The 40 Best Dance Albums of the Last Thirty Years

[MalaCloudy Black]

I like Planisphere better.

[RPS]

24.The Spice Girls – Spice (1996)

The stats: Worldwide sales of 23 million; single Wannabe went #1 in 31 countries; four #1 hit singles.

The essential tracks: Wannabe, Say You'll Be There, 2 Becomes 1, Who Do You Think You Are.

Some of the previous inclusions on this list have been accused of being… ahem… cheesy or guilty pleasures. Some may very well accuse Spice as being in the same category. But to deny the importance of this album is ludicrous. In from 1996 to the demise of the Spice Girls, they crafted so many great dance songs. And Spice, their debut album, was the prime example. Everyone has at least danced so one of their songs at some point in their life – whether it was at a high school dance or a top 40’s club. Even today, the album holds up great as loaded with classic songs.

23. The Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole (1996)

The stats: #1 in the UK; Two #1 hits in the UK; featured Noeh Gallagher & Beth Orton.

The essential tracks: Setting Sun, Where Do I Begin, Block Rockin’ Beats, The Private Psychedelic Reel.

Some say that Surrender is the Chemical Brother’s best album. While Surrender is a classic, it was Dig Your Own Hole that showcased the Chemical Brothers. The Private Psychedelic Reel is like an epic and enthralling journey, combining elements of Indian and electronica music. Block Rockin’ Beats is probably the best example of the Chemical Brother’s true sound – a loud electronic sonic assault.

22. Devo – Freedom Of Choice (1980)

The stats: Platinum in the US and Gold in Canada, Whip It was a top 40 hit.; covered by Soundgarden, Robert Palmer, A Perfect Circle, Face to Face, Yo La Tengo, and Nirvana.

The essential tracks: Girl You Want, It’s Not Right, Whip It, Freedom of Choice.

In 1980, Devo released their now-classic new wave album, Freedom of Choice. Quirky, fun and 100% danceable, this album gave Devo a pop sensibility not present in there past work. From the first song, Girl You Want, Devo establishes a synthesizer presence that wasn’t as prominent in their past releases. But it would be Whip It that would prove to be Devo’s biggest hit than and now. Whip It has become not only synonymous with new wave, but became a defining song of the eighties.

21. Madonna – Confessions On A Dancefloor (2005)

The stats: Eight million sales worldwide; Best Electronic/Dance Album in 2007; went #1 in over 40 countries.

The essential tracks: Hung Up, Get Together, Sorry, I Love New York, Push.

Madonna hit a slump this decade with American Life. It wasn’t her best work, was a bit controversial and Madonna herself seemed to be ignored by the American public. What’s a girl to do? Make a comeback record. And boy did it work. Even in the era of internet downloading, Madonna has managed to sell eight million copies of the album. Heavily influenced by music, Madonna created the album as homage to the bands like Abba and Giorgio Moroder. With huge singles like Hung Up and Sorry, Confessions on A Dance Floor was much like Ray of Light… it took a seemingly down and out Madonna and thrust her back to the top with a new sound.

Coming up…

An album that established a band as innovators.

A rocking debut album.

One of the 100 best albums of the eighties according to Rolling Stones.

An album that led to one of the “best dance music video” ever.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Chemical Brothers!

Devo!

Huzzah!

Innovators? Surely Kraftwerk are up next!

[RPS]

20. Kraftwerk – Trans-Europe Express (1977)

The stats: #36 in music magazine NME's "100 Greatest Albums of All Time"; #6 in Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Albums of The 1970s.

The essential tracks: Europe Endless, Hall Of Mirrors, Metal On Metal.

Ok, it was released 31 years ago; not 30. This is one of two exceptions on the list. But to ignore Kraftwerk would be ludicrous. Without Kraftwerk there wouldn’t be very few of the entries on the list. Europe Endless sounds like it was released yesterday. LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk, David Bowie, every new wave band. They all owe a huge debt to Kraftwerk. So why are they so low on the list? Kraftwerk are highly influential to dance music; but I wouldn’t say they were a dance band in the conventional sense. They got us thinking and expanded the very idea of what music could be; they just didn’t get us dancing as much as the other bands on the list.

19. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (2004)

The stats: Three UK top 10 singles; 3.5 million albums sold worldwide; debut album that hit #3 in the UK.

The essential tracks: Take Me Out, Michael, The Dark Of The Matinee, Cheating On You.

In 2004, four guys from Scotland burst onto the scene and made one of the most fascinating and captivating debut albums. Its fun and easy to dance too, and still arty in this weird way. Take Me Out is one of the best combinations of rock and dance music in the last twenty years. Cheating On You cranks the bass up and just creates an infectious groove. And the sexually charged anthem, Michael, which tops Lola in terms of a gay-straight anthem.

