Disco evolved in New York City and Philadelphia nightclubs during the late 1960s out of African American and Latin American music. It became especially popular in the gay community. “Love Train” by the O’Jays came out in 1972, arguably the first hit with some of the key elements that came to define disco: lush orchestration (with a focus on strings) and the kick drum emphasizing each beat. The watershed year arrived in 1975, when several songs broke through to mainstream success: “Never Can Say Goodbye” by Gloria Gaynor, “Get Down Tonight” by KC and the Sunshine Band, and “Love to Love You Baby” by Donna Summer. Continue reading →
The disco backlash
Disco evolved in New York City and Philadelphia nightclubs during the late 1960s out of African American and Latin American music. It became especially popular in the gay community. “Love Train” by the O’Jays came out in 1972, arguably the first hit with some of the key elements that came to define disco: lush orchestration (with a focus on strings) and the kick drum emphasizing each beat. The watershed year arrived in 1975, when several songs broke through to mainstream success: “Never Can Say Goodbye” by Gloria Gaynor, “Get Down Tonight” by KC and the Sunshine Band, and “Love to Love You Baby” by Donna Summer. Continue reading →
In Episode 215 of What’s the Tee, RuPaul and Michelle Visage interview legendary musician and producer Nile Rodgers. (I adore their podcast, endlessly entertaining and informative.) Rodgers came to prominence during the disco era. He famously co-founded the band Chic, producing hits such as “Dance, Dance, Dance,” “Le Freak,” and “Good Times.” With Chic collaborator Bernard Edwards, Rodgers produced Sister Sledge and launched the disco anthem “We Are Family.” Hugely influential, Chic spawned numerous imitators. Hundreds of rap songs have sampled the band’s music. 
Such a tough choice. Looking back over half a century of dance music, how do you choose only ten songs? I settled on these particular tracks because they represent a range of influences, and stand out for their lyrics, subject matter, musicianship, and power. They are not necessarily the most popular tunes of their time (although some became huge pop hits), or even the most influential. For that you can consult other top 10 lists. These tracks touch that universal human impulse to move your limbs to the rhythm, but have something more to say than just “Let’s dance.” 
Madonna was for decades a leader in dance music, often bringing underground sounds into the mainstream with her blend of dance and pop. To stay relevant for that long is no small feat. She shares regional roots with house music that developed during the 1980s in Detroit and became the predominant form of club music, but she preferred a more pop song approach with true verses and choruses. Her first album was rooted in dance music—and gained traction through DJs at dance clubs. She stayed true to those roots, even while accumulating a string of hits that were ballads, pop, and genres other than dance. I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best dance tracks by Madonna spanning three decades.