BPM by genre

UK Drill

Curated by se7en beatlab · updated July 2026

141 BPM typical

Range: 135–148 BPM

UK drill locks tight around 140–142 BPM — 141 is the classic sweet spot — inside a narrow 135–148 window. The head nods at half-time (~70), which is why detectors often read it as 70/71. What separates it from US drill and trap is the bounce: syncopated, off-beat percussion with that unmistakable sliding 808.

Subgenres

Subgenre	Typical	Range
Classic UK drill	141	138–144
Melodic / afro-drill	140	135–145
NY drill (UK-influenced)	142	138–148

Production notes

Program drums around the drill bounce: kicks avoiding the obvious downbeats, snare or rim on the 3, and hats mixing triplets with straight sixteenths. The sliding 808 is the genre's signature — write the glides as part of the bassline melody, not decoration. Keep melodic elements dark and sparse (minor keys, plucks, eerie pads), leave space for the vocal cadence, and don't over-quantize the percussion: the slightly late rim hits ARE the groove.

Typical structure

Short intro (4–8 bars) → hook → verse 1 (16) → hook → verse 2 (16) → hook/outro. Around 2:30–3:00, hook-first structures are common.

FAQ

How many BPM is UK drill?

Typically 140–142 BPM (141 is the classic), with the full range around 135–148. The feel is half-time, around 70.

Is UK drill 70 or 140 BPM?

Both readings are valid: producers write at ~140, but the groove is felt at ~70. Sequence at 140 for hi-hat resolution.

What makes UK drill different from trap?

The syncopated, off-beat drum bounce and the sliding 808 glides — trap sits straighter on the grid, drill swings around it.

Related genres

Drill

Grime

Latin Trap

Your track

Is YOUR track in this pocket? Measure it

Open the analyzer

Made your beat?

Fix the sound with The Button

Try the demo

Need a beat at this tempo?

Beats ready to license

Open the Beat Store

Free download

Get the Se7en BPM Index (PDF)

The full BPM-by-genre cheat sheet + a gain-staging guide. Free.