In Chicago during the 1980s, queer DJs invented a new music genre and named it “house music.” The name “house” was developed in Warehouse, a historically black gay club in Chicago, Illinois.
House music is a broad term, but it can be categorized by its recognizable 4/4 beat and a fast tempo of 120 to 130 beats per minute. Despite its humble beginnings, house has become a popular choice for many. Today, house music is produced and released by DJs who mix, create, sample, and recruit vocalists. DJs such as Dom Dolla, Disclosure, Zedd, Calvin Harris, Charis Lake, and It’s Murph have recently been dominating the genre. As of Today, Chicago DJ John Summit’s “Where You Are,” featuring HAYLA, is arguably the most popular house song. Forbes Magazine described Summit’s music as “a masterclass in unbound creativity.”
In 2025, house music has had a massive resurgence, as DJs are stepping away from pop and dance music and focusing more on bass-heavy beats that are adjacent to classic house music. With each new record DJs create, more and more songs are being produced for a dance club environment rather than the conventional radio listener.
Alongside these house artists, mainstream pop musicians have been crossing over and leaning into the sound of house music. Singer Addison Rae recently started working with hit producer Arca — deliverer of some of the biggest house hits of the 2020s. Arca and Rae released an experimental reggaeton club remix of her song “Aquamarine,” titling the mix “Arcamarine.” Rae’s exploration into the genre is just one example of the modern move towards house.
At B-CC, house music has become popular because many people simply want to dance more. “House music has blended more into pop culture than in the past,” senior Wyatt Stark shares. Junior Virgina Giller agrees with Stark: “There’s been a big growth in [the] appreciation of music that has really strong beats, instead of pop.” Giller continues, “I feel like pop in the 2000s was really popular, and now it’s more about bass and the beats because it gets people really energized and can change the vibe of the whole place you’re in.”
The impact of today’s house music on B-CC’s youth is massive. Junior Daphna Pincus states, “I think house music has definitely risen a lot this year. Especially since last spring, I’ve been getting really into house music. I listen to all the classics such as John Summit, etc. It’s party music, and a lot of the time I listen to it on Fridays to get me hyped for the weekend.”
Throughout the year, house music has risen to be enormous both nationally and internationally. With house music taking over pop music, more artists are exploring house styles, and more audiences are indulging in the party vibe.
