Due to the fact that disco music received many reviews on how it enables people to express themselves freely and show their sexuality, this paved the way for other genres to later on come out and produce the results. Overtime, different music genres have come out and many people are starting to learn more about these genres and are starting to expand out of their comfort zones, because people are trying to be more open minded, overall. Nowadays, in music festivals such as coachella, or any EDM concert, we will see a similar effect. Many people are expressing themselves freely and they are enjoying themselves without the fear of being controversial or anything of that sort. Such concerts and music festivals are very far from traditional musical festivals, and lean away from conservatism. These new music genres and events are on the more liberal side.

In “In the Empire of the Beat,” Walter Hughes argues that disco music reorganizes the dance-floor in a contradictory manner. Disco music disciplines the bodies of the dancers while providing the dancers with a ground for free expression. Disco dance music is a form of popular music for dancing that is recorded with complex electronic instrumentation in which a pulsating and heavy rhythmic beat subordinates the repetitive lyrics. This form of dance music emanated from the urban nightlife scene of the United States. The participants were allowed to freely express themselves through dance and were the foundation for contemporary dance music culture. Disco music allowed individuals to express their queerness freely. Another example of dance music that will enable people to express themselves freely is house dance music.

House music, like disco music, is a genre of electronic dance music which is associated with a four-on-the-floor beat and typical musical tempo. Similar to disco music, house music does not also have a specific dance pattern. The dancers are allowed to express their queerness through dance freely. Another similarity is in the instrumentation of the music genres. House music and disco music genres apply a typical four on the floor musical instrumentation. The main difference between the two music techniques is that house feels more mechanical and inhuman and does not consider the warm and organic references considered in disco music and other EDM music genres. Free dance patterns allow us to express who we are and illustrate the restrictions we have on our minds to dance.

Walter Hughes pretty much shows how disco was used as a way for those of the LGBTQ community to show pride in who they are and fight against the stereotypes. However, they made were attempts to get disco pretty much mainstream to where they will show how anyone can participate in disco, but in this attempt, they were still trying to put down those of the LGBTQ and minorities. They couldn’t stop those parts of the community from living their true selves and loving who they want without the opinion of outside factors. Disco is not, in fact, dead I personally feel it just goes under a new name, club music. Both are just a bunch of songs mixed together in matching the beat, and there’s no telling when it’s going to end.
Similar to the backlash disco faced, it made me think of Hip hop and R&B. I’m not sure where these stereotypes came from, but anyone associated with it was labeled as being a “thug”; however, the music genre was based mainly on expressing hardship individuals faced specifically minorities in their community and home life. Now Hip hop and R&B are more normalized, and many admit to getting inspiration from the genre of music and those who represented it.

            Walter Hughes discusses Disco music and explains how it was used as a vessel for expression for the gay community. They were able to go to the discotheque and have a place where they could have freedom of expression in a society that judged them for their sexual orientation and lifestyle. The beat allowed people to dance freely and express their sexuality, fashion, and create songs about social injustices and also educate others about safe sex.

Another music genre that came to mind while reading Walter’s piece is EDM and its culture. EDM festivals are also used as vessel for many different groups of people to be themselves especially through their fashion. This music genre is also viewed as a culture where it is all inclusive party, no judgment zone, and freedom to roll and rave. There is some backlash and judgment, similar to disco, because of drug use at carnivals. With the being said, there is a big sense of support and drug education within the EDM community due to drug overdoses at carnivals. These carnivals allow people to get dressed up in outfits that you wouldn’t really see anywhere else. People use this music genre as an opportunity to express themselves and attend festivals that are their own havens, similar to how discotheques are used.

Disco music was the platform for self-expression for the gay community in the 70s, the repetitive consistence beat created the discipline for dancing disco, while simultaneously liberating the self in the beat of disco music. A more contemporary dance music that evolved from the disco era is electronic music with all its sub-genres, from techno, drum and bass, rave, house, or dubstep. The main similarity is the of use electronic tools to make music but differs in the fact that it is not made exclusively for LGTB community, everyone enjoys dancing electronic music. The beat is repetitive as well in the electronic music and consistence of the rhythm are like disco music. When people dance electronic music, they feel liberated like gays dancing in the 70s.

Other genre that in a certain way can be like disco music is reggaeton. Disco music evoke sensuality in the form of dance. Reggaeton in the other hand have a different but persistence beat that also use dance or “perreo” as a sensual expression of the dancers. Reggaeton evolved to become a dance music for the clubs, where young people go to dance and express their sensuality through the beat. Reggaeton goes beyond desire and pleasure of disco music, it is a statement of Latino young kids that are looking for freedom from authorities figures and at the same time they are exploring their sensuality trough music and dance.    

Walter Hughes argues that disco music structures the dance floor in a contradictory way: it disciplines the dancers’ bodies “in the empire of the beat” while also offering a forum for free expression that, especially during the height of the genre’s popularity in the 70s, allowed people to freely express queerness.

Can you think of any other dance music that can compare with what Hughes argues in his essay? How so? What are the similarities and differences? Are there any current styles of music that operate in similar ways? Or, do you have experience with a style of dance music that aims to create more conservative forms of intermingling?