Top Disco Remixes: 12 Essential 12-Inch Records You Must Hear

These. Are. The. Good. Times.

Make no mistake: The 12-inch single revolutionized how consumers discover, listen to, and share music worldwide.

It also reshaped how record labels, club promoters, and, most importantly, DJs became among their respective eras’ most important cultural tastemakers—all transforming soul, funk, disco, and early electronic tracks into epic orchestrations.

This post delves into 12 essential 12-inch singles from disco's peak period (roughly 1973 through 1982). Along the way, I'll also discuss these singles’ lasting legacy and influence, as well as the 12-inch record format overall.

Lots of impeccable vibes on the way in this one. But before I get started, a reminder to subscribe if you enjoy this content and want more like it delivered straight to your inbox every week.

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First, a little context:

The Evolution of 12-Inch Singles

Emerging in the first half of the 1970s, the 12-inch format opened up brand-new avenues for music production and consumption. For the first time, records were being designed to be played specifically on nightclub sound systems and, more importantly, stretch the instrumentals into longer, euphoric music suites.

Previously, the standard 7-inch single could only store about six or seven minutes of music (about three minutes per side). This limitation made it much more difficult for DJs to mix in and out of songs throughout an evening or manually extend breakdowns by cutting relentlessly between two or sometimes three copies of the same 7-inch single.

In contrast, 12-inch vinyl records could accommodate up to 15 minutes of music per side when played at 45 revolutions per minute (RPM). They also significantly improved audio quality, enabling artists to deliver deeper-sounding bass and crisper highs. When paired with the robust sound systems many nightclubs were custom-building, the long, uninterrupted mosaic of beats and vocals turned dancefloors into places of emotional and spiritual worship.

This critical innovation, which influenced every strain of hip-hop, house, and dancehall music that came after it, owes a historical debt to disco, a genre that still needs to get the love it deserves in the broader music conversation.

Bill Brewster, author of, among other titles, the fabulous Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey, put it simply for the BBC:

“Almost everything that we now take for granted in electronic dance music, happened under disco: the 12-inch single, the way that a sound system is configured, the modern remix. Disco was probably the first music specifically made for club sound systems. The idea of it being about pleasure, celebrating your youthfulness, your sexuality, chimed with the club environment. When you hear this music, that’s still what you picture a dancefloor should be.”

It's not an exaggeration to say that 12-inch records created a new marketplace for music producers and listeners. Artists were given a format to explore new compositional ideas and experiment with new sounds, possibilities that weren't available through the standard album format.

If you're talking about the biggest game-changers in music history, 12-inches deserve prime real estate in that conversation.

The Top 12-Inch Singles of All Time

The following extended mixes are my favorite 12-inch singles from disco's heyday. I considered cultural impact, chart performance, and longevity for each pick. Some of these records also have significant emotional value in my life, which I'll discuss shortly.

Let's look at what's considered the mainstream birthplace of extended mixes for club DJs:

1. Gloria Gaynor – "Never Can Say Goodbye" (1975)

If there's a single that earns Tom Moulton the title of “the father of the disco mix,” it's the 19-minute suite that takes up the entire first side of Gloria Gaynor's LP, Never Can Say Goodbye.

Moulton happened upon disco almost accidentally when a colleague introduced him to the East Coast party epicenter known as “Fire Island.” The” awkward breaks between the uptempo funk and soul tracks played at those gatherings inspired him to craft the first-ever continuous mixes through surgical tape machine edits.

Fast-forward to 1974. After supporting GaynorGaynor'smous single in a column for Billboard magazine, Moulton landed an uncredited role in building that long medley that quickly became adored by DJs. At first, Gaynor wasn't at the lack of singing on the extended suite but later came around. She told the Guardian that [Tom] was very in tune with the disco audience and [was] a genius at remixing.”

Moulton became an in-demand producer and disco influencer as a result, later remixing hit tracks for MFSB, First Choice, and the Trammps, among many others. But, beyond those contributions (and discovering Grace Jones), it's safe to say the 12-inch format wouldn't exist without “Never Can Say Goodbye.”

2. Donna Summer – "I Feel Love" (1977)

If I had to pinpoint a year when disco peaked, it may be 1977. In April of that year, Studio 54 opened in New York City, instantly becoming a synonym for glamourous excess. In September, the first single from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, “How Deep is Your Love,” hit the airwaves, followed by the full-length LP two months later. Most critically, in July, Donna Summer dropped “I Fee Love.”

Summer, Moroder, and co-conspirator Pete Bellotte had combined for hit records before this one, most notably “Love to Love You Baby,” the song that famously contained 23 orgasms and got it banned in multiple countries. Here, the trio takes a more futuristic approach. With the help of a modulated Mogo synthesizer, the final mix was sequenced across 16 different audio tracks.

According to Moroder, the label's brass wasn't that enthused prior to the single's release. “I remember, at the very beginning, [Casablanca MD] Neil Bogart was interested, but not as much as I would have liked,” he said. “To us it was just a track and we didn't even think it was a single,” added Bellotte. “We definitely did not think when it was released, yes we've done something special. It didn't feel revolutionary”—a statement that seems incomprehensible now.

