In a move many may have thought was already established, Germany has officially recognized Techno as a genre of music. At the end of October, a court ruled that Clubs like the legendary Berghain should not have to pay the standard 19 percent VAT on ticket sales when concert venues enjoy a lower rate of seven percent.
According to a judge on the case, DJs “perform their own new pieces of music using instruments in the broader sense, to create new sound sequences that have their own character.” Said artists have been recognized for their talents, and the dance music industry has a huge weight off their shoulders during a pandemic that has nearly gutted the funds of nightclubs around the world.
In a ruling on October 29th, the court found that “the average visitor” at a techno or house club was there primarily for the music and the DJs, making club nights “similar to concerts”, regardless of whether there were singers or musicians playing instruments.
The decision is a rare piece of good news for German nightclubs, which have been forced to keep their doors closed for more than six months now because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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