Celebrating the stars of 70s disco. While Donna Summer is remembered as the Queen of Disco, many glamorous female singers defined the era. Disco was experimental at its core, exploring electronic instruments and new arrangements. Donna Summer’s I Feel Love may be one of the most influential songs ever: no guitars, no orchestra, no traditional verse-chorus structure. As disco rose, America’s white male rock bands saw their dominance threatened, and the genre was mercilessly ridiculed. Disco’s biggest stars were often women, Black artists, and gay performers, making it feel more dangerous than 50s rock ’n’ roll. The 1979 “Disco Sucks” protest was thinly veiled propaganda, and many disco careers ended overnight as bands like Toto and Chicago returned to the charts. But disco’s influence endured. It is the mother of EDM—and it’s here to stay.
