Top 40 Lists of Disco music are so very different in every city where they are compiled. Miami is unique because we embraced alot of the more energetic tracks like my #1 Romeo and Juliette which to my surprise doesn’t even scratch the Top 10 of other lists I’ve seen. I have seen some lists with Cheryl Lynn’s ” Got to be Real” as their #1 , great song but really wasn’t a nightclub favorite down here ( assuming you are located above me ) Miami was a city whose Disco music was not defined by radio hits . We created our own hits. Each club had that particular track that could not be heard in any other nightclub. The DJ prided himself in being unique. 9 times out of 10 when the song hit the radio the track would immediately be removed from the club playlist. The ” cool” factor was gone. The song would belong to the fickle masses who would consume it, burn it out and move on the next song FM radio would feed them. Djs protected their music. Cultivated an artist. Grace Jones was an excellent example of an artist that DJ’s slowly eased into the dancefloor. Her music was appreciated by the jocks, but the crowds had to be trained to accept her arrangements and unique abrasive vocal style. Djs would champion artists and groups and slowly train their audiences into accepting new sounds. Today’s DJs follow radio’s cookie cutter patterns and it is not unusual to hear the same artist or song for that matter 2 and 3 times per night .Blasphemy in the 70s and early 80s. It is difficult to compile such a list,without discussion. I have spoken to a variety of local jocks of the era asked them to give me their opinion based on audience reaction and not so much personal tastes. We would have had alot of obscure tracks in the list .In many cases my number 10 was their number 12 and so on but overall the unanimous #1 was in fact Alec R. Costandino’s ” Romeo and Juliette” considered by all of us a ” Disco Masterpiece” Comment below with your thoughts.
TOP 40 Miami Nightclub Disco Tracks
Compiled by DJ Alex Gutierrez
Based on Club Play from a select sampling of South Florida’s Nightclub DJs 1975- 1981 members of The South Florida DJ Association
1. Romeo And Juliet (Acts 1 &2) – Alec R. Costandinos
2. Heaven must be Missing an Angel -Tavares
3. I’ve Found Love (Now That I’ve Found You) – Love And Kisses (Alec R Costandinos)
4. Come to Me – France Joli
4. Souvenirs – Voyage
5. If There’s Love – Amant
6. Babe we’re Gonna Love Tonight- Lime
7. Gonna Get along without You – Viola Wills
8. Supernature – Cerrone
9. Zodiacs – Roberta Kelly
10. McArthur Park – Donna Summer
11. Mandolay – La Flavour
12. Give Me Love – Cerrone
13. Love Disco Style – Erotic Drum Band
14. Jungle DJ – Kikrokos
15. Honeymoon in Puerto Rico – Paul Jabarra
16. You’ll never Find- Lou Rawls
17. Woman – Barrabas
18. You Make me Feel ( Mighty Real) – Sylvester
19. Forbidden Love – Madleen Kane
20. Everybody Get Dancin- The Bombers
21. Never Gonna Say Goodbye- Poussez
22. Mongouse Ye – Black Brother
23. Devil’s Gun – C J & Co
24. From Here To Eternity- Giorgio Moroder
25. Feels like I’m in Love – Kelly Marie
26. Ten Percent- Double Exposure\
27. That’s Where The Happy People Go- Trammps
28. No Romance Just Wanna Dance – Theo Vaness
29. Best Part Of Breaking Up – Roni Griffith
30. In New York- Passion
31. I’m Ready- Kano
32. Love in C Minor – Cerrone
33. Instant Replay – Dan Hartman
34. Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Babe – Barry White
35. La La Peace Song – OC Smith
36. Swear To God – Frankie Valli
37. Disco Nights – GQ
38. Love Insurance – Front Page
39. Move on up – Destination
40. The Break – Kat Mandu
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