BPM by Genre Guide

1How Tempo Defines Genre

Tempo is a defining characteristic of musical genres. House music exists in a relatively narrow tempo band around 120-130 BPM. Drum and bass requires tempos near 170-180 BPM—it wouldn't sound like drum and bass at 120 BPM. Understanding these conventions helps producers create authentic genre pieces and helps DJs prepare sets.

Tempo conventions emerged through the physical and cultural contexts of each genre. House music's tempo matches comfortable dancing pace for extended periods. Drum and bass's speed creates the intense energy that defines the genre. Hip-hop's slower tempos allow space for complex lyrics and laid-back grooves.

Our BPM by genre guide provides reference ranges for major genres. Use these as starting points for production or to anticipate tempo relationships when DJing across genres.

2Electronic Dance Music

House music typically spans 118-135 BPM, with most tracks falling between 122-128 BPM. Subgenres vary: deep house trends slower (118-124), tech house centers around 124-128, and progressive house can reach 128-132 BPM.

Techno ranges more widely, from minimal techno around 125 BPM to hard techno exceeding 145 BPM. The genre emphasizes hypnotic repetition regardless of specific tempo, though faster tempos create more intense experiences.

Drum and bass occupies a distinct tempo territory. Most D&B falls between 165-180 BPM, with jungle and ragga influences sometimes pushing higher. This high tempo with syncopated rhythms creates the genre's characteristic energy.

3Hip-Hop and R&B Tempos

Hip-hop covers remarkable tempo diversity. Classic boom-bap sits around 85-95 BPM. Modern trap often uses 60-70 BPM with hi-hats at double time. Crunk and Southern hip-hop traditionally fell around 75-85 BPM.

The trap genre introduced dual-tempo perception—producers set projects at 70 BPM but hi-hats play at 140 BPM patterns. Both tempos are technically correct depending on which pulse you count. Our BPM detector typically identifies the faster hi-hat rate.

R&B generally ranges from 60-90 BPM, creating space for smooth vocals and groove-focused production. Slow jams might drop to 55-65 BPM, while uptempo R&B reaches toward 95-100 BPM.

4Pop and Rock Ranges

Pop music clusters around 100-130 BPM, with 120 BPM being especially common. This tempo feels energetic without being demanding, accessible to broad audiences. Dance-pop trends faster (118-130), while ballads can drop below 80 BPM.

Rock spans wider territory. Classic rock often sits at 110-140 BPM. Punk rock accelerates to 150-200 BPM. Metal varies dramatically by subgenre—doom metal might crawl at 50-70 BPM while thrash metal races at 180-220 BPM.

Indie rock typically falls between 100-130 BPM, sharing pop's comfortable middle ground while often emphasizing feel over strict tempo adherence. Many indie tracks feature subtle tempo variations that studio software would "correct."

5Latin and World Music

Reggaeton has standardized around 85-95 BPM, though modern variations sometimes push faster. The distinctive dembow rhythm defines the genre more than specific tempo, but most hits fall in this range.

Salsa ranges widely from 150-250 BPM depending on style and era. Casino salsa tends slower; New York mambo can exceed 200 BPM. The tempo affects complexity—faster salsa uses simpler arrangements while slower tempos allow more intricate patterns.

Reggae and dub typically sit at 60-90 BPM, creating the relaxed feel central to the genre. Dancehall trends slightly faster around 85-100 BPM while maintaining reggae's characteristic offbeat emphasis.

6Applications for DJs

Understanding genre tempos enables smooth transitions between styles. Moving from house (125 BPM) to techno (130 BPM) requires modest adjustment. Moving from house to drum and bass (170 BPM) requires significant tempo manipulation or creative transition techniques.

Related genres often share tempo ranges intentionally—they evolved together on the same dancefloors. House and disco share tempo territory. Tech house bridges into techno. Knowing these relationships helps plan genre-spanning sets.

Half-time and double-time relationships enable creative mixing. A 140 BPM dubstep track half-times to 70 BPM trap feel. A 85 BPM hip-hop track double-times to 170 BPM drum and bass territory. Use these relationships for dramatic tempo shifts.

7Production Starting Points

When producing in a specific genre, start within conventional tempo ranges. This ensures your track fits genre playlists and DJ sets. You can push boundaries later, but begin with a tempo that would be recognized as belonging to your target genre.

Reference tracks help calibrate tempo expectations. Analyze several successful tracks in your target genre using our BPM detector. Note the range and where most tracks cluster. Start your production near that cluster.

Tempo affects all other production decisions. A 170 BPM drum and bass track needs different drum programming than an 85 BPM hip-hop beat. Melodic complexity, bass movement, and arrangement all respond to tempo. Choose tempo first, then make other decisions in that context.

8Breaking Genre Conventions

Genre tempo conventions aren't laws—they're patterns that emerged from practice. Some of the most innovative tracks deliberately break conventions. A house track at 110 BPM feels unusually relaxed. A hip-hop track at 110 BPM feels unusually energetic.

Understand conventions before breaking them. Know that typical house sits at 125 BPM so that choosing 110 BPM is a deliberate statement rather than ignorant accident. Intentional rule-breaking creates innovation; accidental deviation creates confusion.

Cross-genre production often plays with tempo expectations. Producing hip-hop at house tempo creates interesting hybrid energy. Slowing techno to hip-hop speeds changes its character completely. These experiments require understanding both genres' conventions.

For more tempo tools, explore our delay time calculator for production timing and the tempo tapping test to develop your internal tempo sense.