Dance-rock is a Dance music-infused Fusion genre of rock music.[
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Definitions
Michael Campbell, in his book Popular Music in America, defines the genre as "post-punk/post-disco fusion". Campbell also cited Robert Christgau, who described dance-oriented rock (or DOR) as an umbrella term used by various DJs in the 1980s.
However, AllMusic defines "dance-rock" as 1980s and 1990s music practiced by rock musicians, influenced by Philly soul, disco and funk, fusing those styles with rock and dance. Artists like the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Simple Minds, INXS, Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, the Clash, New Order and Devo belong, according to AllMusic, to this genre. Dance-rock embraces some experimental funk acts like A Certain Ratio, Gang of Four, and also mainstream musicians, for example Robert Palmer, Billy Idol and Hall & Oates.
History
Despite predictions that rock music would replace disco in the dance clubs, a mix of post-disco, new wave and post-punk took its place instead. The first wave of artists arrived with New Order, Prince, the Human League, Blondie, Tom Tom Club (consisting of two members from Talking Heads) and Devo, followed by Daryl Hall & John Oates, Thompson Twins, Haircut 100, ABC, Depeche Mode and Spandau Ballet.[ The scene also produced many crossovers, including Kraftwerk getting R&B audiences with their 1981 influential album Computer World, which paved the way for Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock"][ Kraftwerk Win Bizarre Sampling Lawsuit in Germany: ‘Planet Rock’ for All|SPIN] and electro in general. Reinstated interest in dance-rock and post-disco caused popularity of 12-inch singles and EPs around that era.[ Computer World (1981) by Krafwerk. Review. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 22 December 2011.]
Key influences of the genre include New Romantic, synth-pop acts Human League and Spandau Ballet while, according to Billboard, the pivotal record of the genre is Human League's "Don't You Want Me".
Arthur Baker argued that helped to shape the new music: "I'm into synthesizers right now. The options are limitless. It cuts costs and gives you more ultimate control, but it doesn't sound made up. It still has a human feel", while the sound, composed of electronic Euro disco influences, was generally regarded as "cold, anti-human and mechanical."[
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Legacy
This kind of dance-rock influenced such alternative rock acts as Garbage, No Doubt, Robbie Williams, Scissor Sisters,
See also