18. New Order – Low-Life (1983)

The stats: New Order’s third album; one of the 100 best albums of the eighties according to Rolling Stone;

The essential tracks: The Perfect Kiss, Elegia, Subculture, Love Vigilantes

Considered to be one of New Order’s strongest works, the album illustrated why New Order would come to be known as pioneers of the dance floor. Incorporating heavy synthesizer and samples in their songs, they created a successful and often time seamless combination of rock and dance. Building upon prior dance floor anthems like Blue Monday, New Order illustrates on The Perfect Kiss why they are one of the most important bands of the eighties. Raw, complex and very ambiguous, the song would come to represent much of New Order’s body of work.

17. Basement Jaxx – Rooty (2001)

The stats: Where’s Your Head At? became an international hit due to commercial use and it’s groundbreaking music video.

The essential tracks: Romeo, Where’s Your Head At? Just 1 Kiss, Do Your Thing.

On Remedy, Basement Jaxx introduced themselves to the world. On Rooty, they showed that they would become one of the most important forces in dance music for the next ten years. Rooty is full of dance floor anthems; Basement Jaxx creates a sonical landscape that brings out the best of all their guests. On Romeo, Basement Jaxx effortlessly weave genres together to make a messy and addictive club hit. Do Your Thing, immortalizes in the Telus commercials and Bend It Like Beckham, is just an outrageously fun and addictive song. And you can’t go without saying something about Where’s Your Head At? Accompanied with by the best dance video ever, Basement Jaxx crafted the perfect international hit. It’s at times rough and jarring, but all the while still a pop-gem.

[Cactus Drags]

Where's Your Head At is an awful, awful song, and the video's not much better >_>

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Where's Your Head At is an awful, awful song, and the video's not much better >_>

Which video came first? Where's Your Head At or Come On My Selector by Squarepusher (with the video by Chris Cunningham). Both feature brain and body switches between human and animals...The difference being that Chris Cunningham's video is beyond brilliant and also fits every sound in the track perfectly.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KQq0zVIF6SQ

[JStarr]

I saw "best dance music video ever" and I was convinced that there was more Fatboy Slim on the way. Ah, well.

Either way, "Do Your Thing" was also an excellent song to carve a mountain to in SSX 3. No qualms with anyone on the list so far.

[Cactus Drags]

Best dance song on SSX3 was Jerk it Out (Y)

[RPS]

16. Jamiroquai – Travelling Without Moving (1996)

The stats: 11 millions album sold world wide; Virtual Insanity won one Grammy Award and 4 MTV Video Awards; led to international recognition of Jamiroquai.

The essential tracks: Virtual Insanity, Cosmic Girl, Use the Force, Alright, High Times.

Jamiroquai has released two albums prior to 1996 when they released Travelling Without Moving. And by all accounts, both had moderate success in the UK. However, the band was basically unknown outside their homeland of the UK and it wasn’t until 1996 when they would become international super stars. Virtual Insanity became an international hit (part because of the video directed by Jonathan Glazer) and garnered four MTV Video Music Awards including Best Video.

But to attribute all the success of the album to the music video would only neglect the fact that the album was spectacular. People dubbedt them the twenty-first century Stevie Wonder; which is part true and part false. Jamiroquai aren't just imitators, but innovators as well. The epic and classic Virtual Insanity has a laid back approach, creating one hell of a funky and sexy groove and just rides it out the entire song. Jay proclaims “I think it’s time I found a new religion”.” Cosmic Girl starts out with a bit of intergalactic, spacey introduction and kicks off into one hell of an amazing disco bass line and it just lays Jay’s sexy vocal styling over a cosmic, sci-fi theme. Alright is perhaps one of the best songs to ever have sex too, with its heavy bass line and electronic quirkiness.

15. Madonna – Like A Prayer (1989)

The stats: 11 million copies sold worldwide; includes a duet with Prince; the music video led to Madonna’s ad campaign being cancelled by Pepsi.

The essential tracks: Like A Prayer, Express Yourself, Cherish, Love Song.

It’s 1989, and you are the center of the pop world. What do you do? Follow it up with one of the most essential recordings of the eighties and do it all while creating controversy. Although it wasn’t her best selling album, in fact one of her lower selling albums, but its importance to pop music cannot be understated. The controversy that surrounded the releasing the title track (the controversial music video, the protests, Pepsi dropping her video in the commercial, etc) has laid the ground work for every female pop star who has come after.

