Dance Pop Essentials

Dance Pop Essentials

The history of dance pop might reach back into the late ’70s, or at least the ’80s, when artists like Madonna and Janet Jackson began taking sounds from the club world (think disco and synth-pop) and adding their own catchy pop melodies and vocals over top. As the decades went on, the dance-floor aspect became even more prominent, with ’90s club divas such as Robyn S. and Crystal Waters bringing the sound of New York house music to mainstream radio. In the 2000s, Major Lazer and David Guetta struck the perfect dance-pop balance in their collaborations with global stars like Justin Bieber and Kelly Rowland. And Dua Lipa did it all herself, mixing her resonant vocals with all manner of four-to-the-floor beats. But even as dance pop moves forward, it loves a look back—as heard in Eric Prydz’s “Call on Me,” which features Steve Winwood reprising his ’80s pop-rock classic “Valerie.”