The Ultimate A–Z of Electronic Music Genres:

A – Acid House

Born in mid-80s Chicago, Acid House is known for its squelchy basslines, repetitive rhythms, and psychedelic vibe, driven by the Roland TB-303. It laid the groundwork for rave culture and UK’s Second Summer of Love.

B – Breakbeat

Breakbeat centers around syncopated drum patterns and sampled breaks from funk and soul. It's a core element of jungle, big beat, and early hip hop production.

C – Chillwave

Dreamy, lo-fi, and nostalgic, Chillwave blends vintage synths, reverb-heavy vocals, and relaxed tempos. It evokes an ‘80s beachside fantasy, often more vibe than genre.

D – Drum & Bass

Rapid-fire breakbeats, heavy basslines, and jungle roots define this UK-born genre. It's intense, fast-paced (typically 160–180 BPM), and foundational to rave and bass culture.

E – Electro

Not to be confused with EDM, classic Electro (early ‘80s) is funk-meets-machine. Think robotic beats, vocoders, and breakdance vibes—rooted in Kraftwerk, blossomed with Afrika Bambaataa.

F – Future Bass

A newer genre marked by lush synths, wavy chord progressions, and emotional drops. It’s melodic, upbeat, and frequently found in modern festival sets and remixes.

G – Gabber

Hardcore techno’s faster, angrier cousin, Gabber delivers distorted kicks at brutal speeds (over 180 BPM). Think shaved heads, bomber jackets, and Rotterdam warehouse raves.

H – House

Born in Chicago clubs, House is the backbone of dance music. With a 4/4 beat, soulful vocals, and groovy basslines, its subgenres (deep, tech, progressive) are endless.

I – IDM (Intelligent Dance Music)

More for headphones than dancefloors, IDM is experimental, cerebral, and glitchy. Artists like Aphex Twin and Autechre push sonic boundaries with complex rhythms and ambient textures.

J – Jungle

A gritty offshoot of breakbeat and rave, Jungle is rapid, raw, and packed with reggae and dub samples. A key precursor to Drum & Bass, it thrived in the UK’s pirate radio era.

K – Krautrock

A genre born from Germany’s experimental scene in the late ’60s–’70s, Krautrock fuses rock with electronic and ambient elements. Pioneered by bands like Can and Neu!, it’s all about hypnotic grooves, synth explorations, and pushing boundaries.

L – Lo-Fi

Characterized by intentionally imperfect sound—think vinyl crackles, fuzzy samples, and chill beats—Lo-Fi is the background music of Gen Z, study playlists, and beat tapes. A blend of hip hop, ambient, and analog love.

M – Minimal Techno

Stripped-back and repetitive, Minimal Techno uses subtle modulation and grooves over complexity. Built for deep dancefloor moments, it's more about feel than flair—perfect for long sets and sound systems.

N – New Beat

Belgium’s late ’80s underground contribution: a slower, darker take on EBM, acid, and synthpop. New Beat often sounds like industrial music slowed to a spooky, seductive groove.

O – Outsider House

Lo-fi, hazy, and offbeat—Outsider House takes House and adds oddball elements like off-kilter rhythms and analog dirt. Artists like Huerco S. and DJ Richard helped define it.

P – Progressive House

Don’t confuse it with mainstream festival drops—true Progressive House builds slowly with layered melodies and emotional transitions. Think Sasha & Digweed rather than 2010s EDM.

Q – Quiet Storm Electronica

A rarely used tag, this is smooth, sensual electronic R&B with chilled synths and midnight vibes. Think of it as the electronic slow jam cousin of Lo-Fi or Chillhop.

R – Rave

Not a genre but a culture that bred many. Rave music includes early hardcore, techno, jungle, and happy hardcore. Defined by euphoric synths, breakbeats, and glowstick energy.

S – Synthwave

Nostalgic, neon, and dripping in ‘80s vibes, Synthwave mimics old movie soundtracks, arcade sounds, and retro futurism. Think outrun cars, VHS fuzz, and cyberpunk dreams.

T – Techno

Detroit-born and global by the ‘90s, Techno is machine music at its core. Four-on-the-floor kicks, cold synths, and hypnotic repetition define this endlessly evolving genre.

U – UK Garage

Born in the clubs of London, UKG blends shuffling rhythms, chopped-up vocals, and deep basslines. It's the parent of grime, dubstep, and 2-step, making it one of the UK's most influential underground exports.

V – Vaporwave

A glitchy, surreal genre that remixes elevator music, retro commercials, and ‘80s mall pop into dreamy loops. Vaporwave isn’t just a sound—it’s an internet aesthetic turned cultural meme.

W – Witch House

Distorted beats, pitched-down vocals, and occult aesthetics define this shadowy corner of electronic music. Imagine chopped-and-screwed electro meeting goth visuals and horror soundtracks.

X – Xeno-Electronic (Experimental)

An unofficial term for alien, left-field sounds that defy genre boundaries. Xeno-electronic might blend industrial noise, ambient drones, and algorithmic glitches—pure audio exploration.

Y – Y2K Electronica

Early 2000s styles that bridged the analog-digital gap—think French house, trance-pop, and synth-heavy electronica that borrowed from pop and dance while shaping the sound of the new millennium.

Z – Zenon (Zenonesque)

A subgenre of progressive psytrance, Zenonesque features dark, organic grooves and deep, foresty atmospheres. It's the soundtrack to late-night forest parties and psychedelic journeys.

This A–Z breakdown is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we’ll dive deeper into the most influential electronic music genres, exploring their roots, evolution, and key players. Stay tuned as we build a definitive guide to the electronic universe, one genre at a time.

Explore more: This post is part of our new ‘Genre Breakdown’ blog series. Bookmark us or follow to stay updated.