keepthebeat
Tempos
About 85 BPM
85 BPM is a walking-pace Andante tempo, close to one and a half beats a second. It sits in the heart of classic hip-hop territory, relaxed enough for a heavy backbeat to sit deep in the pocket yet quick enough to nod along to. The feel is unhurried but never static.
Music at 85 BPM
85 BPM is a staple of boom-bap and lo-fi hip-hop, where the drums hit hard and slow. It also works for soul, R&B, and reggae, and for downtempo pop that leans on groove over speed. Producers favor this range for sampling and head-nod beats.
What 85 BPM Feels Like
Counted straight, 85 BPM lands close to one and a half beats a second. Eighth-note subdivisions give a steady double-time feel, and sixteenths add the busy hi-hats common in hip-hop. Double the tempo and you reach 170 BPM, where the same pulse drives a drum and bass track at half-time.
85 BPM FAQ
Is 85 BPM slow?
85 BPM is on the slow side of moderate. It sits in the Andante range at a relaxed walking pace, a classic hip-hop tempo.
What kind of music is 85 BPM?
Boom-bap and lo-fi hip-hop, soul, R&B, reggae, and downtempo pop.
What is 85 BPM in musical terms?
85 BPM falls in the Andante range, meaning a walking pace. It runs at close to one and a half beats per second.