Way Back Wednesday: The Disco Era

Dance/Pop music is currently dominating the airwaves but many young fans of the genre might be surprised to learn that this phenomenon is definitely not a new occurrence. In fact, the sounds of Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Rihanna and even Beyonce were heavily influenced by a previous era of music – Disco!

Exploding at the top of the charts in the mid-1970s, the Disco was an infectious blend of Funk, R&B, Soca and Pop that defined a generation. From the undeniable Queen fo Disco, Donna Summer, to the future King of Pop, Michael Jackson, artists danced like there was no tomorrow.

Watch some of the most memorable videos and performances from the Disco era below:

Chic – Le Freak

Diana Ross – ‘The Boss’

Donna Summer – Medley

Gloria Gaynor – ‘I Will Survive’

Michael Jackson – ‘Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough’

The Jackson 5 – ‘Dance Machine’

Of course, Disco eventually came to a sudden end in the early 1980s as a result of a rebellion against the genre by Rock & Roll artists. Indeed, only those performers who were able to redefine the genre to include the Urban sounds of the budding Hip-Hop movement as well as a core R&B flavour – Quincy Jones, Prince, Jackson and Rick James were the masters of that craft – were able to survive the change of tide unless they completely abandoned it.

Yet, there was no denying the brilliance of Disco’s production styles. Similar themes are also observable in Dance/Pop but what modern artists lack is the understanding of live instruments that could bring their tunes to life. Instead, they rely on studio technology to do the work. Perhaps, it’s truly time for another genre to die.

Thoughts?