Bass-boosted sounds became a staple of meme editing in the late 2010s, when creators started exaggerating familiar clips by pushing their low end to comic extremes. Clapping was a natural fit, because applause already signals approval, and the extra bass makes that approval feel louder and more over the top. The effect spread through short-form video, reaction edits, and gaming clips, where a few seconds of heavy applause could sell a win without any dialogue. It remains popular because it is instantly understood, easy to drop into an edit, and works across languages.