backbeat

American  

[bak-beet] / ˈbækˌbit /

noun

Popular Music.

1. a secondary or supplementary beat, as by a jazz drummer.

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backbeat British  

/ ˈbækˌbiːt /

noun

1. music the second and fourth beats of a bar written in even time or, in more complex time signatures, the last beat of the bar Compare downbeat upbeat

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Etymology

Origin of backbeat

back ¹ + beat

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

backbeat

The album’s opener, “What Can I Say,” is a rollicking, danceable breakup song fortified by a sharp backbeat, funky bassline and synthesizer strings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

The standout track, “Amor,” is a simple tune with a catchy backbeat and lyrics that cease to complicate concepts of love.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2024

Yet they weren’t straight-ahead: Songs like “All the Things You Are,” “Little Sunflower” and “My Favorite Things” each had wrinkles — a bouncy backbeat or a near-frenetic breakdown — that made them feel fresh.

From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2023

Others were written especially for the album, like “Dance Revival,” which features a foot-stomping, hand-clapping backbeat behind the electrifying voice of Jekalyn Carr.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 2023

They created a cultural rumble, a backbeat of intrigue.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 17, 2022