Showing posts with label dance songs. Show all posts

Monday, May 10, 2021

The Top 100 Disco Songs of All Time

Disco:

Top 100 Songs

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)

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 6/18/2015; last updated 5/10/2021.

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Top 100 Party Songs

First posted 11/12/2018; updated 6/2/2020.

Party Songs:

Top 100

This list was compiled by aggregating more than 50 lists focused on “party songs.”

Note: click here to see other genre-specific song lists.

1. Village People “Y.M.C.A.” (1978)
2. Los Del Rio “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” (1995)
3. The B-52’s “Love Shack” (1989)
4. Kool & the Gang “Celebration” (1980)
5. Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (1983)
6. DJ Casper (aka “Mr. C the Slide Man) “Cha Cha Slide” (2004)
7. OutKast “Hey Ya!” (2003)
8. Abba “Dancing Queen” (1976)
9. The Beatles “Twist and Shout” (1963)
10. Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” (2008)

11. Van Morrison “Brown-Eyed Girl” (1967)
12. Sister Sledge “We Are Family” (1979)
13. Rednex “Cotton Eye Joe” (1994)
14. Kenny Loggins “Footloose” (1984)
15. Neil Diamond “Sweet Caroline” (1969)
16. Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1981)
17. Aretha Franklin “Respect” (1967)
18. AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long” (1980)
19. Sir Mix-A-Lot “Baby Got Back” (1992)
20. Justin Timberlake “Sexyback” (2006)

21. Marcia Griffiths “Electric Slide (Electric Boogie)” (1990)
22. Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
23. House of Pain “Jump Around” (1992)
24. Chubby Checker “The Twist” (1960)
25. Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1982)
26. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” (1986)
27. Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” (2004)
28. Sorta Crackers Band/The Emeralds “Chicken Dance” (1982)
29. LMFAO with Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem” (2011)
30. The Isley Brothers “Shout (Parts 1 and 2)” (1959)

31. Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me” (1987)
32. Michael Jackson “Thriller” (1982)
33. Pink “Get the Party Started” (2001)
34. Def Leppard “Pour Some Sugar on Me” (1987)
35. Lynyrd Skynyrd “Sweet Home Alabama” (1974)
36. Commodores “Brick House” (1977)
37. Nelly “Hot in Herre” (2002)
38. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band “Old Time Rock and Roll” (1978)
39. Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music” (1976)
40. The Romantics “What I Like About You” (1980)

41. Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” (2009)
42. Prince “1999” (1982)
43. Salt-N-Pepa “Push It” (1987)
44. 50 Cent “In Da Club” (2002)
45. Brooks & Dunn “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” (1991)
46. Cupid “Cupid Shuffle” (2007)
47. Garth Brooks “Friends in Low Places” (1990)
48. Pharrell Williams “Happy” (2013)
49. Vanilla Ice “Ice Ice Baby” (1990)
50. The Foundations “Build Me Up Buttercup” (1968)

51. Montell Jordan “This Is How We Do It” (1995)
52. Psy “Gangnam Style” (2012)
53. Flo Rida with T-Pain “Low” (2007)
54. MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This” (1990)
55. Rick Springfield “Jessie’s Girl” (1981)
56. The Temptations “My Girl” (1965)
57. Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines” (2013)
58. Beyoncé with Jay-Z…Crazy in Love (2003)
59. Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen” (1982)
60. Ke$ha…Tik Tok (2009)

61. Young M.C. “Bust a Move” (1989)
62. Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (1987)
63. Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta “You’re the One That I Want” (1978)/ “Grease Megamix” (1990)
64. Michael Jackson “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (1979)
65. Rick James “Super Freak” (1981)
66. Lady Gaga with Colby O’Donis “Just Dance” (2008)
67. Miami Sound Machine “Conga” (1985)
68. Earth, Wind & Fire “September” (1978)
69. Black Eyed Peas “Let’s Get It Started” (2003)
70. Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” (1978)

