Disco is a style of dance music that became wildly popular in the 1970s, featuring a strong, steady beat, orchestral instruments, and energetic rhythms that made people want to dance. The word also refers to the nightclubs where people danced to this music, often called discotheques.

Disco songs typically have a “four-on-the-floor” beat, meaning the bass drum hits on every beat: BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM. This steady pulse, combined with strings, horns, and electronic sounds, created music perfect for dancing. Famous disco songs include “Stayin' Alive” by the Bee Gees and “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.

Disco clubs featured spinning mirror balls that scattered light across crowded dance floors, colorful lighting effects, and DJs who played records late into the night. People dressed up in flashy outfits with bell-bottoms, platform shoes, and sequined clothing. The disco era represented a time when dancing and music became a major part of popular culture.

By the early 1980s, disco's popularity faded as new music styles emerged, but its influence continues. Modern dance music, pop, and electronic music all borrow elements from disco. When something feels outdated or old-fashioned, people sometimes call it disco, though many of those classic disco songs still fill dance floors today.