Nobody knows how to get people dancing quite like they did in the '70s and '80s. From disco hits to synth-filled pop tunes, any time the radio switched on you were guaranteed grounds for a party. Kids from the '70s and '80s who were lucky enough to celebrate the end of the school year with some of these particularly special singles won't be able to stop their feet from tapping as we take a look back in time.
Get those dancing shoes on because you're going to want to load up your dusty vinyl once more for a living room groove, the likes of which haven't been seen for forty years. Tonight on Top of the Pops, it's all the hits a '70s and '80s child could ask for.
© WireImage via Getty ImagesIt's impossible to resist the dance floor when Earth, Wind and Fire start playing
'September' – Earth, Wind and Fire (1978)
Do you remember... 'September' by Earth, Wind and Fire? Then it's likely you were one of the coolest kids on the block.
Nothing will get kids from the '70s and '80s heading straight to the dance floor like the rhythmic hit. Who cares if you can only remember a line or two of the lyrics? You've got the '70s spirit, and that's what counts.
© Getty ImagesBlondie's timeless hit 'Call Me' is, and was, a favourite dance floor tune
'Call Me' – Blondie (1980)
Debbie Harry will forever define '70s and '80s cool. Her signature choppy blonde layers and earworm lyrics made Blondie a hit, with tracks like 'Picture This', 'Heart of Glass' and 'The Tide is High' still favourites today.
'Picture This' perfectly captured that feeling of watching your latest crush twirl their flares on the other side of the dance floor, and it's still just as relatable today as it was in 1978.
© Getty Images'Tainted Love' is still Soft Cell's best-loved hit
'Tainted Love' by Soft Cell (1981)
A toxic romance might not sound like the basis for a guaranteed floor-filler, but the urgent push-and-pull of 'Tainted Love' made Soft Cell's definitive cover a timeless, cathartic hit.
If you haven't struck a pose along with the beat as the chorus kicks up, 'I need to – dun-dun – get away' are you really an '80s kid at all?
© Bettmann Archive via Getty Images'Rhinestone Cowboy' combined country roots with the glamour of showbiz
'Rhinestone Cowboy' – Glen Campbell (1975)
Get those cowboy boots out of storage right this minute, and grab a Stetson hat while you're at it! Nothing will get '70s kids ready to try out a line dance like this Glen Campbell track.
Glen's easy-grooving hit 'Rhinestone Cowboy' perfectly paired star-status dreams with country roots, the ideal match for a country star himself.
© Mike PriorFrankie Valli is the perfect romantic crooner for a trip back to the '70s
'My Eyes Adored You' – Frankie Valli (1975)
It's time to slow things down with Frankie Valli's 'My Eyes Adored You'. This classic tale of young love and lost opportunity will surely strike a chord as '70s and '80s kids reminisce on their childhood crush.
In its heyday, the Frankie hit was surely the perfect opportunity to hold that special someone close or debut your new relationship status on the dance floor at prom.
© Getty ImagesDon't you want to play 'Don't You Want Me' just one more time?
'Don't You Want Me' – The Human League (1981)
The Human League's 'Don't You Want Me' follows the back and forth between a couple in something of a My Fair Lady set-up. The boyfriend can't quite believe the girl he fell for is leaving him, after he supposedly turned her into a success.
According to his partner, however, she was on the road to success anyway and is taking off to enjoy her independence. Either way, there's no denying the track is a hit with a catchy plea ringing in the chorus.
© Getty'Night Fever' makes a Travolta out of us all
'Night Fever' – Bee Gees (1977)
The soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever contains some particularly groovy '70s hits. But one of the best is certainly the Bee Gees' 'Night Fever'.
They're going to give you that night fever whether you want it or not, and soon you'll be up dancing the night away just as John Travolta would want you to.
© VCG via Getty ImagesDead or Alive are bound to get '80s kids moving to the floor
'You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)' – Dead or Alive (1984)
Will the dance floor be Dead or Alive when 'You Spin Me Round' comes on the DJ set? If there are any '80s kids hanging around, you can be certain they'll make sure there's breathing room only.
The tale of a club romance that has the singer falling for someone's groovy moves is the perfect encapsulation of club culture and remains a hit today.
© Redferns via Getty ImagesMake it a true 'Disco Inferno' by getting your best '70s moves out on the dance floor
'Disco Inferno' – The Trammps (1976)
Burn, baby, burn! The Trammps' 'Disco Inferno' is going to have the souls of any '70s and '80s kid itching for a dance. The catchy intro is all you need to remember to have the time of your life.
Nobody knows how to burn the roof off a place like a '70s or '80s kid, and 'Disco Inferno' defines that energetic rush that they'll no doubt relate to.
