10 Vinyl Albums Every True Disco Fan Should Own

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We all know disco: the soundtrack to the wild history of the 1970s club scene. But for all of disco's messed up history, there's a wealth of classic vinyl that should be sitting on the shelves of every avid collector and studied by generations to come. It's a back catalogue of infectious grooves and head-bobbing party anthems that rocked the mirror balls at Studio 54. Some of these were revolutionary for their time, and others were flops that earned respect from younger generations. 

From the pulsating four-on-the-floor drumbeats to the slinky wah-wah guitars and glittery string sections, these are the classic records that defined a decade. The Bee Gees gave us the night fever, Kool and the Gang celebrated the good times, and Gloria Gaynor assured us that survival was inevitable no matter how many times our loathsome lovers did us wrong. With those vintage images fresh in our minds, let's boogie down. 

"Saturday Night Fever," the film and the soundtrack, was the pinnacle of the disco craze in 1977 and definitely the album that made 1978 the best year of the Bee Gees' career. The iconic "Stayin' Alive" and unforgettable hits like "How Deep Is Your Love" and "Night Fever" make it required listening. But it's not just the Bee Gees: the soundtrack is full of blistering standards of the genre, including Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You" and Walter Murphy's neo-classical romp "A Fifth of Beethoven." And what legitimate disco vinyl collection would be complete without John Travolta himself staring down from the shelf?

Gaz' self-titled 1978 album would be a worthy addition to any vinyl collection for the gorgeous Stefan Zauner cover art alone. But the LP is more than just a pretty face, as there are stellar musical ideas throughout. The brainchild of keyboardist Thor Baldursson, the songs are more cerebral and intricate than the standard disco fare. Percussionist Nippy Noia and drummer Keith Forsey interact with the kind of telepathic intimacy associated with jazz ensembles. Meanwhile, vocalists Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson, and Evette Benton hand in performances worthy of the Manhattan Transfer. A feast for the eyes and the ears.

"Guilty" saw megastar Barbra Streisand embracing disco in a big way by collaborating with none other than genre pioneer Barry Gibb of Bee Gees fame. While disco purists might try to dismiss the 1980 album as crossover pop, it's impossible to deny that the title track (a duet with Gibb) lays down the kind of non-stop but laid-back groove that underpinned the Bee Gees' finest work. For her part, Barb turns in penetrating, soulful performances on "Woman in Love" and "Run Wild." It's a diverse but always pulsating LP that, unsurprisingly, won a Grammy for its title cut. 

Change's "The Glow of Love" is an album of killer grooves through and through. From the outset, it just slaps with tracks that are built as much on the instrumental atmosphere as the vocal hooks. None other than R&B grand master Luther Vandross turns in a searing lead vocal performance on "Searching," but the song is just as catchy for its infectious wah-wah boogie background vamp. "A Lover's Holiday" lays down a similarly captivating groove. Released in 1980, this is the kind of album that can be indulged with full attention or as background atmosphere with equal enjoyment. 

"Arrival" might be the album with "Dancing Queen," Abba's signature hit, but it's also an example of the eurodisco subgenre. Combining disco grooves with elements of European popular music traditions, the style infuses the American-born genre with an international flair. "Dancing Queen" and other similar subsequent hits "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and "Money, Money, Money" capture that diversity in spades. The 1976 album remains integral to popular culture with the Abba-themed musical "Mama Mia." If that weren't enough, "Knowing Me, Knowing You" became the title of a fictional program hosted by BBC parody personality Alan Partridge.

Disco is definitely not a genre known for its extended epics, but Donna Summer was happy to go there. The chanteuse would soon be known for her rendition of Jimmy Webb's "MacArthur Park," but 1976's "A Love Trilogy" charts her evolution towards that creative peak and gives us some slamming tracks all the while. "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It" is 18 minutes of non-stop grooves that seem to go by in a heartbeat. But even more notable than that is a dancefloor rendition of Barry Manilow's stirring ballad "Could It Be Magic."

KC and the Sunshine Band's self-titled second album was the band's mainstream breakthrough in 1975 on the strength of hits like "That's the Way (I Like It)" and "Get Down Tonight," but there's more than just memorable hooks at work. Beneath it all is a live band made up of seasoned players who positively cook when jamming together. The syncopated guitar work of Jerome Smith and KC's furious keyboards work in dialogue with drummer Robert Johnson and bassist Richard French to create an auditory environment where horn players like tenor saxophonist Mike Lewis can burn.

Village People easily rank alongside Kiss and the Spice Girls as acts known as much for their image and character personas as their actual music. Well, this 1978 classic doesn't have much more to offer than the iconic "Y.M.C.A." and their lesser hit "I'm a Cruiser." In fact, the songs are all so similar in tone that four out of six start with the same snare drum intro. But this album belongs in the disco audiophile's collection as a historical artifact. Every disco aficionado needs "Cruisin'" the same way every metalhead needs Kiss' "Destroyer": it's just a vital part of the timeline.

Divine, the drag persona of Harris Glenn Milstead, left a massive imprint on popular culture thanks to a series of successful film collaborations with director and lifelong friend John Waters. With Milstead's unlikely star on the rise in the early 1980's, he decided Divine would have a singing career. Disco was long dead by the release of 1982's "My First Album," but the record still managed to score modest hits. It's not a musically accomplished album, but it's one that's sure to impress fellow vinyl collectors for its obscure novelty and outrageous — though always self-aware — trashy charm.

The hit single "Celebration" would be Kool & The Gang's only No. 1 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 chart (though they would have other high-charting singles.) That makes their 1980 LP "Celebrate!" worthy of inclusion in any vinyl collection, but the album rewards in its deep cuts as well. The involvement of producer Eumir Deodato gives the record a sophistication and shows the higher levels of maturity the disco format has to offer in the right hands. The massive hit is there, but it's backed up by seven more tracks of stone grooves and undeniable funk.