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Every DJ who plays on vinyl should know some songs from the era where it all started for the DJing culture. The soft crackle of the needle, the first shimmer of hi-hats, the feeling that you’re about to drop something that has made people dance for decades. Do you know these Top 10 disco songs that every vinyl DJ should know?
For vinyl DJs, disco is where it all started. It’s the foundation. The sound that shaped everything from house to techno, the records that built dance culture as we know it. If you’re building or expanding your collection, these are ten records that every Vinyl DJ should know or have heard of. Either the original or later remixes that were released throughout recent decades blended the old classic disco with more modern sounds.
1. Chic – Good Times (1979)
No list of essential disco tracks would be complete without Good Times. It’s one of those records that defines the entire era. Pure disco. Nile Rodgers’ guitar cuts like silk, Bernard Edwards’ bassline walks with effortless confidence, and the rhythm section never loses its balance.
What makes this record timeless is its simplicity. It’s stripped down, tight, and joyful. When you play this on vinyl, the room instantly locks into the bassline. It also became one of the most sampled records in history. One of the most famous samples was “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hillgang, but it has been sampled into countless house tracks as well, proving that good groove never ages.
2. Donna Summer – I Feel Love (1977)
This record changed everything. Produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, I Feel Love was the moment disco met electronic music. The repetitive arpeggiated synth line, the mechanical rhythm, and Donna Summer’s hypnotic vocals still sound futuristic decades later.
On vinyl, the energy feels different; deeper, warmer, more hypnotic. It’s a track that works just as well in a late-night house set as it does at the peak of a disco party. The song was intended to represent “the future” on her concept album, I Remember Yesterday, which was an album that was dedicated to the past. Every track on this album represented a decade from the past, with I Feel Love being the last track of the album, it represented the future.
3. Sister Sledge – He’s the Greatest Dancer (1979)
This song is one of the most well-known disco tracks by the legendary band of sisters, Sister Sledge. The song is from their most successful album, We Are Family. An album where they received support from Chic’s Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Rodgers said about this album that he thinks it is the best album he has ever produced. No surprise when you know this album contains hits like Lost In Music, We Are Family, and of course, He’s the Greatest Dancer.The lyrics celebrate style, confidence, and nightlife, everything disco stood for at the time. The song is smooth, but very groovy. Even so groovy, Will Smith decided to sample it for his hit Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.
4. The Trammps – Disco Inferno (1976)
When those horns hit and the chant kicks in, “Burn baby burn”, you know you are listening to peak disco. Disco Inferno is pure energy, and it is easily one of the most recognizable songs of the time. The arrangement builds and releases like a live performance, and it’s one of those songs that gets everyone involved, whether through dancing or singing!
Although it was released in 1976, the song did not hit the top of the charts early on. It only peaked at No. 53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song really took off when it was included as the soundtrack of the film Saturday Night Fever in 1977, and when re-released in 1978 it reached No. 11 on the Hot 100.
5. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Don’t Leave Me This Way (1975)
Disco is often associated with happy, uplifting lyrics. But Don’t Leave Me This Way is a song that was way more emotional than other disco songs at the time. It is the kind of record that seamlessly bridges soul and dancefloor. Teddy Pendergrass’s vocal delivery is powerful but vulnerable.
Although Don’t Leave Me This Way appeared on their 1975 album Wake Up Everybody, it was not released as a single in the U.S. at that time. Later, it was actually released as a single in the UK in 1977. And no surprise, it skyrocketed to No. 5 on the UK Singles chart.
6. Cheryl Lynn – Got to Be Real (1978)
A burst of pure joy. The opening bass riff alone can change the mood of a room. Cheryl Lynn’s voice carries the whole track; playful, powerful, and unstoppable. The horns and rhythm guitar weave together like a live jam, and it’s impossible not to move when that groove drops.
The song was co-written by Cheryl Lynn, David Paich, and David Foster, all of whom went on to major success (Paich with Toto, Foster as a top producer/songwriter).
7. Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) (1978)
Few songs capture the spirit of liberation like this one. Sylvester’s vocals are electric, full of life, freedom, and emotion. Patrick Cowley’s synth work pushes the track into futuristic territory, blending disco’s heartbeat with an almost proto-house energy, like I Feel Love from Donna Summer.
The song was originally recorded as a mid-tempo gospel-style track. But when producer Cowley heard a rehearsal, he transformed it into a high-energy electronic disco anthem, making it one of the pioneering tracks to merge disco with synthesiser-driven sounds.
8. Gino Soccio – Try It Out (1981)
By the early ’80s, disco was morphing into something new. Try It Out sits right at that crossroads, part disco, part Italo, part electronic. The bassline is tighter, the drums sharper, and the synths bring that unmistakable early-’80s sound.
It reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart and remained there for six weeks. It was also named the “Top Disco Single of the Year” in 1981.
Additionally, it crossed over to the R&B chart, peaking at No. 22 on the U.S. soul singles chart.
There is a whole story of how Disco faded away into Italo Disco & House in this era.
9. First Choice – Doctor Love (1977)
Philadelphia International Records defined the sound of sophisticated disco, and this track is one of its highlights. Strings, brass, harmonies, it’s all there. The way Doctor Love builds from subtle rhythm to full orchestration makes it ideal for vinyl DJs who love long blends.
There is actually a quite unique story to this song, where the person who was asked to mix the song, preferred to work on the song rather than go to the hospital after suffering from a heart attack. Tom Moulton, the mixer for the song, claimed he felt a shock through his arm and fell forward, to which he said, ‘Let’s just finish this, then can you drive me over to Hahnemann hospital? ‘. The emergency-room doctor said Moulton had had a heart attack, and he asked Moulton what had been more important than his life. He said to the doctor, ‘Doctor Love. It’s a new song by First Choice.’ That is what you call dedication!
10. Patrice Rushen – Forget Me Nots (1982)
This one arrived just as disco was giving way to boogie and funk, and it shows how smoothly the genre evolved. The groove is sleek, Patrice’s voice is smooth, and the song in general is just an absolute masterpiece.
The iconic bassline after the first two claps in the song carries the energy throughout the tune. This bassline was written and performed by session bassist Freddie Washington. He crafted it on his own at home before bringing it to the studio. Quite a smooth bassline to be created from home!
Why These Records Matter
These records built the club and dance culture from the ground up. Each one carries a part of the DNA that shaped modern DJing as we know it now. Even though House is the biggest genre in clubs and festivals, the Disco era is making a comeback with these timeless classics supporting the movement. You can join the movement by playing these disco songs that every DJ should know!
