electro
what it is
Electro is a type of electronic dance music which emerged with the development of early sampling technology and the introduction of the Roland TR-808 drum machine and is closely associated with Hip Hop's formative years in the early to mid 1980s. It is not to be confused with electro house, which is commonly shortened to just "electro" in EDM circles. The electro style is defined by the 808 and 808 drum samples arranged in syncopated rhythm patterns often resembling the Funk breaks used in Hip Hop beats with simple, funky basslines.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make electro a playlist
turn these 40 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is electro?
Electro is a type of electronic dance music which emerged with the development of early sampling technology and the introduction of the Roland TR-808 drum machine and is closely associated with Hip Hop's formative years in the early to mid 1980s. It is not to be confused with electro house, which is commonly shortened to just "electro" in EDM circles. The electro style is defined by the 808 and 808 drum samples arranged in syncopated rhythm patterns often resembling the Funk breaks used in Hip Hop beats with simple, funky basslines.
What are good electro albums to start with?
Try Idealism by Digitalism, Light & Magic by Ladytron, Gesamtkunstwerk by Dopplereffekt, and Woman by Justice.
Who are some women making electro?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/electro/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making electro, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-19