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100 Greatest Electro Dance Songs

Background: Electro music evolved from disco, funk, and Krautrock, especially Kraftwerk. There are generally two types of electro - soulful electro (Freeez, D-Train, and NYC Peech Boys) and the hip hop of electro-funk (Afrika Bambaataa, Freestyle, and Newcleus). Electro-funk was birthed by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force's 1982 track "Planet Rock". Electro music peaked from 1982 to 1985 and was revived again in the '90s with artists such as Drexciya, Anthony Rother, and Aux 88. A variant, electroclash, was born in the late '90s and early '00s with artists such as Tiga, Adult, Fischerspooner, and Little Computer People.

Criteria: The 100 greatest Electro records of all time. Songs are based on impact, influence, and popularity. Electro records that are more freestyle-oriented (such as Shannon's "Let the Music Play") are excluded.

Edited By: Jeff B.
Last Updated: 2007-08-21
  1. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
  2. The Message - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
  3. Rockit - Herbie Hancock (with Grandmaster D. St.)
  4. Looking For the Perfect Beat - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
  5. White Lines (Don't Do It) - Grandmaster Melle Mel
  7. Clear - Cybotron feat. Juan Atkins
  8. Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don't Stop) - Man Parrish feat. The Freeze Force Crew
  9. Situation - Yaz (Yazoo)
10. You're the One For Me - D-Train
11. Jam On It - Newcleus
12. Don't Make Me Wait (All Night) - NYC Peech Boys
13. Al-Naafiysh (The Soul) - Hashim
14. I.O.U. (And Sometimes Y) - Freeez feat. John Rocca
15. Don't Stop the Rock - Freestyle
16. Play At Your Own Risk - Planet Patrol
17. Egypt, Egypt - Egyptian Lover
18. Electric Kingdom - Twilight 22
19. The Smurf - Tyrone Brunson
20. Wild Style - Time Zone
21. Play That Beat Mr. DJ (Lesson 1: The Payoff Mix) - Double Dee & Steinski
22. The Show - Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew feat. Slick Rick
23. (You Make My) Love Come Down - Evelyn "Champagne" King
24. Jam On Revenge (The Wikki-Wikki Song) - Newcleus
25. Pack Jam (Look Out For the OVC) - Jonzun Crew
26. Body Mechanic - Quadrant Six
27. Nunk (New Wave Funk) - Warp 9
28. Roxanne Roxanne - U.T.F.O.
29. Buffalo Gals - Malcolm McLaren & The World Famous Supreme Team
30. One For the Treble (Fresh) - Davy DMX
31. No Sell Out - Malcolm X and Keith LeBlanc
32. The Party Scene - Russell Brothers
33. Beat Bop - Rammellzee vs K-Rob
34. Break Dancin' - Electric Boogie - West Street Mob
35. It's Like That - Run DMC
36. Walking on Sunshine - Rocker's Revenge feat. Donnie Calvin
37. One More Shot - C-Bank feat. Jenny Burton
38. Play That Beat Mr. DJ - G.L.O.B.E. & Whiz Kid
39. Breakin' & There's No Stoppin' Us - Ollie & Jerry
40. Freaks Come Out At Night - Whodini
41. Fresh Is the Word - Mantronix feat. MC Tee
42. World Destruction - Time Zone
43. Light Years Away - Warp 9
44. I Can't Live Without My Radio - L.L. Cool J.
45. The Real Roxanne - The Real Roxanne with U.T.F.O./Roxanne's Revenge - Roxanne Shante
46. The Show - Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew feat. Slick Rick- La Di Da Di
47. 808 Beats - Unknown DJ
48. Friends - Whodini
49. Bad Times (I Can't Stand it) - Captain Rapp
50. The Roof is on Fire - Rock Master Scott & The Dynamic Three
51. Boogie Down Bronx - Man Parrish
52. It's Yours - T. La Rock & Jazzy Jay
53. Scorpio - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
54. Fix It In the Mix - "Pretty Tony" Butler
55. Electric Funky Drummer - Maurice Starr
56. Siberian Nights - Twilight 22
57. Set It Off - Strafe
58. Surgery - The Wreckin' Cru
59. King of the Beat - Pumpkin & The Profile Allstars
60. Breakin' In Space - Key-Matic
61. Rockin' It - Fearless 4
62. Magic's Wand - Whodini
63. Rockberry Jam - L.A. Dream Team
64. Breaker's Revenge - Arthur Baker
65. Change the Beat - Fab 5 Freddy
66. (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew - The Rocksteady Crew
67. Dial-A-Freak - Uncle Jam's Army
68. Double Dutch Bus - Frankie Smith
69. Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight - Dominatrix
70. Rumors - Timex Social Club
71. White Horse - Laid Back
72. Get Wet - C-Bank feat. Jenny Burton
73. Pop Goes My Love - Freeez feat. John Rocca
74. Beat Box - Art of Noise
75. (Nothing Serious) Just Buggin' - Whistle
76. Tour De France - Kraftwerk
77. In the Bottle - C.O.D.
78. Juice - The Wreckin' Cru
79. What People Do For Money - Divine Sounds
80. I'm the Packman (Eat Everything I Can) - The Packman
81. Computer Power - Jamie Jupitor
82. Return of Captain Rock - Captain Rock
83. 2, 3 Break - The B-Boys
84. Reckless - Chris "The Glove" Taylor and David Storrs with Ice T.
85. Confusion - New Order
86. Techno Scratch - Knights of the Turntables
87. Can You Feel It? - Original Concept
88. Freak-A-Zoid - Midnight Starr
89. Needle To the Groove - Mantronix
90. Street Dance - Break Machine
91. Cheap Thrills - Planet Patrol
92. Thanks To You - Sinnamon
93. I'm In Love - Evelyn "Champagne" King
94. Just Be Good To Me - S.O.S. Band
95. 19 - Paul Hardcastle
96. Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer
97. London Bridge Is Falling Down - Newtrament
98. Big Butt - Bobby Jimmy & The Critters
99. Strange Life - Arabian Prince
100. Beat Freak - Bobby Broom
DJ, rapper, record producer and electro musician Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa


