Top 10 Drum And Bass Artists of All Time

Drum and bass is one of the oldest electronic music genres, first established in the 1990s and with a dedicated following of fans today.

The best drum and bass artists have garnered widespread acclaim for their revolutionary approach to the genre and chart-topping releases.

Read on for a complete breakdown of these renowned artists and how their productions have dramatically shaped the drum and bass community.

Top 10 Drum And Bass Artists of All Time

With decades of music released in the drum and bass genre, there’s no shortage of iconic music producers and DJs who have left an indelible mark on the scene.

We’ve selected ten of the most influential drum and bass artists of all time, exploring their roles and defining tracks that dominated the club scene.

10. Netsky

Belgium-based drum and bass artist Netsky has arguably done more than most of his contemporaries to help bring the genre to the masses.

Initially working on productions in the liquid drum and bass style, his discography has expanded to cover various styles.

Throughout the late 2009s, Netsky partnered with the iconic label Hospital Records on a string of releases, working with artists including London Elekricity and High Contrast.

By the 2010s, he had gained the attention of the mainstream label Epic Records, catapulting his releases into commercial territory.

In 2012, Netsky launched the Netsky Live! project during the Hospitality Festival at Brixton Academy and redefined drum and bass live performances.

His 2015 track, “Rio,” which featured Digital Farm Animals, was certified Silver and led to high-profile remixes of artists such as Dua Lipa and Keys N Krates.

Netsky’s impressive social media presence has allowed his drum and bass music to continue to reach new fans worldwide.

As the drum and bass scene continues to thrive, Netsky’s reputation has grown an enormous amount, standing as a testament to his skill and diversity.

9. LTJ Bukem

Drum and bass music wouldn’t be what it is today without the huge influence of LTJ Bukem, one of the genre’s early pioneers from the UK.

One of the first drum and bass artists to incorporate jazz elements into his productions, he helped establish music trends that are still felt today.

This influence came from his early training as a classical pianist and subsequent passion for jazz fusion, which led to his drum and bass productions.

He broke new ground as a producer with the early drum and bass album Logical Progression, a forerunner of the intelligent drum and bass subgenre.

At the same time, his drum and bass DJ work also helped broaden the genre’s appeal with electronic music fans throughout the 1990s.

Responsible for some of the key early drum and bass tracks, notable releases included “Demon’s Theme,” “Music,” and “Atlantis.”

His innovative approach has also incorporated elements of hardcore and techno that would go on to become infused through drum and bass culture.

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8. Sub Focus

A more contemporary drum and bass artist with commercial appeal is Sub Focus, the English DJ and producer who began his career in the early 2000s.

After initially experimenting with rock music, Sub Focus branched into electronic music after high school and released demo CDs.

In 2003, he got his big break with RAM Records, becoming a famous DJ in the drum and bass scene with regular gigs at clubs and festivals.

By the late 2009s, he had hit the UK Top 40 charts with “Rock It/Follow the Light,” which led to remixes of tracks by iconic acts, including The Prodigy.

His 2010 album Torus was another commercial success, featuring several charting singles and being accompanied by headline events in the UK festival scene.

Sub Focus has made several appearances as a drum and bass DJ on Radio 1, raising his profile among mainstream music fans.

He continues to produce original tracks and partner with other celebrated drum and bass artists on remixes to the present day.

7. Photek

Rupert Parkes, better known by his production name Photek, is another founder of the drum and bass scene that emerged in the early 1990s.

Known for his precise and intricate drum and percussion production, he has released a series of iconic tracks over the years.

A master of the art of DJing, tickets for his DJ sets at the peak of his fame were highly sought after by hardcore fans of the genre.

After a series of singles released through LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking Records, Photek was signed to Virgin Records in 1997.

This marked the release of arguably his most defining work, the album Modus Operandi, which pointed to new possibilities with drum and bass production.

His second album, Form & Function, replicated the success of his debut and marked him as one of the most talented drum and bass artists of all time.

In recent years, Photek has shifted away from drum and bass, working from his home in Los Angeles on music scores for television and video game projects.

Read more: Discover the best music genres for DJing.

6. High Contrast

Like many of the best DNB artists, High Contrast hailed from the United Kingdom and entered the DJ production scene in the 1990s.

His work began to take off in the early 2000s, earning him a reputation among fans as a producer of exceptional talent.

In 2002, he released his debut album, True Colours, on the Hospital Records label, home to many of that generation’s best drum and bass artists.

With a string of singles soon following, High Contrast’s profile was raised by appearances on the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix and in major nightclubs.

By 2009, his reputation in the drum and bass scene was cemented with his most successful release to date, the gold-certified Confidential.

Before long, High Contrast was performing at international festivals, including Coachella, while working on the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

Although High Contrast’s output has slowed down in recent years, his legacy and reputation haven’t waned since he first began producing music.

