Top 5 EDM Songs With Steelpan

The steelpan has witnessed a slew of hits in recent years, but fans of the instrument may not be as familiar with its influence on the electronic dance music (EDM) scene. Praised for incorporating unorthodox sounds into pieces, EDM artists, like pan players, are constantly blurring genre boundaries and shattering expectations of what is “acceptable” in music. The following songs have not only showcased the instrument’s versatility but found success propelling it to new heights in mainstream music. Here are our top 5 picks for the best electronic songs that feature steelpan. 

1. Love$ick by Mura Masa and A$AP Rocky

This song opens with a simple drum beat and playful piano melody as a backdrop for A$AP Rocky’s rapping. As the song transitions into the pre-chorus, the piano is replaced with steelpan, which continues to be showcased throughout the song. The pan even gets a special feature in the outro, once the vocals are cut. With more than 250 million streams on Spotify, this song has significantly aided in normalizing steelpan in modern music. 

2. Better Not by Louis the Child and Wafia

No stranger to the radio, this tune’s bouncing beat and unusual mixture of slightly offbeat synthesizers cultivates a refreshingly new sound. The steelpan, most prominently featured throughout the verse and pre-chorus, only furthers the song’s novelty by giving it a unique tone to complements the experimental melodies in the beat drop. It is no surprise that the “Better Not” has accumulated more than 150 million Spotify streams.

3. Call me by NEIKED and MIMI

The higher pitched pan chords that complement MIMI’s vocals help cultivate a fun, Caribbean vibe to the tune. The steelpan is woven in seamlessly with a variety of synthesizers – never dominating, but also always making their presence known. NEIKED did an excellent job of highlighting the steelpan instrument’s versatility by substituting it for a space in electronic/pop music usually reserved for piano, synth, or guitar chords.

4. I Got U by Duke Dumont and Jax Jones

Close your eyes and this song will transport you to a seaside vacation. The simple steelpan chord progression, while not always featured throughout the piece, has a significant impact on the overall feel. This song is undoubtedly a dance club classic, with more than 225 million Spotify streams. 

5. Broken Drum by Cash Cash and Fitz and the Tantrums

Once more, we see the steelpan replacing the traditional piano or synthesizer chords behind Fitz’s vocals during the verses. While the pan is not as heavily exhibited like the rest of the pieces mentioned, this tune also does an excellent job of showcasing versatility in its use of different instruments. With everything from steelpan to saxophone to a prominent bass to a pounding drum beat, this song melds a multitude of genres seamlessly to produce a hidden EDM treasure.