Chicago has long been recognized for fostering diverse music genres and is also infamously known as the place where disco met its demise. However, from the decline of disco emerged a new musical form: house music. This innovative dance music continues to inspire prominent artists today, including Charli XCX, Peggy Gou, Beyoncé, and Fisher. We celebrate its origins in Chicago’s underground Black and gay clubs, and the influential house music producers and DJs such as Frankie Knuckles, who created inclusive spaces for marginalized communities.

House music is a genre that connects, uplifts, and unites people. It resonates globally and is prevalent on the world’s biggest music stages. Born in Chicago, this sound developed during the turbulent 1970s when a group of predominantly gay Black artists, who faced constant harassment, pioneered a new type of dance music at underground venues. House music became the anthem of safe spaces, free from the racism and homophobia of the outside world, ultimately igniting a cultural and musical revolution.