The History of House Music

House music became the first direct descendant of disco in the early 80s. It’s said “House was born from the ashes of Disco” after the launch of an anti-disco movement. Disco emerged in the early 70s as an underground movement born out of the urban gay culture in New York City. Predominantly LGBTQ, African American, and Latino communities popularized underground nightclubs and accelerated dance music culture. These clubs also provided safe havens for partygoers who wanted to escape from social issues and enjoy a euphoric experience away from public scrutiny. Legendary nightclubs such as New York’s “Paradise Garage” and Chicago’s “Warehouse” set the stage for modern club culture and catapulted the club DJ to rock star status.

The disco movement became a global “fad” in the late 70s, partly due to hit films such as “Saturday Night Fever” in 1977. Major record labels flooded the market to cash in on disco’s rise to the mainstream. Disco hits were dominating the Top 40 radio stations and topping the charts. However, disco’s mainstream popularity drew backlash from haters, and a “Disco Sucks” movement rose.

Disco fell out of fashion almost overnight in 1979 as a result of attacks from anti-disco movements across the country. One of the most memorable and extreme anti-disco rallies was “Disco Demolition Night” at Comiskey Park, on July 12, 1979.

Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park

EARLY DJ MIXING TECHNIQUES

The “house music” sound also evolved rapidly with the advancement of technology. DJs took house music to the next level by incorporating synthesizers, samplers, effects processors, and drum machines which introduced the consistent 4/4 tempo. These early innovators also started to loop basslines, add percussion layers, mix in effects, add vocals, and apply other remixing techniques. This new and innovative electronic sound immediately captured the hearts of clubgoers.

The early 80s was a vital turning point for DJing and music production. Synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, and drum machines became cheaper and more accessible, allowing bedroom producers to emerge. DJs and music producers in Chicago, New York, and Detroit delved deeper into dance music production and embraced these machines. New approaches towards music creation led to a sound that was deeper, rawer, and more designed to make people dance.

Increased access to music technology also continued to drive the conception of new music styles. Around the mid-80s, distinct electronic genres and subgenres emerged. We also heard defining characteristics such as tempo, deeper basslines, arpeggios, arrangement, the style of vocals, recognizable sounds from drum machines and synths, and more. It was also during this time, iconic drum machines like Roland’s TR-808, TR-909, and later the TB 303 gained popularity.

Chicago had a thriving underground dance scene throughout the 80s and DJs were seeking new music to energize the dancefloor. And with the advancement of music technology, more Chicago DJs produced and released original compositions. By the mid-80s, subgenres of house music emerged such as deep house and acid house. Record labels soon noticed the rising popularity of these genres. The most revered of these labels was Chicago’s Trax Records on North Clark Street. This iconic label released pivotal house music records, such as “Move Your Body” by Marshall Jefferson, “Acid Tracks” by Phuture, “Can You Feel It” by Larry Heard, “Your Love” by Frankie Knuckles, and many others.

HOUSE MUSIC’S INTERNATIONAL RISE