Hardstyle
Hardcore · 2007 · 145 to 155 BPM · also known as Hard Style, Rawstyle, Euphoric Hardstyle
The Netherlands invented, around the turn of the millennium, a more accessible successor to gabber: the tempo dropped to 150, kicks grew huge and precisely tuned, and dramatic melodic breakdowns arrived alongside the reverse bass. It has since become one of the pillars of festivals worldwide, with Defqon.1 as its flagship event, complete with its own industry, yearly anthems, and a culture obsessed with the technical craft of the kick drum.
22 reference tracks
- Showtek: FTS (2007)
- Showtek: Black (2007)
- Noisecontrollers: Attack Again (2009)
- Wildstylez: A Complex Situation (2010)
- Headhunterz: Psychedelic (2007)
- Headhunterz: Dragonborn (2012)
- Wildstylez: Year of Summer (2013)
- D-Block & S-te-Fan: Angels & Demons (2019)
- Sub Zero Project: Rave Into Space (2019)
- Scooter, Blasterjaxx, Ceres: Heart Attack (2025)
- Headhunterz: Live Forever (2025)
- Rooler: Annoying Music (2025)
- Headhunterz: The Power Of The Mind (2007)
- Technoboy: Ti Sento (2007)
- D-Block & S-te-Fan: Music Made Addict (2011)
- Frontliner: Spacer (2010)
- Headhunterz: The Sacrifice
- Headhunterz: Rock Civilization
- Noisecontrollers: Revolution Is Here
- Frontliner: Warphole
- Scooter: J'Adore Hardcore
- Wildstylez: Revenge
At a glance
- Tempo: 145 to 155 BPM
- First appeared: around 2007
- Machines: LennarDigital Sylenth1, Xfer Serum
- The sound: Kick hardstyle accordé multi-couches, Reverse bass, Screeches, Leads supersaw dramatiques, Serum et Sylenth1
- Labels: Fusion Records, Scantraxx, Dirty Workz, Art Of Creation, Roughstate, Scantraxx Special
- Key artists: Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Noisecontrollers, Showtek (période dure), D-Block & S-te-Fan, Sub Zero Project
Producing Hardstyle
Hardstyle sits at a genuinely fixed 150 BPM, with the early years of 2002 to 2005 closer to 140 to 145 and modern hardstyle pushing to 155, unswung and built so every kick and reverse bass share exactly 400ms. Treat the kick as an instrument with two parts: a short, clicky tok of 30 to 60ms, often a clipped 909, and a saturated, pitch-dropping tail of 200 to 300ms that settles on the tonic, when the harmony changes only the tail gets repitched, never the tok, or the attack loses its shape. Place the kick on every beat, a clap well back on 2 and 4, hats in eighths, and pitched kick rolls before the drops.
The full production course, in French: tempo, drums, bass, sounds, arrangement, mix, plugins and machines, and a step by step start.
Frequently asked
What is Hardstyle?
The Netherlands invented, around the turn of the millennium, a more accessible successor to gabber: the tempo dropped to 150, kicks grew huge and precisely tuned, and dramatic melodic breakdowns arrived alongside the reverse bass. It has since become one of the pillars of festivals worldwide, with…
What tempo is Hardstyle played at?
Between 145 and 155 BPM.
Who are the key Hardstyle artists?
Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Noisecontrollers, Showtek (période dure), D-Block & S-te-Fan, Sub Zero Project.
