Top 10 Best Dubstep Artists of All Time
Originating in South London in the late 1990s and early 2000s, dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music known for heavy basslines, reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals. Built around sparse, syncopated rhythms and prominent sub-bass frequencies, it often moves near 140 BPM and draws from UK garage, 2-step, dub, jungle, and drum and bass. Quite the family tree for music that sometimes sounds like a robot arguing with a thunderstorm.
The beauty of dubstep is that it has never been content to sit still. From the deeper, more minimal sounds of early UK dubstep to the louder festival-shaking styles that pushed the genre into the mainstream, artists have kept bending and drop-kicking the rules. Below, as voted by fans like you, are the dubstep artists who have created some of the genre's most memorable tracks and made the greatest impact on the community.
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Skrillex
Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American electronic music producer and DJ. He played a key role in bringing dubstep to mainstream audiences.
He was formerly the lead singer of the post-hardcore band From First To Last and later formed the duo Jack... read more
I love this guy. He is the artist that got me into dubstep. None of the artists below have anything on him. Skrillex is magnificent in many ways. Sonny Moore, thank you for your magic. Your music will live on forever in dubstep history. The guy with the comment below is right. Skrillex is the KING OF DUBSTEP. Gonna give you a thumbs up.
Whether you like Skrillex or not, he is definitely the most influential dubstep artist of all time - no questions asked. I don't think anybody in North America listened to that stuff until he brought it here and changed it up with his now famous Brostep. As Michael Jackson is the king of pop (screw you, JB) and Elvis Presley is the king of rock, Skrillex is the king of dubstep.
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Knife Party
Knife Party are an Australian electronic music duo comprising Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen, two members of the drum and bass band Pendulum. They formed the group in 2011 and are known for their aggressive style blending electro house, dubstep, and other electronic genres. Their debut EP 100% No Modern... read more
I will give credit to Skrillex simply because "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" introduced me to the world of dubstep. But the more I explored, searching for bigger and better dubstep, I stumbled upon a website talking about up-and-coming dubstep producers.
Knife Party was on the list, shockingly as number four of five bands, and they recommended "Centipede" by Knife Party to listen to. Needless to say, that song dramatically blew my mind, and they have continued to do so with almost every song they have produced.
Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen are absolute musical masterminds. They were when they were in Pendulum, they are now in Knife Party, and they will continue to be hopefully for a while longer. Knife Party for life!
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Nero
Nero is an English electronic music trio consisting of Daniel Stephens, Joseph Ray, and Alana Stephens (née Watson). They are known for their distinctive blend of vocal dubstep, electro, drum and bass, and drumstep, characterized by deep vocals and sharp, fluctuating basslines.... read more
To this day, only Nero has been able to bring out a side to dubstep that has kept me hooked since the first time I heard them. Almost every single one of their tracks has an emotional and uplifting energy that no one else has replicated.
Not always dubstep, but Nero has consistently made quality tracks that have such a dark vibe to them. If I want to go to a club, Nero is what I want to hear on the loudspeakers.
Nero, I think, has their own type of music. They revolutionized dubstep!
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Flux Pavilion
I remember I first started listening to dubstep because of these songs in the top twenty on my radio, and Skrillex had been the producer of some songs that I found that had nice rhythms and beats. I started to search Pandora for Dubstep, Pendulum (I liked that band also - check out The Island Part 2), Skrillex, Nero, and a little more. I believe I had come across Flux through the remix of Gold Dust, which is so great, and I have loved all his other music ever since then.
The real track that I could listen to 24/7 is I Can't Stop, which is undoubtedly my absolute favorite dubstep track right now, along with all of his other music. I say Flux would beat out Skrillex any day. People who voted for Skrillex should check out I Can't Stop.
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Excision
Excision is one of the original dubstep artists. He always has that dark, gritty tone in his songs that defines him, but he always can keep up with what's new and hot in EDM. And boy, has he kept it up for a long time - 8 years! (maybe even more) He deserves to be in the top ten.
Every time I hear filthy drops, it reminds me of Excision because that's what he does. Blow people's brains, leave them deaf, and produce a drop that no one can do.