71. California Swag District “Teach Me How to Dougie” (2010)
72. Usher with Pitbull “DJ Got Us Falling in Love” (2010)
73. Marc Ronson & Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014)
74. Deee-Lite “Groove Is in the Heart” (1990)
75. Taylor Swift…Shake It Off (2014)
76. Miley Cyrus “Party in the U.S.A.” (2009)
77. Billy Idol “Mony Mony (live)” (1987)
78. Daft Punk with Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky” (2013)
79. C + C Music Factory “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” (1990)
80. Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe” (2011)

81. Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger” (2011)
82. Big & Rich “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” (2004)
83. Michael Jackson “Beat It” (1983)
84. Kanye West with Jamie Foxx “Gold Digger” (2005)
85. The Jackson 5 “ABC” (1970)
86. V.I.C. “Wobble” (2008)
87. Ray Anthony “Hokey Pokey” (1953)
88. Elvis Presley “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (1961)
89. Lonestar “Amazed” 1999)
90. Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull “On the Floor” (2011)

91. Billy Medley with Jennifer Warnes “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” (1987)
92. Prince “Kiss” (1986)
93. David Bowie “Let’s Dance” (1983)
94. Lou Bega “Mambo No. 5” (1999)
95. Spice Girls “Wannabe” (1996)
96. Martha & the Vandellas “Dancing in the Street” (1964)
97. Rihanna with Calvin Harris “We Found Love” (2011)
98. Wham! “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” (1984)
99. LMFAO “Sexy and I Know It” (2011)
100. Silentó “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” (2015)

Saturday, October 21, 1978

Village People hit the chart with “Y.M.C.A.”

Y.M.C.A.

Village People

Writer(s): Jacques Morali/Victor Willis/Henri Belolo (see lyrics here)

First Charted: October 21, 1978

Peak: 2 US, 3 CB, 6 GP, 2 HR, 6 RR, 32 RB, 1³ UK, 1² CN, 1⁵ AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.)

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 1.56 UK, 12.0 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 8.2 video, 247.83 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Henri Belolo and Jacques Morali were two French songwriters and producers who worked with Casablanca Records, “the home of mainstream disco in the mid-‘70s.” ^TC They decided to market music to the gay community, initially with Victor Willis singing lead and backup vocals. ^WK When the formula succeeded, a group of actors and singers were assembled and “dolled up in costumes that camped on masculine archetypes” ^TO such as a cop, Indian, and construction worker.

After the group hit with “Macho Man,” they turned to the YMCA for inspiration for the second song. The YMCA provided low-income, single-room occupancies as well as workout facilities. In gay culture, it became “a coded celebration of cruising hot guys at a public gym.” ^TO

There are differing accounts as to how the song came about. Randy Jones, who played the cowboy in the group, said he joined the YMCA on 23rd Street in New York and took Morali there a few times and that planted the idea for the song. ^SF Another account suggests Belolo was inspired when he and Morali passed that same Y and Morali explained the center’s reputation. ^TC Willis contends he wrote the song in celebration of where he played basketball with his friends growing up. ^SF He says Morali asked him about the YMCA and that Belolo had nothing to do with the song. ^SF

Regardless of the song’s origins, it became a gay anthem which did the seemingly impossible. It became “an all-purpose massive crowd celebratory singalong.” ^LA “Whether it’s a break at a sports event or a peak moment of a wedding reception,” ^LA you can see “school children and adults in all walks of life” ^TC “raising their arms to spell out the letters Y-M-C-A as they join the group’s chorus.” ^LA

The famous movements came out of a performance of the song on TV’s American Bandstand on January 6, 1979. The Village People formed the letter “Y” when they got to the chorus, but it was the audience who added gestures for the remaining letters. Its unknown if the crowd truly made it up on the spot or choreographed it beforehand. Dick Clark, the show’s host, asked Willis if he thought the group could work the gestures into their routine. Willis replied, “I think we’re going to have to.” ^SF

Resources:

DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Village People
^TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Pages 593-4.
^LA LiveAbout.com (5/22/2019) “The Top 100 Best Party Songs of All Time” by Bill Lamb
^TO Time Out (12/22/2015). “The 100 best party songs ever made”
^SF Songfacts
^WK Wikipedia

First posted 4/21/2020; last updated 11/27/2022.

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