Photo: Dominic Alves, CC BY 2.0. Illustrative where it does not show the subject of the story
Numbers are a good way into a culture. They are easy to check, they do not depend on taste, and they tend to surface things that opinion misses. Here are some of the figures that describe drum and bass, with the source for each. We have used only numbers that appear in published sources or in the organisers' own announcements, and we say which.
The sound
165 to 185. The range of beats per minute that Wikipedia gives for drum and bass, describing it as built on fast breakbeats with heavy bass and sub bass lines. In practice most records sit around 170 to 175.
1969. The year of the funk record from which the Amen break was lifted, the six second drum pattern that became a backbone of jungle and drum and bass.
1988. The year Kevin Saunderson released Just Want Another Chance as Reese, whose bass line gave the Reese bass its name.
The labels
1989. Reinforced Records is founded by Marc Mac of 4hero and Gus Lawrence. Its first release, Mr Kirk's Nightmare, sold more than 24,000 copies.
1990. Moving Shadow begins in Rob Playford's home in Stevenage.
1991. Good Looking Records is founded by LTJ Bukem.
1992. RAM Records is established by Andy C with the help of Ant Miles.
1994. Metalheadz is founded by Kemistry and Storm and by Goldie.
1996. Hospital Records is started by Tony Colman and Chris Goss. In 2026 it marks thirty years.
The radio
28 November 1991. Kool FM's first broadcast on 94.5FM from Clapton. It will be thirty five years on 28 November 2026.
August 1993. The founding of Jungle Fever, the events brand that grew out of Kool.
September 1994. Rinse FM's first broadcast. It was awarded a broadcast licence in June 2010.
The records
7 August 1995. Timeless by Goldie is released. It entered the UK album chart at number 7.
23 June 1997. New Forms by Roni Size and Reprazent is released. It won the Mercury Prize that year and certified platinum in the UK.
25 July 2005. Pendulum's Hold Your Colour is released, with five singles produced from it.
100,000. The sales that BPI gold certification represents in the UK, reached by High Contrast's Confidential in 2009.
31 May 2010. Netsky's self titled debut album is released by Hospital Records.
2024. Chase and Status have a UK number one single with Backbone.
The nights
11 years. How long the famous RAM night at The End in London lasted, until the club closed in December 2008.
1,000 to 3,000. The attendance of that night before and two months after it moved to the London superclub Matter in 2009.
2 million. The approximate annual attendance of the Notting Hill Carnival, which has run since 1966 and counts sound systems among its five disciplines.
The festivals and the prices
162 euros. The starting price for a three day pass for Let It Roll, which is listed for 5 to 7 August 2027 at Lake Most in the Czech Republic.
290 pounds. The starting price per person for the Hospitality Weekender, 12 to 15 March 2027 at Butlin's Bognor Regis, including three nights' accommodation.
23 to 25 July 2027. The dates listed for Liquicity Festival in Oudkarspel, in the Netherlands.
Why numbers help
None of these figures explains the music, but together they sketch its shape: a scene that is thirty five years old, built by labels that are now older than many of their listeners, and that continues to fill fields, domes and clubs across the continent. Use them, and if you spot one that is out of date, tell us.
