Headliner Spotlight: Angie Chang and EDMM

Angie Chang founded the Facebook group EDM Madness (EDMM) in October 2010 as a way to share music with a small circle of friends and family. What started as an intimate crowd of ravers—a few hundred at most at launch—now boasts over 12,000 members worldwide.

After exponential growth, the online hub is now a trusted resource for the digital masses (the ones who are invited to this secret group, that is) to share new music and old favorites, find upcoming events, debate important discussions about EDM culture, meet new friends, and interact with electronic music fans across the globe.

We spoke to Chang about the origins and the mission of EDM Madness, and how the group has changed her life.

It’s a wonderful feeling to belong to something that’s greater than yourself.

Why did you start EDMM, and how did it grow so big so fast?
I used to share music on my personal Facebook wall and tag my friends regularly. When the Groups feature on Facebook became available, my friends asked if we could aggregate all of our music posts and put everything into one group. It was mostly a place to share music among our close friends, but people started adding their friends, and it spiraled out of control. We never expected for it to blow up.

Besides being an educational platform for dance music, what main purpose does EDMM serve?
I think it’s special that there are like-minded individuals in different cities who we can connect with through the group. My summer internship sent me to Texas, where I met up with an EDMM member who shares my same love for Eric Prydz. I was in the middle of nowhere, and he showed me around.

Members have moved to other parts of the States and found roommates, friends to attend events with, and a community outside of their hometowns. I take comfort in knowing that I don’t have to be alone wherever I go. We can go to shows and events together.

What impact has EDM and your involvement with this group had in your life?
It’s a wonderful feeling to belong to something that’s greater than yourself. Going to festivals and meeting people who share the same passions as me is something that years ago I didn’t have. It gave me a sense of belonging at a time when I was depressed. Now I feel as if I’m a part of something bigger. So many people have come with me to events and started their own rave families. It’s so cool to see how many lives have changed through dance music and the group.

What’s the future of EDM and the group?
Even before what is today known as EDMM was founded, our first meetup at EDC 2010 had 200 people. It just keeps growing, and so has our scene. PLURR—the added R for responsibility—shows the lessons we’ve learned as a whole and how dance music fans continue to make it better. We have some really cool stuff in the works that I can’t share, but you will be seeing more of us!

Photo by Angie Chang

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