Allmusic hailed Like A Virgin as one of her best, stating “the kaleidoscopic variety of pop styles on Like a Prayer is quite dazzling.” And it becomes clear as you listen to the album, this is one of the most important dance and pop albums ever. Pushing aside the controversy, the single Like A Virgin is such an enthralling hit. Yes, Madonna gets “serious”, but it still has insatiable quality too it with her combination of gospel, R&B and pop. Express Yourself, far more up-beat, still has a very serious subject matter. Madonna attempts to give women an empowering figure and message with lyrics like “second best is never enough” and “don’t go for second-best.” Its just a gem.

14. Michael Jackson – Off The Wall (1979)

The stats: collaborated with Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney; sold 15 millions worldwide, four top 10 US Hits;

The essential tracks: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Rock With You, Off The Wall, Girlfriend.

Its clear that from the moment Michael Jackson stood in front of a microphone he was a star. His personal issues aside, the guy is captivating to watch and listen too. His work in Jackson 5 clearly shows that. He is clearly the lead of the band and clearly Jackson 5 wouldn’t have been the band they were without someone like Michael Jackson. And when Michael Jackson decided to depart from the group, it was clear that Michael Jackson was going to be a legend. And he was. His work on Off The Wall would lay the groundwork for some of the most inspiring and important pop music.

Merging disco, funk and rock, Jackson managed to craft a pop gem. Grammy Winning Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough proves it. One can’t listen to the song without feeling the overwhelming desire to just fucking dance! The song is indistinguishable and one of Michael Jackson’s strongest songs. Rock With You is a bit more laid back, but employs a fuller sound with a wide-ranging amount of instruments, hand claps and an amazing vocal performance from Jackson. Off The Wall is another hit that just allows for Jackson to illustrate why his unique vocals can carry any song.

Up next...

A second entry from an artist, which was awarded a Grammy.

A 1998 album that gets nasty.

An album that is... so addictive.

Edited October 13, 2008 by PunkRockPete

[Cactus Drags]

Kinda straying from dance to pop with those last two, methinks.

[RPS]

But you can dance to pop music...

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Ahhhh Jamiroquai...

Got the Best Of album earlier this year to play at Gamestation when our death metal loving manager was having a day off and realised that I'd forgotten quite how good they were.

[Jook]

Utter brilliance like The Prodigy, Air, DFA1979, Blondie, Chems and Kraftwerk side-by-side (and in some cases getting beaten) by Spice Girls, Vengaboys and Aqua.

This is the weirdest list ever.

[Cactus Drags]

Ahhhh Jamiroquai...

Got the Best Of album earlier this year to play at Gamestation when our death metal loving manager was having a day off and realised that I'd forgotten quite how good they were.

You got death metal at work? I got in trouble for sneaking Thrice and Metallica on the other day

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Ahhhh Jamiroquai...

Got the Best Of album earlier this year to play at Gamestation when our death metal loving manager was having a day off and realised that I'd forgotten quite how good they were.

You got death metal at work? I got in trouble for sneaking Thrice and Metallica on the other day

Yeah people would complain sometimes. It also got a bit heavy if he played it all day. Still he started to lighten up more and more and we'd normally start the day with some Sigur Ros, Boards of Canada, Arcade Fire or Mogwai, then slip into some 80s hair rock around lunchtime, then maybe a burst of techno, Tricky, Mos Def or something early afternoon, into Kings of Leon, Jamiroquai or something not too heavy in the afternoon and then as the emo kids crowded in after school we'd confuse them with The Clash and then scare them out with some pretty heavy death metal (including some Scandinavian stuff) would fill out the day...

Edited October 12, 2008 by ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster

[Cactus Drags]

How did you get any work done with all that music-changing? We just have one CD on repeat all day, it kills me. Hence why I've started making 60-track playlists with a bunch of random stuff on for variety, if we bitch about it enough, we usually get something good on >_>

[K]

so pretty much every genre of music is dance as long as you don't sit in an armchair and listen to it

[IAceI]

There was a tad too much referring to Jamiroquai as if it's a person in that write up for my liking

And whenever I've been near Gamestation they always have wanking warhammer-esque power metal music on, it's really depressing. Then again the guys in there look really depressing so I guess it all evens out.

