{{Short description|Dance music genre}} {{other uses}} {{Distinguish|Hardcore (electronic dance music genre)}} {{Redirect|UK hardcore|the UK hardcore punk scene|Hardcore punk in the United Kingdom}} {{Use British English|date=November 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}} {{Infobox music genre | name = Happy hardcore | stylistic_origins = {{hlist|Breakbeat hardcore|hardcore techno}} | cultural_origins = Early 1990s, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany | derivatives = UK hardcore | subgenrelist = | subgenres = | fusiongenres = | regional_scenes = | other_topics = }}

'''Happy hardcore''', also known as '''4-beat''', is a subgenre of hardcore dance music. It emerged both from the UK breakbeat hardcore rave scene, and Belgian, German and Dutch hardcore techno scenes in the early 1990s.

Although having some similarities, happy hardcore differs from gabber in that happy hardcore tends to have breakbeats running alongside the 4/4 kick drum.{{sfn|Reynolds|2013|p=263|loc="The difference between happy hardcore and happy gabba is slight: basically, the English tracks have sped-up breakbeats running alongside the stomping four-to-the-floor kick-drum, and at 170 b.p.m., they're slightly slower than happy gabba."}}

==History== ===Origins=== The breakbeat hardcore rave scene was beginning to fragment by late 1992 into a number of subsequent breakbeat-based genres: darkcore (tracks embracing dark-themed samples and stabs), hardcore jungle (reggae basslines and influences became prominent), and 4-beat also known as "happy hardcore" where piano rolls and uplifting vocals were still central to the sound.{{sfn|Reynolds|2013|p=266|loc="Back in 1993, when hardcore plunged into the 'darkside', a breakaway faction of DJ-producers like Seduction, Vibes and Slipmatt continued to make celebratory, upful tunes based around hectic breakbeats. By the end of 1994, happy hardcore had coalesced into a scene that operated in parallel with its estranged cousin, jungle."}} DJs such as Slipmatt, DJ Sy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harderfaster.net/?sid=ab9b665908e3661f1535be7bca4894e1&section=features&action=showfeature&featureid=10939|title=Hardcore Till I Sy: Interview with the Scratchmaster|work=Harderfaster.net|date=16 March 2005}}</ref>, DJ Seduction<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.djseduction.co.uk/|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20030402102320/http://www.djseduction.co.uk/main.html|archive-date=2 April 2003|title=DJ Seduction - Biography|work=Djseduction.co.uk}}</ref>, Clarkee<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clarkee.com/|title=Welcome to DJClarkee.com|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20060203042839/http://www.clarkee.com/|archive-date=3 February 2006|work=Clarkee.com}}</ref>, Wishdokta, DJ Dougal, DJ Vibes<ref>{{citation|url=https://musicmondays.co.uk/artist/dj-vibes|title=Music Mondays - Artist - DJ Vibes|work=Musicmondays.co.uk}}</ref>, and Billy Daniel Bunter continued to play and put out music of this nature throughout 1994 – notably Slipmatt's 'SMD' releases, Wishdokta recording as the 'Naughty Naughty' pseudonym, and Seduction on his Impact Records label, as well as the labels Hectic, Homegrown, Kniteforce, and Just Another Label.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://i-d.co/article/i-d-throwback-recreating-the-rave-dream-with-happy-hardcore/|title=Recreating the rave dream with happy hardcore|work=I-D Magazine|date=May 1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theransomnote.com/music/gone-rave/gone-to-a-rave-35-high-on-a-happy-vibe-the-rise-and-fall-of-hardcore |title=Gone To A Rave: High On A Happy Vibe – The Rise And Fall Of Hardcore| work=Ransom Note | date=29 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820152038/http://www.theransomnote.com/music/gone-rave/gone-to-a-rave-35-high-on-a-happy-vibe-the-rise-and-fall-of-hardcore/ |archive-date=20 August 2016}}</ref> Dreamscape, Helter Skelter, and Fusion<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fusionraves.com|title=Fusion Raves|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20141110013257/https://fusionraves.com/|archive-date=10 November 2014|work=Fusionraves.com}}</ref> were among the raves where the music was played.

