Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Pop Culture»Fads
    Fads 3 Mins Read

    Disco

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    In 1976, there were an estimated 10,000 discos open in the US, as opposed to only 1,500 in 1974. Before Saturday Night Fever (1977), disco was very underground and particularly big in both the black and the gay scenes.

    Disco began to develop its own music and style, incorporating lots of funk (and a little bit of glitter). Most (if not all) of the big disco songs were about sex.

    The Hustle, a combination of Mambo and Jitterbug steps, was the favoured dance of the day, although The Bump was almost as popular.

    Cheaper than going to a rock concert, and less hassle than a singles bar, the disco was a combination of both – one which also allowed gays, straights, blacks and whites to party together as one under the mirror ball.

    Lots of after-hours drug-drenched discos were filled with drag queens, fags, chic hairdressers, straight men, superfly black men, drug dealers, pimps and hookers.

    The late 70s disco scene ushered in a whole new aesthetic that was all about trying very hard to be chic (not the band). Dress codes at discos insisted you dress to impress – shimmer and shine from head to toe.

    The sheen of unbuttoned satin shirts, gold shirts and sweaty chest hair; the glimmer of little sequined disco bags and spandex dresses or tight pants; the sparkle of glitter eye shadow, metallic Lurex-threaded scarves, and gold glittered high-heeled sandals transformed you into the shining star you were born to be.

    For a while it seemed every dodgy disco was called Xanadu with a coke-sniffing owner who thought he was Warren Beatty (but actually bore more resemblance to Warren Mitchell).

    By summer 1979, disco culture had reached a crescendo of sales and exposure. “I Hate Disco” car stickers became increasingly widespread, and Chicago radio DJ Steve Dahl was one of many who attacked disco for blaspheming against “real music”.

    Dahl organised a ‘Disco Demolition Derby’ at Comiskey Park (home of the White Sox baseball team) in Chicago on 12 July 1979.

    Fans showing up with disco records were let into the game for a reduced $0.98 and the event was a sell-out. At the interval, Dahl took to the field to light a funeral pyre of thousands of disco records.

    This turned into a riot as fans invaded the field and started more bonfires. Anarchic as this moment was, it crystalised and publicised anti-disco sentiment and, in August, The Knack‘s My Sharona replaced Chic at #1 in the US charts (every previous #1 that year had been a disco hit).

    Though it eventually reassimilated into dance culture, disco died a sudden death in America that night.

    Related Posts

    • Waterbeds
      Waterbeds
      In 1968, Charles Prior Hall, a furniture designer in California decided to create the world's most comfortable chair. Taking his…
    • Donna Summer
      Donna Summer
      Donna Summer was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on 31 December 1948 in the Dorchester community of Boston. One of seven children raised…
    • 80s Speak
      80s Speak
      "Awesome" is equal to or slightly better than "Cool", certainly better than "Bad" (or "Bitchin") and about on a par…
    • Disco Music
      Disco Music
      The major new movement which began in the USA in 1975 and would spread its influence worldwide, was disco music.…
    • Big Hair
      Big Hair
      In the extremes of the 80s, the "bigger is better" concept came also to hair. To follow the fashion precept…
    • Hostess Trolley
      Hostess Trolley
      The LG Hawkins company introduced its "heated sideboard" in 1931, but it was 22 years before one of its designers,…
    • Blaxploitation Movies
      Blaxploitation Movies
      Hollywood saw major dollar signs, so a machine was quickly invented which churned out movies showcasing the style, rhythm and…
    • Can't Stop The Music (1980)
      Can't Stop The Music (1980)
      Can't Stop the Music was produced by Allan Carr - who was also responsible for the mega-musical Grease (1978) - as…

    Disco
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleDanskin
    Next Article Discotheques

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small. 

    Thank you so much.
    Enjoy your trip in the time machine!

    You may also like

    • Disco Music
      Disco Music
      The major new movement which began in the USA in 1975 and would spread its influence worldwide, was disco music.…
    • Trammps, The
      Trammps, The
      Disco's most soulful vocal group began in the 60s as The Volcanoes and were also called The Moods. A snappy revival…
    • Village People
      Village People
      Part clever concept, part exaggerated camp act, the Village People were worldwide sensations during disco's heyday and seemed to keep reviving…
    • Studio 54
      Studio 54
      The late 1970s saw a huge Disco boom across the world, fuelled by the success of the 1977 movie Saturday…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.