Genre Guides

Music Genre Tree

A visual classification of electronic music genres and how they branch into sub-genres. Each genre shows its BPM range and key characteristics. Use this chart to understand genre relationships and find new styles to explore.

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178

total entries

parent families

150

sub-genres

60–350

BPM span

Electronic Music Genre Tree

178 entries across 28 parent families, spanning 60-350 BPM.

Family	Genre	BPM Range	Typical BPM	Notes
House	House	115-132	125	The foundation of electronic dance music, born in Chicago in the early 1980s. Characterized by a steady four-on-the-floor kick drum pattern, synthesized basslines, and soulful vocals.
House	Chicago House	118-128	122	The original house sound from clubs like The Warehouse and Music Box. Drum machine patterns (TR-707, TR-909), Roland bass, and disco DNA. Pioneered by Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, and Larry Heard.
House	Deep House	118-125	122	A smoother, more atmospheric take on house. Warm pads, jazzy chords, and subdued vocals create a hypnotic, late-night feel.
House	Tech House	124-128	126	Blends house groove with techno's minimalism. Punchy percussion, rolling basslines, and stripped-back arrangements dominate the dancefloor.
House	Progressive House	126-132	128	Long, evolving builds and breakdowns with layered melodies. Tracks develop gradually over 7-10 minutes with emotional peaks.
House	Acid House	120-130	125	Defined by the squelchy, resonant sound of the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer. A pivotal genre in rave culture.
House	Electro House	126-132	128	Big, distorted basslines and aggressive synth leads. High-energy festival sound with dramatic drops. Distinct from classic 'electro' (electrofunk).
House	Funky House	122-128	125	Infuses house with funk and disco elements. Groovy basslines, filtered samples, and uplifting energy.
House	French House	118-128	124	Filter-driven house pioneered by Daft Punk, Cassius, Stardust, and the Ed Banger crew. Heavily filtered disco and funk samples, sidechain pumping, and phaser sweeps.
House	Disco House	118-126	122	House built on disco loops and live instrumentation feel. Strings, horns, slap bass, and four-on-the-floor uplift. Overlaps with French and funky house.
House	Soulful House	120-128	124	House with gospel-rooted vocals, jazzy keys, and live-feel arrangements. Defined by labels like Defected, Soulfuric, and artists like Louie Vega and Kerri Chandler.
House	Garage House	122-128	125	The New York/New Jersey vocal house sound from Paradise Garage and Tony Humphries era. Soulful, gospel-tinged vocals over swung drums. Direct ancestor of UK garage.
House	Future House	124-128	126	Bouncy, metallic-bass house pioneered by Tchami, Oliver Heldens, and Don Diablo. Mid-2010s Spinnin'/Mixmash sound bridging UK garage swing and big-room drops.
House	Bass House	124-130	128	Aggressive, bass-forward house drawing from UK bassline and dubstep. AC Slater, Joyryde, Habstrakt territory. Heavy mid-range growls over four-on-the-floor.
House	G-House	124-128	126	Gangsta-house — tech house with West Coast hip-hop samples and gangsta rap acapellas. Pioneered by AC Slater, Amine Edge & DANCE, and the Night Bass label.
House	Big Room House	126-132	128	Stripped-down festival house built around massive kick-driven drops. Hardwell, Martin Garrix, W&W era of Mainstage EDM at Tomorrowland and Ultra.
House	Tropical House	100-118	110	Slow, sun-soaked house with marimba/steel-drum leads, panflutes, and tropical instrumentation. Popularized by Kygo, Thomas Jack, and Matoma in 2014–2016.
House	Slap House	110-125	120	Plucked, slap-bass-driven house with downtempo trap-influenced energy. Brazilian Bass evolution — Imanbek, VIZE, Alok. Massive in 2019–2021.
House	Brazilian Bass	120-128	124	São Paulo–born deep house variant with prominent slappy bass and minimal arrangement. Alok, Bhaskar, and Vintage Culture defined the sound that birthed slap house globally.
House	Microhouse	120-128	124	Glitchy, micro-sampled minimal house pioneered by Akufen, Ricardo Villalobos, and the Perlon/Kompakt circle. Granular textures and click-house grooves.
House	Hard House	140-150	145	UK rave-era hard house with pumping kicks, hoover synths, and crowd-rallying energy. Tidy Trax, Trade nightclub heritage. Tony De Vit, BK, Lisa Lashes.
House	Italo House	118-128	122	Late-80s Italian house with piano stabs, female diva vocals, and synth strings. Black Box's 'Ride on Time' and 49ers epitomize the sound.
House	Latin House	122-128	125	House laced with congas, timbales, and Latin/salsa percussion. DJ Disciple, Erick Morillo, Roger Sanchez crossover sound.
House	Ghetto House	130-150	135	Raw, sexually explicit Chicago house with stripped 808/909 patterns. Dance Mania label sound — DJ Funk, DJ Deeon. Direct precursor to juke and footwork.
House	Jackin' House	124-128	126	Cut-up disco-loop house with chopped vocal stabs and bouncy swung drums. Strictly Rhythm/Defected territory. The 'jacking' references original Chicago house dance.
House	Outsider House	115-128	120	Raw, lo-fi, outsider-art house from labels like L.I.E.S., Mood Hut, and 1080p. DJ Sotofett, Huerco S., Anthony Naples. Tape hiss and DIY production aesthetics.
House	Lo-Fi House	115-125	120	Raw, tape-saturated house with intentionally degraded sound quality. Vintage samples, dusty drums, and DIY aesthetic. Ross From Friends, DJ Boring, Mall Grab.
House	Afro House	120-128	124	Fuses house music with African rhythms, percussion, and melodic elements. Rich in polyrhythmic patterns and organic instrumentation. Black Coffee, Keinemusik.
House	Afro-Tech	122-128	125	Tech house variant with African percussion layers, log drums, and organic textures. Sits between Afro House and tech house — Themba, Black Motion sound.
House	Tribal House	124-130	126	Percussion-heavy house with congas, djembes, bongos, and chant vocals. Pier Bucci, DJ Chus, Stephan Hinz territory. Different from Afro House — tribal is more global drum focused.
Techno	Techno	130-150	138	Originated in Detroit in the mid-1980s. Driven by repetitive, mechanical rhythms and futuristic synth textures. Designed for dark, immersive dancefloors.
Techno	Detroit Techno	128-140	135	The original techno sound. Melodic, soulful, and forward-looking — influenced by Kraftwerk, funk, and sci-fi. Belleville Three: Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson.
Techno	Minimal Techno	125-135	130	Stripped to essentials — sparse arrangements, subtle percussion, and hypnotic repetition. Less is more. Plastikman, Robert Hood, Ricardo Villalobos.
Techno	Industrial Techno	135-150	142	Raw, abrasive, and uncompromising. Distorted kicks, metallic textures, and relentless intensity. Perc, Ancient Methods, Blawan.
Techno	Acid Techno	130-145	138	Merges techno's drive with the squelchy TB-303 acid sound. Intense, psychedelic, and rave-oriented. Stay Up Forever, Liberator DJs.
Techno	Dub Techno	120-135	128	Combines techno with dub reggae techniques — heavy reverb, delay chains, and dubby chord stabs create a meditative, spacious sound. Basic Channel, Rhythm & Sound, DeepChord.
Techno	Hard Techno	145-160	150	Faster, harder, louder. Pounding kicks, screeching synths, and aggressive energy for peak-time dancefloors. SPFDJ, Sara Landry, Hector Oaks.
Techno	Schranz	145-160	150	German hard techno offshoot known for hammering, distorted kicks and minimal melodic content. Chris Liebing's Frankfurt sound, late-90s Cocoon era.
Techno	Birmingham Techno	130-142	135	Dark, mechanical UK techno school — Surgeon, Regis, British Murder Boys, Female. Downwards label sound built on dystopian repetition.
Techno	Peak Time Techno	132-140	135	Beatport's catch-all for festival-ready, dancefloor-focused techno — Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, Adam Beyer territory. Driving but melodic enough for big rooms.
Techno	Raw Techno	130-142	135	Stripped, lo-fi techno with raw analog warmth. Berghain-aligned but drier — Answer Code Request, Kobosil, Fadi Mohem.
Techno	Hypnotic Techno	130-142	135	Long, looping, trance-inducing techno built on subtle evolution. Donato Dozzy, Voices From The Lake, early Nina Kraviz Trip releases.
Techno	Bleep Techno	120-130	125	Early-90s UK Yorkshire techno — Warp Records' formative sound. Sub-bass, melodic bleeps, and Detroit influence. LFO, Nightmares on Wax, Sweet Exorcist.
Techno	Tribal Techno	130-138	134	Drum-heavy techno with tribal percussion patterns and global drum influences. Adam Beyer's early Drumcode, Joel Mull, Marco Carola territory.
Techno	Ambient Techno	100-130	120	Atmospheric techno that prioritizes texture and mood over drive. Aphex Twin (Selected Ambient Works), B12, Biosphere, The Black Dog.
Techno	Broken Techno	125-138	130	Techno built on broken beats and irregular kick patterns instead of strict 4/4. Bruce, Batu, Pessimist, Livity Sound territory. UK bass-meets-techno.
Techno	Melodic Techno	122-132	126	Emotional melodies over driving techno rhythms. Popularized by Tale Of Us, Afterlife label, and festival main stages. Maceo Plex, Massano, Anyma.
Electro	Electro	110-135	128	True electro — the funky, robotic style descended from Kraftwerk and Afrika Bambaataa. Built on TR-808 syncopation rather than four-on-the-floor. Distinct from 'electro house'.
Electro	Electrofunk	110-130	120	Early-80s funk-electro hybrid. Talking-box vocals, P-funk DNA, and 808 bass. Zapp, Egyptian Lover, World Class Wreckin' Cru.
Electro	Detroit Electro	120-135	128	Sci-fi, aquatic, futurist electro from Drexciya, Aux 88, Anthony Shake Shakir. Underground Resistance/Direct Beat label sound.
Electro	Miami Bass	120-145	130	Sub-bass-heavy 80s/90s Florida electro. 2 Live Crew, DJ Magic Mike, Luke. Booty-shake party music with massive 808 sub-bass.
Electro	Electroclash	118-130	124	Early-2000s NY/Berlin retro-electro fusion with new wave vocals and analog synths. Fischerspooner, Miss Kittin, Peaches, Tiga, Vitalic.
Electro	Skweee	80-110	95	Slow-tempo Scandinavian electro-funk on cheap synths. Daniel Savio, Eero Johannes, Flogsta Danshall — the Flogsta scene's signature sound.
Trance	Trance	128-150	138	Hypnotic melodies, euphoric builds, and extended breakdowns. Designed to induce a trance-like state through repetition and emotional progression.
Trance	Uplifting Trance	136-142	138	The classic trance sound — soaring melodies, big breakdowns, and euphoric drops that define the genre's emotional peak. Aly & Fila, Above & Beyond, Ferry Corsten.
Trance	Progressive Trance	128-136	132	Slower, deeper trance with gradual builds and subtle evolution. Less euphoric peaks, more groove and texture. Sasha & Digweed, Hernan Cattaneo.
Trance	Vocal Trance	132-140	138	Trance with foregrounded vocal performances. Dash Berlin, Tiësto's early-2000s output, ATB. Pop crossover potential.
Trance	Tech Trance	135-145	140	Merges trance's melodic elements with techno's driving, percussive energy. Harder edge than classic trance. Simon Patterson, Sean Tyas, Will Atkinson.
Trance	Hard Trance	140-150	145	Faster, harder trance — distorted hoover synths, pumping kicks, and hard-rave energy. Kai Tracid, Dumonde, Cosmic Gate's early sound.
Trance	Acid Trance	135-145	140	TB-303-driven trance — squelchy acid lines weaving through trance arrangements. Hardfloor, Union Jack, Trance Wax.
Trance	Dream Trance	130-140	135	Mid-90s Italian trance built on dreamy piano leads and emotional progressions. Robert Miles' 'Children' archetype, BBE, Zhi-Vago.
Trance	Balearic Trance	118-128	124	Sun-drenched, slower trance born from Ibiza's Café del Mar/Pacha sunset sets. Eclectic, melodic, and uplifting without the BPM. Chicane, Way Out West.
Trance	Orchestral Uplifting	138-142	140	Cinematic, symphonic uplifting trance — orchestral string sections, choir layers, and film-score builds. Andy Blueman, Soundlift, Activa.
Trance	Psytrance	140-150	145	Psychedelic trance with driving basslines, layered textures, and mind-bending sound design. Born from Goa trance.
Trance	Goa Trance	140-150	145	The original psychedelic trance from Goa, India. Layered acid lines, organic textures, and spiritual energy. Astral Projection, Infected Mushroom's early work.
Trance	Full-On Psytrance	140-148	145	Melodic, energetic Israeli/Brazilian psytrance variant. Vini Vici, Astrix, Infected Mushroom mainstream era. The festival-friendly face of psy.
Trance	Forest / Dark Psytrance	145-160	148	Dark, organic, woodland-mood psytrance with rolling acid basslines. Kindzadza, Para Halu, Terrafractyl. The opposite end from Full-On.
Trance	Hi-Tech / Twilight	150-200	175	Extreme high-BPM psytrance with intricate sound design. Bizzare Contact, Outsiders, Furious. Blurs the line with speedcore at the upper end.
Trance	Suomisaundi	140-160	150	Finnish freeform psy — chaotic, irreverent, sample-collage psytrance. Squaremeat, Texas Faggott, Haltya. The DIY weirdo cousin of Goa.
Trance	Psybreaks	130-150	140	Psytrance hybridised with breakbeat drum patterns. Hyper-Frequencies, Tickle, Shanka, BSE. Mostly 130-140 BPM with broken kicks instead of 4/4.
Drum & Bass	Drum & Bass	160-180	174	Fast breakbeats and heavy sub-bass. Originated in the UK rave scene of the early 1990s. Energetic and bass-heavy.
Drum & Bass	Jungle	160-180	170	The precursor to drum & bass. Chopped breakbeats, Jamaican sound system influence, and ragga/dancehall vocal samples. Goldie, Roni Size, LTJ Bukem.
Drum & Bass	Liquid D&B	170-178	174	The melodic, soulful side of drum & bass. Smooth pads, vocals, and musical breakdowns over rolling beats. High Contrast, Calibre, London Elektricity.
Drum & Bass	Atmospheric D&B	165-175	172	Lush, ambient drum & bass — LTJ Bukem and Good Looking Records-defined. Jazz-tinged pads, deep bass, and meditative vibes.
Drum & Bass	Neurofunk	170-178	174	Technical, dark, and complex. Intricate sound design, glitchy bass, and precise engineering. Noisia, Black Sun Empire, Phace, Misanthrop.
Drum & Bass	Techstep	168-178	174	Late-90s dark, mechanical D&B that became the foundation for neurofunk. Ed Rush & Optical, Dom & Roland, Trace. No Knit roots.
Drum & Bass	Jump Up	170-178	174	Aggressive, crowd-oriented D&B with wobbly basslines and simple, high-energy arrangements designed to make people jump. Hazard, Original Sin, DJ Guv.
Drum & Bass	Darkstep	170-180	174	Aggressive, horror-tinged D&B. Distorted basslines, dark atmospheres, and brutal drops. Limewax, The Outside Agency, Cooh.
Drum & Bass	Crossbreed	175-200	185	Hybrid of D&B and hardcore — fast tempo, distorted hardcore kicks, and D&B drum patterns. Limewax, The Outside Agency, Forbidden Society.
Drum & Bass	Halftime	170-180	174	D&B produced at 170+ BPM but with halftime drum patterns — feels like 85 BPM hip-hop. Ivy Lab, Stray, Sam Binga, Dabs.
Drum & Bass	Drumfunk	170-178	174	Edit-heavy, broken D&B prioritising chopped breakbeats over wobble bass. Paradox, Fanu, Equinox, Macc. The drummer's drum & bass.
Drum & Bass	Minimal D&B	168-176	172	Reduced, atmospheric D&B with sparse arrangements. Calibre, Marcus Intalex, dBridge's Autonomic sound.
Drum & Bass	Ragga Jungle	160-180	170	Heavy on Jamaican ragga vocal samples and dub influence. Congo Natty, General Levy, Aphrodite. The reggae-soundsystem branch of jungle.
Drum & Bass	Drumstep	140-150	140	Hybrid of D&B and dubstep — D&B drum patterns at dubstep tempo (140 BPM). Excision, Datsik, Flux Pavilion crossover sound.
Drum & Bass	Sambass	170-180	174	Brazilian D&B blended with samba percussion and bossa nova feel. DJ Marky, Patife, XRS Land. Brazilian movement of late 90s/early 2000s.
