’70s Dance Party Essentials

Thanks to the era’s seemingly limitless bounty of unstoppable funk grooves, bouncy pop confections, strut-inducing rockers and dance-floor fillers of all stripes, the ‘70s were a boogie wonderland by anyone’s standards. Of course, disco was the sound that reigned supreme. It was originally developed by soul and R&B artists through the decade’s early years before that four-on-the-floor beat and hedonistic vibe drove disco’s conquest of clubs and charts worldwide. The innovations of Bee Gees, Chic and Donna Summer became jet fuel for pop juggernauts like ABBA and Elton John, too. Meanwhile, dancers’ appetites for new sounds and sensations ensured that variety really was the spice of life. As diverse as they are exhilarating, these songs keep spirits high and put bodies in motion today, just as they did in the days of bell-bottom jeans and platform shoes.