The Summer Sound of 2014-2017
#TropicalHouseEra documents the electronic music subgenre that dominated 2014-2017 with sun-soaked melodies, steel drums, downtempo beats, and beach aesthetics—becoming the soundtrack of summer festivals and pool parties globally.
Origins & Pioneers
Australian producer Thomas Jack coined “tropical house” in 2013, describing his remix style featuring:
- Tempo: 100-115 BPM (slower than progressive house)
- Instrumentation: Steel pans, marimbas, flutes, saxophones
- Mood: Relaxed, summery, beachy, positive
- Vocals: Often featuring indie/pop singers
Early pioneers: Thomas Jack, Kygo, Matoma, Felix Jaehn, Sam Feldt, Klingande, Bakermat.
Mainstream Breakthrough (2015)
Kygo’s “Firestone” (2014) and “Stole the Show” (2015) brought tropical house to radio. Felix Jaehn’s remix of OMI’s “Cheerleader” became #1 in 55 countries (summer 2015), solidifying the genre’s commercial viability.
Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” (2015) incorporated tropical house elements, signaling mainstream pop’s adoption.
Peak Years (2016-2017)
The genre saturated festival lineups and Top 40 radio:
- Kygo: “It Ain’t Me” (with Selena Gomez, 2017) - #10 Billboard Hot 100
- The Chainsmokers: “Closer” (2016) tropical house-influenced pop
- Clean Bandit: “Rockabye” (2016) tropical pop crossover
- Major Lazer: Continued tropical/moombahton fusion
Every summer playlist 2015-2017 featured tropical house tracks.
Decline & Legacy
By late 2017, oversaturation led to “tropical house fatigue.” Critics dismissed it as “elevator music” and “coffee shop EDM.” The genre fragmented into:
- Deep tropical: Underground chill house
- Pop crossover: Mainstream pop production technique
- Festival sunset sets: Daytime festival programming niche
Cultural Impact
- Radio domination: 2015-2017 summer hits predominantly tropical house
- Festival programming: Created “sunset stage” aesthetic
- Spotify playlists: “Summer Hits” playlists became tropical house showcases
- Geographic spread: European (Klingande, Felix Jaehn), Australian (Thomas Jack), Norwegian (Kygo) global movement
- Pop production: Influenced Bieber, Selena Gomez, Chainsmokers productions
Key Artists
Kygo, Felix Jaehn, Thomas Jack, Matoma, Sam Feldt, Klingande, Bakermat, Lost Frequencies, Robin Schulz, Kungs, Jonas Blue