Stayin’ Alive

At the end of the 1970s, the founding principles of disco – queerness, diversity and feminism – were coming under increasing attack from a predominantly white, straight, rock-loving audience.

By the summer of 1978, disco appeared untouchable, but mass marketing and rampant commercialism were beginning to turn the tide. A glut of bad disco singles and the perceived elitism of clubs like Studio 54 fuelled a surge in anti-disco feeling. This is the story of how disco died - and where it went.