Dance music made a huge comeback in 2009 mixing styles that range from Hip Hop to Electronica to Pure pop in one of the most exciting years for the genre in recent memory.
The explosion of Lady Gaga, La Roux and David Guetta as well as deserved comebacks by distinguished 80’s electronic bands Depeche Mode and the Pet Shop Boys dominated the dance music scene of 2009.
Lady Gaga, easily the biggest break-out star of the year started the year as a newcomer with her first hit “Just Dance” dominating the dancefloors of Canada and Australia. That track eventually hit the top of the charts in the U.S and the rest of the world. Before long The Fame spawned the equally successful and infectious “Poker Face” and by year end Lady Gaga had charted with “Lovegame”, “Paparazzi” and finally “Bad Romance” from an expanded version of her debut album The Fame Monster.
Let The Music Play – Best 80’s Dance Songs in 2009
Completely ignored on the Billboard Hot 100, 80’s hitmakers The Pet Shop Boys counted two number one songs on the Dance Charts in the states with “Love Etc.” and “Did You See Me Coming”.
Countrymen and fellow 80’s contemporaries Depeche Mode secured a firm grip on the dance charts with their Sounds of the Universe release in April. Featured single “Peace” finds the band returning to a more organic 80’s sound for one of the best songs of their career.
American Idol Jordin Sparks shook off her awkward R&B pre-fab sound and found her dance groove with two 80’s inspired dance tracks. “Battlefield” rocketed to the dancefloor in the spring with echoes of “Love is a Battlefield” a hit for Pat Benetar back in 1983, while follow up “S.O.S. (Let The Music Play)” cuts-and-pastes the chorus, arrangement and beat from one hit wonder Shannon’s 1983 dance hit “Let The Music Play”
Whitney Houston and Britney Spears Make Dance Hit Comebacks
Two years after Shannon scored their lone hit, in 1985 Whitney Houston broke onto the scene with a collection of R&B jams, ballads and pop dance tracks. By the end of the 1980’s she was a bonafide star and enjoyed the type of worldwide success that’s hardly hear of in today’s music world. By the end of the 1990’s though her career and personal life had fallen on hard times and the hits stopped coming.
Returning to the spotlight in 2009, Houston hit the ground running. “Million Dollar Bill” finds the star in fine form and the Freemasons takes this dancey pop track, feed it into their hit making machine and electrify it to club status.
Like Whitney, Britney Spears struck the big time early in her career releasing hit after chart topping hit. Then the infamous burnout followed by the bizarre behaviour. Attempting her second comeback in the last two years, Spears blazed up the charts with “Womanizer” in late 2008 followed by “Circus” and the controversial “If You Seek Amy”. By year’s end a second greatest hits collection warmed record store shelves and from it another number one dance track, aptly titled “3”.
Best Dance Songs of 2009 (40 – 21)
40. David Guetta – Sexy Bitch
39. Britney Spears – Circus
38. Robbie Williams – Bodies
37. Janet Jackson – Make Me
36. Misstress Barbara – I’m Running
35. Kid Cudi – Day ‘N’ Nite (Crookers Remix)
34. Britney Spears – If U Seek Amy
33. Little Boots – Stuck on Repeat
32. Jordin Sparks – Battlefield
31. Depeche Mode – Peace
30. Pet Shop Boys – Did You See Me Coming?
29. Jordin Sparks – S.O.S. (Let The Music Play)
28. Quintino – Heaven
27. Calvin Harris – Ready For The Weekend
26. Whitney Houston – Million Dollar Bill (Freemasons Club Mix)
25. The Prairie Cartel – No Light Escapes Here
24. Basement Jaxx – Raindrops
23. Dizzee Rascal – Dirtee Cash
22. Major Lazer – Keep It Goin’ Louder
21. Calvin Harris – I’m Not Alone
Dance music exploded in 2009, a year when new stars were born and old stars returned. In the second part of this year end wrap-up, Suite 101 counts down the Top Twenty Dance Songs of 2009.
James W. Coates - A nomad at heart, James W. Coates has been combining his passion for music, writing and traveling ever since his father packed the family ...