[K]

reily works at your local gamestation.

dragoncore for death bro

[RPS]

13. Missy Elliott - Miss E… So Addictive (2001)

The stats: produced by Timbaland, 2 million copies sold in the US, two top ten hits in the U.S

The essential tracks: One Minute Man, Get Ur Freak On, 4 My People, Take Away, Whatcha Gon' Do, Lick Shots

In a land full of over-sexed men bragging about the size of their cocks, guns and cars, Missy Elliott is a woman who walks to her own beat. Since 1997, she has released five albums (her sixth, Block Party, is due this year) and each has been filled to the rim with some of the craziest beats. Really, any of her albums could have been chosen and placed in this spot. Her albums are rich with material, featuring at the least four ready-for-the-club singles. Everyone from Method Man and Redman, Ludacris, Eve and Jay-Z show up to lend their pipes.

Get Ur Freak On features one hell of a hook; using Punjabi instruments over her heavy electronic hip hop beats. Missy Elliott unique and distinct vocal delivery sometimes gets lost behind the huge beat; but not for long as the Queen of Hip-Hop manages to bring herself back to the forefront by the chorus. Lick Shot features a sick beat that she rides alongside Timbaland the entire song. On both tracks, Missy Elliott uses her sexuality and her feminist to distinguish herself from her peers. Lines like “Listen to me now/I’m lastin twenty rounds/And if you want me (nigga) then come on get me now” work on both a sexual and in terms of boosting about her rap credentials. Missy continues the trend of using her sexuality to her advantage over the anthem One Minute Man – over an amazing hook, Missy Elliott almost seems to be taking a dig at macho-posturing in a male orientated hip hop. Ludacris pops in for a cameo, and shows Missy he be just as filthy.

12. Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty (1998)

The stats: debuted at #1 on the UK album charts; voted one of the most essential releases of the nineties; samples Run DMC, Quincy Jones, the Byrds and De La Soul.

The essential tracks: Super Disco Breakin', Remote Control, Body Movin', Intergalatic, Three MC's and One DJ.

It might be weird seeing the Beastie Boys on a list like this. By all accounts, the Beastie Boys aren’t your typical dance band. When they burst onto the scene in 1986 with Licensed to Ill, no one would have suspected that in twelve years the band would be releasing an album like Hello Nasty. Defining Hello Nasty is hard; the Grammy’s couldn’t even do it, as the album gained awards for both the Alternative Music and Rap awards. But with it’s use of sampling, the addition of Mix Master Mike, and it’s fusion of so many different styles, the fact of the matter is this album is incredibly dancey.

Take Remote Control. Is it a hip hop song? Is it a dance song? Is it an alternative rock song? Who the fuck nows; all I know is that it gets me wanting to dance. Body Moving, sampling the Byrds, is a childish and futuristic hip hop song that does what the title says – it gets your body moving. Intergalatic is a hip hop song, yes, but there is something so infectious about that beat and their delivery that makes it ripe to dance too it. The mixture of Mix Master Mike scratching, the odd Jazz and classical samples and live instrumentation makes the song something of a patchwork of sounds and methods to making music.

11. Basement Jaxx – Kish Kash (2003)

The stats: Won the first ever Grammy award for Best Electronic/Dance Album; three top fourty hits in the UK; two top five dance hits in the US.

The essential tracks: Good Luck, Plug It In, Supersonic, Lucky Star, Kish Kash, Tonight.

Basement Jaxx are an odd sensation. They released their first album in 1999 and by all accounts, it was a masterpiece of pop, hip hop, rock and dance styles. They continued the trend and released Rooty (#17 on this list), which turned up the noise levels and created a thrilling statement on dance music – it can be fun, aggressive and weird all in the same breath. The odds were stacked completely against their third album Kish Kash. No way could a band release three albums full of pop gems; and no way could they top the already mounting amount of acclaim they had already received. But they did it. Enlisting a wide range of talent from grime rapper Dizzee Rascal, former N Syncer JC Chasez and punk rocker Siouxsie Sioux.

Good Luck, the opening track, is one of the most wonderful songs ever recorded. Bursting from the seams, the duo keeps shifting directions. They slowly build up a crescendo of sound, mixing so many different instruments and electronic sounds over Lisa Kekaula thrilling vocals. It slows down, and out of no where it picks right back up again and doesn’t stop until the 4:42 mark. Lucky Star combines Dizzee Rascal’s signature British delivery over an almost Middle East meets British dance floor type beat. On Plug It In, the duo creates an almost sinister landscape for JC Chasez to bemoan vanity and celebrity culture. And nothing can beat the title track. Hard to describe beside it featuring Siouxsie Sioux in an almost robotic presence, until she hits the chorus and she shows off her incredible pipes.

Up next…

The second entry by a band who's sophmore album started up a rave.

Arguably one of the most critically acclaimed records of 2007.

An album that would kick start a revolution.

Edited October 25, 2008 by PunkRockPete