What Are All the Genres and Subgenres of EDM? A Producer’s Guide to Electronic Dance Music

EDM can feel extremely confusing when you first get into it.

One person says they love house music. Another person says they are into riddim. Somebody else is talking about drum and bass, jungle, tech house, bass house, melodic dubstep, future bass, trap, trance, hardstyle, or techno.

Then you open a festival lineup and suddenly every artist seems to belong to a different world.

As Chance the Closer, an Oregon-based independent EDM producer and DJ, I look at EDM as a giant family tree. It is not one sound. It is not one tempo. It is not one scene. EDM is a massive universe of electronic music built around rhythm, energy, emotion, bass, movement, and crowd reaction.

This is the shortened version of my full guide. You can read the complete article here:

Read the full guide on my official site: https://www.chancethecloser.com/what-are-all-the-genres-and-subgenres-of-edm.php

What Does EDM Actually Mean?

EDM stands for Electronic Dance Music.

The simplest way I explain it is this:

Electronic music is the broad umbrella. It is music made with synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, computers, DAWs, and electronic production tools.

Dance music is music designed to make people move.

EDM is the club, festival, rave, and dance-floor-centered side of electronic music.

So when people ask, “What are all the genres and subgenres of EDM?” they are really asking how the whole electronic dance music universe is organized.

EDM Is Not One Genre

The biggest mistake beginners make is thinking EDM is one genre.

It is not.

EDM includes house, techno, trance, dubstep, drum and bass, trap, garage, jungle, breaks, hardstyle, hardcore, future bass, electro, ambient, downtempo, IDM, industrial, synthwave, and experimental electronic music.

Each one of those genres branches into subgenres.

That is why two people can both say they love EDM and mean completely different things. One person might mean emotional melodic dubstep. Another might mean dark warehouse techno. Another might mean bass house. Another might mean aggressive riddim. Another might mean liquid drum and bass.

They are all electronic music fans, but they are not always chasing the same feeling.

Why EDM Genres Matter

I know some artists hate genre labels. I get it.

Genres can feel limiting. They can make artists feel trapped. They can create weird internet arguments about whether something is “real dubstep,” “actual techno,” or “true house music.”

But genres are also useful.

For fans, genres help you discover more music you love.

For DJs, genres help you organize your music library and build better sets.

For producers, genres help with playlist pitching, label submissions, song tags, and marketing.

For promoters and talent buyers, genres help place artists on the right lineup.

For bloggers, genres help people find your content on Google.

My personal opinion as Chance the Closer is simple:

Use genre labels as a map, not a prison.

Know the genres. Respect the culture. Tag your music correctly. But when you are creating, do not let a label kill the idea.

The Major EDM Genres and Subgenres

House Music

House music is one of the foundations of EDM.

It usually has a steady four-on-the-floor kick drum, a danceable groove, and a tempo often around 120 to 130 BPM.

Common house subgenres include:

Deep house Tech house Bass house Future house Progressive house Electro house Tropical house Funky house Slap house Acid house

House is usually groove-focused. It can be soulful, funky, smooth, dark, pop-friendly, or aggressive depending on the subgenre.

As Chance the Closer, bass house is one of my favorite lanes because it keeps the danceability of house but adds heavier bass, dirtier drops, and more attitude.

Techno

Techno is more hypnotic, mechanical, repetitive, and futuristic than house.

Common techno subgenres include:

Detroit techno Minimal techno Melodic techno Acid techno Industrial techno Hard techno Peak-time techno

Techno teaches producers an important lesson: you do not always need a million sounds to control a room. Sometimes repetition, tension, and small changes are the whole weapon.

Trance

Trance is emotional, euphoric, melodic, and built around long builds and big breakdowns.

Common trance subgenres include:

Progressive trance Uplifting trance Vocal trance Psytrance Goa trance Tech trance

Trance is the genre that makes people close their eyes, lift their hands, and feel like they are in a movie about their own life.

Even though I make a lot of bass-heavy music, I respect trance because it understands emotional payoff.

Dubstep

Dubstep is one of the most recognizable bass music genres.

It usually lives around 140 BPM, often felt in half-time, and is known for heavy bass, dramatic drops, wobble basses, growls, and aggressive sound design.

Common dubstep subgenres include:

Deep dubstep Brostep Riddim Tearout Melodic dubstep Color bass Future riddim Deathstep

Dubstep is one of the genres that made me fall in love with producing bass music. There is something beautiful and hilarious about making a sound so nasty that people physically react to it.

Riddim

Riddim is a subgenre of dubstep, but it has become such a major part of bass music culture that it deserves its own attention.

Riddim is usually more repetitive, minimal, wonky, and bounce-focused than brostep. The magic is in the pocket. The bass patterns talk to each other. The crowd locks into the bounce.

Common riddim-related styles include:

Classic riddim Future riddim Heavy riddim Experimental riddim Trench-style sounds

To outsiders, riddim can sound repetitive. To fans, that repetition is the point.

Drum and Bass

Drum and bass, often called DNB, is fast, energetic, and breakbeat-driven.

It usually sits around 160 to 180 BPM and is built around rapid drum patterns, heavy basslines, and forward motion.

Common drum and bass subgenres include:

Liquid drum and bass Neurofunk Jump-up Dancefloor DNB Techstep Darkstep Rollers

DNB is one of the most exciting genres in electronic music because it instantly raises the energy of a room. For DJs, drum and bass is a weapon.

Jungle

Jungle is closely related to drum and bass, but it has its own identity.

Jungle usually features chopped breakbeats, reggae and dub influence, heavy bass, raw energy, and old-school rave culture.

Common jungle styles include:

Ragga jungle Darkside jungle Atmospheric jungle Breakcore-adjacent jungle

If techno feels like a machine, jungle feels like a city moving at night.