Footwork	Footwork	155-165	160	Chicago dance-battle music descending from juke and ghetto house. Triplet kicks, chopped vocal samples, and 160 BPM intensity. RP Boo, DJ Rashad, Traxman.
Footwork	Juke	155-165	160	Footwork's predecessor — Chicago party music with stripped 808 patterns and faster tempos than ghetto house. Direct ancestor of footwork.
Dubstep	Dubstep	138-142	140	Heavy wobble bass, syncopated rhythms, and sparse arrangements at half-time feel. Originated in South London.
Dubstep	Deep Dubstep	138-142	140	The original UK dubstep sound — deep sub-bass, minimal percussion, and dark, spacious atmospheres. Rooted in dub and garage. Mala, Coki, Loefah, Skream.
Dubstep	Brostep	140-150	145	Aggressive, mid-range focused dubstep popularized by Skrillex. Heavy drops, complex sound design, and festival-oriented energy.
Dubstep	Riddim	140-150	145	Minimalist, repetitive dubstep with heavy emphasis on wobble patterns and triplet rhythms. Stripped back but hard-hitting. Subtronics, Infekt, PhaseOne.
Dubstep	Melodic Dubstep	138-150	140	Combines dubstep's bass weight with emotional melodies, vocals, and cinematic production. Popularized by Seven Lions and Illenium.
Dubstep	Tearout Dubstep	140-150	145	Aggressive UK-style dubstep with brutal mid-range bass. Trampa, Funtcase, Walter Wilde, Eptic. The harder UK answer to brostep.
Dubstep	140 / Deep Bass	138-142	140	The modern UK underground dubstep sound — half-time, sub-bass driven, minimal. Hessle Audio, Tempa, Deep Medi-aligned. Often labelled simply '140'.
Dubstep	Future Garage	130-140	135	Atmospheric, vocal-chopped UK garage descendant — Burial, Untold, Pearson Sound. Late-night, rain-soaked, post-dubstep emotional sound.
Dubstep	Post-Dubstep	130-140	135	Post-2010 sound that took dubstep tempos but dropped wobble bass for songcraft and introspection. James Blake, Mount Kimbie, SBTRKT.
Dubstep	Wonky	130-140	135	Off-grid, syncopated bass music — drunken-feel rhythms and pitch-bent synths. Hudson Mohawke, Rustie, Flying Lotus crossover with the Glasgow LuckyMe scene.
Dubstep	Chillstep	138-142	140	Calm, ambient-toned dubstep with soft pads and gentle bass. Blackmill, CMA, Phaeleh. YouTube/SoundCloud-heritage relaxation soundtrack.
Dubstep	Grime	135-145	140	London MC-driven 140 BPM bass music — Wiley, Skepta, Dizzee Rascal, Stormzy. Eskibeat ancestry, dubstep cousin, hip-hop tempo.
Future Bass	Future Bass	130-160	150	Bright, melodic, supersaw-led bass music. Flume, Illenium, San Holo, Louis The Child. Stutter chords, vocal chops, and emotional drops.
Future Bass	Kawaii Future Bass	140-160	150	Anime-styled, hyper-cute future bass. Snail's House, Rin, Tomggg. Pixel-pop melodies, sugary vocal chops, J-pop influence.
Future Bass	Color Bass	140-150	145	Vibrant, harmonically dense subgenre with overlapping chord stacks and 'colorful' sound design. Chime, MYRNE, Crystal Skies aesthetic.
Future Bass	Glitch Hop	100-115	108	Hip-hop tempo bass music with heavy glitch processing. Pretty Lights, GRiZ, Opiuo. 110 BPM swing, funky drums, talkbox vocals.
Trap (EDM)	Trap (EDM)	130-150	140	Festival/EDM trap — rolling 808 sub-bass, snare rolls, and hip-hop drum DNA at 140 BPM. RL Grime, Flosstradamus, Baauer, Diplo. Distinct from rap trap.
Trap (EDM)	Hard Trap	140-150	145	Hard-hitting festival trap with heavier drops and aggressive sound design. UZ, Carnage, Yellow Claw. Often blurs into hybrid trap.
Trap (EDM)	Festival Trap	140-150	145	Big-room oriented trap built for mainstage moments. Bombs Away, TNGHT influence, Diplo's Mad Decent label aesthetic.
Trap (EDM)	Hybrid Trap	140-150	145	Trap fused with dubstep/riddim sound design. Wakaan label sound — Liquid Stranger, Mersiv, Boogie T. Heavy mid-range bass over trap drums.
Trap (EDM)	Trapwave	130-150	140	Trap with vaporwave/synthwave aesthetics — distorted 808s, retro pads, melancholic vibes. Crossover with phonk and witch house.
Phonk	Phonk	110-150	130	Memphis rap–rooted bass music — distorted 808s, cowbells, chopped vocals. Massively revived in the 2020s through TikTok and drift culture.
Phonk	Drift Phonk	140-165	150	Russian-led aggressive phonk variant tied to Japanese drift-car culture. Kordhell, Phonk Killer, MoonDeity. The 2022 TikTok phonk explosion.
Phonk	Memphis Phonk	70-90	80	The original phonk — Memphis 90s rap source material. DJ Screw chops, Three 6 Mafia influence, lo-fi cassette aesthetic. SpaceGhostPurrp's 2011 revival.
Phonk	House Phonk	130-145	138	Phonk fused with house tempos and four-on-the-floor kicks. Brazilian and Russian scenes overlap here.
Phonk	Brazilian Phonk	130-150	140	São Paulo's funk-meets-phonk hybrid — funk-carioca DNA crossed with drift phonk. Massive 2022–2024 movement on TikTok.
Midtempo	Midtempo	90-115	105	Dark, hypnotic, half-speed bass music sitting between trap and dubstep tempos. Built on heavy sound design and stalking grooves. Rezz, 1788-L, Apashe, Kompany.
Midtempo	Midtempo Bass	100-115	110	The Rezz/Nightmare on Wax Records aesthetic — pulsing 110 BPM grooves, hypnotic kicks, and gritty mid-bass design. The genre's flagship sub-style.
Midtempo	Cinematic Midtempo	90-110	100	Orchestral, trailer-music-inspired midtempo with epic builds and cinematic risers. Apashe, Black Tiger Sex Machine, Kompany at slower tempos.
Midtempo	Industrial Midtempo	100-115	110	Mechanical, dystopian midtempo with industrial sound design. 1788-L, Hi I'm Ghost, Spag Heddy. Nine Inch Nails-coded production.
Midtempo	Phonkstep / Phonk Midtempo	100-115	108	Phonk crossover with midtempo bass design — distorted 808s, cowbells, and slow hypnotic grooves. Bridge between phonk and Rezz-style bass.
Breakbeat	Breakbeat	120-140	130	Syncopated, non-four-on-the-floor drum patterns. Funky, energetic, and sample-heavy.
Breakbeat	Big Beat	110-140	130	Late-90s breakbeat with rock-band attitude. Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Prodigy, Crystal Method. Heavy drums, big riffs, festival appeal.
Breakbeat	Florida Breaks	130-140	135	Bass-heavy Miami breakbeat with Miami Bass DNA. DJ Icey, Baby Anne, Rabbit in the Moon. Massive on Florida rave circuit in the late 90s.
Breakbeat	Nu-Skool Breaks	125-135	130	Late-90s/early-00s UK funky breaks. Adam Freeland, Plump DJs, Stanton Warriors. Cleaner production, electro-influenced.
Breakbeat	Progressive Breaks	128-138	132	Progressive trance/house structures over breakbeat drums. Hybrid, BT, Way Out West. Builds and breakdowns with broken kicks.
UK Garage	UK Garage	128-135	130	Shuffled rhythms, pitched-up vocals, and a swinging groove. The sound of late-90s London nightlife.
UK Garage	2-Step Garage	128-135	132	UK garage variant with snare on the 2 and 4 only — leaves space, creates the shuffle. Artful Dodger, MJ Cole, Sunship.
UK Garage	Speed Garage	130-140	135	Faster UK garage with reggae-influenced sub-bass. Double 99, 187 Lockdown, Tuff Jam. Pre-2-step UKG sound.
UK Garage	Bassline / Niche	134-142	138	Sheffield/Northern UK garage variant with 4/4 kicks and aggressive basslines. T2's 'Heartbroken', DJ Q, TS7. Niche club heritage.
UK Garage	UK Funky	128-135	130	Late-2000s house/garage hybrid with broken Afro-Caribbean drums. Crazy Cousinz, Roska, Cooly G, Lil Silva. Direct ancestor of UK funky-influenced UK funky.
Hardcore	Hardcore	160-200	175	Fast, aggressive, and intense. Distorted kicks, rapid tempos, and unrelenting energy.
Hardcore	Gabber	160-200	180	Rotterdam-born hardcore with severely distorted kicks ('gabber kicks') made from overdriven 909 kicks. Paul Elstak, Neophyte, Rotterdam Terror Corps.
Hardcore	Early Hardcore	150-165	160	Early-90s Rotterdam hardcore — pre-gabber breakbeat-driven sound. Holy Noise, Euromasters, Sperminator. The genre's birthplace.
Hardcore	Happy Hardcore	160-180	170	Bouncy, melodic, often piano-driven hardcore. Anglo-Dutch sound. Scott Brown, Hixxy, DJ Brisk. Big in 90s UK rave.
Hardcore	UK Hardcore	170-185	175	Modern UK happy-hardcore evolution with cleaner production. Darren Styles, Gammer, Hixxy. The 2000s-onwards UK festival sound.
Hardcore	Frenchcore	200-220	210	Fast-rolling French hardcore with the signature 'Frenchcore kick' — a punchy distorted kick on every quarter. Dr. Peacock, Sefa, Radium.
Hardcore	Speedcore	250-350	280	Extreme hardcore at 250+ BPM. Distorted kicks blur into noise walls. Lenny Dee, Noisekick, The Speed Freak.
Hardcore	Terrorcore	200-300	240	Horror-themed extreme hardcore with movie samples and dystopian themes. Industrial Strength label, Lenny Dee, Stickhead.
Hardcore	Breakcore	160-220	180	Edit-heavy chaotic breakbeat hardcore. Venetian Snares, Aaron Spectre, Sickboy. Mash-up culture and IDM-meets-hardcore.
Hardcore	Industrial Hardcore	175-200	185	Dark, mechanical hardcore with industrial atmospheres. The Outside Agency, Tieum, Promo. Often blurs with crossbreed.
Hardcore	Mainstream Hardcore	150-180	170	Festival-friendly hardcore — Q-dance/Masters of Hardcore mainstage sound. Angerfist, Miss K8, Mad Dog.
Hardstyle	Hardstyle	150-160	155	Hard-hitting reverse bass kicks, euphoric melodies, and crowd-engaging energy. Massive in the Netherlands festival scene.
Hardstyle	Euphoric Hardstyle	150-155	150	The melodic side of hardstyle. Soaring leads, uplifting breakdowns, and anthemic energy designed for festival main stages. Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Brennan Heart.
Hardstyle	Rawstyle	150-160	155	The darker, harder side of hardstyle. Raw kicks, screech leads, and aggressive production with less emphasis on melody. Radical Redemption, Warface, Crypsis.
Hardstyle	Xtra Raw	150-165	158	Even harder rawstyle pushing toward uptempo territory. Screechy 'reese' style kicks, aggressive distortion. The brutal edge of rawstyle.
Hardstyle	Reverse Bass	150-155	150	Classic hardstyle sound built around the signature reverse bass kick — a key element that defines the genre's rhythmic character.
Hardstyle	Nu-Style Hardstyle	140-150	145	Mid-2000s hardstyle evolution — melodic, screech-led, more song-structured. Showtek, Headhunterz, Noisecontrollers. Bridge between classic and euphoric.
Hardstyle	Dubstyle	140-150	145	Hardstyle/dubstep crossover. Dubstep wobble bass over hardstyle drum patterns. Coone, Endymion experiments.
Hardstyle	Uptempo Hardcore	165-200	180	Faster-than-hardstyle, slower-than-speedcore offshoot. Sometimes classified under hardcore. Sefa, Crisis Era, Killshot. Dutch festival upper-tempo bracket.
Moombahton	Moombahton	100-115	108	Reggaeton-house hybrid invented by Dave Nada in 2009. Pitched-down house at 108 BPM with reggaeton dembow rhythm. Diplo, Munchi, Major Lazer.
Moombahton	Moombahcore	110-130	115	Heavier, dubstep-influenced moombahton. Dillon Francis, Diplo, Knife Party. Bigger drops, harder sound design.
Amapiano	Amapiano	108-118	112	South African house sub-genre defined by deep log drums, jazzy keys, and slow groove. Massive global movement since 2019. Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic.
Gqom	Gqom	120-130	125	Raw, dark Durban house variant — minimalist, percussion-led, often without melody. DJ Lag, Citizen Boy, Rudeboyz. South African underground export.
Nu-Disco	Nu-Disco	100-125	118	Modern disco revival with house DNA. Live-feel basslines, strings, and four-on-the-floor warmth. Todd Terje, Daft Punk's RAM, Lindstrøm.
Nu-Disco	Italo Disco	110-130	120	Early-80s Italian electronic disco. Synth basslines, vocoders, and futuristic vibes. Giorgio Moroder, Ryan Paris, Gazebo.
Nu-Disco	Hi-NRG	130-150	135	Faster gay-club disco descendant — Patrick Cowley, Bobby O, Sylvester. Pumping octave basslines, big claps. Pre-house bridge.
Nu-Disco	Disco	100-130	118	The 70s parent genre that birthed house. Live drums, strings, four-on-the-floor, soulful vocals. Donna Summer, Chic, Bee Gees.
Nu-Disco	Eurodance	130-145	140	90s European pop-dance crossover. Female vocals + male rap formula. 2 Unlimited, Snap!, Ace of Base, Vengaboys.
Synthwave	Synthwave	80-115	100	80s-inspired retro electronica — gated reverb drums, FM-synth pads, neon nostalgia. Kavinsky's Drive soundtrack era. The Midnight, FM-84.
Synthwave	Outrun	80-115	100	Highway/driving-themed synthwave subgenre — soundtrack-feel arpeggios and arena-rock drums. Mitch Murder, Lazerhawk, Miami Nights 1984.
Synthwave	Darksynth	90-130	110	Aggressive horror-tinged synthwave. Perturbator, Carpenter Brut, GosT. John Carpenter scoring DNA. Often crosses into metal-tempo.
Synthwave	Vaporwave	60-90	75	Slowed/chopped 80s/90s smooth-jazz/lounge samples. Macintosh Plus 'Floral Shoppe', Saint Pepsi. Internet-aesthetic adjacent.
Synthwave	Chillwave	80-110	95	Hazy, dreamy late-2000s indie-electronic — Washed Out, Toro y Moi, Neon Indian. Lo-fi pop with synth nostalgia.
IDM	IDM	90-160	130	Intelligent Dance Music — the cerebral, listening-focused branch of electronic. Aphex Twin, Autechre, Squarepusher, μ-Ziq. Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence series defined the term.
IDM	Glitch	100-150	130	Music built from digital errors — clicks, pops, bit-crushes. Oval, Alva Noto, Pole. Mille Plateaux label sound.
IDM	Drill 'n' Bass	150-180	170	IDM/D&B hybrid with hyper-edited drum programming. Squarepusher, Aphex Twin (Come to Daddy era), Venetian Snares.
IDM	Braindance	90-160	130	Term coined by Rephlex Records (Aphex Twin/Grant Wilson-Claridge) for their broader IDM/acid output. Embraces playful melody alongside programming complexity.
IDM	Ambient IDM	60-100	80	Slow, textural IDM emphasising atmosphere over rhythm. Boards of Canada, Ulrich Schnauss, Tycho's earlier work. Music for night drives.
EBM	EBM	110-140	130	Electronic Body Music — Belgian/German industrial-techno predecessor. Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, DAF. Sequenced bass, militant chants, factory aesthetics.
EBM	Aggrotech	130-150	140	Aggressive, distorted EBM evolution — Combichrist, Suicide Commando, Hocico. Goth-club staple, distorted screamed vocals.
EBM	Industrial	100-140	125	Throbbing Gristle/SPK/Cabaret Voltaire originated noise/electronic genre. Later split into industrial rock (NIN, Ministry) and EBM. Harsh textures, machine sounds.
Ambient	Ambient	60-120	90	Atmospheric, textural music designed for deep listening. Gentle pads, field recordings, and evolving soundscapes. Often beatless or with very subtle rhythms. Brian Eno, Stars of the Lid.
Ambient	Dark Ambient	60-80	70	Cinematic, ominous ambient. Lustmord, Atrium Carceri, Cryo Chamber label. Often beatless, drone-heavy.
Ambient	Drone	60-80	60	Sustained-tone music. Stars of the Lid, Eliane Radigue, Tim Hecker. Often without measurable BPM — labelled here as base pulse only.
Downtempo	Downtempo	80-115	95	Relaxed electronic beats with warm textures. Perfect for chill-out rooms, opening sets, and afternoon listening.
Downtempo	Chillout / Lounge	80-105	95	Slow, atmospheric electronic for chill-out rooms and Café del Mar settings. Café del Mar comps, Air, Thievery Corporation.
Trip-Hop	Trip-Hop	70-100	90	Bristol-born downtempo with hip-hop drums, dub bass, and cinematic atmosphere. Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Morcheeba.
Jersey Club	Jersey Club	130-145	140	Rapid-fire kicks, bed-squeaking samples, and chopped vocals from Newark, NJ. High energy and sample-driven. DJ Sliink, UNIIQU3, Brick Bandits crew.
Baltimore Club	Baltimore Club	130-140	135	Baltimore's regional club music — 8/4 kick patterns, breakbeat samples, call-and-response vocals. DJ Class, Rod Lee, Scottie B. Predates Jersey Club.
Philly Club	Philly Club	130-145	140	Philadelphia's club-music variant — bridges Jersey Club energy with Philly hip-hop heritage. Chopped vocals, hard kicks.

