Why are we so infatuated with club music in our everyday lives?
Lily Rosen (she/her) // Crew Writer
Jasmin Linton (she/her) // Illustrator
Be it hardcore, hyperpop, or house, club music has danced into the zeitgeist with speakers blasting, and there are no signs the volume will drop anytime soon. From mainstream artists like Charli XCX and Kim Petras to underground sensations like SOPHIE and Peggy Gou, this sound has underscored our generation’s fantasies, aesthetics, and attitudes for a few years, culminating with multiple explosive releases this summer. Yet, this passion for the “club” lifestyle surpasses the music itself — the allure of the club isn’t necessarily about attending one, but rather about what it represents.
From disco beginnings to techno, jungle, EDM, and today’s fluid lines between genres, club music has evolved over half a century and created generations of partygoers. While the beats are ever-changing, the motivation for clubbers has always been the same. The club is a unique place of liberation, hedonism, and connection where the rules loosen and societal expectations lower. In our post-pandemic world, it also promises the community we sorely missed after years of isolation. We crave the noise, the mess, the party. This is an era where it’s sexy to sweat through your clothes dancing, smoke a cheap cigarette, and act like a bitch.
Yet this romanticization of club culture often stops short of actual participation. The trend is what matters most. For example, “brat summer,” a viral concept inspired by Charli XCX’s latest album, embodies a “club girl’s” rebellious, candid, brash attitude. But it isn’t crucial to go to clubs or even enjoy the music they play to call yourself a “brat.” Adopting this trend is more about the associated identity and aesthetic than the place or genre. It’s doing what you want, when you want, without caring what others think. It’s neon green, smudged eyeliner, and exposed bra straps. It’s whatever’s popular on social media, be it an “Apple” Tiktok dance cover or a “brat wall” photo-op. In our hunger for a sense of self, we find a communal persona to cling to — for some, the lifestyle, and for many, just the look.
No matter the case, there’s a reason so many of us are clinging to this “365 party girl” identity, lifestyle, and music genre. The club music resurgence we’re experiencing in 2024 has eerily similar circumstances to 2007-2009’s Great Recession. We danced to Kesha, Katy Perry, and the Black Eyed Peas to forget about our financial vulnerability. Our tracks have changed, but the pull to escapism is just the same. “Recession pop” is an audible response to the challenges and anxieties of contemporary life. Gen Z inherits a world of strife, uncertainty, and disillusionment. No wonder we seek solace in club music’s chaotic, fast-paced energy. This isn’t just a revival of a genre — the raw, restless nature of club beats reflects our inner turmoil and desire for change.
The concept of the club extends far beyond a thumping bass or auto-tuned vocals, representing a sense of freedom, a longing for connection and identity, and a need to escape. Whether embracing the true club lifestyle or simply adopting its trends, the recent popularity of club music reveals how vulnerable we really feel in a world filled with challenges and uncertainties. Sometimes, all we can count on is a fun night out.