The Top House Music Artists of the 80s

Looking for a little musical inspiration from the past? Check out our list of the top house music artists of the 80s. From classic tracks to new remixes, these artists are sure to get you moving.

Introduction

Music in the 1980s was often characterized by synthesizers and danceable rhythms, and house music artists were at the forefront of this new sound. House music is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1980s in Chicago. The name refers to the type of clubs where house music was originally played, which were small, intimate venues with sophisticated sound systems. House music quickly spread beyond Chicago to other major cities in the United States and Europe, and by the early 1990s it had become one of the most popular genres of electronic dance music.

The following is a list of some of the most popular house music artists of the 1980s:

-Frankie Knuckles
-Marshall Jefferson
-Adonis
-Ron Hardy
-Sven Vath
-Paul Johnson

The Early Days of House

In the early days of house music, artists like Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, and Larry Levan were creating a new sound that would soon take the world by storm. These artists laid the foundation for what would become one of the most popular genres of music. Let’s take a look at some of the top house music artists of the 80s.

Frankie Knuckles

Frankie Knuckles, the “Godfather of House Music,” was born in the Bronx in 1955 and grew up listening to disco, soul, and underground dance music. He began his career as a DJ in 1976 at The Warehouse, a Chicago club where he played an eclectic mix of music that included soul, disco, and electronic dance tracks.

Knuckles’ style of DJing – which stressed extended mixes and creative use of drum machines and other electronic equipment – quickly caught on with the club’s patrons. In 1982, he began producing tracks for warehouse owner Robert Williams’ label Trax Records; his debut release, “Your Love,” became an underground hit.

knuckles’ style of house music – characterized by a heavy reliance on drum machines, synthesizers, and computer-generated sounds – soon found its way to European clubs, where it became immensely popular. By the early 1990s, house music had become a global phenomenon, with artists like Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers achieving mainstream success.

Today, Frankie Knuckles is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in dance music history; his contribution to the genre is commemorated by Chicago’s annual “House Music Conference” and the Frankie Knuckles Award, which is given out each year at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival.

Larry Levan

Larry Levan is a legend in the house music world. He was one of the first DJs to really bring the genre to the mainstream and his influence can still be felt today. Levan began his career in the early 1970s, playing at the famous Paradise Garage nightclub in New York City. He quickly became known for his unique style of mixing and his ability to create a party atmosphere that was unrivaled at the time. His sets were often six hours long or more, and he would often play multiple genres of music, not just house.

David Morales

David Morales (born August 21, 1961) is an American record producer, DJ and record label owner. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales has remixed songs for Michael Jackson, Madonna, Janet Jackson, U2, among many others. He is widely credited as the King of Club Mixes.

Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Morales grew up in the city’s borough of The Bronx. When he was four years old, his father Gilbert Morales died from a heart attack. After the passing of his father, Morales’ mother Gladys began working long hours to support the family. To help contribute financially to the household, Morales began working various odd jobs including selling ice cream and sneaking into Manhattan nightclubs such as Studio 54 and Paradise Garage. At age 13 he began working as a runner on Wall Street which afforded him the opportunity to sometimes attend meetings for high-profile music industry figures such as men who would later sign him as a remixer.

Masters at Work

Masters at Work is a house music duo consisting of “Little” Louie Vega and Kenny “Dope” Gonzales. The duo, sometimes referred to as MAW, worked together during the late 1980s and early 1990s. They are best known for their work in the dance music genre, particularly their remixes of tracks by pop artists such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Diana Ross.

Vega and Gonzales first met in 1987 when they both worked at a New York City record store. They began working together soon after, and their first production credit came on a track called “The Ha Dance” by Latin freestyle artist TKA. In 1988, they produced “Don’t You Love Me?” by singer Jocelyn Enriquez; the song became a hit on the U.S. dance charts.

The following year, Masters at Work made their breakthrough with a remix of Madonna’s “Vogue”. The remix was included on Madonna’s album I’m Breathless and helped to catapult the duo to international fame. They went on to produce or remix tracks for many other pop and R&B artists, including Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Natalie Cole, Patti LaBelle, Janet Jackson, D’Angelo, and Aretha Franklin.

In 1992, Masters at Work released their own album titled The Album. The album was a critical and commercial success, reaching #1 on the U.S. dance charts and #2 on the UK dance charts. It featured the hit singles “I Can’t Get No Sleep” (which reached #1 on the U.S. dance charts) and “Blood Vibes” (which reached #2 on the UK dance charts).

In 1996, Masters at Work collaborated with singer Nenah Cherry on the track “Don’t Let Go”; the song became a minor hit in Europe but was not released as a single in the United States. After a four-year hiatus, Masters at Work returned with another album titled Our Time Is Coming in 2000; the album failed to match the success of its predecessor but still managed to reach #2 on the UK dance charts.

Masters at Work have not released any new material since 2000 but they continue to perform live DJ sets around the world; Vega also releases solo records under his own name and Gonzales runs his own record label called Kay-Dee Records.”

The Golden Age of House

The 80s were a golden age for house music. A new generation of artists emerged, who were influenced by the sounds of disco, soul, and funk. These artists created a new sound that would shape the course of popular music for years to come. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the top house music artists of the 80s.

Daft Punk

Daft Punk is a French house music duo that rose to prominence in the late 1980s. With their catchy tunes and unique style, they quickly became one of the most popular house music artists of the time. Their biggest hit, “Around the World,” topped dance charts worldwide and remains a club staple to this day. Other notable Daft Punk tracks include “Get Lucky” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.”

The Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed in 1989, consisting of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. They are credited with being pioneers of the big beat genre. In the UK, they have had six number one albums and 13 top 20 singles, including two number ones. In 2005, they released their greatest hits album Push the Button, which went to number one on the UK album chart and contained the top 15 hit “Galvanize”, featuring Q-Tip. Their last studio album No Geography was released in 2019 and debuted at number one on the UK album chart.

Fatboy Slim

Fatboy Slim, real name Norman Cook, is a British DJ and producer who helped to pioneer the big beat genre of electronic dance music in the late 1990s. He is best known for his hit singles “Praise You” and “Rockafeller Skank”, as well as his collaboration with pop singer Robbie Williams on the song “Send Me an Angel”.

Cook began his career in the 1980s as a bass player in the band The Housemartins, who had a number of hits in the UK including “Happy Hour” and “Caravan of Love”. He later went on to produce and remix tracks for other artists such as Seal, Gabrielle, and Lisa Marie Presley. In 1996, he released his debut solo album Better Living Through Chemistry, which included the singles “Gangster Tripping” and “Santa Cruz”.

Fatboy Slim’s biggest breakthrough came with his second album You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby, released in 1998. The album’s title track became a worldwide smash hit, topped the charts in several countries, and won a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. His follow-up album Palookaville was also very successful, reaching #3 in the UK and #4 in Australia.

In recent years, Fatboy Slim has continued to tour and release new music. In 2010, he collaborated with Rizzle Kicks on the single “Down with the Trumpets”, which reached #1 in the UK. He has also worked with other artists such as David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and MIA.

Moby

Moby is an American musician, songwriter, DJ, and photographer. He is well known for his electronic music, veganism, and support of animal rights. His album Play was one of the first commercial recordings to use extensive samples from other music sources, and his hit single “Porcelain” was one of the earliest examples of trance music.

Moby was born in Harlem, New York City, on September 11, 1965. He grew up in a Christian household; his mother was a preschool teacher and his father a salesman. He began making music when he was nine years old, playing the piano and guitar. He later studied philosophy at University College London.

Moby’s music career began in the early 1980s, when he was part of the New Wave band nuts Amps. He also worked as a DJ in New York City clubs. In 1992, he released his first album, Ambient (1), under the name Moby. The album was not commercially successful, but it caught the attention of techno pioneer Richie Hawtin (aka Plastikman), who released Moby’s next album, Everything Is Wrong (1995), on his label Plus 8 Records.

Everything Is Wrong was a hit with clubgoers and critics alike, and it propelled Moby to international fame. His next album, I Like to Score (1997), featured songs that were used in films such as Batman Forever (1995) and The Saint (1997). In 1999, Moby released Play (1999), an album that featured samples from old blues and gospel recordings. The album was an instant success, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide.

Since then, Moby hasreleased 14 more albums, including the Grammy-nominated Animal Rights (2002) and Last Night (2008). He has also remixed tracks for other artists such as David Bowie, Public Enemy, Metallica, Daft Punk, Britney Spears, and Nirvana. In addition to his solo work, Moby is a member of RocketNumberNine and Gelbison.

The Legacy of House

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the mid-1980s. House music was created by DJ’s who were influenced by the music played in clubs in Chicago, New York, and Detroit. The music is characterized by a strong 4/4 beat, often with a piano or synth melody. House music quickly became popular in the clubs of Europe and America.

Disclosure

Disclosure was a house music duo from the United Kingdom that was active in the 1980s. The duo comprised brothers Lawrence and Gareth Thomson. They were best known for their singles “Let’s Get Started” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”

Disclosure were one of the first house music artists to achieve mainstream success, and their music laid the foundation for the UK house music scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Disclosure’s sound was a unique blend of disco, funk, and soul that was highly influential in the development of contemporary house music.

Although they only released a handful of singles, Disclosure’s impact on house music was profound. Their innovative sound helped to shape the sound of house music for generations to come.

Duke Dumont

Duke Dumont is a British DJ, record producer and songwriter. He is best known for his 2013 single “Need U 100%”, which peaked at number one in the United Kingdom. Dumont has been nominated for two Grammy Awards, winning Best Dance Recording for “Need U 100%”.

Dumont first came to prominence in 2012 with his remix of Bondax’s “All I See”. The track was an underground hit, and remains one of his most well-known songs. In 2013, he released his debut single “Need U 100%”, featuring vocals from A*M*E. The song became a commercial success, peaking at number one on the UK Singles Chart and becoming Dumont’s first top ten single in the United States.

Dumont followed up with the singles “I Got U” and “Won’t Look Back”, both of which also topped the UK chart. In 2014, he released his debut studio album, For Club Play Only, Pt. 1. The album reached number five on the UK Albums Chart and spawned several more hit singles, including “Won’t Look Back” and “I Got U”. Dumont has since released three more studio albums: Blasé Boys Club Part 1 (2015), Blasé Boys Club Part 2 (2017), and dual release Special Affections/Aviary (2019).

Jax Jones

Jax Jones is a British musician, record producer, and DJ. He is best known for his 2016 single “You Don’t Know Me”, which peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. He has collaborated with numerous other artists, including Duke Dumont, Raye, Demi Lovato, Stefflon Don, Years & Years, Mr Eazi, and Ina Wroldsen.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the eighties were a great time for house music. Many different artists emerged and helped to shape the genre into what it is today. While there are too many great artists to list them all here, these ten are certainly some of the best of the best. If you’re a fan of house music, be sure to check out their work!