WatchMojo released their Top 10 Best Songs of 2020, and most hit singles featured were Disco, Funk, and New Wave. They even mentioned it is the renaissance of Disco for this year. Well, it became a nostalgia during the 90s to 2010s. Then, it resurrected this present day. In this article, I'm going to discuss how these genres became popular again, and how we got hooked on this kind of music. Let's take a look back at the music of the 1970s & 1980s.
The 70s, this is the time where The Beatles were disbanded and each member released their albums. Rock music emerged from different genres, from Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk Rock, and Heavy Metal. This is where AC/DC, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Queen, Sex Pistols, and Van Halen got into the limelight making big noises on the radio around the world. This is where Hip-Hop started, Rapper's Delight by Sugarhill Gang gave this hit single to a wider audience. Now, with Rock being the dominant genre from that period, Funk became experimental fusing with other elements and it gave a new sound. Listen to Stevie Wonder's album called Talking Book titled Superstition.
It reached # 1 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and # 11 in the UK Singles Chart. No wonder why Stevie is a master of his craft, a multi-instrumentalist, and a talented artist. On the other hand, Disco is both music and a subculture that emerged in the 70s. From activism, fashion, the nightlife until its downfall in the 80s. And re-emerged in the 90s up to this day. Disco became mainstream after its underground status in the mid-60s. Disco bands and solo acts emerged to the likes of ABBA, Bee Gees, Chic, Commodores, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, Jackson 5 (The Jacksons after MJ's departure), Van McCoy, and Village People. Michael Jackson left the group and released his solo album Off The Wall including disco hits like Rock with You, Workin' Day and Night, and the chart-topping hit Don't Stop Till You Get Enough.
With the influence of Disco, it became the chosen genre for television theme songs, a popular song in the Star Wars universe, and became a full-feature film starring John Travolta including popular hit singles from the Bee Gees. Listen to this introduction song below, originally it was a television series until it became a film adaptation starring Samuel L. Jackson and Collin Farrell in 2003.
MJ's career skyrocketed after the release of his 5th studio album, while Rock still became the dominant genre of the 80s. New rock bands came into the likes of Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Megadeth, Twisted Sister, The Police, and Quiet Riot. Hip-Hop became a stronger influence. Following the Disco Demolition Night - an anti-disco movement after the match of the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers on July 21, 1979, which ended in a riot, Disco & Funk is on the verge of declining. Giovanni Giorgio Moroder, a record producer from Italy created memorable songs of the 80s titled Flashdance... What a Feeling from the movie Flashdance and he was the soundtrack's composer of Scarface. Both creations of Giorgio were heavily influenced by Disco. Also, the man behind Donna Summer's Love to Love You Baby. A pioneer of euro disco, and Electronic Dance Music. Disco was reborn, it became New Wave and House Music.
Let's head from the 1990s to the present day. Disco was the nostalgia of the 90s. If you'll going to listen to Deee-Lite's Groove is in the Heart, Daft Punk's One More Time, and Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out of My Head, these hit singles became a commercial success. It re-emerged again in 2013 after Daft Punk's success with Tron: Legacy. The robot duo from France was planning for a bigger project. Enlisting some of the biggest acts and producers of their time: Chilly Gonzales, Giovanni Giorgio Moroder, Pharell Williams, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Nile Rodgers of Chic, Todd Edwards, and Panda Bear. This project is a tribute to the 70s & 80s music, and this album became the Grammy Award for Album of the Year (I remember Taylor Swift's reaction at that time). I'm talking about Random Access Memories. Sold over 339,000 copies, it became certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, its hit single Get Lucky topped off the charts in over 30 countries and it won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. It was a comeback song for the french duo after their contributions to Tron: Legacy. Despite the mixed reviews about the 2nd installment of the Tron franchise, they were recharged and rebooted their systems at that time.
With their success, other artists released their songs under the influence of Disco. Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke ft. Pharell Williams, Treasure by Bruno Mars, and the King of Pop's posthumous hit single Love Never Felt So Good ft. Justin Timberlake. In 2015, do you remember Mark Ronson's Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars? It was a fused element of Disco and Funk. How about Maroon 5's Sugar, The Weeknd's Can't Feel my Face, Calvin Harris' Feels ft. Pharell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean, and Slide also by Calvin Harris ft. Frank Ocean, Migos & Offset? I know you do. The Father of Disco (Giovanni Giorgio Moroder) also released his album Deja Vu after he collaborated with Daft Punk and a 23-year hiatus.
This year, Disco resurrected in mainstream popularity. The chosen genre despite the current situation as listeners would escape in the real world. The moment I listened and watch the music video of Doja Cat's Say So, yes it had the elements of the 70s. From fashion, dance moves, and the overall composition of the song. I only got disappointed on the mumble rap part, but this song is a flirty one.
Tame Impala's Breathe Deeper, what else am I going to say? The lyrics were psychedelic and the song's structure hits the 70s & 80s.
BTS' Dynamite? It does hit the vibe and has similarities to Uptown Funk.
Following the success of Starboy and I Feel It Coming featuring Daft Punk by The Weeknd, Blinding Lights was a homage to the 80s which is pretty similar to Take on Me by A-ha.
Dua Lipa is also making big waves in the top 100 charts. Her hit single Don't Start Now from the album Future Nostalgia is also a disco-influenced track.
Now, Rock is about to decline and people nowadays are switching to different genres to listen to. We have our views & opinions about which genre is the best. Whoever's the dominating genre during that time, people will try to experiment and find new ways that will make their listeners remember "this is my jam". Disco, Funk, and New Wave are becoming popular and it is the renaissance of the 70s & 80s.
its cool i love this music