How can they be artists if they have never played an instrument?
The world of music is changing faster than ever. Just like almost every other industry (artistic or not) it is being revolutionized by the world of computing. Less than 100 years ago your only option for recording music was making masters on vinyl. Now someone can compose an entire track only with a computer and an internet connection and have millions of people see it all within a day. Although it takes a very different skill to learn the software and make a track completely on the computer, it is essentially the same process that artists in other genres use, just with different technical components. By the technical component I mean the requirement that you can play an instrument as well as you need to for the song, which can obviously take years to master. Instead of having to learn how to play a guitar you have to learn the software choose the correct notes, timings, create the appropriate arrangement for the song, and of course tinker and make everything perfect. To say that this is easy is to grossly underestimate what it takes to create a song. It is essentially what all artists who make non-electronic forms of music because they are proficient enough with their instrument they just have to actually make a song. This distinction is important. It is one thing to be able to play an instrument, and it is entirely another thing to write a song, and with EDM the time to become proficient in an instrument has drastically been shortened. This is why 18 year olds can put out monster hits, because they don't have to wait 5 or 10 years to be good enough at the guitar to be able to play it, you can pick up a computer and start writing. As an EDM artist you are still bound by the constraints of what it takes to write a song, you just have different tools to get you there. I find this extremely exciting. People can now show off their creativity without as many road blocks, and the end result is just better music for everyone.
The concerts are just them pressing play, there is no live element to it, why would you go and see them?
To be fair, a lot of electronic artists incorporate instruments into their concerts. People like Pendulum and the Bloody Beetroots who have that technical ability add to their show by playing them live. However, the vast majority of shows you see are completely recorded. In my opinion, it doesn't really matter. Having a 2 hour set is more about the songs that you choose to play and when, hearing things that you haven't heard before and as an audience member feeding off the energy of the others watching it, aaaaand having a little room to dance. Agreed, there is less of a unique live aspect to an EDM concert than in other genres. You won't get that impromptu solo or jam session that will be unique to that night, but since the music is made in such a different way it is not really fair to compare it on the same scale. It is becoming more of a show experience than sitting in on a band jam session. Also artists are stepping up their game in this department. The light shows and special effects that they have now can blow your mind and really add to a show, something that I believe EDM is taking to farther than any other genre has before. EDM concerts offer a very different experience than going to see someone like U2 or the Black Keys even though it is still music, but I think that they offer a very attractive product.
In the end I don't think anyone trying this new genre should keep an open mind. It is much different from rock n roll than say indie is from rock n roll so there are a lot of things that you aren't used to; the sound is completely different. Regardless give it a try and if you don't like it, you don't like it. Just don't come out telling us that we are all idiots for even listening to it.
