House music is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo between 115 and 130 beats per minute. Originating in the early 1980s in Chicago, it was heavily influenced by disco music but distinguished itself with its more mechanical and synthesized sound, often utilizing drum machines and synthesizers. House music laid the foundation for many subgenres and has become a global phenomenon, deeply ingrained in club culture worldwide.