What is disco?
Q: What is disco?
A: Disco is a style of music that was most popular from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, featuring African-American and Latino musicians and audiences, and in private dance parties thrown in the underground gay community of New York. It was an up-tempo form of music which included elements of soul, funk and Latin music with a strong beat meant for dancing, a steady four-on-the-floor rhythm, and a big bass line. Additionally, it is also used to refer to the style of dancing people do to this type of music or the clothes they wear when going disco dancing.
Q: Where did disco originate?
A: Disco originated in the United States and Europe in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was brought into mainstream culture by the hit movie Saturday Night Fever released in 1977 starring John Travolta which showed people doing disco dancing.
Q: What other genres were influenced by disco?
A: Other genres such as dance, Hi-NRG and post-disco grew in popularity due to influence from disco. Additionally, Euro disco arose in Europe which obtained some popularity as well.
Q: Is there still an influence from disco today?
A: Yes, modern day dance music still has occasional moments of popularity due to its influence from disco.
Q: How did radio stations play a role in popularizing disco?
A: Many radio stations played disco during the late 1970s which helped bring it into mainstream culture.
Q: What instruments are typically used when playing Disco Music?
A: Orchestral instrumentation often included string sections when playing Disco Music along with other instruments like drums or keyboards that could create a strong beat meant for dancing with a steady four-on-the floor rhythm as well as having a big bass line.
