What is Dubstep?

Dubstep originated in South London's underground music scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It developed into one of the most significant electronic music genres. We'll trace its history: from its heavy bass beginnings to its time in the spotlight, to how it mixed with other styles and influenced electronic dance music.

Around 2001-2002, a community in South London, centered around Croydon's Big Apple Records, actively incubated this new music. Teenagers Skream (Oliver Jones) and Benga (Adegbenga Adejumo) frequented Big Apple, where producer Artwork and DJ Hatcha fostered cutting-edge bass experimentation. They shared experimental, bass-heavy dubstep tracks on exclusive dubplate vinyl and CD-Rs. BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel championed the sound early, playing it from 2003. In 2003-2004, FWD>> (a London club night) became the main place for dubstep music's development. DJs like Hatcha shaped the dubstep sound by playing exclusive dubplates, furthering this growing underground movement. These key artists helped bring this new genre to life.

Croydon wunderkind Skream played an instrumental role in transforming dubstep from a niche experiment into a full-fledged underground movement. In 2005, Skream released the landmark track "Midnight Request Line," often seen as the first crossover hit. It bridged the gap between dubstep and grime, proving that this minimalist music could ignite dancefloors.

Meanwhile, Digital Mystikz – Mala (Mark Lawrence) and Coki – carved out dubstep's soul. They were heavily influenced by reggae sound system culture and made tracks that leaned into dub's meditative vibes and chest-rattling bass pressure. In 2004, Mala and Coki (along with Loefah) started the DMZ label and began releasing vinyl. The DMZ nights, held in a church basement, became the spiritual home of dubstep music, showcasing the heavy bass and sound of this new genre.

Finally, DJ pioneers like Hatcha and Youngsta helped spread dubstep in its early days. Their Dubstep Allstars mix CDs and Rinse FM radio shows compiled the genre's key artists and tracks, educating new fans worldwide.

Several songs from 2005 to 2009 defined the early dubstep sound and shaped the genre's evolution. Skream's "Midnight Request Line" (2005) became one of the most influential hits, setting the stage for its melodic yet heavy bass style. Digital Mystikz's "Anti War Dub" (2006) showcased the deep, meditative qualities of the genre. Benga & Coki's "Night" (2007) brought a more rhythmic, dancefloor-friendly approach, while Caspa & Rusko's "Cockney Thug" (2007) introduced a raw, high-energy sound that would later influence brostep. Loefah's "Mud" (2007) embodied the darker, minimal aesthetic that defined early dubstep’s underground appeal.

For the first half of the 2000s, dubstep music remained an underground sensation in London. Its incubation happened at crucial venues and outlets. Ammunition Promotions started FWD>> (pronounced "Forward"), a club night, in 2001 to showcase this unique new sound. The DJs at FWD>> (Hatcha, Youngsta, Plastician, and others) tested fresh dubplates, pushing the limits of bass and advancing the dubstep sound. FWD>> became essential to the burgeoning scene.

Around the same time, London's pirate radio stations provided another incubator. Rinse FM broadcast the sounds of grime and dubstep across the city's airwaves. DJs like Kode9, Youngsta, and Chef had weekly shows on Rinse, introducing listeners to new tracks.

By 2005, the momentum was building. Digital Mystikz and Loefah started another important club night: DMZ in Brixton, South London. The atmosphere at DMZ was legendary.

The media and the music industry soon took notice. BBC Radio 1 DJ Mary Anne Hobbs, a pivotal catalyst, became an early champion of the sound. In January 2006, Hobbs hosted the now-famous "Dubstep Warz" special on her late-night Radio 1 show. She brought together Skream, Mala, Coki, Kode9, Hatcha, Vex'd, and Loefah, broadcasting their sets to a global audience. From 2006-2008, Mary Anne Hobbs' BBC Radio 1 shows gave dubstep global exposure.

The scene's infrastructure also solidified. Tempa Records and other labels kept the vinyl releases flowing. Tempa's influential Dubstep Allstars mix-CD series documented the genre's evolution. And it wasn’t confined to London – the dubstep scene in cities like Bristol and Leeds put their own twist on the sound. 2007: Burial’s Untrue blurred dubstep with ambient and future garage, influencing the genre’s emotional depth.

By the late 2000s, dubstep was poised for a breakthrough into mainstream music.

