Disco | Classic Disco

Disco marked the dawn of the modern era of dance-based popular music. Growing out of the increasingly groove-oriented sound of early '70s and funk, disco emphasized the beat above anything else, even the singer and the song. Disco was named after discotheques, clubs that played nothing but music for dancing. Some of the most famous original disco artists were Donna Summer, Chic, the Village People, and KC & the Sunshine Band. Disco lost momentum as the '70s became the '80s, but it didn't die -- it mutated into a variety of different dance-based genres, ranging from dance-pop and hip-hop to house and techno.