House

115–132BPM

The foundation of electronic dance music, born in Chicago in the early 1980s. Characterized by a steady four-on-the-floor kick drum pattern, synthesized basslines, and soulful vocals.

Four-on-the-floor kickSynth basslinesSoulful vocalsOffbeat hi-hats

29 sub-genres

scale: 95–155 BPM

Tropical House100–118

Slap House110–125

Outsider House115–128

Lo-Fi House115–125

Chicago House118–128

Deep House118–125

Disco House118–126

Italo House118–128

French House118–128

Soulful House120–128

Brazilian Bass120–128

Microhouse120–128

Afro House120–128

Acid House120–130

Funky House122–128

Garage House122–128

Latin House122–128

Afro-Tech122–128

Tech House124–128

Future House124–128

G-House124–128

Jackin' House124–128

Tribal House124–130

Progressive House126–132

Electro House126–132

Bass House124–130

Big Room House126–132

Ghetto House130–150

Hard House140–150

Techno

130–150BPM

Originated in Detroit in the mid-1980s. Driven by repetitive, mechanical rhythms and futuristic synth textures. Designed for dark, immersive dancefloors.

Repetitive rhythmsMechanical feelDark atmosphereFuturistic synths

16 sub-genres

scale: 95–165 BPM

Ambient Techno100–130

Bleep Techno120–130

Melodic Techno122–132

Dub Techno120–135

Minimal Techno125–135

Broken Techno125–138

Tribal Techno130–138

Detroit Techno128–140

Birmingham Techno130–142

Peak Time Techno132–140

Raw Techno130–142

Hypnotic Techno130–142

Acid Techno130–145

Industrial Techno135–150

Hard Techno145–160

Schranz145–160

Electro

110–135BPM

True electro — the funky, robotic style descended from Kraftwerk and Afrika Bambaataa. Built on TR-808 syncopation rather than four-on-the-floor. Distinct from 'electro house'.

TR-808 syncopationRobotic vocalsFunky breakbeatsSci-fi mood

5 sub-genres

scale: 75–150 BPM

Skweee80–110

Electrofunk110–130

Electroclash118–130

Detroit Electro120–135

Miami Bass120–145

Trance

128–150BPM

Hypnotic melodies, euphoric builds, and extended breakdowns. Designed to induce a trance-like state through repetition and emotional progression.