Still a reference point for DJs and producers worldwide, “I Feel Love” is an indelible part of dance music's storied history.

3. Manu Dibango – "Soul Makossa" (1972)

In the summer of 1973, “Soul Makossa,” originally a B-side from Cameroonian multihyphenate Manu Dabingo, began a nine-week run on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at No. 35. It was an unprecedented run for a song that, less than a year earlier, hadn't been on any major label or radio station's radar. The man who changed all that was David Mancuso.

Regarded in some circles as the first celebrity underground DJ, Mancuso began playing the track regularly at the Loft, the NoHo venue, where he held his private, non-commercial parties. The response was so rapturous that the few remaining copies of the single quickly disappeared from local record store shelves. Original pressings now go for eye-watering prices on marketplace sites like Discogs.

In a way, “Soul Makossa” is also an example of how far-reaching classic disco's influence has been throughout the years. Michael Jackson famously interpolated the famous refrain at the heart of Dibango's 12-inch single on “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” and, later, by Rihanna on "Don't Stop the Music.” Not too shabby for an obscure French release.

4. Chic – "Good Times" (1979)

One of the most famous disco singles of all time, “Good Times” is arguably the song Chic (and potentially Nile Rodgers) are best known for. The extended version of the track, which runs a touch over eight minutes, has also become one of the most sample pieces of music in hip-hop history, beginning with "Rapper's Delight,” released three months later.

According to Rodgers, he and Bernard Edwards got a lot of grief for penning a track titled “Good Times” during what he described at the time as “the worst economic depression [since] the Great Depression.” He added:

“[We] realized that we had done our job so effectively that all of our lyrics were shrouded in double-entendre because there was no way that I was ever just gonna write a song about partying and dancing. I mean, I’m a Black Panther, what are you talking about? And so it was always about compromise.”

Though it only spent one week atop the Billboard Hot 100, “Good Times'” longevity is an excellent case study of the staying power of transcendent 12-inch singles.

5. Diana Ross – "Love Hangover" (1976)

When I first heard “Love Hangover,” it blew my mind. I was so used to straightforward, four-on-the-floor disco songs that were structured in a confident, unrelenting way. But, after this Diana Ross track makes that world-famous transition from swooning ballad to funk banger, I remember thinking, “I didn't know you could do that.”

So much for genre rules, amirite?

However, as producer Hal Davis tells it, Motown and even Ross herself initially wanted to distance themselves from the disco's aesthetic. “No one really liked disco here at Motown," he explained. "The company wasn't heavily into it, so I figured I'd take advantage of that. When I did the track for 'Love Hangover,' I knew it was a hot track. But when I played it for Diana, well, she wasn't too sure about it […] people thought I was a little off for even suggesting that Diana do this song."

Thankfully, she relented—a decision that ended up being an excellent career move. The poster child for disco's (and Ross’) effortlessly sex appeal, “Love Hangover” has since been remixed and refashioned regularly by club DJs looking for that extra little spark.

6. The Trammps – "Disco Inferno" (1976)

“Disco Inferno” features disco's most iconic intro, its most singalong-ready refrain (burn, baby, burn), and one of its most impressive lead vocal performances by the late Jimmy Ellis. However, even more than those highlights, this track is perhaps the best example of how transformative disco can be when it balloons to epic proportions.

Most people will have passing familiarity with the radio version, which runs about three-and-a-half minutes. But the original takes you to another place entirely, spanning nearly 11 minutes. During that time, the incredibly satisfying instrumental is given space to worm its way so deep into your consciousness that you have no genuine concept of how long you've been dancing to it.

A note about how punchy this track sounds: When mixing “Disco Inferno,” Tom Moulton apparently discovered that the noise reduction settings had been misapplied. Once the error was fixed, the dynamic range opened up significantly to the point of legitimately startling some listeners.

7. Blondie – "Heart of Glass" (1979)

Cited by Roman Kozak as “the first time in New York [that] a rock band had played a disco song,” “Heart of Glass was divisive in the new wave and punk communities. Lead singer Debbie Harry told the Guardian that, although the band was known for covering mid-70s dancefloor bops in concert, “[…] lots of people were mad at us for ‘going disco’ with ‘Heart of Glass.'”

Like “Start Me Up,” this Blondie track languished in developmental hell for years before it was finally committed to tape. Guitarist and songwriter Chris Stein claims the single nearly sounded like a Kraftwerk cut, which you can hear in Jimmy Destri's throbbing, space-like synth. But, as the story goes with so many legendary songs, it eventually carved out a name for itself as a singular entity.

Selling millions worldwide despite stirring up cultural controversy, “Heart of Glass” was the hit that transformed Blondie from a cult favorite to a mainstream headliner. In the years since, numerous versions have been released, including a “special mix” that ended up on The Best of Blondie compilation. The 12-inch mix from 1979 (labeled in some corners as the “disco” version) is still the most rewarding to listen to.

