The 50 Best Disco Songs from the 70s, from Stayin' Alive to Le Freak

What is the most famous disco song of the 70s?

"Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees is the most famous disco song of the 70s, the opening song of Saturday Night Fever and a number one in 1978. "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, "Le Freak" by Chic, "Dancing Queen" by ABBA and "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer are just as essential.

The biggest disco hits of the 70s

1. "Stayin' Alive", Bee Gees, 1977: the strut that opens Saturday Night Fever.
2. "I Will Survive", Gloria Gaynor, 1978: the ultimate anthem of resilience, a number one in 1979.
3. "Le Freak", Chic, 1978: one of the best-selling singles in Atlantic Records history.
4. "Dancing Queen", ABBA, 1976: the Swedish group's only US number one.
5. "I Feel Love", Donna Summer, 1977: a fully electronic track that changed dance music forever.
6. "Y.M.C.A.", Village People, 1978: the song with the dance everyone knows.
7. "Night Fever", Bee Gees, 1978: an eight-week number one from Saturday Night Fever.
8. "Hot Stuff", Donna Summer, 1979: disco with a rock guitar edge.
9. "Don't Leave Me This Way", Thelma Houston, 1976: a Grammy-winning number one.
10. "We Are Family", Sister Sledge, 1979: written and produced by Chic's Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards.

Early disco songs (1973 to 1975)

11. "Love's Theme", Love Unlimited Orchestra, 1973: Barry White's lush instrumental number one.
12. "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", MFSB featuring The Three Degrees, 1974: the Soul Train theme.
13. "Rock the Boat", The Hues Corporation, 1974: one of the first disco number ones.
14. "Rock Your Baby", George McCrae, 1974: a gentle, groundbreaking number one.
15. "Kung Fu Fighting", Carl Douglas, 1974: a novelty disco smash.
16. "Never Can Say Goodbye", Gloria Gaynor, 1974: an early club favorite.
17. "Lady Marmalade", LaBelle, 1974: a sultry, funky number one.
18. "The Hustle", Van McCoy, 1975: the instrumental that launched a dance craze.
19. "That's the Way (I Like It)", KC and the Sunshine Band, 1975: pure Miami party disco.
20. "Love to Love You Baby", Donna Summer, 1975: the extended track that made her a star.
21. "Fly, Robin, Fly", Silver Convention, 1975: a Munich disco number one.
22. "Get Down Tonight", KC and the Sunshine Band, 1975: their first number one.

Disco at its peak (1976 to 1977)

23. "You Should Be Dancing", Bee Gees, 1976: a falsetto-led number one that set up their disco era.
24. "Disco Inferno", The Trammps, 1976: a blazing club anthem featured in Saturday Night Fever.
25. "Car Wash", Rose Royce, 1976: the hand-clapping theme from the film Car Wash.
26. "Love Hangover", Diana Ross, 1976: a slow intro that explodes into a dance groove.
27. "Turn the Beat Around", Vicki Sue Robinson, 1976: a percussion-packed favorite.
28. "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", KC and the Sunshine Band, 1976: a party staple.
29. "A Fifth of Beethoven", Walter Murphy, 1976: Beethoven's Fifth turned into a disco number one.
30. "Disco Lady", Johnnie Taylor, 1976: the first single certified platinum.
31. "Best of My Love", The Emotions, 1977: a joyful number one produced by Maurice White.
32. "Got to Give It Up", Marvin Gaye, 1977: a loose, party-sounding number one.
33. "Shame", Evelyn "Champagne" King, 1977: a dark, driving club classic.
34. "Native New Yorker", Odyssey, 1977: a glamorous portrait of the city at night.

Late 70s disco classics (1978 to 1979)

