From techno and trance to jazz and jungle, the UK’s club music scene is a versatile one for sure, but which genre is being played most in UK clubs? Using insights from Resident Advisor (RA), we analysed the number of club music events from 1st Jan 2024 - 31st December 2024 for each genre in 16 UK cities to reveal the UK’s most popular club music. 

The research reveals that house is the number one genre of music in 9 out of 16 UK cities, including London, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds, Brighton, Bristol, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Edinburgh. Techno is the second most popular, being a club favourite in 4 cities including Newcastle, Belfast, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. 

The top 5 most popular club music genres by UK city

Disco down in Dundee

Dundee has the most unique taste in Scotlands’ club music scene with disco being equally as popular as techno. Dundee is also the only city in the UK that has funk & soul in their top five so if you’re a fan of this funky genre, Dundee is the place to be. They aren’t the only Scottish city with an eclectic taste, however. Aberdeen is the only UK city that has acid in their top 5 most popular club genres. Trance also seems to be a favourite among the Scots, with 2 out of 4 cities including this enchanting, captivating genre in their top 5 favourites. 

A versatile taste

Although house and techno are equal favourites in Sheffield with exactly 21 club events for both genres, jazz emerges as the city's third most popular genre. This could be due to the city’s thriving jazz community, spearheaded by Sheffield Jazz, an organisation dedicated to bringing the best of national and international jazz to the city. 

Out of all UK cities, Birmingham has the most versatile taste in England’s club music scene with drum & bass being the most popular genre followed closely by afrobeat and grime. It may come as no surprise to learn that Jungle is a favourite in Bristol but they’re not the only ones with jungle fever! Jungle is the fifth most popular genre in Brighton after house, drum & bass, techno, and garage.

A brief history of the UK’s top three genres

As the research shows, it’s clear that UK clubbers are big fans of house, techno, and disco. But what makes these genres so popular in UK clubs? To understand the rise in popularity, let’s take a quick look at where it all started. 

House

Originating in Chicago in the early 1980s, house music was pioneered by a group of Black American DJs who combined disco and hip-hop genres with emerging synthesizer technology. Some of the most renowned producers of early house music include Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy, Jesse Saunders, Farley "Jackmaster" Funk, Chip E., Joe Smooth, J. M. Silk (Jack Master Silk), and Marshall Jefferson, to name just a few.

After gaining traction in Chicago, house music quickly reached prominent American cities like New York and Detroit, and even expanded overseas to iconic European hubs like London, Paris, and Ibiza. A staple for raves and dance playlists alike, house music has become one of the most popular forms of electronic dance music. 

Techno

Techno first emerged in Europe in the 1970s, with German artists like Tangerine Dream and  Kraftwerk creating catchy, repetitive basslines and drumbeats using synthesizers. Techno really came to its own in America where the genre adopted Chicago house influences and elements of electro and synth-pop. With an eclectic background, techno as we know it today has evolved into an array of subgenres, from trance and industrial to ambient and minimal.

Disco

Disco music was born in the 1960s as a way to escape the social, economic, and cultural unrest the world was feeling at the time. With war, gang violence, political scandal, unemployment and increasing crime rates looming over the public, disco was escapism personified.

After becoming an instant hit for underground clubs, disco hit the mainstream leading to discotheques and the release of the renowned film, Saturday Night Fever (1977) starring John Travolta. While disco has fluctuated in popularity over the years, its infectious beats still captivate listeners and the music industry, with the likes of artists such as Kylie Minogue and Dua Lipa taking inspiration from the genre. 

Methodology

• We filtered club music events by UK city and genre on Resident Advisor, a dedicated music platform designed to help people discover music, artists and events.
• We then calculated the number of club music events from 1st Jan 2024 - 31st December 2024 for each genre to discover the most popular club music events for each city.
• All figures were gathered in March 2024 (RA also shows previous events).