A Brief Description of House:
House Music is a part of electronic music. As it is a part of electronic music, some songs may use sampling, and many songs use synthesizers. It is considered to be a descendant of Disco music.
The History:
The origins of House music can be traced back to the city of Chicago.
On July 12, 1979, an event known as Disco Demolition Night occurred in Comiskey Park during a Major League Baseball game. This event resulted in many records featuring Black artists that produced Disco music being destroyed. As a result, while many artists continued to produced Disco music, the music industry and record labels started to label it as Dance Music.
On the day Disco died, House was starting to form. After the event, Disco records started to be sold less, but it was still very popular to be used in nightclubs around the city.
Two years before Disco Demolition Night would occur, a club would open in Chicago. It was called The Warehouse. Originally, R&B and Disco were played in the club. However, over time, the club's DJ, Francis Warren Nicholls Jr., also known famously as Frankie Knuckles, began to mix Disco music with Elecronic music imported from Europe. This lead to creating a new genre of music, which would become House music.
Many people, primarily Blacks, Latinos, and Homosexuals, who were considered as outcasts to the hostile world, would come to The Warehouse to be united together under House.
The term "House" could come from The Warehouse, where the genre was formed and developed. Record stores in Chicago would attract customers, particularly clubgoers of The Warehouse, by labelling records heard at The Warehouse "As Heard at The Warehouse" which would be later shortened to House. It could also come from the fact that DJs would produce music in their homes using affordable synthesizers and drum machines, as claimed by Larry Heard, also known as Mr. Fingers in the House music scene.
In a sense, House can be considered Disco's Revenge.
My experience with House:
The first time I had heard of House music was when I first played Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It was the mobile port, that had lots of features cut, including songs from radio stations included in the game. One radio station that didn't had music cut, was called SF-UR. It was that radio station that introduced me to House. And ever since then, I feel in love with the genre.
Here are just a few artists that I listen to that produced House or a subgenre of House.
Frankie Knuckles
Frankie Knuckles, Godfather of House. I enjoyed listening to his mixes and the few tracks that he produced. I especially enjoyed Tears and The Whistle Song. Not too many songs unfortunately in my library, and may he rest in peace as well.
Daft Punk
Perhaps the most famous of House musicians, you might have heard a song made by them once before. Although they have broken up just recently, (1993-2021) both musicians Thomas Bangalter (silver robot) and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (gold robot) are still in good terms. I have most if not all of their Discography in my music library and enjoyed listening to it. They have produced a style of House called French House (or French Touch if you're me) that other French-based House musicians made. A bit unrelated to the topic, but before the split-up, on an old verison of their website, they have hosted images for advertisements of their merch, which I found to be neat-looking. I provide with you a download link if you want to see the images.
deadmau5
Ah, deadmau5. When he isn't being a rude Canadian online, he produces Progressive House that I listen to. Although, I don't listen to his newer tracks as much or even follow him on social networks, I still respect him as a musician and enjoy his works.
Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden is a DJ that I find myself listening to more often, mainly his mixes and original work as well. I find his track "U Don't Know Me" as one of my favorites. Funny how I almost skipped out on listening to his works, because I didn't really enjoyed his track, the original mix of The Funk Phenomena when I was a young teen. Perhaps I shall give it another listen to the original mix and see if I like it now. He is one half of Duck Sauce, a House duo that makes unique House tracks reminiscent of Disco.
A-Trak
Another DJ I have been listening to recently, mostly his mixes at this point, is A-Trak. I have heard that at age 15, he won DMC World Champions. I think he fully deserved 1st place. He is the other half of Duck Sauce and brother of Dave 1, one half of Chromeo. I haven't listened to Chromeo, but I have heard The Brothers Macklovitch DJ mixes and they are very good mixes.