Opinion: The Revenge of Disco

As a kid, I always felt like disco music was frowned upon (Just me?). Disco seemed to be portrayed to me as a cheesy soundtrack. The movie “Shrek” using “I’m a Believer” is an example of not taking the genre seriously. The soundscapes from that time were now used as comedic relief we could all take part in to laugh and cringe at.

It’s hard to see when we’re laughing at the subtle disgust that’s underlying. Some other forms of distaste for Disco were more outright and violent. On July 12, 1979, Steve Dahl was a disc jockey who was upset. He had just been fired from his radio station after it changed to all disco. To combat this, he got even with the genre by destroying disco records on the air. He later blew up crates of disco records in Comiskey Park. This became known as “The Night Disco Died.”

The older I got, the more independent I became in my music choices. Curiosity got the best of me and before I knew it, Donna Summer was a constant in my most played. After that, it wasn’t long before I discovered Nile Rodgers, ABBA, and Sister Sledge. I actually took the time to imagine what the people of the seventies and eighties felt. What did the nightclubs sound like at the time?

I’d imagine that they sounded like euphoria and heartbreak. The use of violins, basses, and synthesizers were now instruments for making unapologetic style and fun. I imagined it would be different races, queer and straight, dancing and drinking the night away.

Music is fickle and I don’t think I have to imagine much longer. Popstars like Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Jessie Ware, and Kylie Minogue have all taken us back to the discotheque. I have to say I’m really enjoying it.

Now more than ever we need the freedom that the genre brings to lighten the mood again. Yet, I think it’s time we give it the respect that it deserves. We owe it to the artists that inspired the world years ago.