BPM by genre

Drum & Bass

Curated by se7en beatlab · updated July 2026

174 BPM typical

Range: 160–180 BPM

Drum & bass is one of the fastest mainstream genres, sitting at 170–178 BPM with 174 BPM as the standard. Despite the speed, the bassline often feels half-time (~87), which is what gives DnB its rolling weight.

Subgenres

Subgenre	Typical	Range
Liquid drum & bass	174	170–176
Neurofunk	174	172–178
Jungle	165	160–170

Production notes

The 'Amen break' and chopped breakbeats at 174 BPM are the core. Program a fast, syncopated drum pattern but write the sub-bass and melody in half-time so they breathe. Layer a clean sub with a mid-bass for translation on small speakers. Energy comes from the drum edit and the drop, not from clutter.

Typical structure

Intro (mixable beat) → build → drop (bass + full break) → breakdown → second drop → outro. Two-drop structure with DJ-friendly intros/outros.

FAQ

How many BPM is drum and bass?

Drum & bass is typically 170–178 BPM, with 174 BPM as the standard tempo.

Why does DnB feel slower than its BPM?

Because the bass and melody are usually written in half-time (~87 BPM) while the drums run at 174 BPM.

Related genres

Techno

House

EDM / Big Room

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