Disco took shape in the early 1970s in the night clubs of New York, growing out of funk, soul, and gospel. Its defining feature is a steady, “walking” bass-drum beat on every beat (four-on-the-floor), which makes the music irresistibly danceable, and over it — a springy bass, lush strings, a brass section, and fiery vocals.
Disco became the culture of an entire era — with mirror balls, dance floors, and hedonism; its symbols were the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, the group ABBA, and the film “Saturday Night Fever.” Despite the “anti-disco” backlash of the late 1970s, it was disco that became the direct ancestor of all subsequent electronic dance music — from house to modern pop. Its steady pulse remains the foundation of world club culture to this day.