Euphoric melodiesExtended buildsArpeggiated synthsEmotional peaks

16 sub-genres

scale: 110–210 BPM

Balearic Trance118–128

Progressive Trance128–136

Dream Trance130–140

Uplifting Trance136–142

Vocal Trance132–140

Tech Trance135–145

Acid Trance135–145

Orchestral Uplifting138–142

Psybreaks130–150

Hard Trance140–150

Psytrance140–150

Goa Trance140–150

Full-On Psytrance140–148

Forest / Dark Psytrance145–160

Suomisaundi140–160

Hi-Tech / Twilight150–200

Drum & Bass

160–180BPM

Fast breakbeats and heavy sub-bass. Originated in the UK rave scene of the early 1990s. Energetic and bass-heavy.

Fast breakbeatsHeavy sub-bassComplex drum patternsAmen break

14 sub-genres

scale: 135–205 BPM

Drumstep140–150

Jungle160–180

Ragga Jungle160–180

Atmospheric D&B165–175

Minimal D&B168–176

Liquid D&B170–178

Neurofunk170–178

Techstep168–178

Jump Up170–178

Darkstep170–180

Halftime170–180

Drumfunk170–178

Sambass170–180

Crossbreed175–200

Footwork

155–165BPM

Chicago dance-battle music descending from juke and ghetto house. Triplet kicks, chopped vocal samples, and 160 BPM intensity. RP Boo, DJ Rashad, Traxman.

Triplet kicksChopped vocalsChicago originDance-battle music

1 sub-genre

scale: 150–170 BPM

Juke155–165

Dubstep

138–142BPM

Heavy wobble bass, syncopated rhythms, and sparse arrangements at half-time feel. Originated in South London.

Wobble bassHalf-time feelSyncopated rhythmsSub-bass emphasis

11 sub-genres

scale: 125–155 BPM

Future Garage130–140

Post-Dubstep130–140

Wonky130–140

Deep Dubstep138–142

Melodic Dubstep138–150

140 / Deep Bass138–142

Chillstep138–142

Grime135–145

Brostep140–150

Riddim140–150

Tearout Dubstep140–150

Future Bass

130–160BPM

Bright, melodic, supersaw-led bass music. Flume, Illenium, San Holo, Louis The Child. Stutter chords, vocal chops, and emotional drops.

Supersaw stabsVocal chopsBright melodiesStuttered chords

3 sub-genres

scale: 95–165 BPM

Glitch Hop100–115

Color Bass140–150

Kawaii Future Bass140–160

Trap (EDM)

130–150BPM

Festival/EDM trap — rolling 808 sub-bass, snare rolls, and hip-hop drum DNA at 140 BPM. RL Grime, Flosstradamus, Baauer, Diplo. Distinct from rap trap.

808 sub-bassSnare rolls140 BPMFestival-built

4 sub-genres

scale: 125–155 BPM

Trapwave130–150

Hard Trap140–150

Festival Trap140–150

Hybrid Trap140–150

Phonk

110–150BPM

Memphis rap–rooted bass music — distorted 808s, cowbells, chopped vocals. Massively revived in the 2020s through TikTok and drift culture.

Distorted 808CowbellsMemphis samplesCassette grain

4 sub-genres

scale: 60–175 BPM

Memphis Phonk70–90

House Phonk130–145

Brazilian Phonk130–150

Drift Phonk140–165

Midtempo

90–115BPM

Dark, hypnotic, half-speed bass music sitting between trap and dubstep tempos. Built on heavy sound design and stalking grooves. Rezz, 1788-L, Apashe, Kompany.

Hypnotic grooveHeavy sound designDark moodHalf-speed feel

4 sub-genres

scale: 85–120 BPM

Cinematic Midtempo90–110

Phonkstep / Phonk Midtempo100–115

Midtempo Bass100–115

Industrial Midtempo100–115

Breakbeat

120–140BPM

Syncopated, non-four-on-the-floor drum patterns. Funky, energetic, and sample-heavy.

Broken beatsSyncopated patternsFunky groovesSample-heavy

4 sub-genres

scale: 105–145 BPM

Big Beat110–140

Nu-Skool Breaks125–135

Progressive Breaks128–138

Florida Breaks130–140

UK Garage

128–135BPM

Shuffled rhythms, pitched-up vocals, and a swinging groove. The sound of late-90s London nightlife.

Shuffled beatsPitched vocalsSwinging groove2-step rhythm

4 sub-genres

scale: 120–150 BPM

UK Funky128–135

2-Step Garage128–135

Speed Garage130–140

Bassline / Niche134–142

Hardcore

160–200BPM

Fast, aggressive, and intense. Distorted kicks, rapid tempos, and unrelenting energy.

Distorted kicksRapid tempoAggressive energyGabber influence

10 sub-genres

scale: 130–370 BPM

Early Hardcore150–165

Happy Hardcore160–180

Mainstream Hardcore150–180

UK Hardcore170–185

Gabber160–200

Breakcore160–220

Industrial Hardcore175–200

Frenchcore200–220

Terrorcore200–300

Speedcore250–350

Hardstyle

150–160BPM

Hard-hitting reverse bass kicks, euphoric melodies, and crowd-engaging energy. Massive in the Netherlands festival scene.

Reverse bassEuphoric melodiesHard kicksFestival anthems

7 sub-genres

scale: 135–205 BPM

Nu-Style Hardstyle140–150

Dubstyle140–150

Euphoric Hardstyle150–155

Reverse Bass150–155

Rawstyle150–160

Xtra Raw150–165

Uptempo Hardcore165–200

Moombahton

100–115BPM

Reggaeton-house hybrid invented by Dave Nada in 2009. Pitched-down house at 108 BPM with reggaeton dembow rhythm. Diplo, Munchi, Major Lazer.

Dembow rhythm108 BPMReggaeton DNAHouse origin

1 sub-genre

scale: 95–135 BPM

Moombahcore110–130

Amapiano

108–118BPM

South African house sub-genre defined by deep log drums, jazzy keys, and slow groove. Massive global movement since 2019. Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic.

Log drum bassJazzy keysSlow grooveSouth African

Gqom

120–130BPM

Raw, dark Durban house variant — minimalist, percussion-led, often without melody. DJ Lag, Citizen Boy, Rudeboyz. South African underground export.

Dark atmosphereStripped percussionDurban originMinimal melody

Nu-Disco

100–125BPM

Modern disco revival with house DNA. Live-feel basslines, strings, and four-on-the-floor warmth. Todd Terje, Daft Punk's RAM, Lindstrøm.

Live bass feelDisco stringsHouse tempoModern revival

4 sub-genres

scale: 95–155 BPM

Disco100–130

Italo Disco110–130

Hi-NRG130–150

Eurodance130–145

Synthwave

80–115BPM

80s-inspired retro electronica — gated reverb drums, FM-synth pads, neon nostalgia. Kavinsky's Drive soundtrack era. The Midnight, FM-84.

80s synthsGated reverb drumsNeon nostalgiaDrive aesthetic

4 sub-genres

scale: 50–140 BPM

Vaporwave60–90

Chillwave80–110

Outrun80–115

Darksynth90–130

IDM

90–160BPM

Intelligent Dance Music — the cerebral, listening-focused branch of electronic. Aphex Twin, Autechre, Squarepusher, μ-Ziq. Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence series defined the term.

Complex programmingListening focusWarp aestheticCerebral

4 sub-genres

scale: 50–190 BPM

Ambient IDM60–100

Glitch100–150

Braindance90–160

Drill 'n' Bass150–180

EBM

110–140BPM

Electronic Body Music — Belgian/German industrial-techno predecessor. Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, DAF. Sequenced bass, militant chants, factory aesthetics.

Sequenced bassMilitant chantsBelgian/German originIndustrial DNA

2 sub-genres

scale: 95–155 BPM

Industrial100–140

Aggrotech130–150

Ambient

60–120BPM

Atmospheric, textural music designed for deep listening. Gentle pads, field recordings, and evolving soundscapes. Often beatless or with very subtle rhythms. Brian Eno, Stars of the Lid.

Atmospheric padsField recordingsEvolving texturesMeditative

2 sub-genres

scale: 55–125 BPM

Drone60–80

Dark Ambient60–80

Downtempo

80–115BPM

Relaxed electronic beats with warm textures. Perfect for chill-out rooms, opening sets, and afternoon listening.

Relaxed beatsWarm texturesTrip-hop influenceChill vibes

1 sub-genre

scale: 75–120 BPM

Chillout / Lounge80–105

Trip-Hop

70–100BPM

Bristol-born downtempo with hip-hop drums, dub bass, and cinematic atmosphere. Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Morcheeba.

Hip-hop drumsDub bassBristol originCinematic mood

Jersey Club

130–145BPM

Rapid-fire kicks, bed-squeaking samples, and chopped vocals from Newark, NJ. High energy and sample-driven. DJ Sliink, UNIIQU3, Brick Bandits crew.

Rapid kicksChopped vocalsBed-squeak sampleNewark scene

Baltimore Club

130–140BPM

Baltimore's regional club music — 8/4 kick patterns, breakbeat samples, call-and-response vocals. DJ Class, Rod Lee, Scottie B. Predates Jersey Club.

8/4 kick patternSample-heavyBaltimore originCall-and-response

Philly Club

130–145BPM

Philadelphia's club-music variant — bridges Jersey Club energy with Philly hip-hop heritage. Chopped vocals, hard kicks.

Hard kicksChopped vocalsPhilly originHip-hop crossover

How Electronic Music Genres Evolved

Electronic dance music traces its roots to the late 1970s and early 1980s. House music emerged from Chicago's club scene, evolving from disco. Techno was born in Detroit, inspired by Kraftwerk, Parliament-Funkadelic, and Italo disco. These two genres became the foundation for most modern EDM.

The UK rave scene of the early 1990s produced several new branches: jungle and drum and bass from sped-up breakbeats, UK garage from house with a shuffled rhythm, and dubstep from the intersection of garage, dub, and grime. Meanwhile, trance developed in Germany and the Netherlands as a more melodic, euphoric evolution of techno.

Each parent genre continued to splinter as producers explored different tempos, sound palettes, and cultural influences. Today, the genre tree is constantly growing -new sub-genres emerge as artists blend existing styles in novel ways.

Mixing Across Genre Families

House ↔ Techno -tech house (124–128 BPM) and melodic techno (122–132 BPM) bridge these families naturally
Techno ↔ Trance -tech trance (135–145 BPM) merges driving techno percussion with trance melodies
Dubstep ↔ D&B -halftime D&B and drumstep bridge the tempo gap between 140 and 174 BPM
Techno ↔ Hardstyle -hard techno (145–160 BPM) overlaps with hardstyle's lower range
House ↔ Breakbeat -both sit around 120–140 BPM, differing mainly in drum pattern (four-on-the-floor vs broken beats)

Use our halftime/doubletime calculator to find mathematical tempo relationships between genres, or check the EDM genre chart for a BPM-focused comparison.

Organize your DJ library visually.

Tag tracks by vibe. See everything at once. Export to any DJ software.

Discover Vibes

A visual system for organizing your DJ library.

Frequently Asked Questions

Electronic music genres are typically classified by tempo (BPM), rhythmic pattern (four-on-the-floor vs breakbeat), sound design (bass-heavy vs melodic), and cultural origin. Parent genres like house, techno, and trance each spawned sub-genres that emphasize different combinations of these traits.

There's no definitive count -estimates range from 50 to 300+ depending on how granularly you split sub-genres. The major parent genres are house, techno, trance, drum and bass, dubstep, breakbeat, ambient, and hardcore. Each has multiple sub-genres. This chart covers the most widely recognized ones.

EDM (Electronic Dance Music) specifically refers to electronic music designed for dancing -genres like house, techno, trance, and dubstep. 'Electronic music' is a broader term that also includes non-dance genres like ambient, IDM, and experimental electronic. In common usage, EDM often refers to the festival-oriented, commercially popular end of the spectrum.

Most EDM genres evolved from earlier styles. House came from disco, techno from Kraftwerk and funk, drum and bass from jungle and hardcore. Sub-genres form when producers take a parent genre's core elements and emphasize one aspect -for example, deep house emphasizes atmosphere over energy, while electro house emphasizes aggression.

