What is Dubstep?

If dubstep could be translated directly into characters that can be typed on a standard keyboard, it would probably look like this:

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It’s certainly a term that has gained popularity recently, in and out of Jamesville-DeWitt High School. To clear the record once and for all for those who don’t know exactly what it is or have only heard about it from others, dubstep is a genre of music that relies heavily on bass, synthesizer, drum patterns, and unconventional sounds. It’s a form of electronic music with huge drops, plenty of wobble bass, sometimes lyrics, unusual rhythms and dark-sounding synthesizer. According to this blog post, dubstep could only be described as “armored Tyrannosaurus Rexes stampeding and shooting laser beams though Cretaceous forests.” (Click the link for a visual depiction and an example of dubstep).

“Dubstep is awesome,” says senior Alec Thompson. “You just need to get into the beat and the basslines.”

“It’s weird,” says sophomore Tessa Yu. “I guess it depends on how much you listen to it though,” she said.

“I feel like it’s always been there, but only now getting in the limelight,” says senior Doug Elmore. In fact, dubstep is thought to have first originated in early 2000.

Junior Pablo Martinez listens to a lot of European club music and pop songs but not dubstep. “Dubstep is like the modern disco or eurodance. However, it lacks good lyrics and a lot of times sounds ugly,” says Martinez. “Dubstep is like the step ahead of techno which is more electronic,” Martinez says.

“I like techno but I don’t like dubstep,” says senior Brad Siegel.

“I don’t listen to dubstep because I don’t know if it can even be classified as music when it just sounds like noise,” senior Emily Frank says. “Sure it beats and stuff, but you can’t dance to it… you can’t sing to it… it just sounds like machines being smashed together in a junkyard,” says Frank.

“I don’t listen to it,” says Shelby Winestein, a senior. “I still think it’s cool, though.”

Dubstep is spreading across the Internet and radio. Popular artists and DJs that have caught onto the fad include Tiesto, Skrillex, Deadmau5, Mt Eden, and many others. The verdict on dubstep’s value? You’ll just have to listen for yourself.