How The I Love Drum and Bass Spotify Playlist Has Evolved The DNB Scene

What is the I Love Drum and Bass Spotify Playlist?

The I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist is as simple as it sounds. It’s a playlist on Spotify, specifically for Drum and Bass. So, what makes this playlist special? There are hundreds, if not thousands of playlists across the internet dedicated to DNB. Another one on another music streaming playlist shouldn’t really be causing all that much of a stir. But it is.

Let’s take this back to understand why the I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist is having such an impact for the DNB scene. As we’ve already said, there’s nothing new about a playlist. What is unique about this one though, is that it was set up by record labels with a view to giving freedom of expression and unparalleled exposure for unheard of producers, artists and labels.

If you’re not aware of how this Spotify stream works, it goes a little something like this. The daily updates are largely filled with up-and-coming music. You will very rarely hear anything by one of the big labels and if you do, it is likely to be something completely off the charts. A brand new collaboration between artists and labels that seeks to push the boundaries of the genre we love even further.

It represents a somewhat unofficial official channel for all Drum and Bass fans to congregate around. A kind of unanimous agreement that this is where the future of Drum and Bass lies and so fans and artists alike pile into it full throttle. There is no censorship and because of the wide reaching platform, it allows everyone to not only listen to what they want, but to voice what they want.

This is revolutionary in many forms. Firstly, Drum and Bass crews have traditionally been quite tight-knit. Sharing was not on the top of the agenda for most of them so opening out their experience and actively seeking for collaboration with new artists on this platform has been a paradigm shift in it’s own right. It also is opening up a realistic channel for new artists to freely publish and promote their music without having to be signed to a label, which in turn, may help them get signed to a label.

No other genre in the music industry has the open handed freedom to self promote. Yet another way in which Drum and Bass is pushing the industry forward. Yes, there are some major gender equality issues within Drum and Bass which appear to be being addressed, but this recognition and willingness to do something about furthers the point of progressiveness in Drum and Bass.

Who Set Up The I Love Drum and Bass Spotify Playlist?

No one person or group is solely responsible for the I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist. Potentially the idea came from Simon Bassline Smith. He wanted to see how he could get more exposure for the younger and less well-known dj’s on his label. This would be an oversimplification of the genesis of the I love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist though as it wasn’t as if the idea suddenly popped into Simon’s head that Spotify was they way to go. As with all great problems, a collective usually comes up with the idea.

The key aspect of the playlist was that it should be from within. The concept of Drum and Bass promoting Drum and Bass was essential to how it should work. No one should be able to tell anyone else what is good and what should be popular. It should come from general consensus.

A number of top DNB dj’s and producers created a group chat to discuss, amongst other things at the time, Grooveriders birthday. Simon raised the question about how to improve exposure for his talent on the label. This sentiment was mirrored by DJ Fresh, at which point he suggested using Spotify. Fairly shortly after that a separate conversation was had that laid out the ground rules and what the overall point of the I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist should be.

With this agreed upon, they started reaching out to other labels and artists with the hope that more would be on board.

Things picked up very quickly from there and shortly afterwards the playlist ws up and running. Probably the toughest part of the the whole process was the name. As ever, the most simple things tend to be the best. A lot of names were considered, but they ended up either marginalising or pigeon holing sub-genres and aspects of the scene. Eventually it was realised that everybody just loves Drum and Bass. The name was created and it moved forwards from there.

What It Is Helping To Achieve?

There are so many things the I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist is doing. The first and foremost thing is that it is helping more people listen to Drum and Bass. The scene is now being democratised. Those who want to play or create something a bit more to their liking don’t have to water down their sound or make it fit into a particular style to get it heard by those who make the decisions. The creative platform has been opened up in a way that has never been accessible before.

An equally critical element of this playlist is that it is connecting people. Not just Drum and Bass fans, but artists, producers and label owners. Drum and Bass globally is quite isolated. American Drum and Bass sounds completely different to that of, say, Russian, yet many from either side would be hard pressed to name more than one DJ, producer or even record label from each side. As an ardent DNB fans for many years and having kept our ears to the ground, even the Amen Breaks team finds it a bit difficult to do this.

Record labels from all over the world, including requests from China, are being added to the I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist. Our community is becoming more connected than ever before.

With connection comes creativity. Now that people are more accessible it makes it easier to collaborate. For the first time in a long time, you are seeing people who are part of different ends of the Drum and Bass spectrum speaking and working with others that they may otherwise not have either wanted or had the ability to. Jump up producers working with tech and neuro artists. Liquid DJ’s making crossovers with jungle producers, the list is endless. The playlist has created a virtual melting pot which has enabled artists and producers to find new creative avenues.

The I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist has also made a subtle but dramatic impact on the way music is being produced. Even now, a lot of music is, either consciously or subconsciously, arranged for DJ’s that mix on vinyl. As we are all aware, not much music is made for vinyl these days, despite its massive popularity.

When Drum and Bass production became a bit more formalised, people were making music in the hope that one of the big name artists would play it out in their next set. It was being made for the DJ and not the listener. If you go back to the origins on Jungle and Drum and Bass, the arrangements were all over the place. Creativity was at the very heart of the sound and experimentation was the driver.

With modern technology and the new access to a wider variety of people making music, hopefully we will start to see new styles emerge and creativity once more become part of the production process. In short, the playlist may help to evolve the way we make music and who we are making it for.

This also has a huge boon for talent scouts and record labels. The biggest talent in all genres is advertising their services for free. All the labels have to do is tune in everyday to the hear the latest sounds being produced. This is a mutual benefit. Don’t think of it as a way for labels to cherry pick the top talent (it is though), because the insane amount of hard work that these artists put in means that it will eventually pay off.

More artists get signed, more music is made and everyone is happy.

Why This is So Important?

The I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist is so important to the DNB scene as it is changing the dynamic of how we share, create and listen to music. It may even end up delivering some new sub-genres and collaborations that will help to shape the future of Drum and Bass.

An open platform like this is breaking down the hierarchy within the scene that was unwittingly put in place by those seeking to build creativity. It should help bring back the spirit of innovation and collaboration that is what built the scene in the first place.

To be honest, the Drum and Bass scene desperately needed an outlet like this to be able to continue to innovate. Not that it wouldn’t have continued to do so, but with the ever shrinking groups that people find themselves falling into, there was the potential for some areas to stagnate.

More importantly it is centralising the space in which people can join together to listen to and share music. There has always been one place in the history of Drum and Bass that people used to congregate and hear the latest tracks. Back in the day it was the Blue Note Jazz Club, today that space has simply shifted to an online venue that is open to all and sundry.

The Drum and Bass scene is constantly in a state of flux and at this particular moment in time is in a transitional period. Not in a bad way, but in a way that makes it hard to know where the scene is going next and in order for us all to keep a handle on where things are going it helps to have a focal point.

If you want to get on board with the I Love Drum and Bass Spotify playlist, you simply need to download the app, sign up and search for the playlist. You’ll immediately be able to stream everything that’s in the playlist that day.

 

Whilst you are streaming the latest and greatest new Drum and Bass, take a look through our shop and pick out your new favourite piece of raving gear.