Related Tools

EDM Genre Chart

Interactive genre tree with BPM ranges

House Music BPM Guide

BPM ranges for house music and all sub-genres

Techno BPM Guide

BPM ranges for techno and all sub-genres

Drum & Bass BPM Guide

BPM ranges for drum and bass and all sub-genres

Trance BPM Guide

BPM ranges for trance and all sub-genres

Dubstep BPM Guide

BPM ranges for dubstep and all sub-genres

Hardstyle BPM Guide

BPM ranges for hardstyle and all sub-genres

Music Genre Tree

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178

total entries

parent families

150

sub-genres

60–350

BPM span

Electronic Music Genre Tree

178 entries across 28 parent families, spanning 60-350 BPM.

Family	Genre	BPM Range	Typical BPM	Notes
House	House	115-132	125	The foundation of electronic dance music, born in Chicago in the early 1980s. Characterized by a steady four-on-the-floor kick drum pattern, synthesized basslines, and soulful vocals.
House	Chicago House	118-128	122	The original house sound from clubs like The Warehouse and Music Box. Drum machine patterns (TR-707, TR-909), Roland bass, and disco DNA. Pioneered by Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, and Larry Heard.
House	Deep House	118-125	122	A smoother, more atmospheric take on house. Warm pads, jazzy chords, and subdued vocals create a hypnotic, late-night feel.
House	Tech House	124-128	126	Blends house groove with techno's minimalism. Punchy percussion, rolling basslines, and stripped-back arrangements dominate the dancefloor.
House	Progressive House	126-132	128	Long, evolving builds and breakdowns with layered melodies. Tracks develop gradually over 7-10 minutes with emotional peaks.
House	Acid House	120-130	125	Defined by the squelchy, resonant sound of the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer. A pivotal genre in rave culture.
House	Electro House	126-132	128	Big, distorted basslines and aggressive synth leads. High-energy festival sound with dramatic drops. Distinct from classic 'electro' (electrofunk).
House	Funky House	122-128	125	Infuses house with funk and disco elements. Groovy basslines, filtered samples, and uplifting energy.
House	French House	118-128	124	Filter-driven house pioneered by Daft Punk, Cassius, Stardust, and the Ed Banger crew. Heavily filtered disco and funk samples, sidechain pumping, and phaser sweeps.
House	Disco House	118-126	122	House built on disco loops and live instrumentation feel. Strings, horns, slap bass, and four-on-the-floor uplift. Overlaps with French and funky house.
House	Soulful House	120-128	124	House with gospel-rooted vocals, jazzy keys, and live-feel arrangements. Defined by labels like Defected, Soulfuric, and artists like Louie Vega and Kerri Chandler.
House	Garage House	122-128	125	The New York/New Jersey vocal house sound from Paradise Garage and Tony Humphries era. Soulful, gospel-tinged vocals over swung drums. Direct ancestor of UK garage.
House	Future House	124-128	126	Bouncy, metallic-bass house pioneered by Tchami, Oliver Heldens, and Don Diablo. Mid-2010s Spinnin'/Mixmash sound bridging UK garage swing and big-room drops.
House	Bass House	124-130	128	Aggressive, bass-forward house drawing from UK bassline and dubstep. AC Slater, Joyryde, Habstrakt territory. Heavy mid-range growls over four-on-the-floor.
House	G-House	124-128	126	Gangsta-house — tech house with West Coast hip-hop samples and gangsta rap acapellas. Pioneered by AC Slater, Amine Edge & DANCE, and the Night Bass label.
House	Big Room House	126-132	128	Stripped-down festival house built around massive kick-driven drops. Hardwell, Martin Garrix, W&W era of Mainstage EDM at Tomorrowland and Ultra.
House	Tropical House	100-118	110	Slow, sun-soaked house with marimba/steel-drum leads, panflutes, and tropical instrumentation. Popularized by Kygo, Thomas Jack, and Matoma in 2014–2016.
House	Slap House	110-125	120	Plucked, slap-bass-driven house with downtempo trap-influenced energy. Brazilian Bass evolution — Imanbek, VIZE, Alok. Massive in 2019–2021.
House	Brazilian Bass	120-128	124	São Paulo–born deep house variant with prominent slappy bass and minimal arrangement. Alok, Bhaskar, and Vintage Culture defined the sound that birthed slap house globally.
House	Microhouse	120-128	124	Glitchy, micro-sampled minimal house pioneered by Akufen, Ricardo Villalobos, and the Perlon/Kompakt circle. Granular textures and click-house grooves.
House	Hard House	140-150	145	UK rave-era hard house with pumping kicks, hoover synths, and crowd-rallying energy. Tidy Trax, Trade nightclub heritage. Tony De Vit, BK, Lisa Lashes.
House	Italo House	118-128	122	Late-80s Italian house with piano stabs, female diva vocals, and synth strings. Black Box's 'Ride on Time' and 49ers epitomize the sound.
House	Latin House	122-128	125	House laced with congas, timbales, and Latin/salsa percussion. DJ Disciple, Erick Morillo, Roger Sanchez crossover sound.
House	Ghetto House	130-150	135	Raw, sexually explicit Chicago house with stripped 808/909 patterns. Dance Mania label sound — DJ Funk, DJ Deeon. Direct precursor to juke and footwork.
House	Jackin' House	124-128	126	Cut-up disco-loop house with chopped vocal stabs and bouncy swung drums. Strictly Rhythm/Defected territory. The 'jacking' references original Chicago house dance.
House	Outsider House	115-128	120	Raw, lo-fi, outsider-art house from labels like L.I.E.S., Mood Hut, and 1080p. DJ Sotofett, Huerco S., Anthony Naples. Tape hiss and DIY production aesthetics.
House	Lo-Fi House	115-125	120	Raw, tape-saturated house with intentionally degraded sound quality. Vintage samples, dusty drums, and DIY aesthetic. Ross From Friends, DJ Boring, Mall Grab.
House	Afro House	120-128	124	Fuses house music with African rhythms, percussion, and melodic elements. Rich in polyrhythmic patterns and organic instrumentation. Black Coffee, Keinemusik.
House	Afro-Tech	122-128	125	Tech house variant with African percussion layers, log drums, and organic textures. Sits between Afro House and tech house — Themba, Black Motion sound.
House	Tribal House	124-130	126	Percussion-heavy house with congas, djembes, bongos, and chant vocals. Pier Bucci, DJ Chus, Stephan Hinz territory. Different from Afro House — tribal is more global drum focused.
Techno	Techno	130-150	138	Originated in Detroit in the mid-1980s. Driven by repetitive, mechanical rhythms and futuristic synth textures. Designed for dark, immersive dancefloors.
Techno	Detroit Techno	128-140	135	The original techno sound. Melodic, soulful, and forward-looking — influenced by Kraftwerk, funk, and sci-fi. Belleville Three: Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson.
Techno	Minimal Techno	125-135	130	Stripped to essentials — sparse arrangements, subtle percussion, and hypnotic repetition. Less is more. Plastikman, Robert Hood, Ricardo Villalobos.
Techno	Industrial Techno	135-150	142	Raw, abrasive, and uncompromising. Distorted kicks, metallic textures, and relentless intensity. Perc, Ancient Methods, Blawan.
Techno	Acid Techno	130-145	138	Merges techno's drive with the squelchy TB-303 acid sound. Intense, psychedelic, and rave-oriented. Stay Up Forever, Liberator DJs.
Techno	Dub Techno	120-135	128	Combines techno with dub reggae techniques — heavy reverb, delay chains, and dubby chord stabs create a meditative, spacious sound. Basic Channel, Rhythm & Sound, DeepChord.
Techno	Hard Techno	145-160	150	Faster, harder, louder. Pounding kicks, screeching synths, and aggressive energy for peak-time dancefloors. SPFDJ, Sara Landry, Hector Oaks.
Techno	Schranz	145-160	150	German hard techno offshoot known for hammering, distorted kicks and minimal melodic content. Chris Liebing's Frankfurt sound, late-90s Cocoon era.
Techno	Birmingham Techno	130-142	135	Dark, mechanical UK techno school — Surgeon, Regis, British Murder Boys, Female. Downwards label sound built on dystopian repetition.
Techno	Peak Time Techno	132-140	135	Beatport's catch-all for festival-ready, dancefloor-focused techno — Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, Adam Beyer territory. Driving but melodic enough for big rooms.
Techno	Raw Techno	130-142	135	Stripped, lo-fi techno with raw analog warmth. Berghain-aligned but drier — Answer Code Request, Kobosil, Fadi Mohem.
Techno	Hypnotic Techno	130-142	135	Long, looping, trance-inducing techno built on subtle evolution. Donato Dozzy, Voices From The Lake, early Nina Kraviz Trip releases.
Techno	Bleep Techno	120-130	125	Early-90s UK Yorkshire techno — Warp Records' formative sound. Sub-bass, melodic bleeps, and Detroit influence. LFO, Nightmares on Wax, Sweet Exorcist.
Techno	Tribal Techno	130-138	134	Drum-heavy techno with tribal percussion patterns and global drum influences. Adam Beyer's early Drumcode, Joel Mull, Marco Carola territory.
Techno	Ambient Techno	100-130	120	Atmospheric techno that prioritizes texture and mood over drive. Aphex Twin (Selected Ambient Works), B12, Biosphere, The Black Dog.
Techno	Broken Techno	125-138	130	Techno built on broken beats and irregular kick patterns instead of strict 4/4. Bruce, Batu, Pessimist, Livity Sound territory. UK bass-meets-techno.
Techno	Melodic Techno	122-132	126	Emotional melodies over driving techno rhythms. Popularized by Tale Of Us, Afterlife label, and festival main stages. Maceo Plex, Massano, Anyma.
Electro	Electro	110-135	128	True electro — the funky, robotic style descended from Kraftwerk and Afrika Bambaataa. Built on TR-808 syncopation rather than four-on-the-floor. Distinct from 'electro house'.
Electro	Electrofunk	110-130	120	Early-80s funk-electro hybrid. Talking-box vocals, P-funk DNA, and 808 bass. Zapp, Egyptian Lover, World Class Wreckin' Cru.
Electro	Detroit Electro	120-135	128	Sci-fi, aquatic, futurist electro from Drexciya, Aux 88, Anthony Shake Shakir. Underground Resistance/Direct Beat label sound.
Electro	Miami Bass	120-145	130	Sub-bass-heavy 80s/90s Florida electro. 2 Live Crew, DJ Magic Mike, Luke. Booty-shake party music with massive 808 sub-bass.
Electro	Electroclash	118-130	124	Early-2000s NY/Berlin retro-electro fusion with new wave vocals and analog synths. Fischerspooner, Miss Kittin, Peaches, Tiga, Vitalic.
Electro	Skweee	80-110	95	Slow-tempo Scandinavian electro-funk on cheap synths. Daniel Savio, Eero Johannes, Flogsta Danshall — the Flogsta scene's signature sound.
Trance	Trance	128-150	138	Hypnotic melodies, euphoric builds, and extended breakdowns. Designed to induce a trance-like state through repetition and emotional progression.
Trance	Uplifting Trance	136-142	138	The classic trance sound — soaring melodies, big breakdowns, and euphoric drops that define the genre's emotional peak. Aly & Fila, Above & Beyond, Ferry Corsten.
Trance	Progressive Trance	128-136	132	Slower, deeper trance with gradual builds and subtle evolution. Less euphoric peaks, more groove and texture. Sasha & Digweed, Hernan Cattaneo.
Trance	Vocal Trance	132-140	138	Trance with foregrounded vocal performances. Dash Berlin, Tiësto's early-2000s output, ATB. Pop crossover potential.
Trance	Tech Trance	135-145	140	Merges trance's melodic elements with techno's driving, percussive energy. Harder edge than classic trance. Simon Patterson, Sean Tyas, Will Atkinson.
Trance	Hard Trance	140-150	145	Faster, harder trance — distorted hoover synths, pumping kicks, and hard-rave energy. Kai Tracid, Dumonde, Cosmic Gate's early sound.
Trance	Acid Trance	135-145	140	TB-303-driven trance — squelchy acid lines weaving through trance arrangements. Hardfloor, Union Jack, Trance Wax.
Trance	Dream Trance	130-140	135	Mid-90s Italian trance built on dreamy piano leads and emotional progressions. Robert Miles' 'Children' archetype, BBE, Zhi-Vago.
Trance	Balearic Trance	118-128	124	Sun-drenched, slower trance born from Ibiza's Café del Mar/Pacha sunset sets. Eclectic, melodic, and uplifting without the BPM. Chicane, Way Out West.
Trance	Orchestral Uplifting	138-142	140	Cinematic, symphonic uplifting trance — orchestral string sections, choir layers, and film-score builds. Andy Blueman, Soundlift, Activa.
Trance	Psytrance	140-150	145	Psychedelic trance with driving basslines, layered textures, and mind-bending sound design. Born from Goa trance.
Trance	Goa Trance	140-150	145	The original psychedelic trance from Goa, India. Layered acid lines, organic textures, and spiritual energy. Astral Projection, Infected Mushroom's early work.
Trance	Full-On Psytrance	140-148	145	Melodic, energetic Israeli/Brazilian psytrance variant. Vini Vici, Astrix, Infected Mushroom mainstream era. The festival-friendly face of psy.
Trance	Forest / Dark Psytrance	145-160	148	Dark, organic, woodland-mood psytrance with rolling acid basslines. Kindzadza, Para Halu, Terrafractyl. The opposite end from Full-On.
Trance	Hi-Tech / Twilight	150-200	175	Extreme high-BPM psytrance with intricate sound design. Bizzare Contact, Outsiders, Furious. Blurs the line with speedcore at the upper end.
Trance	Suomisaundi	140-160	150	Finnish freeform psy — chaotic, irreverent, sample-collage psytrance. Squaremeat, Texas Faggott, Haltya. The DIY weirdo cousin of Goa.
Trance	Psybreaks	130-150	140	Psytrance hybridised with breakbeat drum patterns. Hyper-Frequencies, Tickle, Shanka, BSE. Mostly 130-140 BPM with broken kicks instead of 4/4.
Drum & Bass	Drum & Bass	160-180	174	Fast breakbeats and heavy sub-bass. Originated in the UK rave scene of the early 1990s. Energetic and bass-heavy.
Drum & Bass	Jungle	160-180	170	The precursor to drum & bass. Chopped breakbeats, Jamaican sound system influence, and ragga/dancehall vocal samples. Goldie, Roni Size, LTJ Bukem.
Drum & Bass	Liquid D&B	170-178	174	The melodic, soulful side of drum & bass. Smooth pads, vocals, and musical breakdowns over rolling beats. High Contrast, Calibre, London Elektricity.
Drum & Bass	Atmospheric D&B	165-175	172	Lush, ambient drum & bass — LTJ Bukem and Good Looking Records-defined. Jazz-tinged pads, deep bass, and meditative vibes.
Drum & Bass	Neurofunk	170-178	174	Technical, dark, and complex. Intricate sound design, glitchy bass, and precise engineering. Noisia, Black Sun Empire, Phace, Misanthrop.
Drum & Bass	Techstep	168-178	174	Late-90s dark, mechanical D&B that became the foundation for neurofunk. Ed Rush & Optical, Dom & Roland, Trace. No Knit roots.
Drum & Bass	Jump Up	170-178	174	Aggressive, crowd-oriented D&B with wobbly basslines and simple, high-energy arrangements designed to make people jump. Hazard, Original Sin, DJ Guv.
Drum & Bass	Darkstep	170-180	174	Aggressive, horror-tinged D&B. Distorted basslines, dark atmospheres, and brutal drops. Limewax, The Outside Agency, Cooh.
Drum & Bass	Crossbreed	175-200	185	Hybrid of D&B and hardcore — fast tempo, distorted hardcore kicks, and D&B drum patterns. Limewax, The Outside Agency, Forbidden Society.
Drum & Bass	Halftime	170-180	174	D&B produced at 170+ BPM but with halftime drum patterns — feels like 85 BPM hip-hop. Ivy Lab, Stray, Sam Binga, Dabs.
Drum & Bass	Drumfunk	170-178	174	Edit-heavy, broken D&B prioritising chopped breakbeats over wobble bass. Paradox, Fanu, Equinox, Macc. The drummer's drum & bass.
Drum & Bass	Minimal D&B	168-176	172	Reduced, atmospheric D&B with sparse arrangements. Calibre, Marcus Intalex, dBridge's Autonomic sound.
Drum & Bass	Ragga Jungle	160-180	170	Heavy on Jamaican ragga vocal samples and dub influence. Congo Natty, General Levy, Aphrodite. The reggae-soundsystem branch of jungle.
Drum & Bass	Drumstep	140-150	140	Hybrid of D&B and dubstep — D&B drum patterns at dubstep tempo (140 BPM). Excision, Datsik, Flux Pavilion crossover sound.
