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dance music

dance music

16 1.4
Music with a strong beat that people dance to at parties
  • noun
  • /dæns ˈmjuːzɪk/
translation icon : música bailable
  • The club was filled with people enjoying the energetic dance music that got everyone on their feet.
  • mainstream dance music

I had my first proper experience of dance music when I worked at Alders.

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Examples

  • There was dance music from a wireless in some room off the corridor.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • If anything, EDM in its current form is a product of the early 90s dance music you reference.

    Blog text (28)
  • But, you know, dance music was very foreign to me in that respect.

  • What's exciting right now is that everyone can experience dance music via modern technology.

    Blog text (28)
  • I had my first proper experience of dance music when I worked at Alders.

  • The restaurant was very noisy due to the constant loud dance music.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Two hundred people are gyrating to eerie techno-tribal dance music.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Students will reinforce letters, numbers, and patterns while exploring different styles of dance music through critical listening and reading narratives about dance and classical music.

    Academic text (2011)
  • "Shotgun" is a concentrated dose of dance music, Motown-style, with fevered imagery to match the blisteringly hot music.

    Blog text (1)
  • At the wedding reception, they played lively dance music that encouraged guests to join the celebration.

Synonyms

boogie
vsdance music
75 7.5

Lively blues music played on piano with a strong, fast beat

is more generally made for dancing across varied social occasions
swing
vsdance music
60 4.8

A lively jazz music style with a strong rhythm

is more general and covers many dance occasions beyond jazz styles
techno
vsdance music
41 4.4

Fast, loud electronic dance music that people dance to in clubs, usually without singing

is not limited to fast electronic club styles
dubstep
vsdance music
7 6.3

A type of electronic dance music with heavy bass and fast beats at about 140 beats a minute

is a broader category of rhythmic music for many social events
disco music
vsdance music
4 1.9

Dance music with a strong steady beat for dancing in clubs from the 1970s

is music with strong rhythm made for dancing at parties
dancehall
vsdance music
1 3.5

Jamaican music with a strong beat and energetic vocals for dancing

is broader, used across many party and social dance styles
beat music
vsdance music
  • Archaic
1 4.0

A style of pop rock from 1960s Britain with strong rhythms and simple melodies

is specifically intended for dancing at parties and social events
ballroom music
vsdance music
3.4

Music played for couples to dance to, like the waltz

is broader, made for many dance types at casual social events
danceroom music
vsdance music
3.5

Music people dance to in a ballroom, like waltz or foxtrot

is more general, meant for dancing at parties or social gatherings
square-dance music
vsdance music
  • US
3.2

Music played to accompany square dancing, often with lively fiddle or banjo rhythms

is broader, made for many social dance styles rather than only group sets

How Danceable

dance music
16 1.4
pop
315 1.4
gentle Muzak
  • US
6.7

Surface Forms

dance music singular
dance musics plural

Morphology

dance + music

The meaning 'music made for people to dance to' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'dance' (to move rhythmically to music) with 'music' (organized sound); the compound simply specifies the purpose or style of the music. This compositional pattern is common across languages and follows predictable English noun-noun modification, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrase dance music comes from the simple idea of dance and music: people wanted music with a strong, steady beat so they could 'dance' at a 'party' or club. That's why it means music with a strong beat made for people to dance.