Disco polo
Encyclopedia
Disco polo is a musical genre native to Poland
, which has existed in its present form since the early 1990s. It was derived from contemporary folk tunes, music from the former eastern territories of Poland influenced by Ukrainian/Belarusian/Russian folk songs (mostly somewhat vulgarised ones played at wedding
s and feasts
) and italo disco
.
The name itself was conceived by Sławomir Skręta from the group Blue Star as a replacement for an older term, piosenka chodnikowa (sidewalk music) - which originated from the main means of distribution of its recordings in early 1990s - sidewalk stalls on streets and at bazaars. Disco polo could be heard mostly at festivals, weddings or during political campaign
ing for Polish parliament and presidential election
s. Former president Aleksander Kwasniewski
was one of the most notable example of a politician who used disco polo during his presidential campaign.
Traditional instrumentation came to be replaced by keyboards later in the '90s, which contributed to a slight change in style, making the songs more similar to modern dance music
. The style was extensively marketed by the Polsat
TV station, which produced its own disco polo hit list, in a TV show called Disco Relax, although it finally decreased in popularity in the late '90s, when foreign pop music gained popularity.
Disco polo is generally perceived as being simplistic and lacking in artistic value, but it is still enjoyed by people of all ages. In cities like Warsaw
, it is often looked down upon as music from the provinces.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, which has existed in its present form since the early 1990s. It was derived from contemporary folk tunes, music from the former eastern territories of Poland influenced by Ukrainian/Belarusian/Russian folk songs (mostly somewhat vulgarised ones played at wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
s and feasts
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
) and italo disco
Italo disco
Italo disco encompasses much of the dance music output in Europe during the 1980s. It is one of the world's first forms of mostly electronic dance music and evolved during the late 1970s and early 1980s in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe...
.
The name itself was conceived by Sławomir Skręta from the group Blue Star as a replacement for an older term, piosenka chodnikowa (sidewalk music) - which originated from the main means of distribution of its recordings in early 1990s - sidewalk stalls on streets and at bazaars. Disco polo could be heard mostly at festivals, weddings or during political campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
ing for Polish parliament and presidential election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s. Former president Aleksander Kwasniewski
Aleksander Kwasniewski
Aleksander Kwaśniewski is a Polish politician who served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005. He was born in Białogard, and during communist rule he was active in the Socialist Union of Polish Students and was the Minister for Sport in the communist government in the 1980s...
was one of the most notable example of a politician who used disco polo during his presidential campaign.
Traditional instrumentation came to be replaced by keyboards later in the '90s, which contributed to a slight change in style, making the songs more similar to modern dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
. The style was extensively marketed by the Polsat
Polsat
Polsat is Poland's second biggest television channel, founded on December 5, 1992 and owned by Zygmunt Solorz-Żak.Polsat belongs to the Polsat Group , which also owns other channels:*Polsat HD*Polsat 2 International*Polsat News*TV Biznes...
TV station, which produced its own disco polo hit list, in a TV show called Disco Relax, although it finally decreased in popularity in the late '90s, when foreign pop music gained popularity.
Disco polo is generally perceived as being simplistic and lacking in artistic value, but it is still enjoyed by people of all ages. In cities like Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, it is often looked down upon as music from the provinces.
Notable disco polo artists
- Bayer FullBayer FullBayer Full is one of the most popular disco polo bands from Poland. It was founded in 1984 by Sławomir Świerzyński. During their 24-year career they sold roughly 16 million records...
- Boys
- Big Dance
- AkcentAkcentAkcent is a Romanian dance-pop act.- Biography :Adrian Claudiu Sînă started the group in 1999. At the time, it consisted of him and his female counterpart, Ramona Barta....
- ToplesToplesToples is a Polish disco polo musical group. The group's leader and vocalist is Marcin Siegieńczuk. The group was created in 1998.-Discography:* Przestań kłamać mała * Ciało do ciała * Kochaś * Kobiety rządzą nami...
- Skaner
- Top One
- ShazzaShazzaShazza is the stage name of Magdalena Pańkowska, born May 29, 1967 in Pruszków, a female Polish singer-songwriter and occasional actress. She found fame in the 1990s with her massive disco polo hits such as "Baiao Bongo", "Bierz co chcesz", "Egipskie noce" or "Noc róży"...
"The Queen of Disco polo" - Mega Dance
- Time
- Weekend
- Milano
- Nemesis
- Amadeo
- Focus
- Etna
- Factor
- Kalimero
- Long & Junior
- Jorrgus
- Tomasz Niecik
- CollectiveCollectiveA collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project to achieve a common objective...
- Veegas