Drum & Bass	Sambass	170-180	174	Brazilian D&B blended with samba percussion and bossa nova feel. DJ Marky, Patife, XRS Land. Brazilian movement of late 90s/early 2000s.
Footwork	Footwork	155-165	160	Chicago dance-battle music descending from juke and ghetto house. Triplet kicks, chopped vocal samples, and 160 BPM intensity. RP Boo, DJ Rashad, Traxman.
Footwork	Juke	155-165	160	Footwork's predecessor — Chicago party music with stripped 808 patterns and faster tempos than ghetto house. Direct ancestor of footwork.
Dubstep	Dubstep	138-142	140	Heavy wobble bass, syncopated rhythms, and sparse arrangements at half-time feel. Originated in South London.
Dubstep	Deep Dubstep	138-142	140	The original UK dubstep sound — deep sub-bass, minimal percussion, and dark, spacious atmospheres. Rooted in dub and garage. Mala, Coki, Loefah, Skream.
Dubstep	Brostep	140-150	145	Aggressive, mid-range focused dubstep popularized by Skrillex. Heavy drops, complex sound design, and festival-oriented energy.
Dubstep	Riddim	140-150	145	Minimalist, repetitive dubstep with heavy emphasis on wobble patterns and triplet rhythms. Stripped back but hard-hitting. Subtronics, Infekt, PhaseOne.
Dubstep	Melodic Dubstep	138-150	140	Combines dubstep's bass weight with emotional melodies, vocals, and cinematic production. Popularized by Seven Lions and Illenium.
Dubstep	Tearout Dubstep	140-150	145	Aggressive UK-style dubstep with brutal mid-range bass. Trampa, Funtcase, Walter Wilde, Eptic. The harder UK answer to brostep.
Dubstep	140 / Deep Bass	138-142	140	The modern UK underground dubstep sound — half-time, sub-bass driven, minimal. Hessle Audio, Tempa, Deep Medi-aligned. Often labelled simply '140'.
Dubstep	Future Garage	130-140	135	Atmospheric, vocal-chopped UK garage descendant — Burial, Untold, Pearson Sound. Late-night, rain-soaked, post-dubstep emotional sound.
Dubstep	Post-Dubstep	130-140	135	Post-2010 sound that took dubstep tempos but dropped wobble bass for songcraft and introspection. James Blake, Mount Kimbie, SBTRKT.
Dubstep	Wonky	130-140	135	Off-grid, syncopated bass music — drunken-feel rhythms and pitch-bent synths. Hudson Mohawke, Rustie, Flying Lotus crossover with the Glasgow LuckyMe scene.
Dubstep	Chillstep	138-142	140	Calm, ambient-toned dubstep with soft pads and gentle bass. Blackmill, CMA, Phaeleh. YouTube/SoundCloud-heritage relaxation soundtrack.
Dubstep	Grime	135-145	140	London MC-driven 140 BPM bass music — Wiley, Skepta, Dizzee Rascal, Stormzy. Eskibeat ancestry, dubstep cousin, hip-hop tempo.
Future Bass	Future Bass	130-160	150	Bright, melodic, supersaw-led bass music. Flume, Illenium, San Holo, Louis The Child. Stutter chords, vocal chops, and emotional drops.
Future Bass	Kawaii Future Bass	140-160	150	Anime-styled, hyper-cute future bass. Snail's House, Rin, Tomggg. Pixel-pop melodies, sugary vocal chops, J-pop influence.
Future Bass	Color Bass	140-150	145	Vibrant, harmonically dense subgenre with overlapping chord stacks and 'colorful' sound design. Chime, MYRNE, Crystal Skies aesthetic.
Future Bass	Glitch Hop	100-115	108	Hip-hop tempo bass music with heavy glitch processing. Pretty Lights, GRiZ, Opiuo. 110 BPM swing, funky drums, talkbox vocals.
Trap (EDM)	Trap (EDM)	130-150	140	Festival/EDM trap — rolling 808 sub-bass, snare rolls, and hip-hop drum DNA at 140 BPM. RL Grime, Flosstradamus, Baauer, Diplo. Distinct from rap trap.
Trap (EDM)	Hard Trap	140-150	145	Hard-hitting festival trap with heavier drops and aggressive sound design. UZ, Carnage, Yellow Claw. Often blurs into hybrid trap.
Trap (EDM)	Festival Trap	140-150	145	Big-room oriented trap built for mainstage moments. Bombs Away, TNGHT influence, Diplo's Mad Decent label aesthetic.
Trap (EDM)	Hybrid Trap	140-150	145	Trap fused with dubstep/riddim sound design. Wakaan label sound — Liquid Stranger, Mersiv, Boogie T. Heavy mid-range bass over trap drums.
Trap (EDM)	Trapwave	130-150	140	Trap with vaporwave/synthwave aesthetics — distorted 808s, retro pads, melancholic vibes. Crossover with phonk and witch house.
Phonk	Phonk	110-150	130	Memphis rap–rooted bass music — distorted 808s, cowbells, chopped vocals. Massively revived in the 2020s through TikTok and drift culture.
Phonk	Drift Phonk	140-165	150	Russian-led aggressive phonk variant tied to Japanese drift-car culture. Kordhell, Phonk Killer, MoonDeity. The 2022 TikTok phonk explosion.
Phonk	Memphis Phonk	70-90	80	The original phonk — Memphis 90s rap source material. DJ Screw chops, Three 6 Mafia influence, lo-fi cassette aesthetic. SpaceGhostPurrp's 2011 revival.
Phonk	House Phonk	130-145	138	Phonk fused with house tempos and four-on-the-floor kicks. Brazilian and Russian scenes overlap here.
Phonk	Brazilian Phonk	130-150	140	São Paulo's funk-meets-phonk hybrid — funk-carioca DNA crossed with drift phonk. Massive 2022–2024 movement on TikTok.
Midtempo	Midtempo	90-115	105	Dark, hypnotic, half-speed bass music sitting between trap and dubstep tempos. Built on heavy sound design and stalking grooves. Rezz, 1788-L, Apashe, Kompany.
Midtempo	Midtempo Bass	100-115	110	The Rezz/Nightmare on Wax Records aesthetic — pulsing 110 BPM grooves, hypnotic kicks, and gritty mid-bass design. The genre's flagship sub-style.
Midtempo	Cinematic Midtempo	90-110	100	Orchestral, trailer-music-inspired midtempo with epic builds and cinematic risers. Apashe, Black Tiger Sex Machine, Kompany at slower tempos.
Midtempo	Industrial Midtempo	100-115	110	Mechanical, dystopian midtempo with industrial sound design. 1788-L, Hi I'm Ghost, Spag Heddy. Nine Inch Nails-coded production.
Midtempo	Phonkstep / Phonk Midtempo	100-115	108	Phonk crossover with midtempo bass design — distorted 808s, cowbells, and slow hypnotic grooves. Bridge between phonk and Rezz-style bass.
Breakbeat	Breakbeat	120-140	130	Syncopated, non-four-on-the-floor drum patterns. Funky, energetic, and sample-heavy.
Breakbeat	Big Beat	110-140	130	Late-90s breakbeat with rock-band attitude. Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Prodigy, Crystal Method. Heavy drums, big riffs, festival appeal.
Breakbeat	Florida Breaks	130-140	135	Bass-heavy Miami breakbeat with Miami Bass DNA. DJ Icey, Baby Anne, Rabbit in the Moon. Massive on Florida rave circuit in the late 90s.
Breakbeat	Nu-Skool Breaks	125-135	130	Late-90s/early-00s UK funky breaks. Adam Freeland, Plump DJs, Stanton Warriors. Cleaner production, electro-influenced.
Breakbeat	Progressive Breaks	128-138	132	Progressive trance/house structures over breakbeat drums. Hybrid, BT, Way Out West. Builds and breakdowns with broken kicks.
UK Garage	UK Garage	128-135	130	Shuffled rhythms, pitched-up vocals, and a swinging groove. The sound of late-90s London nightlife.
UK Garage	2-Step Garage	128-135	132	UK garage variant with snare on the 2 and 4 only — leaves space, creates the shuffle. Artful Dodger, MJ Cole, Sunship.
UK Garage	Speed Garage	130-140	135	Faster UK garage with reggae-influenced sub-bass. Double 99, 187 Lockdown, Tuff Jam. Pre-2-step UKG sound.
UK Garage	Bassline / Niche	134-142	138	Sheffield/Northern UK garage variant with 4/4 kicks and aggressive basslines. T2's 'Heartbroken', DJ Q, TS7. Niche club heritage.
UK Garage	UK Funky	128-135	130	Late-2000s house/garage hybrid with broken Afro-Caribbean drums. Crazy Cousinz, Roska, Cooly G, Lil Silva. Direct ancestor of UK funky-influenced UK funky.
Hardcore	Hardcore	160-200	175	Fast, aggressive, and intense. Distorted kicks, rapid tempos, and unrelenting energy.
Hardcore	Gabber	160-200	180	Rotterdam-born hardcore with severely distorted kicks ('gabber kicks') made from overdriven 909 kicks. Paul Elstak, Neophyte, Rotterdam Terror Corps.
Hardcore	Early Hardcore	150-165	160	Early-90s Rotterdam hardcore — pre-gabber breakbeat-driven sound. Holy Noise, Euromasters, Sperminator. The genre's birthplace.
Hardcore	Happy Hardcore	160-180	170	Bouncy, melodic, often piano-driven hardcore. Anglo-Dutch sound. Scott Brown, Hixxy, DJ Brisk. Big in 90s UK rave.
Hardcore	UK Hardcore	170-185	175	Modern UK happy-hardcore evolution with cleaner production. Darren Styles, Gammer, Hixxy. The 2000s-onwards UK festival sound.
Hardcore	Frenchcore	200-220	210	Fast-rolling French hardcore with the signature 'Frenchcore kick' — a punchy distorted kick on every quarter. Dr. Peacock, Sefa, Radium.
Hardcore	Speedcore	250-350	280	Extreme hardcore at 250+ BPM. Distorted kicks blur into noise walls. Lenny Dee, Noisekick, The Speed Freak.
Hardcore	Terrorcore	200-300	240	Horror-themed extreme hardcore with movie samples and dystopian themes. Industrial Strength label, Lenny Dee, Stickhead.
Hardcore	Breakcore	160-220	180	Edit-heavy chaotic breakbeat hardcore. Venetian Snares, Aaron Spectre, Sickboy. Mash-up culture and IDM-meets-hardcore.
Hardcore	Industrial Hardcore	175-200	185	Dark, mechanical hardcore with industrial atmospheres. The Outside Agency, Tieum, Promo. Often blurs with crossbreed.
Hardcore	Mainstream Hardcore	150-180	170	Festival-friendly hardcore — Q-dance/Masters of Hardcore mainstage sound. Angerfist, Miss K8, Mad Dog.
Hardstyle	Hardstyle	150-160	155	Hard-hitting reverse bass kicks, euphoric melodies, and crowd-engaging energy. Massive in the Netherlands festival scene.
Hardstyle	Euphoric Hardstyle	150-155	150	The melodic side of hardstyle. Soaring leads, uplifting breakdowns, and anthemic energy designed for festival main stages. Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Brennan Heart.
Hardstyle	Rawstyle	150-160	155	The darker, harder side of hardstyle. Raw kicks, screech leads, and aggressive production with less emphasis on melody. Radical Redemption, Warface, Crypsis.
Hardstyle	Xtra Raw	150-165	158	Even harder rawstyle pushing toward uptempo territory. Screechy 'reese' style kicks, aggressive distortion. The brutal edge of rawstyle.
Hardstyle	Reverse Bass	150-155	150	Classic hardstyle sound built around the signature reverse bass kick — a key element that defines the genre's rhythmic character.
Hardstyle	Nu-Style Hardstyle	140-150	145	Mid-2000s hardstyle evolution — melodic, screech-led, more song-structured. Showtek, Headhunterz, Noisecontrollers. Bridge between classic and euphoric.
Hardstyle	Dubstyle	140-150	145	Hardstyle/dubstep crossover. Dubstep wobble bass over hardstyle drum patterns. Coone, Endymion experiments.
Hardstyle	Uptempo Hardcore	165-200	180	Faster-than-hardstyle, slower-than-speedcore offshoot. Sometimes classified under hardcore. Sefa, Crisis Era, Killshot. Dutch festival upper-tempo bracket.
Moombahton	Moombahton	100-115	108	Reggaeton-house hybrid invented by Dave Nada in 2009. Pitched-down house at 108 BPM with reggaeton dembow rhythm. Diplo, Munchi, Major Lazer.
Moombahton	Moombahcore	110-130	115	Heavier, dubstep-influenced moombahton. Dillon Francis, Diplo, Knife Party. Bigger drops, harder sound design.
Amapiano	Amapiano	108-118	112	South African house sub-genre defined by deep log drums, jazzy keys, and slow groove. Massive global movement since 2019. Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic.
Gqom	Gqom	120-130	125	Raw, dark Durban house variant — minimalist, percussion-led, often without melody. DJ Lag, Citizen Boy, Rudeboyz. South African underground export.
Nu-Disco	Nu-Disco	100-125	118	Modern disco revival with house DNA. Live-feel basslines, strings, and four-on-the-floor warmth. Todd Terje, Daft Punk's RAM, Lindstrøm.
Nu-Disco	Italo Disco	110-130	120	Early-80s Italian electronic disco. Synth basslines, vocoders, and futuristic vibes. Giorgio Moroder, Ryan Paris, Gazebo.
Nu-Disco	Hi-NRG	130-150	135	Faster gay-club disco descendant — Patrick Cowley, Bobby O, Sylvester. Pumping octave basslines, big claps. Pre-house bridge.
Nu-Disco	Disco	100-130	118	The 70s parent genre that birthed house. Live drums, strings, four-on-the-floor, soulful vocals. Donna Summer, Chic, Bee Gees.
Nu-Disco	Eurodance	130-145	140	90s European pop-dance crossover. Female vocals + male rap formula. 2 Unlimited, Snap!, Ace of Base, Vengaboys.
Synthwave	Synthwave	80-115	100	80s-inspired retro electronica — gated reverb drums, FM-synth pads, neon nostalgia. Kavinsky's Drive soundtrack era. The Midnight, FM-84.
Synthwave	Outrun	80-115	100	Highway/driving-themed synthwave subgenre — soundtrack-feel arpeggios and arena-rock drums. Mitch Murder, Lazerhawk, Miami Nights 1984.
Synthwave	Darksynth	90-130	110	Aggressive horror-tinged synthwave. Perturbator, Carpenter Brut, GosT. John Carpenter scoring DNA. Often crosses into metal-tempo.
Synthwave	Vaporwave	60-90	75	Slowed/chopped 80s/90s smooth-jazz/lounge samples. Macintosh Plus 'Floral Shoppe', Saint Pepsi. Internet-aesthetic adjacent.
Synthwave	Chillwave	80-110	95	Hazy, dreamy late-2000s indie-electronic — Washed Out, Toro y Moi, Neon Indian. Lo-fi pop with synth nostalgia.
IDM	IDM	90-160	130	Intelligent Dance Music — the cerebral, listening-focused branch of electronic. Aphex Twin, Autechre, Squarepusher, μ-Ziq. Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence series defined the term.
IDM	Glitch	100-150	130	Music built from digital errors — clicks, pops, bit-crushes. Oval, Alva Noto, Pole. Mille Plateaux label sound.
IDM	Drill 'n' Bass	150-180	170	IDM/D&B hybrid with hyper-edited drum programming. Squarepusher, Aphex Twin (Come to Daddy era), Venetian Snares.
IDM	Braindance	90-160	130	Term coined by Rephlex Records (Aphex Twin/Grant Wilson-Claridge) for their broader IDM/acid output. Embraces playful melody alongside programming complexity.
IDM	Ambient IDM	60-100	80	Slow, textural IDM emphasising atmosphere over rhythm. Boards of Canada, Ulrich Schnauss, Tycho's earlier work. Music for night drives.
EBM	EBM	110-140	130	Electronic Body Music — Belgian/German industrial-techno predecessor. Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, DAF. Sequenced bass, militant chants, factory aesthetics.
EBM	Aggrotech	130-150	140	Aggressive, distorted EBM evolution — Combichrist, Suicide Commando, Hocico. Goth-club staple, distorted screamed vocals.
EBM	Industrial	100-140	125	Throbbing Gristle/SPK/Cabaret Voltaire originated noise/electronic genre. Later split into industrial rock (NIN, Ministry) and EBM. Harsh textures, machine sounds.
Ambient	Ambient	60-120	90	Atmospheric, textural music designed for deep listening. Gentle pads, field recordings, and evolving soundscapes. Often beatless or with very subtle rhythms. Brian Eno, Stars of the Lid.
Ambient	Dark Ambient	60-80	70	Cinematic, ominous ambient. Lustmord, Atrium Carceri, Cryo Chamber label. Often beatless, drone-heavy.
Ambient	Drone	60-80	60	Sustained-tone music. Stars of the Lid, Eliane Radigue, Tim Hecker. Often without measurable BPM — labelled here as base pulse only.
Downtempo	Downtempo	80-115	95	Relaxed electronic beats with warm textures. Perfect for chill-out rooms, opening sets, and afternoon listening.
Downtempo	Chillout / Lounge	80-105	95	Slow, atmospheric electronic for chill-out rooms and Café del Mar settings. Café del Mar comps, Air, Thievery Corporation.
Trip-Hop	Trip-Hop	70-100	90	Bristol-born downtempo with hip-hop drums, dub bass, and cinematic atmosphere. Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Morcheeba.
Jersey Club	Jersey Club	130-145	140	Rapid-fire kicks, bed-squeaking samples, and chopped vocals from Newark, NJ. High energy and sample-driven. DJ Sliink, UNIIQU3, Brick Bandits crew.
Baltimore Club	Baltimore Club	130-140	135	Baltimore's regional club music — 8/4 kick patterns, breakbeat samples, call-and-response vocals. DJ Class, Rod Lee, Scottie B. Predates Jersey Club.
Philly Club	Philly Club	130-145	140	Philadelphia's club-music variant — bridges Jersey Club energy with Philly hip-hop heritage. Chopped vocals, hard kicks.