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, dubstep morphed from an underground UK scene to a worldwide phenomenon. Around 2010, it took a heavier, more aggressive turn, especially in North America. During this time, the sound took over major festival stages and entered popular music, evolving into new forms. Producers like Skrillex led this change, resulting in "Brostep" – a subgenre with aggressive mid-range, high-energy bass drops, and robotic sound design. Key artists included UK figures like Rusko and Caspa, and new international stars like Skrillex in the United States.

Skrillex brought dubstep to the forefront of the music scene in the United States. Excision and Datsik pioneered a heavier, more industrial bass-driven sound, while Knife Party and Zomboy fused it with electro house and festival-friendly sounds. Flux Pavilion and Doctor P helped the genre evolve, making melodic, anthem-style dubstep music that resonated with a wide audience. 

Certain tracks and remixes signaled dubstep's broad appeal early on. In 2008, Skream's remix of La Roux's synth-pop song "In for the Kill" became a surprise hit.

The mainstream breakthrough arguably peaked when it crossed the Atlantic and ignited in North America. By 2009-2010, British DJs like Skream and Benga were touring the US, and dubstep nights appeared in cities like New York (the Dub War parties hosted by Joe Nice) and Los Angeles (the Smog events). American artists also started to put their own spin on the sound. Skrillex (Sonny Moore) truly set the US scene on fire. Skrillex embraced dubstep around 2010, injecting it with rock-concert energy. His 2010 EP "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" became a global phenomenon – the title track hit #1 on Beatport (the first dubstep track to do so) and its wild bass drops went viral on YouTube. Skrillex's version of the sound was explosive: all squealing metallic synths, rapid-fire drums, and hyperactive energy – essentially electro house music on steroids. This style earned the nickname: "brostep," an Americanized, more aggressive type of dubstep with mid-range sounds and piercing leads rather than just sub-bass. By 2011, Skrillex was touring relentlessly, introducing a new generation of rock and EDM fans to dubstep's energetic side. He remixed popular music artists like Lady Gaga, collaborated with nu-metal band Korn, and even won several Grammy Awards in 2012 for his dubstep work – unprecedented recognition for the genre.

As dubstep's profile rose, it became a regular part of the growing EDM festival scene of the early 2010s and by 2012, it was winning Grammy awards. Even pop and R&B artists like Britney Spears and Rihanna flirted with dubstep elements, weaving wobble bass drops into their songs. Suddenly, "drop the bass" became a common phrase. Dubstep seemed to be everywhere, making a big cultural impact. From 2011-2013, it became a festival staple, appearing at major events like EDC and Ultra Music Festival. Some purists argued whether this bold new sound, "brostep," was even dubstep. However, by that point, Skrillex had opened the floodgates. From 2013-2015, the "EDM Bubble" led to oversaturation, and mainstream interest declined.

From 2010 to 2015, dubstep experienced a surge in mainstream popularity. Besides Skrillex's "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" (2010), Excision & Downlink's "Existence VIP" (2011) pushed the genre into heavier, industrial territory. Nero's "Promises" (2011) blended melodic vocals with cinematic bass drops, showcasing the genre’s emotional depth. Flux Pavilion's "I Can't Stop" (2010) became a hit with its soaring synths and powerful drops, while Zomboy's "Game Time" (2011) introduced a high-energy, festival-ready sound that helped shape modern brostep.

As dubstep reached critical mass, it didn't stay static – the genre splintered and hybridized, giving birth to new sounds and subgenres, influencing other styles of music. The aggressive, crowd-pleasing variant of dubstep that became popular in the early 2010s was called brostep. By the mid-2010s, the sound morphed and merged into various scenes: EDM, trap, future bass, riddim, and more. Dubstep had basically become part of a broader bass music ecosystem, producers were experimenting.

Trap was another offshoot around 2012: this EDM subgenre mixed dubstep's focus on drops with Southern hip-hop's 808 drums and fast hi-hats. Many dubstep producers (like RL Grime or Baauer) switched to trap's slower, 70-BPM feel, replacing wobble bass with rolling 808s but keeping the massive bass.

Future bass appeared by the mid-2010s as a gentler version of dubstep – keeping the idea of a synth-heavy bass drop but adding lush, upbeat melodies and pop-friendly chords.

Riddim, a subgenre, took dubstep's minimalism even further: it relies on simple, repetitive bass loops (rather than evolving melodies) and sparse half-time drums, creating a hypnotic, bouncy groove.

