Can You Feel It? The Resurgence of House & Electronic Music
July 12, 1979 - The Riot That Killed Disco
Disco Demolition Night
In Chicago on the chaotic night of July 12, 1979, disco was sacrificed at Comiskey Park with burning and explosions of disco records. This night would be dubbed “Disco Demolition Night” which is still remembered as the most controversial event in both sports & music history. It was the night that disco died.
Although not declared as an act of bigotry and racism, it was a blatant target on the grassroot movements in music that provided a fun, judgment-free zone for people of color and the LGBT community. As the days and weeks passed, this event triggered nationwide anger towards disco while record labels began to release new music labeled as “dance music.”
From the ashes of the demolition, House music was birthed.
Music Culture in New York City
As the world turned, DJs from Chicago to New York City created raw beats and rhythmic sounds that would reach the ears of millions across the world while creating sub-genres and producing crossover tracks. Music culture is at the very foundation of New York City.
At its most electronic and at its most beats-per-minute, house music becomes techno. With origins from disco, house music created an escape for society’s outcast – from Black & Latinos to the dancing queens of the ballroom. In our house, there is no social control, but the freedom to be exactly who you are.
Current trends are highlighting free expression and unconventional styles. With the help of the continuously growing internet, social media outlets and advanced technological support, DJs, artists and producers are able to mix and create music in the comfort of their own home, just like the originators of the scene.
From its roots in the underground to its breakthrough moments in mainstream, house music has become a daily dose in the life of many across the globe.
Even without democratizing its foundations, house music continues to emerge across borders. With the rise of independent artists and the flexibility to create and innovate, house music is going through a rebirth post-pandemic.
As we look through a peephole into the NYC nightlife, we see a resurgence of the scene – from new nightclubs to the reopening of iconic venues under new management and new names.
With new venues and new buzz about the scene, we see that House music never died. It was always here, in different forms, in the basements and homes of creators, in the heart of the underground.