House

115–132BPM

The foundation of electronic dance music, born in Chicago in the early 1980s. Characterized by a steady four-on-the-floor kick drum pattern, synthesized basslines, and soulful vocals.

Four-on-the-floor kickSynth basslinesSoulful vocalsOffbeat hi-hats

29 sub-genres

scale: 95–155 BPM

Tropical House100–118

Slap House110–125

Outsider House115–128

Lo-Fi House115–125

Chicago House118–128

Deep House118–125

Disco House118–126

Italo House118–128

French House118–128

Soulful House120–128

Brazilian Bass120–128

Microhouse120–128

Afro House120–128

Acid House120–130

Funky House122–128

Garage House122–128

Latin House122–128

Afro-Tech122–128

Tech House124–128

Future House124–128

G-House124–128

Jackin' House124–128

Tribal House124–130

Progressive House126–132

Electro House126–132

Bass House124–130

Big Room House126–132

Ghetto House130–150

Hard House140–150

Techno

130–150BPM

Originated in Detroit in the mid-1980s. Driven by repetitive, mechanical rhythms and futuristic synth textures. Designed for dark, immersive dancefloors.

Repetitive rhythmsMechanical feelDark atmosphereFuturistic synths

16 sub-genres

scale: 95–165 BPM

Ambient Techno100–130

Bleep Techno120–130

Melodic Techno122–132

Dub Techno120–135

Minimal Techno125–135

Broken Techno125–138

Tribal Techno130–138

Detroit Techno128–140

Birmingham Techno130–142

Peak Time Techno132–140

Raw Techno130–142

Hypnotic Techno130–142

Acid Techno130–145

Industrial Techno135–150

Hard Techno145–160

Schranz145–160

Electro

110–135BPM

True electro — the funky, robotic style descended from Kraftwerk and Afrika Bambaataa. Built on TR-808 syncopation rather than four-on-the-floor. Distinct from 'electro house'.

