs to have an fun night out but instead try to be cool and there to make trouble and have only fun for themselves without thinking bout ppl who are genuinely there for the club and the music and the occasional women or two or three etc...be there for the atmosphere where everybody is ur friend

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Down under is great, oh so is Australia

It certainly does appear that dance music and clubbing are becoming mainstream. With the dominance of dance in the compilation charts however... could the reason for this be because there are more dance compilations than other genres? (I don't know if that's a fact, it's just an observation I made at my local Penrith HMV )

Ha, I've never actually noticed that the dance section dominates the rap and r'n'b sections! Next time I go to HMV I'll make some observations.

I don't think it's necessarily a terrible thing that needs to be stopped. As long as people appreciate clubs and dance music, and don't abuse it, I'm happy.