Three Library Music Trends You Need to Know About in 2022
Looking for music that’s easy to licence and on-trend?
We’ve put together a run-down of three of the hottest Library Music genres getting licensed in 2022. If you don’t know, it’s time to get familiar. Let’s dive in…
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Originally emerging from Chicago in the early 1980’s, house music quickly spread across the globe and has since never left the club scenes of New York, Detroit, London, Paris and beyond.
The house style is informed by the disco / soul era that it was born from and is characterised by infectious four-to-the-floor beats, funky percussion, and emphasis on synthesizers from the 1980s.
Its influence has given birth to countless subgenres like acid house, deep house, tech house, funky house, and has also influenced an evolution in genres like hip hop, pop, garage and drum & bass.
The genre has gone through many transformations and is enjoying a recent spike in popularity, thanks in part to mainstream support.
In the last year in the UK, BBC Radio 1 and Capital FM have both launched 24/7 dance music stations: ‘Radio 1 Dance’ and ‘Capital Dance’. Proof that house is more popular than ever. From the piano led music of Joel Corry, Sigala, David Guetta, MK, Ewan McVicar, Honey Dijon and Oliver Heldens, right through to the deeper and more progressive; Disciples, Camelphat, Bicep, Meduza, Fred again, and Eliza Rose. Even Drake has jumped on the house train this year with his newest album ‘Honestly, Nevermind’.
Whether you’re a fan of the funky upbeat sounds, or more partial to the deep, emotive songs, house music is unavoidable and so hot right now.
Check out our easy-to-license catalogue of House music right here.
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Grime started in London in the early 2000s, on pirate radio stations such as Rinse FM, Déjà Vu and Mission. It grew out of the UK garage movement, through the evolution of 2-step, and was heavily influenced by jungle, hip hop and dancehall. Early pioneers of the underground grime scene were DJ Slimzee, Wiley, Heartless Crew and Pay As U Go Cartel.
The genre is typified by a dark or jagged lofi instrumental with space for MCs to flow a new style of rap on top.
Gaining more conventional recognition during the mid 2000s thanks to artists such as Dizzee Rascal, Kano and Lethal Bizzle, the sound of the London streets and the artists who told the stories would spark a revolution of regional pride, with MCs from other UK cities following suit and using their accents to rep their towns.
Fans from all around the world now listen to artists such as Aitch, AJ Tracey, ArrDee, Digga D, Central Cee, Jay1 and Stormzy.
Trap, a sub-genre of hip hop, emerged at a similar time to grime in the early 2000s, but it was conceived across the globe, in Southern U.S.A. Trap music is minimal, favouring almost exclusively crunchy snares and prominent, fast hi-hats. Just like grime, it allows plenty of sonic space for a rapper to tell their story over the music. Originators of the trap scene include T.I., Manny Fresh, Gucci Mane and Lex Luger.
Since its inception into popular culture via crossover hits like ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, and ‘I Like It’ by Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin, trap has exploded and is one of the most successful American genres today.
Thanks to the internet, Urban music has reached further than the DJs climbing up telephone poles to broadcast their signal in the early 2000s could’ve ever imagine.
Check out our latest album ‘Peng’ with easy-to-license Urban / Grime / Trap beats right here.
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Although the journey to Afrobeat started earlier than this, the style as we know it, with an emphasis on complex, percussive rhythms and chanted vocals, was established in the 1970s by Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.
This musical genre combines West African styles such as highlife and traditional Yoruba music, with American jazz, funk and soul.
Many jazz musicians since have been influenced by Afrobeat, and in more recent times it has found its way into the mainstream with modern artists such as Burna Boy, Olamide, Wizkid, Fuse ODG and Mr Eazi, spreading the sound amongst people from different ages and cultures.
Ed Sheeran dipped his toes into the Afrobeat seas with his Fireboy DML collaboration, and Justin Bieber hooked up with Omah Lay earlier this year to release their song ‘Attention’.
You know when big names like Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber are paying attention to a genre, then you probably should too.
Check out our easy-to-license Afro Beats selections: Afro Party & Afro Chill.
Any good campaign begins with an understanding of the times and how you’d like to fit in to them. We make it easier for you to find and use the most appropriate soundtrack for your project, in just a few simple steps. So don’t hang about, check out our library of sounds today and get in touch for more information.