More Music at Your Fingertips: Why Beatport Is Adding Open-Format Genres

Beatport’s expansion into open-format genres – Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, Latin, Caribbean, and African – reflects a natural evolution in global DJ culture that’s just as much about the craft’s origins as its current and future directions. But this isn’t a pivot, nor a break from tradition. By bringing open-format into Beatport, we build on what Beatsource has long delivered, uniting dance/electronic and open-format under one roof to reflect the full spectrum of DJ culture, driven by our world-class curation team with more than 20 years of experience.

Dance/electronic music is a fluid genre, built on fusion, that’s always pulsed with open-format influence and thrived at the intersection of sound. Giorgio Moroder’s synth-heavy disco laid the foundation for house and techno; Frankie Knuckles’ integration of soul and funk samples added new flavor to Chicago house; and Detroit techno was dynamized by R&B and rock samples. 

In 1982, Afrika Bambaataa’s trailblazing single “Planet Rock” famously married Kraftwerk’s synths with Bronx breakbeats to birth electro, forging a vibrant, genre-defying bridge between Hip-Hop and dance/electronic. Their hybridization made remixes, drum machines, synthesizers, and samples not separate practices, but facets of a shared lineage. 

There are many stories like this. Crossovers cut across genres because music has never lived in a vacuum – that’s why this cross-pollination continues today, on stages around the world, to crowds’ applause. Chances are, you’ve even heard it happen live yourself: Elements from open-format genres are increasingly flowing into club and festival sets, but it doesn’t stop there. Viral tracks, like Toman’s “Verano en NY,” Kolter’s “Liquor Store,” Chris Lake’s “Toxic,” SIDEPIECE’s “Cash Out,” and Fred again..’s “Victory Lap” derive some of their appeal and certainly, their success, from their ability to fluidly and compellingly blend musical styles, yielding sounds both fresh and forward-thinking. 

Whether on the dance floor or digital streaming platforms, audiences crave diversity – and so does our community. “Our main job as DJs is to play good music. No one should be too restricted by genres – especially as electronic music continues to expand globally,” A-Trak attests. “I’ve always included all types of genres from Hip-Hop to disco in my house sets and can’t wait to grab more at Beatport.”

This versatility also fuels the energy of live performance, offering DJs the ability (and the freedom) to more dynamically reflect their personal tastes and range of influences in their sets. The result? More colorful and personal live music experiences that just might lead you to your next favorite song, artist, or genre.

“Our sets are always rooted in house or dance music, but it’s always been fun to surprise the audience and switch up the groove for a song or two to keep them guessing with open format,” shares Tucker, of GRAMMY-nominated duo SOFI TUKKER. “This new addition will be perfect for that. The more different types of weapons we can have on the stick, the better.”

Our expansion acknowledges the momentum open-format music creates and keeps Beatport in step with the natural progression of DJ culture, equipping our community with the tools they need not tomorrow, but today. It also underscores our commitment to representing all dance floors and the sounds that move them, whether dance/electronic or open-format. The timing, says Kittens, couldn’t be more relevant:

“For me, DJing has always been more of a conversation versus a lecture. Depending on the room I’m in and who I’m having the conversation with, I love having the ability to express myself through different languages (genres) that may resonate on a deeper level. Open-format has allowed me to have an extensive toolkit with all the important languages I might want to communicate with. In a time where music, genres, and how they’re created are evolving at the most rapid pace we’ve probably ever seen, it feels only natural to allow for updated interpretations of what constitutes electronic music and the accessible integration of other genres. Inclusivity strengthens us at the end of the day; I’m excited to see that reflected in our trusted music spaces.”

Beatport’s curation grows from 36 to 42 genres with the addition of open-format (Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, Latin, Caribbean, and African), giving our community unprecedented access to a broader palette of sounds without sacrificing the scavenging central to our culture. In our new dedicated Open-Format section – available on both the Beatport store and mobile app – and across genre-specific sections, each with its own Top 100*, you can keep digging for exclusive edits, remixes, and pre-releases just as you always have. 

Beatport Streaming subscribers can access these genres at no additional cost via our mobile app, Beatport DJ, and integrations with leading DJ software and hardware. Beatsource will remain available for open-format DJs and will continue to offer exclusive DJ Edits and remixes from world-renowned artists, like MEDUZA, A-Trak, Wuki, Deorro, and many more.

With this bigger catalogue comes cultural evolution, greater inclusivity, expanded sonic expression, and enriched live experiences. The decision, “made together with our DJ, artist, and label communities,” says our CEO, Robb McDaniels, reflects how today's DJs are blending styles and expanding boundaries. Together, we believe we have created more value for our customers at no additional cost.”

Still, this value goes far deeper than providing access to you without an added fee. It’s also about creating opportunities for scenes on the margins to reach larger audiences by challenging legacy systems. The addition of genres historically left out of clubland’s digital marketplaces sends an important message: DJs are translators, or, to borrow Kittens’ word, conversationalists, not gatekeepers.

By widening our catalogue, Beatport embodies what our community that’s constantly in motion, tirelessly and creatively pushing the limits of genre, identity, and sound, already knows: Dance/electronic music has always been driven by cultural exchange.

*Open-format genres will not appear in the Beatport Global Top 100 or Hype charts. This separation simultaneously supports mainstream dance/electronic breakthroughs and open-format discoveries. The open-format genres’ Top 100 charts will launch later this year.