The Electronic Charge of Royalty Free Dubstep Music 

Our brains are hard-wired to find and process patterns instantly. 

It’s the reason why our eyes are able to adjust to differences in color temperature, but we have to manually change a camera’s white balance setting to get a clear image. It’s the reason why we hear a single tone rather than the different overtones in a sound. 

To the untrained ear, dubstep music might just seem like chaotic and unpredictable sounds. But it’s music that follows a pattern. 

When we hear dubstep music — like the songs featured in the playlist above — we subconsciously pick up on the complex patterns and feel compelled to move along with the electronic beats. 

It’s no surprise that dubstep emerged as a type of EDM. This music captivates audiences and injects an electronic charge into any on-screen or off-screen moment.  

But unless you’re composing and producing your own mix, licensing dubstep music for your next creative project may bring more trouble than you bargained for.  

Not only does Soundstripe offer an alternative to the lengthy and costly licensing process, our music library has a diverse selection of electronic music — from dubstep and EDM to synthwave and more. 

In this piece, we’re taking a closer look at the evolution of dubstep and highlighting a few of the talented creators behind Soundstripe’s selection of dubstep songs. 

What is Dubstep? 

“Dubstep” derives its name from the “dub music” of Jamaican artists and “2-step garage,” a subgenre of UK garage. 

In the modern music scene, artists like Skrillex and Bassnectar have made dubstep part of mainstream American culture. But it hasn’t always been this way.

Dubstep artists got their start outside of the mainstream studio production process. And it wasn’t until the early 2000s that dubstep made its way to the U.S. — let alone rose in popularity.  

To mix a dubstep track, artists rework recorded material to produce something new and jarring. It’s common practice to use equalizers, reverb, synthesizers, and similar tools and techniques to achieve the right sounds.   

The YouTube video below details this genre’s earliest influences and its adoption in the U.S.  

The Origin Story of Dubstep Music

Dubstep’s Jamaican Roots 

Jamaican sound engineer King Tubby is remembered by many people as the “dub inventor.”

Artists, then and now, rely on technology to mix and alter sounds to create dubstep music. King Tubby (otherwise known as Osbourne Ruddock) was one of the first innovators to use his expertise as an electronics technician to experiment with dubbing music. 

Dubbing is the technique of taking recorded music and adapting it in new ways — often exaggerating or adding in drum and bass. From there, the music can be altered by introducing an echo, delay, or reverb at certain parts in the song. 

Jamaican producers are credited with pioneering dubbing, and the music they produced in the 60s influenced not only dubstep but genres like rap, garage, and grime. 

The Co-Evolution of Grime and Dubstep

The influence of Jamaican dubbing on dubstep’s evolution is apparent, but the genre has been linked to other styles of music as well. The U.K. garage music of the 90s was high energy electronic music that strayed from predictable patterns — particularly with vocal samples.

This genre had a direct influence on the emergence of 2-step garage, but also grime and dubstep.

Grime entered onto the music scene in the U.K. during the early 2000s as a genre of electronic music that was most defined by its fast pace. Artists like MC Wiley, the “godfather of grime,” showed their production skills while rapping in time with the music. 

Dubstep’s growing popularity coincided with grime’s surge in popularity — especially as part of the U.K.’s underground rave culture. But near the end of the early 2000s, dubstep had crossed international waters to America where it continued to evolve. 

Royalty Free Dubstep Music by Soundstripe Artists

A simple licensing experience is hard to come by. 

Finding the music that complements your next indie film, YouTube video, or other project takes time as-is. Negotiating with copyright holders and acquiring the rights to use said music requires even more time, effort, and money.  

At Soundstripe, we handle the legal side of the music licensing process so that you don’t have to. And we work with talented creators to curate a library of diverse songs that can be integrated into any project, anytime. 

To give you a peak behind the curtain, here are three of the talented creators behind the music library’s dubstep selection:

1. NJN

The artist NJN (pronounced “engine”) has produced high energy dubstep tracks like MF Doom, Seireitei, and Here We Go. This music is primarily produced with electronic drums and samples.  

MF Doom and Seireitei are characterized as angry and fun while Here We Go has a lighter upbeat feel. 

2. Mikey Geiger

LA-based producer Mikey Geiger contributes a wide range of music to Soundstripe’s library — from electronic to funk to R&B. His selection of dubstep music offers just as much variety with a high energy feel. 

Songs like Ham Sandwich are described as happy and fun while others like Databass bring a strong sense of intensity and chaos. If you’re looking for a dubstep track with a more angry or aggressive sound, Wobble To And Fro is a strong contender for our top pick. 

3. Neon Beach

Soundstripe artist Aaron Sprinkle is the creator behind the electronic beats of Neon Beach. Like Mikey Geiger, Neon Beach’s presence in the music library spans across various genres. 

This artist’s dubstep music is high energy and produced with instruments like guitar, electric guitar, synth, and electronic drums. KNOCK IT OFF and Brakecheck are two solid choices if you’re looking for dubstep beats with a more fun feel. 

On the other hand, a song like Caesar could appeal to you if you’re going for a more angry mood.

Match The Music To The Moment

Whether you’re filming a nightclub scene or working on another high energy project, you need music that matches the intensity of the moment. 

Flashing neon lights, special effects, and other visual elements effectively capture your audience’s attention. But music is what truly drives a viewer’s emotional interpretation of what is happening on-screen.