disco
what it is
Disco is a genre of dance-oriented music that originated in African American, gay and Hispanic American communities in 1970s. In what is considered a forerunner to disco style clubs in February 1970 New York City DJ David Mancuso opened The Loft, a members-only private dance club set in his own home. Most agree that the first disco songs were released in 1973, though some claim that Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango's from 1972 to be the first disco record.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make disco a playlist
turn these 40 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is disco?
Disco is a genre of dance-oriented music that originated in African American, gay and Hispanic American communities in 1970s. In what is considered a forerunner to disco style clubs in February 1970 New York City DJ David Mancuso opened The Loft, a members-only private dance club set in his own home. Most agree that the first disco songs were released in 1973, though some claim that Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango's from 1972 to be the first disco record.
What are good disco albums to start with?
Try Off the Wall by Michael Jackson, Diana by Diana Ross, I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor, and Love for Sale by Boney M..
Who are some women making disco?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/disco/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making disco, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20