DJ and electro musician Grandmaster Flash
Grandmaster Flash






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Bubbling under:
Candy Girl - New Edition
Sucker DJs (I Will Survive) - Dimples D.
Din Daa Daa (Trommeltanz) - George Kranz
Rock the Planet - Megatrons

Honerable Mentions:
On a Journey (I Sing the Funk Electric) - Electrik Funk
Electrophonic Phunk - Shock

Top 5 Electro-Freestyle Records
*ranked on their impact/influence on electro music
1. Let the Music Play - Shannon
2. I Wonder If I Take You Home - Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam
3. When I Hear Music - Debbie Deb
4. Don't Stop the Rock - Freestyle
5. Lookout Weekend - Debbie Deb
6. Funky Little Beat - Connie
7. Give Me the Night - Shannon
8. On the Upside - Xena
9. Release Yourself - Aleem feat. LeRoy Burgess
10. All Night - Trinere
Top 5 Early Techno Electro Records
1. Clear - Cybotron feat. Juan Atkins
2. No U.F.O.s - Model 500
3. Technicolor - Channel One
4. Techno City - Cybotron
5. Off To Battle - Model 500
Crucial Neo-Electro Songs
Human Wreck - Adult
Red Light District - Anthony Rother
Superior Race- Aux 88 pres. Dopplereffekt
Satisfaction - Benny Benassi pres. The Biz
1, 2 Step - Ciara feat. Missy Elliott
Sandwiches - Detroit Grand Pubahs
Bubblemetropolis - Drexciya
Skin - Ectomorph
Silver Screen Shower Scene - Felix the Housecat feat. Miss Kittin
Emerge - Fischerspooner feat. Lizzy Yoder
Keynell I - Gescom
Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass (Alden Tyrell mix) - I-F
May the Funk Be With You - Jedi Knights
No More Lies - Michel'le
Lose Control - Missy Elliott feat. Ciara and Fatman Scoop
Fuck the Pain Away - Peaches
Comfortably Numb - Scissor Sisters
Sunglasses At Night - Tiga & Zyntherius
Electronic Warfare (Take Control mix) - Underground Resistance
Influential Records
1. Trans-Europe Express - Kraftwerk
2. I Feel Love - Donna Summer
3. Autobahn - Kraftwerk
4. Computer Games - Yellow Magic Orchestra
5. Numbers - Kraftwerk
6. Alleys of Your Mind - Cybotron
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