TR-808 syncopationRobotic vocalsFunky breakbeatsSci-fi mood

5 sub-genres

scale: 75–150 BPM

Skweee80–110

Electrofunk110–130

Electroclash118–130

Detroit Electro120–135

Miami Bass120–145

Trance

128–150BPM

Hypnotic melodies, euphoric builds, and extended breakdowns. Designed to induce a trance-like state through repetition and emotional progression.

Euphoric melodiesExtended buildsArpeggiated synthsEmotional peaks

16 sub-genres

scale: 110–210 BPM

Balearic Trance118–128

Progressive Trance128–136

Dream Trance130–140

Uplifting Trance136–142

Vocal Trance132–140

Tech Trance135–145

Acid Trance135–145

Orchestral Uplifting138–142

Psybreaks130–150

Hard Trance140–150

Psytrance140–150

Goa Trance140–150

Full-On Psytrance140–148

Forest / Dark Psytrance145–160

Suomisaundi140–160

Hi-Tech / Twilight150–200

Drum & Bass

160–180BPM

Fast breakbeats and heavy sub-bass. Originated in the UK rave scene of the early 1990s. Energetic and bass-heavy.

Fast breakbeatsHeavy sub-bassComplex drum patternsAmen break

14 sub-genres

scale: 135–205 BPM

Drumstep140–150

Jungle160–180

Ragga Jungle160–180

Atmospheric D&B165–175

Minimal D&B168–176

Liquid D&B170–178

Neurofunk170–178

Techstep168–178

Jump Up170–178

Darkstep170–180

Halftime170–180

Drumfunk170–178

Sambass170–180

Crossbreed175–200

Footwork

155–165BPM

Chicago dance-battle music descending from juke and ghetto house. Triplet kicks, chopped vocal samples, and 160 BPM intensity. RP Boo, DJ Rashad, Traxman.

Triplet kicksChopped vocalsChicago originDance-battle music

1 sub-genre

scale: 150–170 BPM

Juke155–165

Dubstep

138–142BPM

Heavy wobble bass, syncopated rhythms, and sparse arrangements at half-time feel. Originated in South London.

Wobble bassHalf-time feelSyncopated rhythmsSub-bass emphasis

11 sub-genres

scale: 125–155 BPM

Future Garage130–140

Post-Dubstep130–140

Wonky130–140

Deep Dubstep138–142

Melodic Dubstep138–150

140 / Deep Bass138–142

Chillstep138–142

Grime135–145

Brostep140–150

Riddim140–150

Tearout Dubstep140–150

Future Bass

130–160BPM

Bright, melodic, supersaw-led bass music. Flume, Illenium, San Holo, Louis The Child. Stutter chords, vocal chops, and emotional drops.

Supersaw stabsVocal chopsBright melodiesStuttered chords

3 sub-genres

scale: 95–165 BPM

Glitch Hop100–115

Color Bass140–150

Kawaii Future Bass140–160

Trap (EDM)

130–150BPM

Festival/EDM trap — rolling 808 sub-bass, snare rolls, and hip-hop drum DNA at 140 BPM. RL Grime, Flosstradamus, Baauer, Diplo. Distinct from rap trap.

808 sub-bassSnare rolls140 BPMFestival-built

4 sub-genres

scale: 125–155 BPM

Trapwave130–150

Hard Trap140–150

Festival Trap140–150

Hybrid Trap140–150

Phonk

110–150BPM

Memphis rap–rooted bass music — distorted 808s, cowbells, chopped vocals. Massively revived in the 2020s through TikTok and drift culture.

Distorted 808CowbellsMemphis samplesCassette grain

4 sub-genres

scale: 60–175 BPM

Memphis Phonk70–90

House Phonk130–145

Brazilian Phonk130–150

Drift Phonk140–165

Midtempo

90–115BPM

Dark, hypnotic, half-speed bass music sitting between trap and dubstep tempos. Built on heavy sound design and stalking grooves. Rezz, 1788-L, Apashe, Kompany.

Hypnotic grooveHeavy sound designDark moodHalf-speed feel

4 sub-genres

scale: 85–120 BPM

Cinematic Midtempo90–110

Phonkstep / Phonk Midtempo100–115

Midtempo Bass100–115

Industrial Midtempo100–115

Breakbeat

120–140BPM

Syncopated, non-four-on-the-floor drum patterns. Funky, energetic, and sample-heavy.

Broken beatsSyncopated patternsFunky groovesSample-heavy

4 sub-genres

scale: 105–145 BPM

Big Beat110–140

Nu-Skool Breaks125–135

Progressive Breaks128–138

Florida Breaks130–140

UK Garage

128–135BPM

Shuffled rhythms, pitched-up vocals, and a swinging groove. The sound of late-90s London nightlife.

Shuffled beatsPitched vocalsSwinging groove2-step rhythm

4 sub-genres

scale: 120–150 BPM

UK Funky128–135

2-Step Garage128–135

Speed Garage130–140

Bassline / Niche134–142

Hardcore

160–200BPM

Fast, aggressive, and intense. Distorted kicks, rapid tempos, and unrelenting energy.

Distorted kicksRapid tempoAggressive energyGabber influence

10 sub-genres

scale: 130–370 BPM

Early Hardcore150–165

Happy Hardcore160–180

Mainstream Hardcore150–180

UK Hardcore170–185

Gabber160–200

Breakcore160–220

Industrial Hardcore175–200

Frenchcore200–220

Terrorcore200–300

Speedcore250–350

Hardstyle

150–160BPM

Hard-hitting reverse bass kicks, euphoric melodies, and crowd-engaging energy. Massive in the Netherlands festival scene.

Reverse bassEuphoric melodiesHard kicksFestival anthems

7 sub-genres

scale: 135–205 BPM

Nu-Style Hardstyle140–150

Dubstyle140–150

Euphoric Hardstyle150–155

Reverse Bass150–155

Rawstyle150–160

Xtra Raw150–165

Uptempo Hardcore165–200

Moombahton

100–115BPM

Reggaeton-house hybrid invented by Dave Nada in 2009. Pitched-down house at 108 BPM with reggaeton dembow rhythm. Diplo, Munchi, Major Lazer.

Dembow rhythm108 BPMReggaeton DNAHouse origin

1 sub-genre

scale: 95–135 BPM

Moombahcore110–130

Amapiano

108–118BPM

South African house sub-genre defined by deep log drums, jazzy keys, and slow groove. Massive global movement since 2019. Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic.

Log drum bassJazzy keysSlow grooveSouth African

Gqom

120–130BPM

Raw, dark Durban house variant — minimalist, percussion-led, often without melody. DJ Lag, Citizen Boy, Rudeboyz. South African underground export.

Dark atmosphereStripped percussionDurban originMinimal melody

Nu-Disco

100–125BPM

Modern disco revival with house DNA. Live-feel basslines, strings, and four-on-the-floor warmth. Todd Terje, Daft Punk's RAM, Lindstrøm.

Live bass feelDisco stringsHouse tempoModern revival

4 sub-genres

scale: 95–155 BPM

Disco100–130

Italo Disco110–130

Hi-NRG130–150

Eurodance130–145

Synthwave

80–115BPM

80s-inspired retro electronica — gated reverb drums, FM-synth pads, neon nostalgia. Kavinsky's Drive soundtrack era. The Midnight, FM-84.

80s synthsGated reverb drumsNeon nostalgiaDrive aesthetic

4 sub-genres

scale: 50–140 BPM

Vaporwave60–90

Chillwave80–110

Outrun80–115

Darksynth90–130

IDM

90–160BPM

Intelligent Dance Music — the cerebral, listening-focused branch of electronic. Aphex Twin, Autechre, Squarepusher, μ-Ziq. Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence series defined the term.

Complex programmingListening focusWarp aestheticCerebral

4 sub-genres

scale: 50–190 BPM

Ambient IDM60–100

Glitch100–150

Braindance90–160

Drill 'n' Bass150–180

EBM

110–140BPM

Electronic Body Music — Belgian/German industrial-techno predecessor. Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, DAF. Sequenced bass, militant chants, factory aesthetics.

Sequenced bassMilitant chantsBelgian/German originIndustrial DNA

2 sub-genres

scale: 95–155 BPM

Industrial100–140

Aggrotech130–150

Ambient

60–120BPM

Atmospheric, textural music designed for deep listening. Gentle pads, field recordings, and evolving soundscapes. Often beatless or with very subtle rhythms. Brian Eno, Stars of the Lid.

Atmospheric padsField recordingsEvolving texturesMeditative

2 sub-genres

scale: 55–125 BPM

Drone60–80

Dark Ambient60–80

Downtempo

80–115BPM

Relaxed electronic beats with warm textures. Perfect for chill-out rooms, opening sets, and afternoon listening.

Relaxed beatsWarm texturesTrip-hop influenceChill vibes

1 sub-genre

scale: 75–120 BPM

Chillout / Lounge80–105

Trip-Hop

70–100BPM

Bristol-born downtempo with hip-hop drums, dub bass, and cinematic atmosphere. Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Morcheeba.

Hip-hop drumsDub bassBristol originCinematic mood

Jersey Club

130–145BPM

Rapid-fire kicks, bed-squeaking samples, and chopped vocals from Newark, NJ. High energy and sample-driven. DJ Sliink, UNIIQU3, Brick Bandits crew.

Rapid kicksChopped vocalsBed-squeak sampleNewark scene

Baltimore Club

130–140BPM

Baltimore's regional club music — 8/4 kick patterns, breakbeat samples, call-and-response vocals. DJ Class, Rod Lee, Scottie B. Predates Jersey Club.

8/4 kick patternSample-heavyBaltimore originCall-and-response

Philly Club

130–145BPM

Philadelphia's club-music variant — bridges Jersey Club energy with Philly hip-hop heritage. Chopped vocals, hard kicks.

Hard kicksChopped vocalsPhilly originHip-hop crossover

How Electronic Music Genres Evolved

Mixing Across Genre Families

House ↔ Techno -tech house (124–128 BPM) and melodic techno (122–132 BPM) bridge these families naturally
Techno ↔ Trance -tech trance (135–145 BPM) merges driving techno percussion with trance melodies
Dubstep ↔ D&B -halftime D&B and drumstep bridge the tempo gap between 140 and 174 BPM
Techno ↔ Hardstyle -hard techno (145–160 BPM) overlaps with hardstyle's lower range
House ↔ Breakbeat -both sit around 120–140 BPM, differing mainly in drum pattern (four-on-the-floor vs broken beats)

Use our halftime/doubletime calculator to find mathematical tempo relationships between genres, or check the EDM genre chart for a BPM-focused comparison.

Organize your DJ library visually.

Tag tracks by vibe. See everything at once. Export to any DJ software.

Discover Vibes

A visual system for organizing your DJ library.

Free DJ Tools

Music Genre Tree

Electronic Music Genre Tree

House

Techno

Electro

Trance

Drum & Bass

Footwork

Dubstep

Future Bass

Trap (EDM)

Phonk

Midtempo

Breakbeat

UK Garage

Hardcore

Hardstyle

Moombahton

Amapiano

Gqom

Nu-Disco

Synthwave

IDM

EBM

Ambient

Downtempo

Trip-Hop

Jersey Club

Baltimore Club

Philly Club

How Electronic Music Genres Evolved

Mixing Across Genre Families

Organize your DJ library visually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Tools

EDM Genre Chart

House Music BPM Guide

Techno BPM Guide

Drum & Bass BPM Guide

Trance BPM Guide

Dubstep BPM Guide

Hardstyle BPM Guide

Free DJ Tools

Music Genre Tree

Electronic Music Genre Tree

House

Techno

Electro

Trance

Drum & Bass

Footwork

Dubstep

Future Bass

Trap (EDM)

Phonk

Midtempo

Breakbeat

UK Garage

Hardcore

Hardstyle

Moombahton

Amapiano

Gqom

Nu-Disco

Synthwave

IDM

EBM

Ambient

Downtempo

Trip-Hop

Jersey Club

Baltimore Club

Philly Club

How Electronic Music Genres Evolved

Mixing Across Genre Families

Organize your DJ library visually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Tools

EDM Genre Chart