yes, and this "IDM" term is way over used now days, but in the early-mid 90's only described basically squarepusher, autechre, aphex twin, and others from the Warp label...but others have came since to fit the nomenclature, therefore creating the "overuse" of this word

would u agree its similar to funky house in beat?! the only stuff i've really listened to is stuff from groups like plump djs. but would u class that as electro?!

You have convinced me that electronica is a term invented by MTV (though I didn`t get it from there), but where would you put music like Jean Michell Jarre or Vangelis? Before I heard the term IDM, this music and through to Autechre and BOC was electronica to me. Chemical Brothers was allways Big Beat, Prodigy was allways Techno.

well I can't compare it to plump dj's because I've never heard them myself, but from what I perceive it is nothing to do with IDM, because "DJ's" persay, usually don't fit the IDM standard, but then again you have DJ Brokenwindow, and others that sort of do...I would have to listen to them to classify them...

I think some people classified Jean Michell Jarre and Vangelis New Age...

Yes, but they are considered within the electronic Genre.

Electronica is a Genre.

Autechre is in the Electronica genre but it has a different style than Vangelis.

Techno is condsidered a style within the Electronica genre...like industrial is a style within Electronica...

I don't think at first the styles were part of a genre so to speak but the categorization came later in order for to help journalists, music distributors and the industry out...I think someone mentioned that already though....

I mean, C'mon people.... It is not about the definition, it is about the music.

House is a nice example of this. I am an electronic music producer, but somehow everything that falls into 4 on the floor ( a bass drum every 1/4 note falls into the catagorie house. House music is not appealing to me, but somehow they keep inventing new genres that all sound the same to me. From trance to techno, I call it house music. It seems to me that the only reason they keep inventing new genres is because else people wouldn't be interested. Some goes with D&B. They call it jungle, they call it techstep, **** that. It's all d&b.

Infact, I believe the whole electronic music scene (everything that is made with strictly computers) falls into trhe catagorie "jazz". Jazz is a free form of music, and so is most of the electronic music these days. Also, if you look at the new herbie hancock albuym, it is mostly all electronic, but it is still jazz.

the new one, I can only assume you're talking about Future2Future...the only thing that makes it electronic is the electronic artists that guess star on it...what about the track "Tony Williams"? from the best drummer himself! I wouldn't put electronic music in the "jazz" genre by any means, sure, they are both "free" styles, but wasn't jazz conceived as something that would have a swinging beat rather than playing it as a regular quarter note scheme? I would call this an "alteration" of the norm and not exclusively free...free jazz is almost too much for me, I just can't get into the free styles of Ornette Coleman at all, but if you want some good contemporary free jazz, try Matthew Shipp...the fusion of electronic, hip hop and jazz with his album with Anti Pop Consortium is brilliant, as is the case with his albums "Equilibrium" and "Nu Bop"...bah, i'm just rambling, as usual

I can`t see why many people consider the defenition of music to be ruining it (especially the artists, with the "we are so special" attitude). Defenitions are very helpful, and makes it much easier to find the music you like. Why should I go through heaps of trance or tech-step when I`m very sure I don`t like it?
Jazz with electronic elements is electro-jazz, why not?

Classifying music is difficult, theres no way around that, especially with all the fusions weve heard since the mide/late 90's.

Electronica is a GENRE as is rock, jazz, etc. But like i said most music doesnt fit under only one of those GENRES.

Underneath the Electronica GENRE are STYLES, such as drum'n'bass, techno, house, downtempo, electro, trance, prog, breaks, experimental. etc.

People too often confuse Genres with Styles. This is common b/c words like electronica can double for both. When i think Electronica as a style i usually think about the mid90s to early 00s delicate, abstract, playful (<----These are called TONES) acts like bjork , postal service, massive attack, underworld, portishead etc.

ALL in all, ELECTRONICA is an extremely vague term.

*ndy