Dance-Funk R&B
tagStarted 1976Peak 1979-1986Last big hit 1988
Located in 1 route
Uptempo club-funk R&B built for the floor: a driving, syncopated bassline, crisp programmed or live drums, glassy synths and horns, and shout-along soul hooks. Less orchestral than disco and harder than pop, it keeps a punchy funk pocket while chasing the celebratory, hands-up energy of a packed party.
History
Bridged the disco-to-electro era as funk bands chased the dancefloor without the strings. Chic's clean groove, Rick James's punk-funk, and Kool & the Gang's pivot to party anthems defined the late-'70s and early-'80s sound, while Earth, Wind & Fire's uptempo cuts brought it to arenas. The template fed boogie and modern dance-pop.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funk
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-disco
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/funk-ma0000002590