Hard Dance

Hard Dance is a genre of electronic music with its own unique characteristics and history.

Typical BPM
150-180
Mood
Energetic
Era
1990s
Rhythm
Typically uses a 4/4 time signature with a strong emphasis on the downbeat. Features a prominent and distorted kick drum, often layered with other percussive elements to create a powerful and driving rhythm.

About

Hard dance is an umbrella term for a diverse range of electronic dance music genres characterized by a fast tempo, aggressive sounds, and a prominent hard-hitting kick drum. It often incorporates elements from techno, hardcore, and trance, resulting in energetic and intense soundscapes.

History

Hard dance emerged in the 1990s as an offshoot of hardcore techno and gabber. Early forms, like hard trance and hard house, laid the groundwork. Over time, the genre diversified into subgenres like nu-style gabber, jumpstyle, hardstyle, and rawstyle, each with unique characteristics and influences. The Dutch scene played a significant role in the development and popularization of hard dance.