House Music: The Universal Language

From its humble beginnings in the Chicago underground, to its global explosion in the 90s, House Music has always been about bringing people together.

What is House Music?

In its simplest form, House Music is a style of dance music that originated in the Chicago clubs in the early 1980s. It is characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and often features synthesizers, drum machines, and recent innovations in digital technology.

Over the years, House Music has evolved to include elements of other genres, such as Funk, Soul, Disco, Hip Hop, and even Latin music. The result is a truly unique and distinct sound that has captivated audiences all over the world.

Despite its popularity, House Music remains something of an underground phenomenon. It is not commonly heard on mainstream radio or television, and its devotees often seek out smaller clubs and underground parties to get their fix.

For many people, House Music is more than just a type of music – it is a way of life. The community that has grown up around this vibrant sound is tight-knit and passionate, and its members often describe themselves as “family”.

If you’ve never experienced House Music before, there’s no time like the present!

The Origins of House Music

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the Chicago club scene in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized by DJs who would play it in clubs and on the radio. House music quickly gained popularity and became a staple of the club scene.

Chicago

The first germ of what would become known as house music was planted in Chicago, where, in the mid-’70s, DJs at the city’s African-American gay clubs started playing a brand of electronic dance music that had been created by European producers. This homegrown version of the music, which was influenced by disco, soul and Latin music, quickly caught on with clubgoers in Chicago and soon began to spread to other cities with large African-American populations, such as Detroit, New York and Philadelphia. By the early ’80s, house music had become a nationwide phenomenon, thanks in large part to the popularity of Frankie Knuckles, a Chicago DJ who is often credited with helping to create and popularize the genre.

Detroit

Detroit is considered the birthplace of house music. The first house party is said to have taken place in a small Detroit club called the Music Institute in the early 1980s. At the party, DJ Larry Levan played a mix of disco, soul and electronic dance music. The partygoers were so inspired by the music that they started their own dance clubs and house parties.

The Evolution of House Music

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized by African American and Latino communities before becoming more mainstream in the 1990s. House music is characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor drumbeat, syncopated basslines, and melodic chords.

Early House

The origins of house music can be traced back to the early 1980s, when DJs in Chicago started playing a style of electronic dance music that was influenced by disco, soul and funk. This new style of music quickly became popular at underground dance clubs, and by the mid-1980s, house music had become the dominant genre at clubs in Chicago and other cities around the world.

Early house music was often characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat, simple melodies and chords, and often featured drum machines and synthesizers. As the genre evolved, more complicated drum patterns, deeper bass lines and other elements were added. House music also became more experimental in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with artists incorporating elements of techno, acid house and other styles.

Acid House

In the late 1980s, house music enjoyed a surge in popularity due to the ” Acid House ” movement. This new style of house music was defined by its use of the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer to produce “squelching” sounds. The Acid House sound was often accompanied by equally experimental DJing techniques, such as “Phreaking”, which involved manipulating a record’s pitch with one’s hands (as opposed to using a pitch control).

Deep House

Deep house is a subgenre of house music that originated in the 1980s. It has a
thicker, more textured sound than other styles of house and often incorporates
elements of jazz, soul, and funk. Deep house is known for its use of extended
tracks with simple structures and mellow, bass-heavy grooves. It is sometimes
referred to as “the thinking person’s dance music.”

Deep house was originally Designed as a more Soulful alternative to the bleak soundscapes of Chicago acid house and Detroit techno.The genre’s name is a reference to the deeper, more emotional feeling that many believe is conveyed by the music.

While deep house has been around for over three decades, it has only recently begun to gain mainstream popularity. In the 2010s, deep house artists like Disclosure, Jamie xx, and Duke Dumont have had major hits in the UK and US. In 2015, Pitchfork named Disclosure’s album Caracal one of the best albums of the decade so far.

House Music Today

House music has come a long way since its inception in the early 80s. It has evolved and changed with the times, but has always remained true to its roots. House music is a universal language that is understood by people all over the world. It is the soundtrack to our lives and has the ability to make us feel happy, sad, nostalgic, and everything in between.

Commercial House

Commercial House is the most popular type of House Music today. It is characterized by a 4/4 beat, with a strong bassline and often featuring synthesizers. Commercial House is often played in clubs and on the radio.

Underground House

The underground house music scene is where it all started. This is the type of house music that was played in the clubs and on the radio in the early days. It is characterized by a thumping bassline, a four-on-the-floor beat, and synthesized sounds. The tempo is usually between 110 and 135 beats per minute (bpm).

This style of house music quickly spread from the nightclubs of Chicago and Detroit to the rest of the world in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It became one of the most popular genres of electronic dance music (EDM). In the 21st century, it has experienced something of a renaissance, with new subgenres and subgenres of subgenres emerging all the time.

If you want to get into underground house music, start with these artists:

Frankie Knuckles: One of the godfathers of house music, Frankie Knuckles was instrumental in developing the sound of Chicago house. His 1987 track “Your Love” is a timeless classic.

Marshall Jefferson: Another Chicago house legend, Marshall Jefferson is best known for his 1986 track “Move Your Body (The House Music Anthem)”.

Jesse Saunders: A key figure in the development of acid house, Jesse Saunders was responsible for some of the earliest tracks in that genre, including “On and On” (1984) and “Funk You Up” (1985).