The Best Electronic Music Genres
Contents
From trance and techno to house and Drum & Bass, we break down the best electronic music genres and what makes each one special.
What is Electronic Music?
Electronic music is a genre of music that is made with the help of electronic musical instruments and equipments. It became popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The electronic music has evolved over the years and there are various genres under it.
The Different Types of Electronic Music
Electronic music is a genre of music that is produced using electronic devices or electronic instruments. It is a genre of music that is often associated with the word “EDM” or “electronic dance music”. Electronic music can be divided into different genres, subgenres, and microgenres.
House
House is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago in the 1980s. It was initially popularized by DJs who played in clubs and at parties. House music is characterized by a 4/4 time signature, a strong bassline, and repetitive drum patterns. The style is often based on soul, disco, and funk music.
House music became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, when it was influenced by acid house and techno. It has since evolved into various subgenres, such as deep house, tech house, and progressive house.
Techno
Techno is a type of electronic dance music played on synthesizers and drum machines featuring repetitive, hypnotic patterns and rhythms. Techno is often associated with futuristic themes, science fiction movies, and video games. The genre first emerged in the 1980s in Detroit, Michigan, USA and has since evolved into many different subgenres.
Techno is characterized by a fast tempo, thumping basslines, and squelching synthesizer sounds. The music is often danceable and designed to be played in clubs. Common themes in techno include futurism, technology, science fiction, and artificial intelligence.
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the late 1990s. It is generally characterized by sparse, syncopated rhythmic patterns with prominent sub-bass frequencies. The style emerged as an offshoot of UK garage, drawing on a lineage of related styles such as 2-step and dub reggae.
In the early 2000s, dubstep began to emerge as a distinct genre, characterised by a distinctly dark and melancholic sound. This was often underpinned by sub-bass frequencies which were intended to create a feeling of tension and unease in the listener. Over time, the genre has spawned numerous subgenres and offshoots, including wonky, future garage, brostep and others.
Drum and Bass
Drum and bass is a style of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s. It is characterized by fast breakbeats (typically between 160–180 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-bass lines. Drum and bass began as a fusion of breakbeat and jungle, and developed into a more complex style known as hardcore jungle. The genre became more commercially successful with the commercial release of Goldie’s 1995 single “Timeless”, which reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart. Drum and bass sees regular rotation on electronic music festivals and has its own culture, including fashion, clubs, record labels and magazines.
Trance
Trance is a genre of electronic music that developed in the early 1990s in Germany. It is characterized by a tempo of between 130 and 160 BPM, repeating melodic phrases, and a musical form that gradually builds up and then resolves. A hallmark of the genre is the unifying quality of the melodic line, which draws listeners into a state of “trance”; hence the name.
The Best Electronic Music Genres
Electronic music has exploded in popularity in recent years, and there are now dozens of different genres to choose from. If you’re looking for the best electronic music to listen to, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll be discussing the best electronic music genres, so you can find the perfect music for you.
House
House is a genre of electronic music that emerged in the 1980s. It is characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a distinctive drum sound. House music is often played in clubs and on radio stations. It has also been influential in other genres, such as techno, trance, and disco.
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, in the United States during the mid-to-late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno in reference to a specific genre of music was in 1988. Many styles of techno now exist, but Detroit techno is seen as the foundation upon which other styles were built.
Techno is generally repetitive instrumental music produced for use in a continuous DJ set. The central rhythmic component is most often in common time (4/4), where time is marked by the beat of a kick drum on every fourth beat. When accompanied by typical synthesizer melodies and basslines, it creates an hypnotic effect that can be dancer for hours.
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) that originated in London, England in the late 1990s. Itsprevailing sound is created by bass-heavy “wobble” sounds and rhythmic, syncopated drum patterns. The tempo of a typical dubstep song is around 140 beats per minute (bpm).
The first documented use of the word “dubstep” was in 2002, but the style has historical roots dating back to 1998 when pioneering producer and DJ Steve Goodman (aka Kode9) released “Sine of the Dub”, a track that was heavily influenced by dub reggae and 2-step garage. In the early 2000s, dubstep began to emerge as a distinct genre from its parent styles of garage and grime. Over the next decade, it would come to dominate the international EDM scene.
Despite its popularity, dubstep has often been met with criticism from music purists who argue that it is not “true” electronic dance music. Nevertheless, dubstep continues to be one of the most popular genres in EDM, with numerous sub-genres and regional scenes developing around it.
Drum and Bass
Drum and bass is a genre of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s. It is characterized by fast breakbeats, with heavy basslines and complex percussion. Drum and bass often features samples from other genres, including hip hop, dub, reggae and jazz.
Trance
Trance is a genre of electronic music that emerged from the rave and club scenes in the 1980s and 1990s. It is characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 BPM, repeating melodic phrases, and a musical form that builds up and down throughout a track. The genre’s popularity peaked in the mid-1990s, but it has continued to be popular among electronic music fans.
