Dance music

Dance music is music made just for dancing. It can be a whole song or only a part of a longer piece of music. People have danced to music for a very long time. Some of the earliest examples come from ancient times, like dances shown on Ancient Greek vases. In the past, special dances like the waltz and minuet were popular at concerts and fancy events.

In more recent times, dance music grew from music played at balls and social gatherings. In the 1920s, dance music became very popular. In the 1930s, Swing music was loved for dancing in America. Later, rock and roll became popular in the 1950s. New styles kept coming, like salsa dance from the late 1960s and disco in the 1970s.

Today, much dance music is made with electronic instruments. This type of music is called electronic dance music. It is played in nightclubs, on the radio stations, and at big parties called raves. There are many different kinds of electronic dance music, each with its own style and beat.

Origins

Dancing to rhythmic music is a cherished tradition in many cultures around the world. People often used drums, bells, and rattles to make music while they danced. This helped express their culture, bring communities together, and hold special meaning in spiritual practices.

Folk dance music goes with traditional dance. This is different from older, more formal dance music and from popular dance music you might hear today. For example, in the United States, old-time music is played for square dances and contra dances.

Historical dance music

See also: History of dance, History of ballet, and Historical dance

Dance and music have been enjoyed together for a very long time. Old pictures from Ancient Greece show dancers with musicians. Some of the oldest dance music we can still play today comes from medieval dances like carols and the Estampie.

During the Renaissance, people played dance music on instruments such as the lute, viol, tabor, pipe, and the sackbut. In the Baroque period, elegant dances like the French courante, sarabande, minuet, and gigue were popular. Later, during the classical music era, the minuet became common in songs and symphonies, and the waltz also appeared. In the romantic music period, new dance styles such as the barcarolle, mazurka, and polonaise developed. Dance music became very important in ballet and opera.

Popular dance music

Modern popular dance music started in the late 1800s from Western ballroom and social dance music. It often shares the name of a dance, like waltzes, the tango, the bolero, and the can-can.

Dance music changed a lot over time. In the 1920s, jazz became very popular for dancing. The 1960s brought Rock and roll and soul. The 1970s were the time of Disco, with famous songs by Donna Summer. By the 1980s and 1990s, electronic music became common, with genres like house, techno, and drum & bass. Today, we still enjoy many types of dance music, from electropop to trap.

Radio formats

The Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart shows the most popular dance music on the radio. Dance music is often heard on rhythmic adult contemporary and rhythmic contemporary radio. Sometimes, it appears on contemporary hit radio when dance songs are very popular.

Mixshows are special radio programs. They play a series of dance music tracks. The end of one song blends into the start of the next.