EDM Dating

In the US, “EDM” is the word most people use for electronic dance music – the big festivals, the bass drops, the main-stage sets and the clubs in between. If that's your world, Raver Dating is a dating site where you can meet people who are into it too.

EDM means a lot of different music

Dubstep, trance, big room, bass house, trap, melodic bass, house and techno all end up under the EDM umbrella, and two fans can have very different festival schedules. So be specific on your profile: the artists you'd camp out for, the festivals you go to, the kind of set you love.

The rise of EDM in the US

Electronic dance music has been around in the US since house and techno came out of Chicago and Detroit in the 1980s, but the term “EDM” took off in the 2010s as festival-scale dance events became some of the biggest shows in the country. (Source: Wikipedia.)

How “EDM” became the word

In the 1990s, the US music industry sold dance music as “electronica.” In the late 2000s it adopted “EDM” to rebrand American rave culture, and the term was pushed hard in the early 2010s. Daft Punk's 2006 Coachella set is often called a tipping point; after it came David Guetta's crossover hits, Skrillex, and stadium tours from Avicii and Swedish House Mafia. Festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas and Ultra in Miami became some of the biggest shows in the country. In the UK, most people still just say “dance music.” (Source: Wikipedia.)

How Raver Dating works

You create a profile with your photos and interests, and every day you get match suggestions based on your age range, distance, what you're looking for and what you're into. Free ID verification adds a badge to your profile, and other members only see your town or city – never your exact location. It all works in your phone's browser, so there's nothing to download.

Profile tips for EDM fans

• Name the festivals and artists that matter to you – it gives people something to message about.
• Mention whether you're a main-stage person, a side-stage person or a club regular.
• Use a photo from a show or festival if you have one.
• Say what you're looking for: a relationship, a date or someone to go to festivals with.

Breaking the ice

Festival stories make the easiest first messages. Ask which lineup they'd build if they could, the set they still talk about, whether they plan every stage in advance or just follow the crowd, and what's already in the calendar for next summer. It's a quick way to tell a main-stage regular from a side-stage explorer – and to find out if you'd want to stand next to each other for eight hours.

Meeting up safely

Chat on Raver Dating first. If someone tries to get you onto another app right away, you'll see a warning, since that's a common scam tactic. Anyone can be blocked or reported from inside the site, and our safety page has more.

Into other scenes too?

Add them to your profile. You might also like house music dating and techno dating, and our roundup of the best apps for ravers.

Photo: Kris Tian on Unsplash.