The history of electronic music dates back to the early 20th century, with pioneers like Luigi Russolo and Edgard Varèse experimenting with new electronic instruments and techniques. It gained significant momentum in the mid-20th century with the emergence of synthesizers, leading to the birth of genres like musique concrète and later, the rise of electronic music in popular culture through the development of electronic dance music (EDM) in the late 20th century.