Disco is one of the most-aligned musical genres, ridiculed for its robotic music and simplistic lyrics. However, those who rip on it for being light, trivial music miss the point: that’s what it was designed to be. It was supposed to be fun, party music and wasn’t created with the idea of standing the test of time. However, these songs exemplify how, like it or not, some of these songs have endured.
This list was created by aggregating 40 lists and compilation albums focused on disco. See sources at the bottom of the page. All songs appearing on 3 or more lists were then ranked in order of their overall status in Dave’s Music Database.
Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.
1. Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
2. Abba “Dancing Queen” (1976)
3. Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” (1978)
4. Chic “Le Freak” (1978)
5. Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978)
6. Village People “Y.M.C.A.” (1978)
7. Kool & the Gang “Celebration” (1980)
8. Bee Gees “How Deep Is Your Love” (1977)
9. Sister Sledge “We Are Family” (1979)
10. Queen “Another One Bites the Dust” (1980)
11. Bee Gees “Night Fever” (1977)
12. Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music” (1976)
13. Michael Jackson “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (1979)
14. Lipps Inc. “Funkytown” (1980)
15. Diana Ross “Upside Down” (1980)
16. The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” (1979)
17. Chic “Good Times” (1979)
18. Donna Summer “Hot Stuff” (1979)
19. Commodores “Brick House” (1977)
20. The Emotions “Best of My Love” (1977)
21. Rick James “Super Freak” (1981)
22. Andy Gibb “Shadow Dancing” (1978)
23. Rod Stewart “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” (1978)
24. Van McCoy “The Hustle” (1975)
25. Carl Douglas “Kung Fu Fighting” (1974)
26. Donna Summer “I Feel Love” (1977)
27. Earth, Wind & Fire “September” (1978)
28. Andy Gibb “I Just Want to Be Your Everything” (1977)
29. KC & the Sunshine Band “Get Down Tonight” (1975)
30. KC & the Sunshine Band “That’s the Way I Like It” (1975)
31. Thelma Houston “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (1976)
32. George McCrae “Rock Your Baby” (1974)
33. Michael Jackson “Rock with You” (1979)
34. Donna Summer “Bad Girls” (1979)
35. The Rolling Stones “Miss You” (1978)
36. Bee Gees “You Should Be Dancing” (1976)
37. Donna Summer “Last Dance” (1978)
38. The Trammps “Disco Inferno” (1977)
39. The Four Seasons “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)” (1975)
40. The O’Jays “Love Train” (1973)
41. Rose Royce “Car Wash” (1976)
42. Anita Ward “Ring My Bell” (1979)
43. Marvin Gaye “Got to Give It Up” (1977)
44. Barry White “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe” (1974)
45. Barry White “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” (1974)
46. LaBelle “Lady Marmalade” (1974)
47. Earth, Wind & Fire “Shining Star” (1975)
48. A Taste of Honey “Boogie Oogie Oogie” (1978)
49. Diana Ross “Love Hangover” (1976)
50. Bee Gees “Jive Talkin’” (1975)
51. Bee Gees “Tragedy” (1979)
52. Patrick Hernandez “Born to Be Alive” (1979)
53. Donna Summer “Love to Love You Baby” (1975)
54. Earth, Wind & Fire “Let’s Groove” (1981)
55. The Hues Corporation “Rock the Boat” (1974)
56. The Weather Girls “It’s Raining Men” (1982)
57. McFadden & Whitehead “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” (1979)
58. Hot Chocolate “You Sexy Thing” (1975)
59. Average White Band “Pick Up the Pieces” (1974)
60. Diana Ross “I’m Coming Out” (1980)
61. Kool & the Gang “Jungle Boogie” (1973)
62. Ohio Players “Love Rollercoaster” (1976)
63. Yvonne Elliman “If I Can’t Have You” (1977)
64. KC & the Sunshine Band “Shake, Shake, Shake, Shake Your Booty” (1976)
65. Vicki Sue Robinson “Turn the Beat Around” (1976)
66. Peaches & Herb “Shake Your Groove Thing” (1978)
67. Love Unlimited Orchestra “Love’s Theme” (1973)
68. Rufus & Chaka Khan “Ain’t Nobody” (1983)
69. Kiss “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” (1979)
70. MFSB with the Three Degrees “T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia)” (1974)
71. The S.O.S. Band “Take Your Time, Do It Right” (1980)
72. Alicia Bridges “I Love the Nightlife (Disco ‘Round)” (1978)
73. Rick James “Give It to Me Baby” (1981)
74. Cheryl Lynn “Got to Be Real” (1978)
75. Kool & the Gang “Get Down on It” (1982)
76. Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions “Boogie Wonderland” (1979)
77. Kool & the Gang “Ladies’ Night” (1979)
78. Silver Convention “Fly Robin Fly” (1975)
79. Meco “Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band” (1977)
80. Andrea True Connection “More, More, More” (1976)
81. Leo Sayer “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” (1976)
82. Evelyn “Champagne” King “Shame” (1978)
83. Johnnie Taylor “Disco Lady” (1976)
84. Barry Manilow “Copacabana (At the Copa)” (1978)
85. Donna Summer “MacArthur Park” (1978)
86. Amii Stewart “Knock on Wood” (1979)
87. The Jacksons “Shake Your Body Down to the Ground” (1979)
88. Heatwave “Boogie Nights” (1977)
89. The Miracles “Love Machine” (1975)
90. Gloria Gaynor “Never Can Say Goodbye” (1974)
91. Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes “The Love I Lost” (1972)
92. Candi Staton “Young Hearts Run Free” (1976)
93. Village People “Macho Man” (1978)
94. Tavares “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel” (1976)
95. Lou Rawls “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” (1976)
96. Silver Convention “Get Up and Boogie (That’s Right)” (1976)
97. Village People “In the Navy” (1979)
98. Donna Summer “On the Radio” (1980)
99. Commodores “Lady, You Bring Me Up” (1981)
100. Stephanie Mills “Never Knew Love Like This Before” (1980)
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First posted 6/18/2015; last updated 5/10/2021. | 
I love this list! There's certainly no arguing that the Bee Gees were disco's biggest act, but I don't believe "How Deep Is Your Love" belongs on this list. It's a love ballad. This would be akin to including "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb just because "Shake Your Groove Thing" was a big disco hit.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I believe Andy Gibb's songs are just straight-up pop, not disco. None of his songs ever charted on Billboard's Disco/Dance chart.
Worthy observations indeed, Lee. As I said elsewhere on another post where you commented, these lists generally grow out of an aggregate of multiple lists so if multiple lists say its disco, it makes the cut even if it doesn't necessarily fit some people's definition of disco. It wouldn't have occurred to me, for example, to put Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" on a disco list.
DeleteLee - I also have to commend you. So often people post contrary comments (not just on my site, but anywhere on the net) just to complain. You, however, do an excellent job of recognizing what you like about the lists and then making solid points about what you think about the lists without being disrespectful and rude. Thank you. That's the kind of musical debates I'm thrilled to get into!
DeleteOnly list I’ve seen Heatwave in it! Good list!
ReplyDelete