Tread is a subgenre of trap characterized by high-tempo beats of 160-190 BPM with reverb-heavy synths and wide 808s, also often using phased open hi-hats, triangles, and sidechained kicks. It was created by Philadelphia producer collective Working on Dying in 2015.

Tread often incorporates influences from cloud rap such as dragged, lush synth pads. Certain producers emphasise raw, lo-fi mixing, further adding to the harsh, rough sound of tread. Many tracks are short in length, often not being longer than three minutes, and it's not uncommon for rappers to make tracks without hooks at all. Tread grew alongside other internet-era rap trends and genres and is typically made with a DIY, independent intent, which is reflected in sloppily designed covers, chaotic, rampant low-budget music videos and rappers who often freestyle their lyrics or write them in a short amount of time.

The term "tread" was coined by AOK (fka Bootychaaain), named after its high-tempo, rhythm-centered production. Tread became prominent in the underground SoundCloud scene due to the popularity of the music of Sickboyrari, Five Finger Posse, and CHXPO, whom frequently collaborated with Working on Dying. It was mostly associated with its local scene in Philadelphia and surrounding areas in its early years but was exposed to a wider audience in 2017 when Matt OX's single "Overwhelming" went viral.