The story of House Music
From underground Chicago basements to global festival main stages — a timeline of rhythm, technology, and community.
The Roots · 1970s Early 1980s
Disco’s Heartbeat & Underground Freedom
Before “House” had a name, it was a feeling. In the 1970s, disco ruled the dancefloors — lush strings, soulful vocals, and a spirit of freedom. When mainstream disco faded, underground DJs in New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago kept the heartbeat alive — blending funk, soul, and early drum machines.
- Key influences: Paradise Garage (Larry Levan), The Loft (David Mancuso), Music Box (Ron Hardy).
- Sound: soulful, extended disco grooves with early Roland drum machine rhythms.
The Birth · Chicago 1983–1987
Warehouse Energy & the Four-to-the-Floor
House music got its name from The Warehouse, where DJ Frankie Knuckles transformed disco into something new — deeper, rawer, more hypnotic. Using the Roland TR-808 and TR-909, artists started to produce tracks in basements that would define the sound.
- Pioneers: Frankie Knuckles, Jesse Saunders, Marshall Jefferson, Farley “Jackmaster” Funk, Steve “Silk” Hurley.
- Labels: Trax Records, DJ International.
- Style: repetitive 4/4 kick drums, soulful vocal loops, and deep basslines — Jackin’ House was born.
Explosion UK & Europe 1987 - 1995
Acid, Raves & the Second Summer of Love
The sound crossed the Atlantic — first to the UK, where Acid House took over abandoned warehouses and fields. The “Second Summer of Love” (1988–1989) made house a cultural revolution.
- Movements: Acid House, Rave Culture, Ibiza club life.
- Icons: 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, Phuture, The Haçienda, Shoom, Amnesia, Pacha.
- Subgenres: Deep House, UK Garage, Progressive House, French Touch.
Globalization 1996 - 2005
Clubs, Charts & the French Touch
House moved from clubs to charts. DJs became stars, remixes dominated radio. French Touch brought warmth and groove back with acts like Daft Punk, Cassius, and Étienne de Crécy. In the U.S., New York’s soulful house scene thrived with Masters at Work, Kerri Chandler, and Dennis Ferrer.
- Clubs: Ministry of Sound, Space Ibiza, Rex Club, Pacha.
- Technology shift: vinyl → CD → digital mixing.
EDM ERA 2006 - 2015
Big Rooms & Global Anthems
House collided with pop and festival energy. Artists like Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta, and Avicii turned 4/4 beats into stadium anthems. Some purists turned away — others saw it as house’s rebirth.
- Subgenres boomed: Electro House, Progressive, Big Room.
- Moments: Tomorrowland, Ultra, Creamfields brought house to millions.
Mordern Revival 2016 - Today
Deep Roots, New Voices
The circle returned to its roots —
deep, raw, emotional house made a comeback. Labels like Innervisions, Defected, and Afterlife revived authenticity while DJs like Peggy Gou, Black Coffee, and Amelie Lens brought new energy. Social media, streaming, and digital tools have made house music a truly global language.
- Today: House is everywhere — from TikTok to Tulum, from Berlin basements to Burning Man — still about unity through rhythm.