Trap

EDM trap takes influence from hip-hop drums, 808s, snare rolls, hi-hats, brass stabs, and festival synths.

Common trap subgenres and related styles include:

EDM trap Hybrid trap Hard trap Future trap Wave

Trap is attitude. It gives a crowd bounce, swagger, and impact. As a producer, I love trap because the space between the drums lets the right sound hit even harder.

Future Bass

Future bass is melodic, emotional, bright, and often built around big chords, pitch bends, vocal chops, and lush synths.

Common future bass styles include:

Melodic future bass Pop future bass Future trap Kawaii future bass Chill future bass

A good future bass song feels like nostalgia exploding in slow motion.

Garage and UK Bass

UK garage and UK bass are essential parts of electronic music history.

Common garage and UK bass styles include:

UK garage 2-step garage Speed garage Future garage Bassline UK bass

Garage is all about swing, bounce, and rhythm. Any producer who wants better drums should study garage.

Breaks and Breakbeat

Breakbeat music is built around broken drum patterns instead of a straight four-on-the-floor kick.

Common breaks subgenres include:

Progressive breaks Nu skool breaks Big beat Florida breaks Electro breaks

Breaks can make a set feel funky, raw, unpredictable, and old-school in the best way.

Hardstyle and Hard Dance

Hardstyle is intense, powerful, and built around distorted kick drums, dramatic melodies, and massive festival energy.

Common hard dance subgenres include:

Hardstyle Euphoric hardstyle Rawstyle Hardcore Gabber Happy hardcore Frenchcore

Hard dance is not subtle. That is the point. It is physical, aggressive, and built for full-send energy.

Ambient, Downtempo, and Chill Electronic

Not all electronic music is about massive drops.

Ambient, downtempo, chillout, trip-hop, lofi electronic, and organic electronic music focus more on atmosphere, mood, space, and texture.

These genres remind producers that not every moment needs to punch someone in the face with a snare drum. Sometimes the quiet part is what makes the drop hit harder.

IDM and Experimental Electronic Music

IDM and experimental electronic music are where producers break rules.

Common experimental electronic styles include:

IDM Glitch Glitch hop Experimental bass Leftfield electronic Noise electronic

Not every experimental song is designed for the dance floor, but experimentation is how new genres are born.

Synthwave and Retro Electronic

Synthwave is inspired by 1980s music, retro video games, old movie soundtracks, analog synths, and neon nostalgia.

Common synthwave styles include:

Synthwave Outrun Darkwave Darksynth Retrowave

Synthwave proves electronic music does not always have to chase the future. Sometimes it can rebuild the past in a way that feels brand new.

Pop EDM and Commercial Dance

Pop EDM is where electronic dance music meets mainstream songwriting.

Common pop EDM styles include:

Dance-pop Vocal EDM Festival pop Commercial house Electronic pop

Some underground fans hate commercial EDM, but writing a memorable hook is not easy. A great song people remember is still a great song.

Quick EDM Genre Cheat Sheet

House is groove. Techno is hypnosis. Trance is emotion. Dubstep is impact. Riddim is bounce. Drum and bass is speed. Jungle is breakbeat chaos. Trap is swagger. Future bass is color. Garage is swing. Breaks are rhythm. Hardstyle is intensity. Ambient is atmosphere. IDM is experimentation. Synthwave is nostalgia. Industrial is darkness. Pop EDM is accessibility.

My Honest Opinion on EDM Genres

People love to argue about genres.

Is it dubstep or riddim? Is it tech house or bass house? Is it future bass or melodic dubstep? Is it techno or dark tech house?

Those conversations can be useful, but at the end of the day, EDM is physical music.

It is supposed to move through speakers, into bodies, across dance floors, through crowds, and into memories.

A technically perfect song that does not move anyone is not more powerful than a simple track that makes the whole room explode.

That does not mean craft does not matter. It does. Production matters. Mixing matters. Sound design matters. Arrangement matters. Taste matters.

But energy matters too.

As Chance the Closer, I care about whether the song hits. Does it move people? Does it make someone feel alive? Does it make the chaos feel worth dancing through?

That is EDM to me.

Final Thoughts: EDM Is a Family Tree, Not a Box

So, what are all the genres and subgenres of EDM?

The main EDM genres include house, techno, trance, dubstep, drum and bass, trap, garage, jungle, breaks, hardstyle, hardcore, electro, future bass, ambient, downtempo, IDM, synthwave, industrial, and experimental electronic music.

Each one branches into smaller subgenres. Those subgenres keep blending, mutating, and evolving every year.

That is what makes EDM exciting.

As an independent EDM producer and DJ, I do not see genre as a cage. I see it as a language. It helps us talk about sound. It helps fans find music. It helps DJs build sets. It helps producers understand their lane. It helps artists like me connect with the right audience.

But once the track starts playing, the label matters less than the feeling.

Whether it is bass house, dubstep, riddim, tech house, trap, melodic bass, drum and bass, or some weird genre that does not even have a name yet, I am always chasing that moment when the drop hits, the crowd reacts, and everybody remembers why they fell in love with electronic music in the first place.

Read the Full Guide

This Medium post is a shortened version of my complete EDM genre guide.

For the full breakdown of EDM genres and subgenres, read the original article on my official website:

https://www.chancethecloser.com/what-are-all-the-genres-and-subgenres-of-edm.php

About Chance the Closer

Chance the Closer is an Oregon-based independent EDM producer and DJ making bass-heavy electronic music for people who laugh at the chaos and keep dancing anyway. Blending bass house, dubstep, tech house, trap, riddim, melodic bass, and festival EDM, Chance the Closer creates high-energy music built for clubs, underground shows, playlists, and anyone who needs more bass in their life.