70s GENRES: Disco
The countdown of the decade's 200 Most Essential Songs continues this weekend.

THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS OF THE 1970s It was the decade of glam, disco, funk, Philly Soul, heavy metal, the singer/songwriter, punk and new wave. Here are the 200 songs that mattered most during the Seventies, in terms of influence, impact and success. To be eligible, the song needed to be released- as a single or on an album- during the years 1970-1979.
	DISCO Disco was a dominant and lucrative force in popular music during the 1970s. Its influences were Motown, Barry White, funk, Isaac Hayes and the lush productions referred to as Philly Soul in the early 1970s.  The genre's first converts were the gay and black club patrons. New York soon became its epicentre, with the infamous Studio 54.  Disco had 2 distinct camps: the European style created by pioneers such as Giorgio Moroder and Cerrone (commonly known as Euro disco and best exemplified by Donna Summer); and the American approach spearheaded by the likes of KC & The Sunshine Band, Gloria Gaynor and Chic.  Gaynor and Summer were disco's first stars. Others, such as Silver Convention, Village People, Boney M and The Ritchie Family followed. The genre proved so popular, soon acts from other musical styles (eg. Barbra Streisand, Rolling Stones, Blondie, Dolly Parton, The Jacksons, The Four Seasons, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart and Diana Ross) adopted a disco sound. The result was chart success. Funk / R&B groups such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang and Rose Royce followed suit. As disco's momentum was waning, the Bee Gees unleashed their songs on the film soundtrack 'Saturday Night Fever'. Ironically, many thought the film was coming out too late to cash in on the disco phenomenon. "Night Fever", "Stayin' Alive" and "More Than A Woman" only served to re-launch disco. Second time around, it reached new heights in terms of profitability. As the 1980s began, disco started morphing into dance pop. It later helped influence genres such as house and techno. EXPLORE FURTHER:

--> Love Hangover DIANA ROSS Our Love DONNA SUMMER
Rivers Of Babylon BONEY M
He's The Greatest Dancer SISTER SLEDGE
Instant Replay DAN HARTMAN
Dec '63 (Oh What A Night)  THE 4 SEASONS
Fly Robin Fly SILVER CONVENTION 
Get Down Tonight KC & SUNSHINE BAND
Baby I'm Burnin' DOLLY PARTON
Jive Talkin' BEE GEES
Macarthur Park DONNA SUMMER
Honey Bee GLORIA GAYNOR
Born To Be Alive PATRICK HERNANDEZ
Everybody Dance CHIC
Lady Marmalade LABELLE
Rock The Boat HUES CORPORATION
Souvenirs VOYAGE
Lucky DONNA SUMMER 
Shake Your Booty KC & SUNSHINE BAND
The Hustle VAN McCOY
Black Is Black LA BELLE EPOQUE
Get Up & Boogie SILVER CONVENTION
Daddy Cool BONEY M
September EARTH, WIND & FIRE
We Are Family SISTER SLEDGE
You Should Be Dancing BEE GEES
Sunset People DONNA SUMMER
Disco Inferno THE TRAMMPS
Don't Leave Me This Way THELMA HOUSTON
Turn The Beat Around VICKI SUE ROBINSON
I'm Every Woman CHAKA KHAN
Last Dance DONNA SUMMER
The Boss DIANA ROSS
If I Can't Have You YVONNE ELLIMAN 
Young Hearts Run Free CANDI STATON
Ring My Bell ANITA WARD
Rasputin BONEY M
(You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real SYLVESTER
Is it Love You're After? ROSE ROYCE
Love Is In The Air JOHN PAUL YOUNG 
Bad Girls DONNA SUMMER
Reach Out I'll Be There GLORIA GAYNOR 
Who Loves You 4 SEASONS
Ma Baker BONEY M
Boogie Wonderland EARTH WIND & FIRE & THE EMOTIONS