The identity of Early Hardstyle

It seems that slowly but surely the term ‘Early Hardstyle’ is getting a different definition. Organizations, artists, news sites and fans have used the term Early to describe the ever growing popular style originating from 2005-2010 more frequently. Unaware of the damage they’re causing the ‘old’ Early Hardstyle.  

The Hardstyle from the period between 2005 and 2010 is growing in popularity as of late. Parties like “De Tijdmachine” are expanding on a yearly basis and tracks like ‘Josh & Wesz – Retrospect’, which is clearly inspired by the specific style from that period have reached the highest ranking positions in the hardstyle.com top 40.

Ofcourse, it’s Hardstyle, but it definitely sounds different from the present-day Hardstyle. That’s why there seems to be an urgent need to classify this specific style as a genre of its own. In fact, I believe that ever growing popularity of this specific 2005-2010 style is due to the discontent with the Mainstream Hardstyle of today. However, what I would object to is the appellation of the term ‘Early Hardstyle’ for that specific style.

More and more artists, organizations, news sites and fans are applying that term to denote the style of the last years of the past decade. With this denotation it would seem that there is a shift in the definition of ‘Early Hardstyle’. The term was (and is still is being) used to define the Hardstyle as it was in the early days when it all started (roughly around 2000-2004). With this shift in the definition it would seem that history is repeating itself.  

Fans who remember the very beginning will undoubtedly know about the (first) bifurcation in the Hardstyle scene. A lot of Hardstyle enthusiasts didn’t want anything to do with the ‘new Hardstyle’ and for a lot of people it was apparent that the new Hardstyle (as a genre) would soon sever from the old Hardstyle. Seeing that organizations and artists wanted to continue with the name Hardstyle at any cost, they invented the name ‘Early Hardstyle’ to define the music from the early days of Hardstyle. The scission has left a huge mark on the Hardstyle scene and till this day there still are people who won’t accept the term ‘Early Hardstyle’ and therefore refer to the music of 2005 and onwards as ‘nu-style’.

This makes it all the more painful to see a similar scenario play out in the present-day. It would seem that the very same style that took away the identity of the original Hardstyle, is trying to do the same thing all over again. This has been in motion for quite some time now and it seems that only time will tell how this all will play out. 

But how does the shift in the definition of a word affect the overall situation in the scene? To real enthusiasts the changes are very noticeable. Because of organizations (as well as some artists) going along with the shift, it would seem that the original early is doomed to disappear into oblivion. This would mean that a lot of DJs who normally would play the original Hardstyle will most likely share its fate. Me personally would like to see something in the line of a new term to be devised up for the style of 2005 to 2010, perhaps millennial Hardstyle? If it would save an entire style, why not? To quote William Shakespeare: “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Because in the end all that really matters is that we all love this music called Hardstyle whether it would be from the year 2000 or 2016. If you will excuse me, I think I hear ‘Lady Dana’ pumping through my speakers!!!