List of trance genres

This is a list of trance music subgenres. Several crossover with other major forms of electronic music.

Subgenre Classifications of Trance

Subgenre	Origin	Description	Notable artists
Acid trance	Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom	The prevalent early 1990s style, sometimes called "first-wave" trance. Characterized by the use of a Roland TB-303 bass machine as the lead synthesizer.	Art of Trance, Union Jack, Eternal Basement, Emmanuel Top, Hardfloor, Kai Tracid, Oliver Lieb, Alex Shelley
Dream trance	Italy	A variety of epic trance popularized by Robert Miles in the mid-'90s which is highly melodic. Very often it features soothing piano riffs and a very progressive slow to fast pace melody.	DJ Dado, Robert Miles, the Cynic Project, Zhi-Vago
Electrotrance	United Kingdom	Electro-Trance is the hybrid of electro-house and trance music. This is usually based on a 4/4 beat signature at a 128-135 BPM. It includes gentle, soothing pads mixed with high-powered electro-house beats and bass.	Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Gareth Emery, Ferry Corsten
Eurotrance (a.k.a. Hands Up, Dancecore and Commercial Trance)	Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Belgium, UK, Japan	Euro Trance is a hybrid of Dream trance, Progressive trance, Hard trance and Eurodance music incorporating hardstyle bass drums and trance elements. It is closely related to uplifting trance. The trance synths at times can sound like techno hoovers with trancey effects and strings backing it up. The vocals are often pitched up for the most part, but sometimes they can be heard as in normal pitch range. This is often confused as vocal trance because of its use of vocals. The lyrical content is usually primitive, containing an introduction to the song with usually no or little drums, and often includes renderings of classic Happy hardcore anthems or melodies. Also some of the middle 1990s Happy Hardcore producers started to produce tracks in this style. Hands Up releases on Discogs	Jan Wayne, Milk Inc., Special D., Marko Albrecht, Pulsedriver, Cascada, Alice DeeJay, DJ Manian, Insomnia, Tune Up!, Basshunter, Yuzo Koshiro.
Futurepop	Norway, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Canada	A fusion of mainly Electronic body music and Anthem Trance. This music has a cold, dark feel to it, while having grandiose synth melodies and general more trancey sound than EBM. Lyrics have a more prominent place in Futurepop than most other types of trance, and tend to be about love, hate, human emotions and global issues.	VNV Nation, Icon of Coil, Angels and Agony, Apoptygma Berzerk, Covenant, Assemblage 23
Goa trance	Goa, India	A complex, melodic form of trance named for Goa, India, and originating in the early 1990s. Often uses Raga. The style has been developed by musicians from many countries, and is now generally referred to as Psychedelic trance also called Psy Trance, which is discussed below.	Yahel Sherman, the Infinity Project, Transwave, Man With No Name, Infected Mushroom, Astral Projection, Goa Gil, Juno Reactor, Message From God
Hard trance	Germany	Aggressive and faster trance sound, originating in Frankfurt, and including influences from hardcore. This style arguably began around 1993 and peaked in popularity in the late 1990s.	Kai Tracid, Gary D., Yoji Biomehanika, Lisa Lashes, Trance Generators, Flutlicht, Mat Silver & Tony Burt, DuMonde, Jones & Stephenson, Yves Deruyter, Cosmic Gate, Mauro Picotto, Sunburst, DJ Scot Project, System D
Ibiza Trance a.k.a. Balearic beat, Balearic trance	Spain	This style has been influenced by various relaxed music genres, especially linked to Ibiza's chill-out style of life paralleled with the huge rave scene that is present in the islands. Very melodic and mellow, sometimes with ethnic features, and it often samples seaside elements like seagulls and ocean waves. It relies more heavily on guitar than other trance genres. It also include danceable uptempo songs featuring syncopated or Latin rhythms.	Café del Mar, Chicane, Energy 52, Imagination, Miromusic, Roger Shah, Salt Tank, York
