Rave culture has come a long way since its origins in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The early days of rave were marked by underground warehouse parties and illegal gatherings, where DJs and ravers alike came together to dance to new and exciting forms of electronic music. The acid house scene in the UK in the late 1980s was a major turning point for rave culture. The use of the Roland TB-303 synthesizer and the emergence of DJs like Paul Oakenfold and Danny Rampling helped popularize this new genre of music and sparked the rave revolution.
As rave culture spread throughout the UK and Europe, it began to evolve and incorporate different elements of music and fashion. The emergence of different sub-genres like jungle, techno, and trance helped to diversify the rave scene and attract a wider range of people. Rave culture also became associated with the use of psychedelic substances, and the PLUR (peace, love, unity, and respect) philosophy.
In the 1990s, electronic dance music festivals began to gain in popularity in Europe, but it wasn't until the 2000s that they started to become mainstream in the United States. Today, electronic dance music festivals like Tomorrowland, Ultra, and Electric Daisy Carnival attract thousands of people from all over the world and have become a staple of the global rave scene.
However, with the mainstream success of rave culture came increased commercialization and corporate sponsorship. This shift has led to a divide within the rave community, with some embracing the mainstream success and others yearning for the underground, community-driven ethos of the early days of rave culture.