Dance music has long been interwoven with the history of music, yet only since the turn of the twentieth century has it come into its own as its own distinct artistic world. Dance has now become an area that historians should investigate further and study.
As with other forms of music, Hip Hop emphasizes rhythm with catchy beats and grooves designed to get people moving, as well as structured arrangements that include build-ups and drops.
Origins
Dance music refers to any genre of music which incorporates an infectious beat or rhythm specifically created to encourage dancing. Dancing and music go back centuries; ancient Greek vases sometimes depicting dancers with musicians accompanying them. Modern Western dance music dates back to the late 19th century; its various styles can include waltzes, tango, bolero minuets and various types of jigs that often appear together called suites.
Disco music became an immensely popular form of dance culture during the 1970s, combining elements of African and Latin American music with rock ‘n’ roll and soul. Disco was an impactful form of music that helped spark social movements such as anti-war protests and civil rights struggles; discotheques also became a hotbed of dance culture thanks to disco’s influence.
Disco was soon followed by funk, an amalgam of African-American rhythm and blues music with rock ‘n’ roll that featured a four-on-the-floor rhythm played on bass drums and hi-hats that young people worldwide found irresistible, becoming the basis for genres such as hip-hop, ska, punk and go-go – Washington D.C’s official dance style!
Michael Jackson and Madonna were icons in the 1980s, dominating charts with their catchy hits and iconic dance moves. But as time progressed, dance music began transforming. Synthesisers were introduced into dance music genre, leading music producers to include them into their tracks for new sounds.
Since the 1990s, EDM’s popularity has only continued to increase as more musicians embrace its sounds and styles. Now one of the most profitable genres within music, it consists of numerous upbeat genres like house, techno, drum ‘n’ bass, dubstep UK garage and electro. Also considered part of dance music are downtempo and chillout styles.
Disco
By 1976, disco was the reigning music genre, dominating pop charts with its steady beat. Rockers such as Rod Stewart and the Rolling Stones quickly made the transition from their previous sounds into more danceable ones; traditional singers, including Donna Summer, the Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor and Barbra Streisand added disco flair into their performances; even country star Dolly Parton added disco accents.
Disco was propelled into prominence during the early 1970s due to the availability of high-quality stereo equipment, enabling club DJs to play longer songs at each club DJ session than ever before and give people a collective dancing experience – a new way for many people to express themselves creatively.
Disco opened up many opportunities for minorities such as blacks and Hispanics to break through in the music industry, becoming role models for younger audiences of music lovers while speaking out on issues they felt strongly about. Sexual liberation offered by disco extended beyond sexualities defined by having an intimate relationship with a penis – it was about liberation as well.
Recall that disco first emerged without major label support or mainstream acceptance; rather, it emerged from clubs which started playing records instead of live bands as its core musical influence. Saturday Night Fever helped bring disco into mainstream awareness in 1977.
Giorgio Moroder was one of the founders of disco music. His string of hits with Donna Summer created what would become known as Munich Sound; this style emphasized rhythm over lyrics or melody and helped make disco so popular.
By the late ’70s, disco was outselling rock music and caused considerable ripples within the establishment. Over time record companies began backing away from disco; by the end of the decade it had lost much of its appeal; but its rhythmic foundation remains relevant today in dance music.
House
As disco began to decline, a new dance music genre emerged: house. House is an infectious dance music form that mixes elements of disco with Latin rhythms and percussive instruments such as cowbells, tambourines and bongos for an up-to-the-minute sound; synthesizers and drum machines further modernise this soundscape.
This episode earned an Emmy nomination and set the foundation for several storylines during Season 2. For example, House can be seen running up Janss steps located between Wilson Quad and Royce Hall at UCLA campus.
House has proven time and again that his random decisions pay dividends; in this instance, he proved to the team that Caren has an enlarged jugular vein — as he noted Richard’s cortisol level was too high on his shoulder.
Electronic Dance Music
EDM refers to electronic dance music produced with both digital and analog equipment and designed to be danced to. DJ-produced EDM tracks typically find use in dance clubs by DJs who mix it with other recordings for club audiences to enjoy. While most acoustic genres require recording instruments as sources, DJ-produced EDM uses synthesizers, drum machines and processed samples or recordings in order to produce the desired sounds and textures for DJ productions.
As dance music has evolved over time, various subgenres have emerged. Some, like trance, have attained global popularity. Others started more regionally or niche before internet technology brought them wider recognition. Moombahton can be traced to DJ Dave Nada from Washington DC; he claims he was inspired to invent its sound after attending a party where attendees wanted more reggae/dancehall sounds than house records were playing; in response he took an Afrojack remix, modified it into reggaeton time and thus creating its unique genre!
At the forefront of dance music is disco, but other genres have contributed immensely as well. Synth-pop and Krautrock artists like Can, Klaus Schulze and Kraftwerk were particularly influential during the 1970s; yet even acoustic genres like rhythm & blues, funk and soul also helped shape its development.
Dance music’s global rise can also be attributed to its success stories such as Tiesto, Daft Punk, Madonna and Skrillex – pioneers who have attracted younger listeners by mixing traditional with modern sounds for maximum appeal among diverse youth audiences. Furthermore, new festivals have opened their doors specifically dedicated to this type of music genre.