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01HarlemShake

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The Harlem Shake sound effect from Baauer's 2013 viral track, with the bass drop that launches the chaotic dance meme. Creators use it for reveals and edits.

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About this sound

The Harlem Shake sound effect from Baauer's 2013 viral track, with the bass drop that launches the chaotic dance meme. Creators use it for reveals and edits.

The Harlem Shake is a short, high-energy electronic clip built around a rising synth build and a heavy bass drop, followed by frantic, chant-like vocals and a pounding dance beat. It starts deceptively calm, then explodes into chaos, which is exactly why it works so well in short videos. The sudden shift catches viewers off guard, signals that something ridiculous is about to happen, and instantly sets a wild, party-like mood. Even without the original dance, the sound alone tells the audience to expect a cut to total madness.

Pro tip

Drop the clip before your reveal, let the bass hit land on the cut to the wild scene, and keep the quiet intro intact so the contrast hits harder. Avoid looping the drop or placing it over dialogue, as it will drown out the joke.

How people use it

Creators cut to a room full of dancing friends.
Editors reveal a messy room after a calm setup.
Streamers play it when a chat challenge suddenly escalates.
Prank videos use it for a sudden costume change.

More information

Baauer released Harlem Shake in 2012, and it exploded online in February 2013 as a viral dance meme. The format was simple: one person danced alone while others ignored them, then the bass drop cut to everyone dancing wildly in costumes. Thousands of versions appeared on YouTube within weeks, from offices and classrooms to sports teams and newsrooms. The song topped charts during the craze, and the clip has survived as instant shorthand for a sudden shift from calm to chaos.

FAQ

What is the Harlem Shake sound?

It is a short excerpt from Baauer's electronic track Harlem Shake, centred on its build-up and bass drop. The clip is best known from the 2013 dance meme, where the drop marked the cut to wild group dancing.

Where did the Harlem Shake meme come from?

The meme grew around Baauer's 2012 song in February 2013, when online creators copied a simple format: one person dancing alone, then a bass-drop cut to a whole room dancing chaotically. It spread rapidly across YouTube.

How do creators use the Harlem Shake sound today?

Creators use it to signal a sudden, chaotic reveal, timing the bass drop to a scene change, a costume swap or a room full of people dancing. The quiet intro makes the contrast feel even more sudden and funny.