If you stepped foot in a club in the 2010s, then you’re a Calvin Harris fan by default.
This Scottish DJ has been the guy behind numerous hits that dominated the radio and gave us all those unforgettable, late-night dance parties.
While Calvin mostly traffics in EDM, he’s also dabbled in other genres and made a name for himself as a versatile disc jockey.
Calvin Harris’s Music Genres
Electronic Dance Music
Pulsating beats, heavy on the synth, and an infectious melody. Those are the three main ingredients to Calvin’s winning electronic music recipe.
His collabs with Rihanna for “We Found Love” and “This What You Came For” are some of his purest pursuits in the genre. So too are “Sweet Nothing” and “How Deep Is Your Love,” with both playing with a range of instruments and tightly wound percussion sections.
Calvin’s work in the EDM space is easily recognizable for its dramatic crescendos that lead to intense beat drops.
Pop
Calvin’s pop isn’t just one thing, it’s everything. From the jump, Calvin wanted his pop sound to be distinct.
His debut album, “I Created Disco” covers a lot of ground within the pop genre. Calvin tested out different styles on the record, but almost all share thoughtful and intricate beats interfused with artificial instrumentals.
“Summer” and “My Way” were both breakout pop hits for Calvin. The melodies are less complex, yet the keys and strings are much more prominent than in his other pop work.
Funk
In 2017, Calvin broke free from being a strictly EDM artist and dove into the world of funk. His album “Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1” is far trippier than his other pieces.
Calvin has long been the king of collabs, and his foray into funk has been assisted by many other artists, including Frank Ocean and Ariana Grande.
“Slide” is an excellent example of Calvin’s funk trajectory. It’s got warped vocals happening in the background and the beat feels straight outta the 1970s.
Conclusion
Whatever you do, don’t put Calvin Harris in a box. He’s been the man in charge of manufacturing some of the greatest hits of the 2010s, yet his work is far more genre-bending than most are probably aware of.
Calvin’s always got a thrilling beat up his sleeve that’s almost guaranteed to be a hit on the dancefloor. However, he’s also got a vast range of other work that simply shouldn’t be slept on.