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Breakbeat Classics: From the Roots to Recent Hits [2025]
Born in New York in the 1980s, breakbeats is both a technique and a genre in innovative music production that began by sampling the drum solo “break” sections.
Rhythm patterns cut from classic funk and jazz records of the time laid the foundation for hip-hop and went on to have a major impact on electronic music.
In the ’90s, it also helped spark new genres such as drum and bass and big beat.
In a breakbeat scene that continues to evolve to this day—from the original samples and historically iconic tracks to the latest trends—we present a collection of songs packed with musical innovation and appeal.
Breakbeat Classics: From the Roots to Recent Hits [2025] (1–10)
Funky DrummerJames Brown
It’s no exaggeration to say the history of hip-hop began with this drum! This funk number by the legendary American artist James Brown is etched into music history.
Released in March 1970, it’s famous for the improvised drum break that emerged during a session after the instruction to “let the drummer play.” Even without lyrics, you can feel the heat of the moment and the steadily rising groove.
This beat was later sampled by countless artists—such as Public Enemy and N.
W.
A.
—and helped lay the foundation of hip-hop.
Many of you may also recognize this rhythm from the theme of the animated series The Powerpuff Girls.
Perfect for anyone who wants to trace breakbeats back to their source! Surrender yourself to the beat that changed history.
ContactKelela
Don’t you want to experience the thrill of heading to the club in an even more exciting way? On American artist Kelela’s “Contact,” the heart-pounding anticipation of night just getting started is packed into every moment.
The secret to the track’s coolness lies in its legendary breakbeat sampled from funk classic “Think (About It)” by Lyn Collins.
The way that classic rhythm fuses with UK garage beats to create a sophisticated dance space is goosebump-inducing.
It’s a track that practically turns the concept of “pre-club warm-up” into sound itself.
Put this on, and your mood will hit a peak even before you step onto the floor.
N.T.Kool and The Gang
A funk number by Kool & The Gang from the early 1970s that could be called one of the roots of breakbeats.
When people hear “breakbeats,” many might picture chopped-up hip-hop beats or ravey British electronic dance music.
However, the earliest breakbeats actually originated in Black music—especially soul numbers like this.
Later, looping a single verse and rapping over it would come to form one of the roots of hip-hop.
Voodoo PeopleThe Prodigy
A powerful number whose fierce guitar riffs and spellbinding breakbeats shake the listener’s instincts.
The Prodigy, an innovative group from the UK, electrified the world with a sound that fused the aggression of rock with rave culture.
This track’s mantra-like vocal repetitions lure listeners into a trance, said to evoke a ritual where enchanted crowds dance in wild unison.
Released in September 1994, it’s also included on the classic album Music for the Jilted Generation, which topped the UK charts.
On nights when you want to blow away everyday rationality and unleash your inner impulses, turn the volume all the way up and surrender to its overwhelming energy.
Block Rockin’ BeatsThe Chemical Brothers
In the 1990s, songs with a gloomy vibe were extremely popular worldwide.
Genres with a somewhat dark feel, like grunge rock and G-funk, seemed to be all the rage.
This track is “Block Rockin’ Beats” by the British techno duo The Chemical Brothers.
It’s a chaotic piece with pounding breakbeats, an atonal bassline, and layers of noise.
Back when this kind of music was in vogue, they reigned at the very top.
If you like techno, this is an essential track.
Boy’s a liar Pt. 2PinkPantheress, Ice Spice
This is a collaborative track by the UK’s PinkPantheress and the US’s Ice Spice that achieved the astonishing feat of breaking into the Billboard Top 3 thanks to TikTok.
Set over buoyant breakbeats that evoke UK garage and Jersey club, many listeners have likely enjoyed the duo’s back-and-forth as they sing their true feelings to a lying partner.
The whispery vocals and cool rap weave a groove that’s pure new-generation pop sensibility.
Packed into just over two minutes, this addictive beat will have you unconsciously swaying along in no time!
Amen BrotherThe Winstons
This is the legendary track by the American funk-soul group The Winstons, whose mere seven-second drum solo changed the course of music history forever.
Released in May 1969 as the B-side of a single, it’s an instrumental that brilliantly fuses the solemnity of gospel with the energetic groove of funk.
The sudden drum break that appears within it has such a powerful impact and raw resonance that many listeners find themselves instantly captivated.
This rhythmic pattern later became known as the “Amen Break,” the musical DNA sampled in thousands of tracks from hip-hop to drum and bass.
It’s also known for being used in the theme song of the animated series Futurama.
If you want to experience a moment when musical creativity explodes, this is a track that will satisfy that intellectual curiosity.