Neo-trance	Germany, Denmark	Neo-trance is new genre that arrived in the vernacular to describe the recent developments towards more minimalist trance.	Kyau & Albert, Gui Boratto, Trentemøller, James Holden, Nathan Fake, Dominik Eulberg
Progressive trance	Ibiza, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany	Progressive trance is a genre that is ranged around 130 BPM-140 BPM. This style features a less prominent lead melody and focuses more on atmosphere.	4 Strings, Above & Beyond, Airwave, Alex M.O.R.P.H., Andy Moor, Armin van Buuren, Arnej, Blank & Jones, Bobina, BT, Chicane, Cosmic Gate, Dash Berlin, Energy 52, Ferry Corsten, Gareth Emery, Gabriel & Dresden, Giuseppe Ottaviani, John Digweed, Kyau & Albert, Markus Schulz, Matt Darey, Mat Zo, M.I.K.E. Push, Myon & Shane 54, Orjan Nilsen, Paul van Dyk, Rank 1, Richard Durand, Ronski Speed, Sasha, Solarstone, Super8 & Tab, Tiesto, W&W
Psychedelic trance	Goa, India	A kind of trance that was developed in the late 1990s and grew from Goa trance culture of India. While it retains strong cultural ties to India, the term has come to refer generally to the music and style of culture associated with it, which is now found in many countries. One defining feature of this genre is the use of a lot of spontaneous sounds and samples. However the range of styles is quite broad, and it has several subgenres of its own, listed below.	1200 Micrograms, Astral Projection, Infected Mushroom, GMS, Son Kite, Skazi, Hallucinogen, Astrix, Protoculture
Full on	Israel	Full on or "Melodic psytrance" draws its main influences from more radio-friendly genres such as uplifting trance (Nitzhonot and vocal trance) and electro house, futuristic melodies, occasional electric guitar performances and usage of vocals.	Astrix, Vibe Tribe, Kali, Sesto Sento, Puzzle, Talamasca, Frozen Ghost, Slug
Suomisaundi	Finland	A style of freeform psychedelic trance	Eraser vs Yöjalka, Luomuhappo, Salakavala, Shiwa 2000
Tech trance	Germany	A merge of Techno and Trance, Tech Trance appeared in the mid-'90s. Usually Tech Trance tunes consist of non-changeable bassline, loud drums and percussion and mostly ambient pads.	Oliver Lieb, Humate, Sander van Doorn, Jesselyn, Megamind, Ernesto vs Bastian, Joint Operations Centre
Uplifting Trance a.k.a. Anthem trance, Epic Trance	Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom	Popular style of commercialized trance that emerged in the wake of progressive and acid trance in the late 1990s and is sometimes called "second-wave trance".	Andy Blueman, Super8 & Tab, Ferry Tayle, Ferry Corsten, System F, Gouryella, Carlo Resoort, Ayla, Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren, Above & Beyond, ATB, DJ Tandu, Neo & Farina, Blank & Jones, Marco V, Matt Darey, Filo & Peri, Daniel Kandi, Sean Tyas, Airscape, Darude, Tiesto, Vincent de Moor, Airbase, Aly & Fila, Cascade, Sash!, the Thrillseekers, Talla 2XLC, Jorn van Deynhoven, Arctic Moon, Sunny Lax
Vocal trance also Uplifting Trance involved	Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom	Broad term referring to trance with a full set of lyrics, which may or may not be any of the above genres (Uplifting, and epic trance often have vocals). Often an artist will borrow a singer's talents as opposed to the singer himself or herself, or sample from/remix more traditional pop music. Note that there is some debate as to where the divide lies between vocal trance and Eurohouse.	Gareth Emery, Astroline, Infected Mushroom, Nadia Ali, Dash Berlin, Dance Nation, 4 Strings, Lange, Ian Van Dahl, Above & Beyond, Fragma, Lost Witness, Armin van Buuren, OceanLab, Chicane, Lasgo, Faithless, Ayumi Hamasaki (remix albums), Tiësto, Sylver, ATB, DJ Encore, DJ Sammy, Santamaria, Do, Delerium, Angel City, Jessy De Smet and Paul van Dyk.
Trance-Fusion	United States	A subgenre of the jam band movement that blends such musical styles as rock, jazz, funk, and electronica. It consists primarily of instrumental music. The terms Jamtronica and Livetronica are also used to refer to this style of music.	Disco Biscuits, the New Deal, Lake Trout, Brothers Past, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Lotus, Particle, Holy Fuck, Future Rock, EOTO, Pnuma Trio