Drum and Bass BPM Range

160 — 180 BPM

40 80 120 160 200+

Typical midpoint: 170 BPM (Vivace) — 353 ms per beat

About Drum and Bass Tempo

Drum and bass operates at high tempos between 160 and 180 BPM, featuring breakbeat-driven rhythms and heavy sub-bass. The genre originated in the UK rave scene of the early 1990s, evolving from jungle. Most modern DnB sits at 174 BPM — the de facto standard tempo. Liquid DnB tends to feel slower thanks to sparser percussion, while neurofunk pushes 175-180.

Characteristics

Fast breakbeat drum patterns
Deep, rolling sub-bass lines
Complex syncopated rhythms
Influences from jungle, reggae, and hip-hop

Drum and Bass Subgenre BPMs

Subgenre	BPM Range	Note
Liquid DnB	170-175	Smooth, melodic, jazz-influenced
Neurofunk	174-180	Dark, technical, distorted bass
Jump-Up	172-176	Bouncy, energetic, party-focused
Jungle	160-170	Original Amen-break-driven style
Drumfunk	170-178	Edited break programming, technical drums

Example Drum and Bass Songs and Their BPMs

Song	Artist	BPM
Inner City Life	Goldie	168
Brown Paper Bag	Roni Size	174
Original Nuttah	UK Apache & Shy FX	168
Hide U	Kosheen (Decoder & Substance Mix)	174

BPM values are approximate and may vary based on the version or remix. Use our tap tempo tool to verify any track.

Production Tip

174 BPM is the safe default. Chop the Amen break or program your own and place the snare on the 5th and 13th 16th notes for the classic two-step feel.

Want to check if your track matches the typical Drum and Bass tempo?

Use the Tap Tempo Tool