35. "Last Dance", Donna Summer, 1978: the Oscar-winning song from Thank God It's Friday.
36. "Boogie Oogie Oogie", A Taste of Honey, 1978: a funky number one.
37. "Got to Be Real", Cheryl Lynn, 1978: a soaring dance-floor favorite.
38. "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)", Sylvester, 1978: a euphoric club anthem.
39. "Shake Your Groove Thing", Peaches and Herb, 1978: a feel-good party song.
40. "I Love the Nightlife", Alicia Bridges, 1978: a disco ode to going out.
41. "September", Earth, Wind and Fire, 1978: the most joyful song of the decade.
42. "Boogie Wonderland", Earth, Wind and Fire with The Emotions, 1979: horns, strings and pure energy.
43. "Good Times", Chic, 1979: the bassline that later inspired early hip-hop.
44. "Bad Girls", Donna Summer, 1979: a number one with a famous horn line.
45. "Ring My Bell", Anita Ward, 1979: a playful number one with electronic drums.
46. "Knock on Wood", Amii Stewart, 1979: a disco remake of the Eddie Floyd soul song.
47. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", Michael Jackson, 1979: the number one that launched Off the Wall.
48. "Ladies' Night", Kool and the Gang, 1979: a smooth, celebratory groove.
49. "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now", McFadden and Whitehead, 1979: an uplifting Philadelphia anthem.
50. "Heart of Glass", Blondie, 1979: new wave meets disco in a number one.

The queens, kings and producers of disco

Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco, with a run of hits from "Love to Love You Baby" to "Bad Girls", most of them made with producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte in Munich. The Bee Gees became the biggest group of the era with their Saturday Night Fever songs, and Chic, led by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards, wrote and produced some of the most sophisticated grooves of the decade, for themselves and for Sister Sledge. Gloria Gaynor, KC and the Sunshine Band, Village People and Sylvester each gave disco an unforgettable voice, while Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International sound laid the foundation for all of it.

Rock and pop stars who went disco

By the late 70s, disco was so big that rock and pop stars joined in. Rod Stewart's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?", the Rolling Stones' "Miss You", Kiss's "I Was Made for Lovin' You", Paul McCartney and Wings' "Goodnight Tonight" and Barry Manilow's "Copacabana" all brought a four-on-the-floor beat to their fans, and "Heart of Glass" turned Blondie into a disco act for one perfect single.

How disco began

Disco grew out of the underground dance clubs of New York in the early 70s, where DJs played soul, funk and Latin records for Black, Latino and gay dancers. Philadelphia soul, with its lush strings and steady beat, gave the sound its glamour, and producers in Munich, like Giorgio Moroder, added synthesizers. By 1974, songs like "Rock the Boat", "Rock Your Baby" and "Kung Fu Fighting" were topping the charts, and DJs began making extended mixes for the dance floor.

Saturday Night Fever and Studio 54

Disco exploded into the mainstream with Saturday Night Fever, the 1977 film starring John Travolta as a Brooklyn dancer. Its soundtrack, built around songs by the Bee Gees, became one of the best-selling albums of all time and won the Grammy for Album of the Year. That same year Studio 54 opened in Manhattan and became the most famous nightclub in the world, a place where celebrities, artists and dancers mixed under the lights.

Disco Demolition Night and what came next

By 1979 a backlash had built up. On July 12, 1979, a Chicago radio DJ staged Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, blowing up a crate of disco records between games of a doubleheader, and the crowd stormed the field. Radio stations soon dropped the word disco, but the music never really went away: it lived on in dance-pop, house music, hip-hop samples and every wedding dance floor since.

70s disco songs for a party or a wedding

For a 70s party, start with "Le Freak", "Y.M.C.A." and "September", then build to "Stayin' Alive" and "I Will Survive". For a wedding, "Best of My Love", "Got to Be Real" and "We Are Family" get every generation dancing, and "Last Dance" is the perfect closer. For more, see our wedding dance songs and happy songs.

Disco songs for a roller rink, a workout or karaoke

For a roller rink night or a spin class, play "Disco Inferno", "Turn the Beat Around", "Boogie Wonderland" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". For karaoke, "I Will Survive", "Dancing Queen" and "Y.M.C.A." are crowd-pleasers. For more, see our best karaoke songs, Motown songs, 60s songs and 80s songs.

Disco songs for a birthday

For a 70s-themed birthday, play "Boogie Oogie Oogie", "Shake Your Groove Thing" and "Ladies' Night", and anyone born in the 70s will love hearing "Dancing Queen" with their friends. For more ideas, see our birthday songs.

A disco song about them

Disco is about joy, glamour and everyone together on the dance floor. A personalized song can bring that feeling to someone you love: their name, their best moves and the memories you share, with a groove made for dancing. It makes a fun birthday or anniversary gift for anyone who loves the 70s.

How to create a personalized dance song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: pop, R&B, electronic and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a song to dance to: create a song and hear four previews for free.