I LOVE the Codename X album, especially the Virus album. Listen to those albums, and you'll admit that Excision is the king of BASS!
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Deadmau5
Joel Thomas Zimmerman (also known as deadmau5) is a Canadian DJ and music producer. He previously worked as a web developer.
He produces a wide variety of electronic music genres, including electro, dubstep, progressive house, and electro‑house. He is best known for helping to popularize progressive... read more
He may make a point by saying that the culture of dubstep is deformed from its meaningful and mellifluous history, but that doesn't stop him from trying to improve this, along with his specialization in progressive house and electro house. It's one of many things that make him very admirable.
I like Deadmau5 as much as the next guy, but why is he even an entry on this list at all? He has publicly stated that he hates dubstep. I don't believe he's ever made any or at least not released any.
Deadmau5 is a beast. His tracks are great, and he just recently signed under the same label as Swedish House Mafia and David Guetta. That proves enough about him.
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Zomboy
Possibly the best dubstep producer of our time, mainly because of his creativity, finesse, and skill, which is not found with most other dubstep artists. And unlike Skrillex, who is recently beginning to struggle to produce quality dubstep tracks, Zomboy has consistently produced quality dubstep through all of his tracks, even up to his most recent work.
He has the amazing ability to combine beauty and heavy drops (City 2 City is a good example) better than anyone I have ever heard. And above all, his music is just so much fun.
Unlike other dubstep artists whose music sounds angry or cold a lot of the time, Zomboy is always a pleasure to listen to. He is truly incredible and deserves at least the number two spot.
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Virtual Riot
The man's a genius. My favorite electronic artist by far. The emotions his music evokes are just fantastic. The thing that differentiates Virtual Riot, in my opinion, is that his music has all the elements that good electronic music should have, but they are all so masterfully combined that no song becomes monotonous and each has a distinct melody. I find dubstep in general to lack such finesse.
After Skrillex should be this guy. This isn't just blabbering dubstep but an emotional slap in the face with almost every song. Also, a strong role model for other dubstep artists (like his samples used in lots of dubstep songs), Virtual Riot deserves a top five spot.
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Bassnectar
Lorin Ashton, known professionally as Bassnectar, is an electronic music producer from Santa Cruz, California. He is known for his dark dubstep and trap style, blending in elements of downtempo, drum and bass, and ambient music. He describes his sound as "amorphous and ever-changing."... read more
There is a comment here recommending the song "Ugly" ft. Amp Live. Because of this comment, I listened to that song with high expectations that were more than fulfilled. I also agree that this song has a unique style that very few people could pull off.
Some of my other favorite Bassnectar songs are "Vava Voom," featuring Lupe Fiasco, and "Bass Head." I like how Bassnectar combines hip hop and dubstep.
Bassnectar is the king of sound. It's as simple as that. Only Au5, Fractal, and KOAN Sound can catch up to his production skill, musical talent, and composition detail, but he still wears the crown. Go listen to his new album "Into the Sun" on some really good speakers or headphones, and you'll know what I mean.
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Doctor P
Doctor P is a genius. He sees other songs in a way no other person does. Just listen to some of his remixes (Last Ones Standing, Love Goes Down). Also, his original stuff is so different from the others and still is awesome (Big Boss, Watch Out, Sweet Shop).
Doctor P is one of the artists that got me into dubstep. He is so clever in the writing of his music. Watch Out is by far my favorite Doc P track.
You simply cannot fault the tracks of Doctor P!
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Sullivan King
Easily my favorite riddim producer of the last year. Not only is he an excellent producer and DJ, but he is also a great vocalist and guitarist.
He fuses dubstep and metalcore flawlessly.
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Dex Arson
The coolest dubstep artist ever.
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Kill the Noise
Kill the Noise is one of the heaviest bass monsters ever. Just look at tracks like Thumbs Up and Jump Ya Body. KTN knows how to combine killer beats with ear-shattering bass drops, and he does it in a way that no other dubstep artist has shown me yet.
