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Music genre

Drum and bass

Drum and bass is a music genre that emerged in United Kingdom and Jamaica in the 1990s. It is usually classed as a form of electronic dance music. Explore its 6 subgenres, key artists and related styles.

Listen: Drum and bass examples

Liquid Drum And Bass
4:37CC BY-SA 3.0by TetraHydroCannabolisWikimedia Commons
4:37

Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.

About Drum and bass

Drum and bass is a music genre that emerged in United Kingdom and Jamaica in the 1990s. It is usually classed as a form of electronic dance music.

Artists closely associated with the genre include ATB, Pendulum, Tinie Tempah, PinkPantheress, Joost Klein and Lee "Scratch" Perry.

Drum and bass has given rise to 6 subgenres on this site, such as Jungle, Liquid drum and bass, Darkstep and Hardstep.

From Wikipedia

Drum and bass (D&B), also known as drum 'n' bass (DnB or D'n'B), is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s. It is characterised by fast breakbeats (typically 165–185 beats per minute) with heavy bass and sub-bass lines, samples, and synthesizers.

Originating in the UK jungle scene in the early 1990s, drum and bass drew on elements of reggae, dub, hip-hop, breakbeat hardcore, techno, and house. By the mid-1990s, it had become one of the most distinctive and technically innovative styles within the broader electronic dance music movement. The style of drum and bass often incorporates an array of influences from other genres including ambient, funk, jazz, soul, rock, and pop. The genre has since developed multiple subgenres and maintains both an underground and mainstream presence worldwide.

Genre family tree

Parent genres (↑) and subgenres (↓) of Drum and bass.

Key artists

  • ATB
  • Pendulum
  • Tinie Tempah
  • PinkPantheress
  • Joost Klein
  • Lee "Scratch" Perry
  • C418
  • Labrinth
  • Rudimental
  • Bomfunk MC's

Related genres

Questions people ask

Real questions from the Stack Exchange community – follow a link to read the discussion.

Frequently asked questions

What is Drum and bass?

Drum and bass is a music genre that emerged in United Kingdom and Jamaica in the 1990s. It is usually classed as a form of electronic dance music.

Where and when did Drum and bass originate?

Drum and bass originated in United Kingdom and Jamaica in the 1990s.

Who are famous Drum and bass artists?

ATB, Pendulum, Tinie Tempah, PinkPantheress, Joost Klein and Lee "Scratch" Perry.

Sources & credits