Dubstep has continued to evolve, splitting into various subgenres and new directions. Deep dubstep, also called minimal dubstep, is a return to the genre's roots, with artists like Commodo, Gantz, and Truth focusing on darker, more atmospheric sounds. Riddim, a groove-based, repetitive style, has become popular through artists like Subtronics and Svdden Death. Hybrid trap and dubstep fusion mix parts of trap and bass music, as shown by artists like TroyBoi and UZ. Meanwhile, future garage and wave introduce dreamy, melodic soundscapes, with dubstep producers like Sorrow, Kareful, and Pholo pushing the genre into more atmospheric and emotional areas.

Ultimately, all these developments contributed to a broader bass music movement where genre lines blurred. By the late 2010s, what started as dubstep had splintered into many styles, but the influence of its trademark wobble bass and bass drops could be heard across many EDM genres. Dubstep music had made its mark.

From 2016 to now, dubstep has continued to evolve, with key tracks pushing the genre in new directions. Commodo's "Shift" (2016) shows the deep dubstep revival with its dark, complex sound design. Truth's "Lion" (2017) further established the genre's atmospheric and heavy bass roots. Svdden Death's "Behemoth" (2018) brought an aggressive, high-energy approach that connected with the riddim scene. Subtronics' "Griztronics" (2019), a collaboration with GRiZ, became a festival hit, mixing dubstep with funk-inspired elements. In recent years, Skrillex's "Rumble" (2023), made with Fred Again and Flowdan, introduced a fresh take on bass music, mixing dubstep with UK grime influences and pushing the boundaries of modern electronic music. The cultural impact is clear.

After the boom-and-bust of the early 2010s, dubstep settled into a new phase. While it retreated from the commercial spotlight, the genre by no means died. Instead, it returned to its underground roots and cemented itself as a permanent influence on the wider musical landscape. In recent years, it persists both as a thriving subculture and as a foundational reference point within electronic dance music.

In the UK, many of the original dubstep artists, like Mala and Loefah, kept it alive. A new generation of dubstep producers (like Kahn, Commodo, and V.I.V.E.K) emerged to put their stamp on the style, and by the late 2010s, a mini-revival was underway. As DJ Hatcha noted, the scene "blew up so quickly a dip was always going to happen... people left... But those of us who stayed... kept it going back underground." In truth, it never died – it simply went back underground and regenerated. 

Meanwhile, in North America, the more aggressive side remains a big draw. Acts like Excision and Zeds Dead headline festivals.

In mainstream pop and hip-hop, the direct "wub-wub" moments have faded since 2011, but the concept of the massive bass drop lives on. Modern EDM and pop production eagerly adopted the build-and-release formula and its palette of bass textures.

As of 2024 and beyond, dubstep continues to evolve, with new trends influencing its sound and presence in the music scene. Fusion genres are becoming more popular, mixing dubstep with techno, drum & bass, and trap. Deep dubstep and 140 beats sounds are also gaining attention, bringing the genre back to its roots while keeping things modern. Artists like Skrillex, Rezz, and Eprom are leading the way, pushing boundaries with new sonic experiments. Additionally, dubstep is making a strong comeback at major festivals like Lost Lands, Rampage, and Bass Canyon, showing its lasting impact on the electronic music landscape.

Dubstep's journey – from a small group of kids in Croydon, South London, to a global cultural impact – has reshaped electronic music. As one person noted, even when it faded from the headlines, "the sonic influence of dubstep on everything that has come since is as profound as it is undeniable." The genre's focus on bass and space changed modern music forever.

Dubstep has left a lasting legacy, transforming electronic music with its innovative sound design techniques and groundbreaking production methods. It played a key role in connecting the UK and US bass music scenes, ultimately contributing to the rise of festival bass music. The genre has also inspired countless dubstep producers, with many EDM and hip-hop artists citing dubstep's influence in shaping their sound and approach to music production.

If you want to explore the sound, check out a curated collection like the "Dubstep Classics" playlist on Spotify for an overview of genre-defining dubstep tracks, or watch the UKF Dubstep channel on YouTube. To experience the raw early energy, you can listen to Mary Anne Hobbs' Dubstep Warz BBC radio set or the Dubstep Allstars mix albums.

From its UK roots as an underground movement to global domination and subsequent fragmentation, dubstep remains one of the most innovative and resilient electronic music genres. Whether through deep, sub-heavy styles or high-energy festival bangers, dubstep continues to shape the sound of modern bass music and includes a wide range of styles.