EDM BPM: The Ultimate Guide For DJs

Whether you’re a fan of commercial electronic music or prefer underground genres, understanding BPM is essential for performing smooth transitions.

Knowing the EDM BPM for different genres helps streamline track selections and line up songs with compatible tempo ranges in DJ sets.

In this guide, we’ll examine the tempo ranges of EDM songs across various subgenres and suggest practical tools for highlighting a track’s BPM.

What BPM Is EDM?

The beats per minute (BPM) of electronic dance music (EDM) vary, with the average tempo for most subgenres between 110 and 130 BPM.

What Is BPM?

BPM, or beats per minute, expresses the tempo of a track and is widely used when mixing two songs in a DJ set.

Learning the basics of music theory introduces tempo early on, providing the foundation for aligning a song’s elements.

This tempo establishes the track’s speed, with the BPM indicating the number of individual beats performed for each minute of music.

For example, a song with a BPM of 120 will feature two beats for each second of playtime, while the average heart rate is between 60 and 100 BPM.

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What Is Electronic Dance Music (EDM)?

Electronic dance music is a broad term that encompasses many sub-genres of music commonly performed in clubs and at festivals.

The abbreviation EDM is also frequently associated with contemporary dance music producers with commercial appeal, such as Deadmau5 and Steve Aoki.

With many different genres under the umbrella term, EDM music is typically characterized by repetitive percussive elements and electronic instruments.

As such, the tempo ranges can vary considerably between one EDM track and another, mainly depending on its sub-genre.

With its roots in the club scene and close association with legacy genres such as house and techno, EDM continues to evolve.

This fertile creative landscape ensures a vibrant future for EDM genres, with innovative music production techniques leading to new sub-genres.

The Importance Of BPM In EDM

Understanding the role of beats per minute in DJing EDM music is critical to becoming a professional DJ and performing smooth transitions.

BPM is the key factor when learning to beat match. Both tracks’ tempos must be lined up to avoid clashing percussion and other elements.

Here are some other reasons why BPM is important in EDM:

• Using tempo ranges to modulate emotional states: Shifting up or down a gear between slower and faster tempos is an excellent method DJs can use to move between emotional states and take their audience on a journey.
• Establishing the energy level of a DJ set: Likewise, upping the tempo during a set can establish a greater energy level that allows DJs to control the peaks of their mixes and build anticipation.
• Making it easier to find songs to mix: With most DJ software including BPM information, having this data makes it much easier to find compatible songs and manage requests from the audience.
• Branching into music production and creating your own tracks: Understanding how BPM works can make it easier to produce music in certain genres and experiment with different tempos.

By adhering to the principles of BPM and learning the common tempo ranges of EDM genres, DJs can effortlessly line up tracks and focus on creative transitions.

EDM Genres By BPM

Whatever your preferred style of music, understanding the various BPM rates across EDM genres is essential for creating professional-sounding mixes.

Here’s an overview of the BPM of some of the most popular EDM genres, from classic house music to drum and bass and trance.

1. House Music

BPM range: 115-130 BPM

One of the most popular and enduring of all EDM genres, house music’s BPM delivers a great degree of flexibility for DJs to explore.

Compatible with many other EDM genres, house is also broken into a long list of subgenres, which are explored in more detail in the table below.

2. Drum And Bass

BPM range: 160-180 BPM

For a faster-paced approach to tempo, drum and bass delivers the goods, with an average of 140 BPM that keeps the dance floor lively.

Check out the best drum and bass artists to see how common tempo ranges are applied when performing DJ sets in this genre.

3. Hip-Hop

BPM range: 80-110 BPM

Hip-hop’s more laid-back approach to BPM from artists like Kendrick Lamar and Drake makes it suitable for performing sets in bars and other venues.

Trap music is an outlier in hip-hop. Its much faster tempo can be mixed with more club-ready genres.

Further reading: Discover the best AI DJ software for mixing on the go.

4. Dubstep

BPM range: 130-150 BPM

Dubstep is another genre with an average tempo of 140 BPM that sits on the higher end of the tempo range than house, emphasizing its heavy bass.

It’s a hugely popular subgenre of EDM that continues to enjoy widespread playtime in venues and on mainstream radio shows.

5. Breakbeat

BPM range: 110-150 BOM

Breakbeat’s expansive tempo range lends it to a wide variety of DJ sets, working well with house, techno, and other genres in this range.

This genre took over the music world after spreading from America to Europe, where pioneering producers introduced it to underground clubs.

6. Techno

BPM range: 120-150 bpm

Techno is a genre that has the same history and pedigree as house, significantly influencing the many EDM subgenres that have emerged over the past decades.

The best techno DJs use the various tempo ranges of subgenres to create stunning mixes that take the audience on an unforgettable journey.

7. Chillout And Downtempo

BPM range: 80-110 BPM

If you’re DJing in a bar or at a daytime event, chillout and other downtempo music provide the perfect atmosphere for a laid-back experience.

Its slow BPM also makes it compatible with summery hip-hop by artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul.

8. Trance

BPM range: 120-150 BPM

With its versatile tempo range and four-to-the-floor rhythm, trance music remains as popular among club DJs today as it was when it first emerged.

Many famous DJs worldwide earned their reputations in this genre, performing at Creamfields, Tomorrowland, and other major festivals.

EDM BPM Chart

We’ve covered some of the main EDM genres and how each features common tempo ranges that enable reliably compatible tracks for mixing.

While house and EDM are undoubtedly the most common genres, multiple genres related to EDM warrant mention.

Here’s a helpful chart outlining the common tempos of other genres that fall under the EDM label.

If you’re curious about the BPM range of other EDM genres, a quick online search will give you what you need.

How To Determine The BPM Of EDM

If you’re new to beats per minute and want to learn more about the tempo of your favorite music, there are resources to help.

While the best EDM DJs typically use DJ controllers with BPM counters, not every DJ can access these tools.

For example, if you’re an old-school DJ playing vinyl on turntables, identifying a song’s BPM can be challenging.

Here are some methods DJs can use to determine the BPM of an EDM track in a few simple steps:

• Use software that includes BPM detection: Most leading DJing software includes BPM detection as a matter of course, making it the easiest option if your hardware consists of this feature.
• Manually count with a stopwatch: If your hardware doesn’t include BPM information or you’re mixing with vinyl, a tried-and-tested method for determining BPM is to count manually with a stopwatch. You can save time by counting the beats for 30 seconds and doubling the result for an accurate BPM.
• Use an online BPM counting tool: Another effective way to learn the BPM of music is to use an online counting tool. Load up the desired track into the application, and it will analyze the music and show the tempo.
• Acquire music through a record pool: Signing up for a record pool can help you determine the BPM, as some pools provide this information in their services. They also offer details on a track’s key, which can be useful when learning harmonic mixing.

Once you’ve chosen your preferred method for determining BPM, you can use the results to effectively organize your music playlists for mixing.

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Summary

EDM genres span various tempos, so it’s essential to determine a track’s BPM when preparing for a DJ set.

By referencing the EDM BPM ranges for the various sub-genres outlined in this article, you can organize and play tracks with a compatible tempo.

As your music library expands, performing unique sets with a distinct sound and incorporating multiple genres will help you stand out from the competition.