Drum and bass

Drum and bass is fast music.

It has loud, deep sounds. It also has quick drum beats. This music started in the UK.

It uses sounds from many other styles. Some songs use jazz or soul. Other songs use reggae sounds. This helps make many different styles. People all over the world listen to it now. It is fun to dance to!

Drum and bass is a type of dance music.

It started in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s. The music is very fast. Most songs have 165 to 185 beats every minute. It uses heavy bass sounds. It also uses complex drum patterns called breakbeats.

Producers often use a machine called a Roland TR-808 to make deep drum sounds.

This music comes from many different styles. It draws from reggae, jazz, and hip hop. Some styles, like liquid drum and bass, sound smooth and melodic. Other styles, like techstep, sound more electronic.

Many artists use samples. A sample is a small piece of a different song used in a new way. One famous drum part is the "Amen break." It comes from a song by The Winstons.

Today, people love this music all over the world. It is popular in Europe, North America, and Brazil. Some fans call the new rise of the music a "renaissance."

This means it is having a new and exciting time.

Drum and bass is a high-energy style of electronic dance music.

It is known for its very fast tempo. Most songs move at 165 to 185 beats per minute. This music uses heavy bass and deep sub-bass lines. It also features complex drum patterns called breakbeats. Producers use these rhythms to create a unique feeling. The music can sound very electronic or very smooth. Some parts even use acoustic instruments like jazz drums. This variety makes the genre exciting for many listeners.

Making this music involves many clever steps. Producers often use a technique called sampling. A sample is a small piece of an existing recording. They use these pieces to build entirely new songs. One famous piece is the "Amen break" from The Winstons.

Producers also use machines like the Roland TR-808. This machine helps create deep, powerful kick drum sounds. Some artists even combine different drum parts together. They might mix two different breaks into one track. This creates a complex rhythm called a "Tramen."

This music has a long and interesting history. It began in the United Kingdom during the early 1990s. It grew out of the UK rave scene. Early sounds were often called jungle. Jungle used sounds from reggae and dancehall music.

Producers like Goldie and LTJ Bukem helped shape the sound. They focused on heavy bass and complex drum patterns. By 1995, the style began to change. Many artists moved toward what we now call drum and bass. This helped the music reach even more people.

There are many different types of drum and bass. Some styles are called subgenres. For example, liquid drum and bass is very melodic. Artists like High Contrast helped make this style popular. Other styles like techstep sound more industrial and electronic.

In 1997, the album New Forms by Roni Size & Reprazent won the Mercury Prize. This showed that the music was highly respected. The genre also spread to places like Brazil. In Brazil, artists created a style called "sambass." This style mixes local rhythms with drum and bass beats.

Today, drum and bass is a global phenomenon. It is popular in Europe, North America, and Australia.

Digital streaming has helped the music grow even more. In the UK, streaming for this genre grew by 94% between 2021 and 2024. Many listeners are under the age of 34. Some people even call this current era a "renaissance." This means the music is having a new, exciting rebirth. New artists like Nia Archives continue to bring these sounds to big festivals.

Drum and bass, often called drum 'n' bass or DnB, is a high-energy genre of electronic dance music.

It emerged in the United Kingdom during the early 1990s. The music is defined by very fast breakbeats, which are broken drum patterns. These typically move at a tempo of 165 to 185 beats per minute. Producers pair these rhythms with heavy bass and deep sub-bass lines. The genre is a fusion style that draws from many musical traditions. It combines elements of reggae, dub, hip hop, techno, and house music. This variety allows the music to feel both underground and mainstream.

Creating drum and bass involves sophisticated technical processes like sampling and synthesis. Sampling is the act of taking a small piece of an existing recording to use in a new track. One of the most famous examples is the "Amen break," a drum solo from The Winstons.

Producers also use drum machines like the Roland TR-808 to create powerful sounds. Specifically, the TR-808 kick drum is often down-pitched to create a deep, elongated bass effect. Some producers use a technique called switching, where they move between two different breaks every bar. They may even create a "Tramen," which combines the Amen break with other funk and electronic breaks. This creates the complex syncopation that distinguishes the genre from techno.

There are many distinct subgenres that offer different listening experiences. Some styles are highly electronic and industrial, such as techstep, which uses science-fiction aesthetics. Others are more melodic and accessible, like liquid drum and bass or liquid funk.

Artists like High Contrast and Calibre have pioneered these smoother sounds. Other subgenres include darkstep, neurofunk, jump up, and drumfunk. There is even a style called sambass in Brazil, which fuses local rhythms with drum and bass. The genre can range from heavy, aggressive sounds to jazz-influenced tracks using acoustic instruments.

History shows how the genre evolved from the UK rave scene and breakbeat hardcore of the late 1980s. Early tracks, such as Lennie De Ice’s "We Are I.E." from 1991, acted as precursors. These early works combined breakbeats with reggae-influenced basslines. In the early 1990s, a closely related style called jungle became part of UK youth culture.

Jungle was heavily influenced by Jamaican sound system traditions and dancehall. Producers like Goldie, Doc Scott, and LTJ Bukem helped transition the sound toward drum and bass. By 1995, many producers began moving away from the ragga-influenced jungle style. This shift led to the more polished and technically sophisticated drum and bass of the late 1990s.

As the genre grew, it achieved significant critical and commercial milestones. In 1997, Roni Size & Reprazent won the Mercury Prize for their album New Forms. This was a major sign of wider critical recognition for the music. The genre also expanded from pirate radio stations to commercial radio. While it started in the UK, it spread globally to North America, Europe, Australia, and Brazil. Even major international labels eventually took notice, such as when BMG Rights Management acquired the RAM label in February 2016.

Drum and bass has a massive web of musical influences. The British African-Caribbean sound system scene brought heavy influences from Jamaican dub and reggae. Pioneers like King Tubby and Bob Marley helped shape the bass-heavy foundations. Funk artists like James Brown and Aretha Franklin provided the rhythmic breaks. Even jazz legend Miles Davis and blues artists like B.B. King are cited as inspirations. In the electronic realm, Kevin Saunderson’s "Reese" bassline became a fundamental building block for many producers. This deep connection to other genres makes drum and bass a true fusion of styles.

In the modern era, the genre is experiencing a digital resurgence. Digital distribution and streaming platforms have helped artists like Pendulum and Chase & Status reach mainstream charts.

In the United Kingdom, streaming for the genre grew by approximately 94% between 2021 and 2024. Most of these listeners are under the age of 34. Some experts have even described this period as a "drum n' bass Renaissance." New artists like Nia Archives and Bou continue to bring the sound to large festivals and viral digital audiences. The genre remains a vital, evolving part of global electronic music.