This guy should top the list. He's got the best sound in the dubstep category. His EP "Kill Kill Kill" topped all EDM charts. His track "Black Magic" is the best track ever produced by him. He is even good at drum and bass. This guy should be placed beyond the top ten!
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Zedd
Zedd is a Russian-German DJ and music producer known for hits such as Clarity, Transmission, and Break Free. He gained major recognition for his album True Colors, which tied with Skrillex's Recess for the highest debut on the Billboard 200 chart for an EDM album. Zedd is also considered one of the highest-earning... read more
His remix of Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites is awesome! It's almost as good as the original!
He is just awesome! I love his mix. He stands out from the crowd in dubstep.
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Feed Me
Feed Me is a musical genius. His songs have changed many things about dubstep, and hopefully, he will continue to do so. I also encourage you to listen to One Click Headshot. That song really shows what Feed Me is made of.
He is one of the extremely few artists who tries his hand at various electro genres at the same time and does so perfectly. He also roams the world as two electronic artists. Name someone else like this!
Jon Gooch of Feed Me and Spor can create some really amazing music that never ceases to amaze me!
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Modestep
One of my favorite bands. Their music is very mixed, and I simply love the beats. It's actually something I can move to, not just a couple of sounds here and there.
This band is the best band I've heard. They rose to the number one spot faster than any band could. And their songs are so perfect. They deserve better than 17.
Absolutely awesome. They have a great mix of songs with different genres. Songs like Paradise prove that the band has some strong vocals.
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Datsik
I listen to many different artists and producers, but Datsik has always been my favorite. Some of his tracks are immensely well-made, and I feel he needs more recognition.
Datsik is just awesome. He is so simple, yet so complex at the same time. Just drums and wubs. He has also been producing for a longer time than most artists and is still going strong. Datsik is awesome!
Datsik is the very best there is, no question.
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Pegboard Nerds
Yes, but not only Pegboard Nerds, all of Monstercat, because Tristam and Pegboard Nerds and those people are part of Monstercat.
These guys are awesome. They have their own sound and are constantly evolving. I love every track they produce!
In my opinion, they're even better than Skrillex. They're one of the few artists today still doing real dubstep, electro-house, and drum-n-bass.
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Daft Punk
Daft Punk was a French electronic music duo composed of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. They were known for their innovative approach to electronic music, blending house, funk, and techno elements. Daft Punk achieved international fame with hits like Around the World, One More Time... read more
And you know what's awesome about these guys is that you will never find other artists of any genre like these guys. They are the most different, unique, but absolutely brutal DJs on the planet. They have sick flows and amazing beats. Plus, unlike most of these guys, Daft Punk's music actually works. It isn't just a bunch of monster roars put together and called music. It is cohesive. There should be a statue of Daft Punk in every country in the world! BRING ON the FUNK!
What! Daft Punk should be much, much higher than this! How can you not like Daft Punk? They are awesome!
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The Glitch Mob
Excellent mix to keep focused.
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XKore
Just check out this track (Rogue Status) and you'll go xKore crazy.
At least this guy is somewhere near where he should be.
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Seven Lions
Hands down the king of dubstep. All of his songs have so much heart and emotion put into them. Jeff is indeed one of the most unique dubstep artists out there.
In my opinion, his remix of Velvetine's The Great Divide is his best work and an absolute chillstep masterpiece. Great song to introduce someone to the world of dubstep, along with many others.
Seven Lions is awesome. I only started listening to them in 2015, and I had to search for everything they have ever made. Seven Lions, you rock.
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Kevin Drew
Why isn't he number one on the list? His music is amazing and way better than Skrillex's. Listen to Circles, Bullseye, and the Somebody That I Used to Know remix.
KDrew is my favorite artist by far as of right now.
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Chase & Status
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Burial
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Downlink
Downlink is an amazing artist. I love his track "Absolute Fire." Damn.
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Tristam
Tristam is an artist who makes music not with his brain, but with his heart. I love his music because he makes it with his feelings. And his song with Braken, Tristam and Braken - Flight, is the #1 most popular song on Monstercat.
Why is my favorite dubstep artist not anywhere near the top ten?
My favorite. I Remember and Follow Me are his best songs.