Top 10 Essential Classic Disco Songs

#10: “Le Freak” (1978)

Chic

As originally written, the funky dance track was actually meant to be a response to the band’s being denied entry to the exclusive dance club, Studio 54. Chic scored a major hit by tapping into the growing fad of losing life’s troubles amid the glittering lights and body heat of the discotheque. “Le Freak” was undeniable. There are a lot of disco songs about the euphoria of dancing to a great song. “Le Freak” endures because of its technical greatness. The beat and Chic founder Bernard Edwards’ incredible bassline has made it a prime choice for producers to rework and sample.

#9: “Got To Be Real” (1978)

Cheryl Lynn

This track has been a mainstay on movie soundtracks, commercials, and the dance floor ever since its 1978 release. “Got To Be Real” is one of those songs you recognize from that very first distinctive and ear-catching riff. A showcase for singer Cheryl Lynn’s impressive range, it was a chart-topper on the U.S. soul charts in its initial release and it’s easy to see why. Anthemic and as empowering as it is danceable, there’s a reason it’s endured over the decades. This platinum-selling single will likely be around for decades more.

#8: “Dancing Queen” (1976)

ABBA

Long before it was bringing down Broadway houses, this ode to youth, joy, and dancing was delighting audiences around the world. The Swedish popmakers created a massive hit that reached number one on numerous charts. ABBA’s signature song will never go out of style. Yes, some people find it corny, but even they can’t help but want to join in. Yes, you *can* dance. You *can* jive. “Dancing Queen” has a polished, flamboyant production, a beat that makes you dance, and enough hooks to make it stick in your brain for the rest of your life.

#7: “Disco Inferno” (1976)

The Trammps

Hilariously, the songwriters dreamed up this song after seeing the 1974 disaster movie, “The Towering Inferno.” They took its literal story about a deadly fire breaking out in a skyscraper and turned it into a fully-fledged classic. “Disco Inferno’s” full, almost immersive soundscape is the result of a production error in the noise reduction settings. But there’s an urgency to it from the moment it starts that almost pulls you out onto the dancefloor. A decent hit upon release in late 1976, the track found further reach when it was included on the record-breaking “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack in 1977.

#6: “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (1976)

Thelma Houston

Originally recorded by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in 1975, the 1976 disco cover by Thelma Houston exploded onto the charts. Aside from its pleading, desperate lyrics and the powerhouse, Grammy-winning vocals, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” is important because it encapsulates what made disco great. The genre thrived on the artistry of its producers. Hitmaker Hal Davis oversaw a series of evocative and innovative distortion effects added to the track that gave it a more dynamic, if electronic, sound. It was a hit in the disco clubs all over the world, and frequently appears on lists of the greatest disco songs of all time.

#5: “I Feel Love” (1977)

Donna Summer

Few genres produced as many one-hit wonders as disco. But if there’s one artist who couldn’t miss during the disco era, it was Donna Summer. We could populate an entire list with just cuts from the queen of disco. But “I Feel Love,” with its highly electronic sound effects and Summer’s ethereal voice, is disco at its best. Legendary producer Giorgio Moroder creates an echoing, surreal, almost heavenly soundscape that feels like it goes on forever. It received renewed attention due to a cover by Sam Smith and its use as a sample on Beyonce’s “Summer Renaissance.”

#4: “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” (1978)

Sylvester

Despite being a major player in the disco era, Sylvester is still massively underrated by mainstream modern audiences. But even if you don’t know him, you’ve heard his distinctive falsetto on “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).” Originally conceived as a gospel song, the potential for a dance hit led producers to create an energetic remix full of explosive beats and electronic instrumentation that was still very new at the time. The result is one of the most impactful dance hits of the era. If Sylvester’s legacy with the general public is contained in just this one song, it;s a worthy crowning achievement.

#3: “We Are Family” (1979)

Sister Sledge

One of the most successful songs on this list, “We Are Family” clearly strikes a chord with millions of people. Despite the song’s universality, the title is actually more literal than you’d think. The members of Sister Sledge were actually sisters. But the joyful track took on new life as an anthem of togetherness and solidarity, be it on the dancefloor or anywhere else. Interestingly, as time has passed, “We Are Family” has gotten back to its original meaning. What was once a dance hit in wild and hazy discotheques has since become a theme song for any kind of family get-together. As long as weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, and cookouts stay in style, “We Are Family” isn’t going anywhere.

#2: “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)

Bee Gees

The 1977 movie “Saturday Night Fever” cemented disco in pop culture forever. As one of the biggest hits on its highly successful soundtrack album, “Stayin’ Alive” became synonymous with disco and the 1970s as a whole. It’s basically the disco Rosetta Stone for millions of people who never set foot in a real discotheque. The song’s influence isn’t just felt in pop culture. It has also been used in the training of CPR, as its tempo is actually useful in establishing an accurate rhythm for chest compressions. So if someone ever tells you the Bee Gees saved lives, it might actually be true.

#1: “I Will Survive” (1978)

Gloria Gaynor

A good beat is only the first step to an essential disco song. Great dance hits become immortal when they come to represent something more. “I Will Survive” is not just a diva track about surviving heartbreak. It’s about finding defiance, strength, and joy in the face of hardship. It tells us hard times are temporary, a message which resonated with the LGBT community and many others. Disco was a place where people found freedom in movement, community, and getting lost in the music. “I Will Survive” is a testament to the fact that disco didn’t die. Its influence is still felt in popular music decades later.

What disco tracks would you want in a top 20? Let us know in the comments.