How to Kill a Genre: The Death of Disco

 by Tadala J

Pop culture’s treatment of trends can be comparable to a child’s fluctuating love for a new toy, with its sudden rise being just as fast as it falls into obscurity. However, no trend’s decline has ever been so brutal as the downfall of disco. Nevertheless, its remains are still leaving a stain on today’s culture. Whether the groovy genre makes you want to ‘Rock Your Body’ or its continuous radio play makes you want to scream ‘Give Me a Break’, there is no denying that disco has had an everlasting influence on the mainstream music industry.

The energy-provoking genre can be recognised through its noticeable musical characteristics. The rhythm often features syncopated basslines paired with bouncy octaves providing the upbeat swing needed to fill the dance floor. Instrumentation combines orchestral with modern string synthesizers, brass instruments, electric guitars, bass guitars, and drum kits. These accompany the powerhouses that would deliver the vocals that keep the dance-filled nights rolling with airy, carefree lyrics.

Disco derives from the French word ‘discotheque’. It originates from extravagant dance venues. These venues inspired the flamboyant nature of the genre. The origins of disco can be attributed to the multicultural underground venues of the early 1960s in New York, highly accustomed by African Americans, Latinos, and the LGBTQ community. This reflected the type of music played, such as soul, funk, and Latin American Music. This would culminate into the genre we know today.

The origins of disco as a form of entertainment music can also be seen elsewhere. During the late 1930s and 1940s, places in France and Germany were adorned with DJs who provided entertainment through music using a singular turntable. This would bring the idea of public, nighttime, dance parties where disco music was mainly played. By the end of the 1960s, Black, Italian, and Latino communities adopted the discotheque culture, along with traits from psychedelia and hippie subcultures, to create the prominent club culture seen in disco.

In the 1970s, disco would start to see an emergence from underground nightclubs to the mainstream culture. This can be credited to the successes of the 1977 movie classic ‘Saturday Night Fever’ and the rise in popularity of Studio 54. Saturday Night Fever follows a story about a 19-year-old Italian American, played by actor John Travolta, living in Brooklyn who is anxious about his future, using the dance floor as a means of escapism. This gave the audience of the 70s an intriguing introduction to disco culture and music through its iconic soundtrack, which featured songs from the Bee Gees and The Trammps. This would inspire rock and pop musicians to use disco influences in their music. Studio 54 was a former nightclub (now a theatre) in Midtown Manhattan, New York. Entrepreneurs Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened the venue on 26 April 1977. This club was infamous for its frequent celebrity visits, rampant drug use, and gruelling entry process. This made disco more appealing to the public eye.

By the start of the 1980s, the popularity of disco music was starting to decline. The ever-growing commercialisation and criticism for its lack of originality caused it to fall out of favour with the public eye. In addition, disco's predominantly Black and gay audience made it an easy target for racism and homophobia. Steve Dahl, a radio DJ, held a ‘Disco Demolition Night’ at Comiskey Baseball Park on July 12, 1979. In this game, a large pile of records was destroyed by Dahl. This was largely made up of disco records and other types of music made by artists of colour. This caused disco culture to regress to its underground roots.

Despite its heavy backlash, disco started to emerge into the mainstream again during the 1990s, as pop music and film were beginning to incorporate it into their art.  This is because devices such as nostalgia are popular among consumers and therefore can produce great monetary value. The influence of disco can be seen in 1990s hit songs such as ‘Groove Is in The Heart’ by Dee Lite, ‘Lemon’ by U2s and ‘Girls & Boys’ by Blur. In the 2000s, artists, such as Kylie Minogue, Daft Punk and Jamiroquai, pioneered the modified genre of ‘nu-disco’ which dominated nightclubs and music charts. Additionally, Dua Lipa’s 2020 release of ‘Future Nostalgia’ was widely praised for its noticeable disco influence. More recently, the critically acclaimed movie ‘Saltburn’ has been beloved by popular culture, fuelled by its use of nostalgia. The film’s use of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 hit ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ and a 2000s aesthetic draws influences back to disco culture, bringing it back into the public eye and introducing it to a younger audience.

To conclude, disco has never truly escaped popular culture since its inception in the 1960s, integrating itself into popular media, whether subtly or not. Its musical characteristics and aesthetic continuously influence artists today, showing that disco has truly made its impact throughout the years.