The 70s, 80s, and 90s produced some of the best dance music of all time with an absolute all star lineup of musicians. From ABBA, to KC and the Sunshine Band, and Daft Punk, there was no shortage of absolute party-on, grooving, dance music that got the party going.
And that’s why in this article, we’re going to cover the best 10 dance songs of the 70s, 80s, and 90s to kick start your party playlist.
And first, coming in at #1 is Don’t Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston.
10. “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Thelma Houston (1977)
You can’t talk about the 70s without a mention of Thelma Houston’s, Don’t Leave Me This Way. It’s an absolute, underrated dance song of the 70s that will make you feel like you’re grooving on the dance floor amidst one of the greatest eras of all time.
If you’ve got a party, don’t forgot to throw this song on the playlist.
9. “Maneater” by Hall & Oates (1982)
Maneater is one of the most popular songs of all time from Hall & Oates with over 222M views on YouTube for a song that came out over 40 years ago. YouTube wasn’t even a twinkle in the founders’ eyes when this song hit the charts
And you can be sure that when this song comes on, everyone will be dancing and singing along like there’s no tomorrow.
8. “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer (1990)
Do you ever hear such an iconic song and wonder what it was like to be there when it first hit the radio waves? Well, that’s what U Can’t Touch This is all about.
Throw it on the playlist, wait for it to come on, and you can hear the energy in the room change as soon as it’s blasted through the speakers.
It’s not a party, until MC Hammer takes the stage.
7. “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina & The Waves (1985)
Coming in at #7 is another classic dance song from the 80s that will get everyone singing along is Walking on Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves.
You don’t even have to know the words to sing along to the chorus and that’s what a great dance song is all about.
6. “Groove Is in the Heart” by Deee-Lite (1990)
Groove Is in the Heart by Deee-Lite is one of those songs that you just know. You may not know the title or the artist or even what decade it came out, but once the chorus comes on, you just know exactly what song this is.
And that makes it to #6 on our list as one of the best dance songs of the 90s.
5. “What Is Love” by Haddaway (1993)
Sometimes a song is so good that it becomes synonymous with something else, like one of the most famous SNL skits and spin-offs to ever hit television.
What Is Love is a song that everybody can get behind and more importantly, sing to when it comes on the party playlist. If this song isn’t on your party playlist, then it’s not a true party.
4. “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” by Wang Chung (1987)
Everybody Have Fun Tonight is coming in at #4 because it’s one of the greatest and most well-known dance songs of all time. Hitting the airwaves by Wang Chung in 1987, it came out with a bang and still hits every single time it’s played.
Not everyone will know the verse lyrics, but as soon as the chorus comes on, you’ll have every single person in the room singing along.
3. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston (1987)
I Wanna Dance with Somebody is one of Whitney Houston’s greatest songs and because Whitney Houston is one of the greatest singers of all time, it only makes sense that this song is one of the greatest dance songs of all time.
When you’re singing along, it will be hard to hit the same notes with the same emphasis as Whitney, but you can be sure that everyone at the party will be trying just the same.
2. “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc. (1980)
Funkytown is one of the most popular dance songs of all time, making it to #2 on the best dance songs of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
If you want to get a dance party going, get the people excited, and stir up that nostalgia, then Funkytown by Lipps Inc. should absolutely make an appearance on the playlist.
1. “Stayin’ Alive” by The Bee Gees (1977)
And coming in at #1 with no surprise is Stayin’ Alive by The Bee Gees. This is the quintessential and no argument best dance song of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
With it’s upbeat disco music and cameo appearances in hundreds of movies and TV shows over the years, it’s just the dance song.
And if it’s not on your party playlist, then you have to ask yourself, are you really even having a dance party?
Conclusion
And there you have it! The best 10 dance songs of the 70s, 80s, and 90s are ready to be placed in your playlist for your next party. Everything from Whitney Houston to Wang Chung and The Bee Gees should be making an appearance to get the people going.
And if you use Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music, all you have to do is create a core playlist with these 10 songs and their fancy algorithims will do the rest to give you one of the best dance party playlists of all time.
So sit back and enjoy the smooth dance sounds of the 10 songs listed above.
