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Which artists helped make big beat popular?
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electronic dance music
A DJ performing before a crowd.
The big beat genre, which emerged in the 1990s, is characterized by its use of rock-influenced guitar and keyboard riffs layered over propulsive, fast-paced breakbeats.12
The artists most responsible for popularizing and defining the big beat sound include:
- The Chemical Brothers: Widely considered the pioneers of the genre, the duo of Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands created the blueprint for big beat with tracks like "Chemical Beats." Their 1997 album, Dig Your Own Hole, helped push the sound into the American mainstream.13
- The Prodigy: Alongside the Chemical Brothers, this group served as a primary trailblazer for the "electronica" movement, bringing a rowdy, rock-influenced style of dance music to a global audience.134
- Fatboy Slim: As the genre grew in popularity, Fatboy Slim became one of its most successful and prominent figures, helping to codify and expand the reach of the big beat sound.12