Eurobeat is an EDM genre originating in Europe in the mid-to-late 1980s that has its roots in Hi-NRG and Italo-Disco. It's characterized by its speed with a BPM of around 150 to 160, a four-on-the-floor rhythm (though earlier examples were much slower), and energetic synth riffs that follow the song's chorus, sometimes referred to as a "sabi". Modern eurobeat developed in the 1990s, becoming popular in Japan and giving rise to the "para para" dance style.
The genre started originated as an alternate term for the hi-NRG and Italo-disco music coming from Italy and Germany. Eventually this eurobeat trend would die down in Europe, as Eurodance and Euro House gained popularity. In Japan, however, the style continued to be popular, and the term eurobeat would be used to describe the European dance music that was being imported. Because eurobeat had fallen out of favor in Europe, eurobeat producers adapted their music for the Japanese market, and most eurobeat songs at this time were released exclusively in Japan.
Eventually the first Super Eurobeat compilation would be released in 1990, which would greatly increase the popularity of the genre in Japan. Eventually, the term J-Euro would emerge to describe eurobeat tracks involving Japanese artists or producers. After the anime Initial D began airing in 1998 with a soundtrack comprised mainly of eurobeat, the genre began to gain popularity with international otaku communities, with songs such as "Running in the 90's" and "Night of Fire" becoming well known on the internet in the early 2000s. The genre gained additional popularity overseas through its association with Bemani rhythm games such as Dance Dance Revolution and beatmania.
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