First developed in Germany in the late 1990s and the early 2000s, hands up emerged as a distinct form of punchy, melodic, and upbeat Electronic Dance Music rooted in Trance, usually around the 140 BPM range. Hands up was born from a pool of influences, including the closely-related Euro-Trance and Eurodance, and to a lesser extent NRG and UK Hard House, with a particular leaning on German Happy Hardcore-based leads and melodies that was lacking in some of its close relatives.

Hands up is commonly characterized by prominent, melodic supersaw leads, Dance-Pop derived hooks, and a strong reliance on sidechained basslines and hard, powerful drums (more Hard Trance-inspired than in other forms of euro-trance) often carry the track. It commonly follows the typical verse-chorus Pop music scheme. The synthesizer melodies are typically catchy and simple (and have been even criticized for sounding "cheesy" by some critics of the genre), often playing the role of a chorus section as in a pop track, with vocals only utilized for the verse section. This contrasts with, for example, the more prominent and "epic" buildup-drop structures of Uplifting Trance or Tech Trance, which build more prominent tension and are usually far longer in track length. In contrast to, for example, uplifting trance or Vocal Trance, short, high-pitched synthesizer tones are used, with its more noisy, freeform mood contrasting with vocal trance's more subdued drops and reliance on Progressive Trance. Female vocals or pitched-up male vocals (resulting in feminine vocals) are usually utilized for the genre, although regular male vocals are occasionally used as well. Hands up's vocals are sentimental and highly emotional, sometimes contrasting with the more laid-back nature of certain vocal trance productions. Aqualoop Records has been a key label for the genre throughout its history.

Hands up grew in popularity throughout the 2000s, maintaining a strong producer and listener base despite its gradual disappearance from the radio. German artists like Rob Mayth, Cascada, Groove Coverage, Special D, Klubbingman, and Manian have played important roles both in the formation and popularization of hands up. Additional influences, like the 2000s born UK Hardcore, Jumpstyle, and Hardstyle also became more common in hands up over time, and it has influenced these genres as well. The genre's online prominence and influence have even led to mixes of it with other musical trends in certain underground scenes, particularly in the 2010s, such as Nightcore-inspired production (as well as the incorporation of hands-up into nightcore and post-nightcore mixes), Cloud Rap-influenced vocal performances and hazy, reverb-filled Chillwave-esque atmospheres, synth leads partially borrowed from Future Bass, and other forms of experimentation with hands up's structure. Though the genre doesn't have a strong mainstream music presence anymore, many artists and record labels all throughout the globe are currently dedicated to the genre, with some even considering it a more accessible and lighthearted alternative genre to hardstyle's distorted, harsh percussion and noisiness. Hands up's distinct qualities compared to hardstyle - namely its percussion and basslines - are critical in certain cases, with the late 2000s-born Euphoric Hardstyle genre having synth leads that often resemble or even mimic hands up's upbeat drops.