5. Andy C

Another iconic and trailblazing producer who helped define drum and bass is Andy C, who co-founded RAM Records in 1992 with Ant Miles.

Frequently ranked among the best old-school DJs of all time, Andy C first gained the attention of music critics with his track “Valley of the Shadows.”

The success of this release led to him becoming a fixture at many of the key drum and bass events in the United Kingdom throughout the 1990s.

By the early 2000s, he enjoyed success on the charts, notably for his single “Body Rock,” produced in collaboration with Shimon.

His releases sold consistently well, with the label also playing host to other artists such as Sub Focus and Chase & Status.

Andy C has been one of the biggest names in the scene ever since, selling out Wembley Arena in 2018, a first for a DJ in the genre.

4. Dillinja

No discussion of iconic drum and bass DJs is complete without a mention of the music producer and DJ Dillinja, who hit the scene in 1991.

A key player in the early evolution of the drum and bass music DJ culture, he also helped shape the offshoot jungle genre.

Known for his rugged sense of style and aggressive drums and basslines, Dillinja’s work covers a vast discography of singles and albums.

Many of his early singles were released on Cybertron and Deadly Vinyl before he established his own record label, Valve Recordings, in the early 2000s.

Through this label, which he ran with the drum and bass producer Lemon D, he broke into the mainstream club scene with an appearance at Fabric in London.

In 2003, his single “Twist Em Out” landed at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart, further enhancing his reputation and name recognition.

While his production efforts have waned in recent years, the sheer scope and quality of his overall output are on par with those of other drum and bass artists.

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3. Chase & Status

Saul Milton and Will Kennard first launched their drum and bass music production duo Chase & Status back in 2003 after meeting in London.

Heavily influenced by acts such as Orbital and the Prodigy, they soon began releasing original tracks in the jungle and drum and bass genres.

After a steady stream of singles and remixes, the duo had their first of three number-one hits on the UK Dance Singles Chart in 2007.

The double-track release featuring “Hurt You” and “Sell Me Your Soul” cemented their distinct style and marked them as a talent to watch.

Chase & Status continued to make their mark on the commercial music scene over the following years while headlining at major festivals.

By the mid-2010s, their productions began incorporating elements of genres such as hip-hop and grime, further broadening their appeal.

It made them among the most versatile music producers, effortlessly switching up their style from one release to the next.

Major mainstream pop artists, notably Rihanna, soon recognized their abilities and hired them as producers on three of her hit albums.

Chase & Status continues to produce music while touring extensively worldwide, with their recent international 2 Ruff Tour being a huge success.

Tip: Find out how to launch your DJ career.

2. Noisia

While many of the best drum and bass music producers tend to focus exclusively on the genre, Noisia took an altogether eclectic approach to the style.

Pioneers of the neurofunk and technostep subgenres, their production output spanned two decades before their disbanding in 2022.

Their crossover appeal is evident in the choice of labels on which they’ve released music over the years, notably working with Skrillex and Deadmau5’s labels.

These releases are notable for their more contemporary sound, which uses production techniques more commonly associated with modern EDM.

Early tracks from Noisia sat squarely in the liquid funk style of drum and bass music, with more conventional tracks following.

The record labels featuring Noisia’s tracks throughout the 2000s include a laundry list of big names, from Metalheadz and Good Looking to Hospital Records and Renegade.

By 2010, the founding trio had begun working on various other music ventures, including contributing tracks to the best-selling Wipeout video game franchise.

Noisia may have split up, but their legacy lives on, not least through the release of the remix album The Resonance VII in 2024.

Learn more: Find out how to remix a song.

1. Goldie

Few drum and bass artists have the same credibility and reputation as Goldie, a producer who helped shape multiple EDM music genres.

After initially working as a popular graffiti artist, Goldie began producing music in the 1990s and establishing the drum and bass community.

His initial work lay within the emerging breakbeat genre, but Goldie soon took this framework and upped the ante with a faster tempo and hard-hitting drums.

By 1992, his drum and bass releases were already making waves in the industry, with Goldie establishing the label Metalheadz in 1994.

His debut album, Timeless, was released the following year and changed the landscape forever, notably with the opening track, “Inner City Life.”

It became an anthem in the United Kingdom and critically influenced how producers approached the genre.

Timeless was followed by many more singles, with Goldie remaining among the most prolific producers within the genre.

He has continued to DJ at renowned clubs and festivals, appearing at the celebrated Love Saves the Day festival in 2024.

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Summary

Drum and bass is a rich and varied genre that continues to evolve, incorporating other musical genres and changing with new production technology.

The drum and bass artists covered in this article provide a great starting point for anyone looking to expand their knowledge of the scene and discover new music.

With hundreds of new releases continually emerging on the scene, drum and bass DJs have an endless supply of tracks to use in their sets.