8. First Choice – "Let No Man Put Asunder” (1977)

Several all-time greats have remixed First Choice songs, including Moulton and another king of the late-70s 12-inch single, Shep Pettibone. But, for this pick, I have to go with my favorite version of “Let No Man Put Asunder,” mixed by the Godfather of House Music, the late, great Frankie Knuckles.

In an interview with Dave Pearce on BBC Radio, Knuckles said it was “the first professional remix” he had ever completed, which is saying something both from a career retrospective point of view and also how bright and engaging it sounds. From those first shimmering electric piano loops to the tightened groove that rolls effortlessly underneath, it's a slice of pure disco nirvana.

“It was an album cut,” Knuckles added. “They had no desire in putting it out as a single. But I was playing it so much at the Warehouse for all those years, long after the album had been put away, and it got back to the label that the song was [still] huge […].” Once they heard what he'd done with the remix, they loved it and agreed to put it out as the B-side to the Pettibone remix, and the rest is nightclub history.

9. Martin Circus - “Disco Circus” (1978)

Originally released as a 14-minute monster on the aptly named Martin “Disco” Circus LP, this 12-inch single has become one of the most unsung club bangers of its era. The album is the soundtrack for a film titled Les Bidasses en vadrouille, which I couldn't track down online but would be worth watching to see how they integrate this dance number into the text.

“Disco Circus” benefits from the production methods standard in eurodisco of that era, like Cerrone's “Supernature” and Gino Soccio's “Dancer.” The bass booms louder, the synth sounds more futuristic, and the genre experimentation is far more overt than most American labels were churning out. Among the most gonzo moments in “Disco Circus” include a guitar solo that sounds straight out of an Eddie Hazel session.

This track has been remixed and sampled over and over again in dance music, cementing its legacy. Everyone from Todd Terje to Paul Johnson to Steve “Silk” Hurley has taken their cues from this song, which undoubtedly drew more eyes and ears (deservedly so) to the original. If you've never heard this obscure gem, I envy your first time.

10. The Crusaders – "Street Life" (1979)

You may not be familiar with the Crusaders, but you've almost certainly heard their hit “Street Life” featured prominently in pop culture. From Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown to the radio station in Grand Theft Auto V, its irresistable blend of jazz, funk, and soul has stood the test of time for a reason. But, like “Heart of Glass,” there are several versions of the song that add interesting layers to the listening experience.

The U.S. disco mix, embedded here, features Wilton Felder's bass, Stix Hooper's kick drum, and Randy Crawford's vocal more prominently than the version included on the eponymous album released the same year. However, the album cut is actually longer, clocking in at over 11 minutes, and features more contributions from the brass and woodwinds, including a soothing saxophone solo to start everything off.

There's also a single version, which fades the groove out just as it's starting to hit its stride. That's why it's better to listen to many disco songs in their 12-inch or similarly extended format instead of solely the radio edits. You let the rhythm take over your body and mind, transporting you closer to what the feeling would've been like on the dancefloor.

11. Sister Sledge – "He's the Greatest Dancer" (1979)

Released as the lead single from Sister Sledge's album We Are Family, "He's the Greatest Dancer” is another example of how dominant Chic duo Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were as a songwriting and producing duo. This track exudes the best of the disco sound: Catchy vocals, an instantly identifiable instrumental hook, here in the form of Rodger's bubbly guitar pattern, and blissful swells of string orchestration.

"He's the Greatest Dancer” eventually topped both Billboard's Dance and R&B charts in March 1979, with the album version eventually serving as the extended mix of the song. It would've inched closer to No. 1 on the Hot 100, too, had it not been for Atlantic's last-minute decision to prioritize the title track for radio airplay. A win-win for Sister Sledge, though.

Like “Good Times,” this Rodgers-Edwards collaboration with the group has also been the subject of many sample cases in the ensuing years. Most notable among them is Will Smith's 1997 chart-topper "Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” which reinforced the rapper/actor's clean-cut image in a hip-hop world that, at the time, increasingly favored its most roguish gangsta personas. You could argue that, without the Sister Sledge sample, the Will Smith track doesn't cross over as well as it did.

12. GQ – "Disco Nights (Rock Freak)" (1979)

Here's one last under-the-radar 12-inch to cap this post off. “Disco Nights (Rock Freak)” wasn't a No. 1 hit song (it peaked at No. 12 on the pop chart in April 1979), nor did it hide its semi-shameless attempt to cash in on the disco craze. The song was originally recorded without mentioning the word “disco” in the lyrics, but to reach a wider audience, Arista had new vocals laid down to capture the essence of the moment.

It's another instance where everything clicks instrumentally for me. The limber bassline, the hi-hat and cymbal work, the artful guitar accentuations, it all snaps together perfectly. When the song hits with the “rock freak” refrain during the breakdown, I get sucked into the resulting rhythm every time.

As a mobile DJ, I became known for adding vintage disco and R&B songs to my mixes for added flavor. The idea was always to get a reaction that sounded like, “Oh yes, this song. I forgot how good this was.” Let's just say “Disco Nights (Rock Freak)” elicited more than a few of those reactions from partygoers who'd come and ask me what the title and artist were.

This was all before Shazam and similar apps.

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What's your favorite disco club banger? Sound off in the comments below.