===1990s growth=== The sound of happy hardcore changed in the 1990s, with tracks increasingly losing their breakbeats towards a stomping distorted 909 4/4 kick drum pattern, with more original vocal leads and stab patterns. DJs and producers that began to come through included Hixxy, Breeze, Force & Styles, DJ Sharkey,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harderfaster.net/?sid=1ebda2fd5331321eab7e81b6fe866d0b&section=features&action=showfeature&featureid=10837|title=More than hardcore: an interview with MC, producer & DJ Sharkey|work=Harderfaster.net|date=11 November 2004}}</ref> DJ DNA,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/hardcore-rave-photos-tristan-o-neill|title=White gloves on, whistles out: Photos capturing the thrill of hardcore rave|date=21 February 2020|author=Louis Pattison|work=RBMA Daily|access-date=23 May 2020|archive-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523152800/https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/hardcore-rave-photos-tristan-o-neill|url-status=live}}</ref> and Kevin Energy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harderfaster.net/?sid=fc18d5d111496becd5bb9c37eddc0ce3&section=features&action=showfeature&featureid=10435|title=Give me Energy, give me Kevin Energy!|work=Harderfaster.net|date=18 March 2003}}</ref> and tracks that started to define the genre included "Heart of Gold", "Pretty Green Eyes", "Cloudy Daze", "Sunshine After the Rain", "Above the Clouds", "Six Days", "Love of My Life", "Perfect Dreams", and "Field of Dreams".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.factmag.com/2014/09/04/the-20-best-happy-hardcore-records-of-all-time/10/|title=The 20 best happy hardcore records of all time|author=Mumdance|date=4 September 2014|work=FACTmag|access-date=20 February 2020|archive-date=20 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220210252/https://www.factmag.com/2014/09/04/the-20-best-happy-hardcore-records-of-all-time/10/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://breakbeat.co.uk/features/jamies-top-20-happy-hardcore-anthems-90s/|title=Top 20 Happy Hardcore Anthems from the 90's|work=Drum & Bass Arena|date=8 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2015/08/happy-hardcore-feature|title= Happy Hardcore-A tribute to the oft-derided genre|author=Miles Raymer|date=11 August 2015|work=RBMA Daily}}</ref> In London, the sound was championed by the pirate radio station Dream FM, as well as later supported by Eruption FM. Throughout the mid-late 1990s, the compilation series ''Bonkers'' would be commercially popular and showcase the latest happy hardcore music. Bonkers only really came into being due to the record label React showing interest in ''Toy Town'', and Hixxy and Sharkey convincing the label to do a compilation album deal instead.<ref name="hhwnd">{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=Joe |title=Happy hardcore will never die: An ode to the Bonkers series |url=https://djmag.com/content/happy-hardcore-will-never-die-ode-bonkers-series |website=DJ Mag |access-date=1 February 2023 |date=10 March 2019 |archive-date=1 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201201713/https://djmag.com/content/happy-hardcore-will-never-die-ode-bonkers-series |url-status=live }}</ref> ===2000s=== In the UK, the scene received its own special on BBC Radio 1 called ''John Peel Is Not Enough'' (named after a track by CLSM) in 2004 paying homage to the late John Peel.<ref>{{Cite book|title=John Peel: A Tribute To The Legendary DJ and Broadcaster|last=Wall|first=Mick|publisher=Orion Books|year=2004|isbn=978-0-7528-7212-4}}</ref> The scene continued to expand, with compilations such as ''Clubland X-Treme Hardcore'', and an evermore youthful audience.<ref name="vice">{{cite web |last1=Hodgson |first1=Jaimie |title='Why Don't We All Go Bonkers?' – The Rise and Fall of Happy Hardcore |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/happy-hardcore-history-trivia-slipmatt-dougal-hixxy-sharkey/ |website=Vice |access-date=1 February 2023 |date=20 July 2021 |archive-date=1 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201201712/https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvzy5z/happy-hardcore-history-trivia-slipmatt-dougal-hixxy-sharkey |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2009, DJ Kutski hosted a show featuring hard dance and hardcore on Radio 1.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kutski's Biography |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/kutski/biography.shtml |website=BBC |access-date=2 February 2023 |archive-date=22 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022191712/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/kutski/biography.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Happy hardcore compilations== Notable happy hardcore compilation albums include: * ''Bonkers''<ref name="hhwnd"/> * ''Clubland X-Treme Hardcore''<ref name="vice"/> * ''Dancemania Speed''<ref>{{cite web |title=dance mania speed 6 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/52027/products/434416/1/ |website=Oricon |access-date=2 March 2024 |date=2001 |quote=highest ranking 31st place |archive-date=2 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302224655/https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/52027/products/434416/1/ |url-status=live }}</ref> * ''Happy 2b Hardcore''<ref>{{cite web|title=Looking back on Anabolic Frolic, Happy 2b Hardcore in Canada|url=http://www.metafilter.com/153533/Looking-back-on-Anabolic-Frolic-Happy-2b-Hardcore-in-Canada|website=Metafilter|accessdate=14 March 2017|date=3 October 2015|archive-date=15 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315001505/http://www.metafilter.com/153533/Looking-back-on-Anabolic-Frolic-Happy-2b-Hardcore-in-Canada|url-status=live}}</ref> * ''Hardcore Euphoria''<ref>{{cite web |title=HARDCORE EUPHORIA |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/various-artists-hardcore-euphoria/ |website=Official Charts Company |access-date=2 March 2024 |archive-date=2 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302224617/https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/various-artists-hardcore-euphoria/ |url-status=live }}</ref> * ''Hardcore Heaven''<ref>{{cite web |title=HARDCORE HEAVEN 3 – VARIOUS ARTISTS - Official Charts |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/various-artists-hardcore-heaven-3/ |website=Official Charts Company |access-date=20 May 2024}}</ref>

==See also== *Breakbeat hardcore *Gabber

==References== {{reflist}}

===Bibliography=== {{refbegin}} *{{Cite book |title=Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture |title-link=Energy Flash |last=Reynolds |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Reynolds |publisher=Faber and Faber |date=4 July 2013 |isbn=978-0-5712-8914-1}} {{refend}}

==External links== * [https://www.harderfaster.net/ Harder Faster UK website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040611183932/http://www.ush.net/ United States of Hardcore archived website] at Internet Archive

{{Hardcore techno}} {{Breakbeat}} Category:Hardcore music genres * Category:British styles of music Category:Dutch styles of music