Dance rock music has come and gone in waves over the years. But it never seems to permanently fall out of favor. I certainly understand why. Dance rock is always a go-to for clubs and music festivals, and no matter the era, the genre always has a retro sort of sound to it. Let’s look at just a few songs over the years that have brought dance rock back into the spotlight.
“Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” by LCD Soundsystem (2005)
LCD Soundsystem had a great time at the start of the millennium, and one of their most memorable songs from the mid-200s has to be the dance-friendly jam “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” from 2005. There’s a Talking Heads vibe to this song that just can’t be beat. And, considering 2005 was the year that indie rock got a lot more “serious,” this song was a welcome reprieve.
Videos by American Songwriter
This dance-punk jam was nominated for a Grammy in 2006 and peaked at No. 1 on the UK Dance chart.
“Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2009)
Some would say this song leans more electronic than rock, but I think there are just enough rock elements to make “Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs worthy of this list. You couldn’t escape this song when it first came out, whether you were at a club, a house party, or the grocery store.
A dance rock classic for the ages, “Heads Will Roll” peaked at No. 1 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in the US.
“Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand (2004)
Dance rock had more or less been out of vogue for decades before this early aughts classic hit the airwaves. Complete with angular guitars and a very disco-esque rhythm, “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand still gets millennials up and dancing to this very day.
The beloved post-punk revival song made it al the way to No. 1 on the UK Indie chart. It was also a No. 66 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
“Somebody Told Me” by The Killers (2004)
Another 2004 entry on our list of dance rock music, it’s clear that the mid-2000s was the era of dance rock revival. The Killers had quite a few hits during that decade. But few were as dance-friendly as the indie rock classic “Somebody Told Me”. This song has an almost new wave vibe to it, beautifully blending synths with a very funky bassline.
The Killers’ dance rock hit peaked at No. 51 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on the UK Indie chart.
Photo by David Black / Grandstand Media
Most Viewed
-
English guitarist Pete Townshend appears in Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert at the Rainbow Theatre, London, 13th January 1973. He is playing a Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins. (Photo by P. Floyd/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) -
Close-up of American musician and actor Neil Diamond prior to his one?man show at the Winter Garden, New York, New York, October 1972. (Photo by Jack Mitchell/Getty Images) -
English rock group the Beatles hold a press conference at the Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles before their live performance at the Dodger Stadium, California, 28th August 1966. From left to right, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images) -
Singer Graham Russell with AIR SUPPLY performs in concert, October 8, 1983 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images) -
Jimmy Buffett at the Auditorium Theater In Chicago, Ilinois, July 22, 1977 (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
British rock group Electric Light Orchestra, 5th February 1975. Left to right: cellist Melvyn Gale, cellist Hugh McDowell, singer and drummer Bev Bevan, singer and guitarist Jeff Lynne, keyboard player Richard Tandy, bassist and singer Kelly Groucutt (1945 – 2009) and violinist Mik Kaminski. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
