All hail the return of the internet music forum

In the years before Twitter trolls and Instagram influencers, internet music forums were a hotbed of hot takes, heated discussions and the discovery of new artists. As punters riled up producers, and users tussled over tracks, voicing opinions on everything from production techniques, forthcoming releases and genre pioneers – infamous threads (Ben UFO vs Zomby, anyone?) showcased the rising viral power in electronic music debates.

Discussing his experiences on OG forums like DNBA and Dogs On Acid, d’n’b producer LSB explains: “It was a way of discovering new artists, but I met lots of real cool people through them – some I’m still good friends with today.” This URL to IRL connection extended to forums for clubbers, too. The infamous Gurn.net, aimed at the harder, trancier end of dance music and, admittedly, often as brutally savage to newbies as the beats it celebrated, breathed its last before the end of the ’aughts, but at a time when Sundissential and Godskitchen ruled the UK, it was a vital tool for bringing together aspiring ’Crasher kids with like-minded ravers from all over the UK. The Slam forum was the digital epicentre of Scottish techno culture, with Optimo’s a haven for the more arty crowd. Back in 2003 John Brophy, Tim Aylott and Dave Brophy launched online platform DontStayIn (Previously known as YouGotSpotted.com). The site allowed users to revel in a visual sea of club photos, event listings and more, in turn gaining a loyal fanbase from Oldham to Arizona (where arguably it helped keep PLUR culture alive before the great EDM wave). It was Facebook for ravers when ‘the social network’ was a mere glint in Zuckerberg’s eye. “We had events where everyone knew each other – it was like a family,” says John. “We had people form lifelong friendships, marry – and some still have DSI tattoos.”

The music forums, particularly, were rife with the next generation of talent eager to interact with others who shared their niche interests – and some who just wanted to argue with anyone who dared to dislike their favoured sub-genre.) For me, growing up in a far-flung corner of the country in a town with barely a club to its name, the ability to engage with artists and fellow obsessives on platforms such as Dubstepforum, the Erol Alkan forum and Dogs On Acid helped shape my musical interests. But as other, more popular platforms gradually dimmed the light on online message boards over the last decade, these once crucial hubs for dance music discussion lost favour with fans.

But now, in 2018, they seem to be making a slow but steady return to the spotlight, with new message boards and indeed new mediums heralding the return of the format – sans the keyboard warriors who dominated forums in their heyday with their pre-Twitter tone and Instagram-unfriendly vocabulary. “Back in the day I was on Dubstepforum but chose a male alias because it was so blokey,” says London-based DJ/producer E.M.M.A. “It was a boys’ club – I hope any discussion boards these days would be more inclusive.”

One of the most notable, and indeed welcoming, new developments comes in the form of Patten’s 555-5555 platform. Sitting alongside their radio show, zine, club night and rolling playlist, geared towards mobile browsing with a sleek interface, it will offer a new space for thoughtful, long-form discussions without the limitations or tortuous threading of Twitter or Instagram. “We made the 555-5555 forum as an open platform for all types of people to use to talk and trade stuff from all over the world without filters and the problems that come with them,” Patten tell us. Of course, no filters doesn’t mean no supervision. “Front and centre, 555-5555 outlines that there’s zero tolerance for racist, sexist, transphobic or homophobic language or imagery, and so far the vibe on there has been pretty spot-on.”

Unlike Twitter and Facebook, whose very universality makes them susceptible to bots, trolls and a swift degeneration into a level of discourse that’s about as nurturing as a sewer fire, the best forums have careful moderation and a shared passion, like a favourite small club with superb residents and a thoughtful door policy.

But of course, existing social media has its positives as well. Take our Facebook: look past the boors who respond to the occasional story warning about dodgy pills with “You should call it ‘Drugmag’, hur hur” and it’s a great place to engage with and debate the dance music issues of the day. Reddit’s dance music forums may be past their peak, but r/EDMproduction is still bustling with tips and feedback. Perhaps the Facebook page doing most to revive the old forum spirit, though, is the flourishing Identification Of Music (IOM). Launched in May 2015, the dynamic hub acts as an exhaustive database of musical know-how and must-knows readily available at the click of a button (and, to be fair, the bane of many a carefully crate-digging DJ’s life). “These groups are not much different to the old forums,” says one IOM admin; “they’re just a new medium.”

So with sites like 555-5555 spearheading the message board resurgence and groups like IOM uniting eager-eared listeners around the world, maybe we’re ready to open up again and celebrate dance music digitally from the ground up, in a way that transcends Likes and RTs. These new, niche pages and platforms use the best bits of forums past to step into the future with fresh, clear community guidelines, and even fresher, more free-flowing conversation. Now to choose that all-important screen name...

Jasmine Kent-Smith is Mixmag's Staff Wrtier. Follow her on Twitter