From The 90s To…The 90s Floor: DJ Jon Paul Keeps The Decades Spirit Alive
Here’s what could be a shocking fact to many of you reading this article: Decades has existed in Washington, DC prior to 2016. In fact, from 1997-1999, a nightclub called Decades playing the best hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s on multiple floors existed in a space one block south of the square footage occupied by Ultrabar on 9th and F Sts. NW. Amazingly enough, as the current four-level Decades at 1219 Connecticut Avenue NW spins beloved hits from the 90s, 2000’s and the modern day, it’s DC Metropolitan area nightlife veteran Megawatt DJ Jon Paul who amazingly has, and currently does, spin at both the classic and current Decades locations! When describing how he has viewed his work as a disc jockey in the DC in a career that literally spans “between the Decades,” the veteran mixer notes that he enjoys “delighting and exciting crowds with outstanding performances.” If the sweat-drenched and hoarse-voiced bodies leaving Decades’ 90s floor on most any Saturday night when Jon Paul is behind the decks are any indication, he’s definitely achieving his goal. The secrets to his success and his thoughts about old versus new Decades? Well, they’re right here for you to enjoy! Retro is new again (and again)!
So, when did the old Decades open as a party, how long did it run, what exactly was the concept behind the old idea Continue reading “From The 90s To…The 90s Floor: DJ Jon Paul Keeps The Decades Spirit Alive”
DECADES presents…The Top 20 Club-Crushing Dance Songs Of The 1990s
At our club Decades, we have a VERY soft spot in our heart for the unique throwback vibes on all three of our floors. However, if you really stop and think about it, there may be nothing more special than the retro vibes sparked by hearing dance songs from the 1990s. In one ten-year period, dance music exploded worldwide (again). However, aside from disco and electro, it was disco, electro, house, techno, hip-house, Hi-NRG, happy hardcore, Eurodance, trance, and so many more genres that gained in popularity. Therefore, in one 20 song list, you’re likely to find as many underground club smashes as tracks that can bring arenas and stadiums to their feet to this day. Now, imagine coming to one floor of a nightclub and experiencing ALL of that energy (and more), as if time were standing still. We’ll see you soon!
NUMBERS 20-11
20. Black Box – Everybody Everybody (1990) (PURCHASE)
19. Crystal Waters – 100% Pure Love (1994) (PURCHASE)
18. Tori Amos – Professional Widow (Armand van Helden Remix) (1996) (PURCHASE)
17. Captain Hollywood Project – More And More (1992) (PURCHASE)
16. Whitney Houston – It’s Not Right But It’s Okay (Thunderpuss Club Mix) (1998) (PURCHASE)
15. Bucketheads – The Bomb (1995) (PURCHASE)
14. Ultra Nate – Free (1997) (PURCHASE)
13. Deee-Lite – Groove Is In The Heart (1990) (PURCHASE)
12. Madonna – Ray of Light (1998) (PURCHASE)
11. Crystal Waters – Gypsy Woman (1991) (PURCHASE)
10. Whitney Houston – I’m Every Woman (1992) (PURCHASE)
1978 disco queen Chaka Khan sang the original version of this female empowerment, but it’s Whitney Houston’s version of it that can be found on the soundtrack of her film The Bodyguard which became one of our most beloved dance songs of the 1990s
9. Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You (1998) (PURCHASE)
Before he was one-half of Daft Punk, French producer Thomas Bangalter crafted a seductive worldwide hit single with this massive and iconic house hit.
8. Faithless – Insomnia (1996) (PURCHASE)
DJ and producer-wise, this UK smash is in-arguably one of the most influential dance songs of all time. A number one hit in both Europe and America, it’s a worldwide hit that was re-released 20 years later as remixed by none other than Avicii.
7. C & C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat (1991) (PURCHASE)
Rapper Freedom Williams and vocalist Martha Wash combine two eras and styles of dance music mastery on Robert Civiles and David Cole’s (the C & C in C & C Music Factory) freestyle, house, and hip-hop fusion pop platinum seller.
6. La Bouche – Be My Lover (1995) (PURCHASE)
German Eurodance pop hit “Be My Lover” is so deeply connected to the 1990s and dance music culture that it has been featured in everything from films like A Night At The Roxbury and Romy and Michelle’s High School Wedding to Saturday morning programs like Bill Nye The Science Guy and more.
5 (tie). Haddaway – What Is Love? (1993) (PURCHASE)
Speaking of A Night At The Roxbury, the film’s ultimate success is based around the use of Haddaway’s single to key Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan’s incessant headbobbing and body-thrusting “mating dance” of sorts. In fact, if you were to walk up to pretty much anyone who is old enough to remember the sketch and the movie, it actually triggers memories of the entire Eurodance-as-American pop era of music.
5 (tie). Snap – The Power (1990) (PURCHASE)
America’s hip-house movement was just under five years old when German-based duo Snap took American rapper Chill Rob G’s original version of this track and gave it a nitro-powered boost to the top of the global dance charts. Pair this one back-to-back with Snap’s other huge hit “Rhythm is a Dancer” and it’s an epic one-two punch of epic 90s excitement.
4. Deborah Cox – Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here (Hex Hector Remix) (1999) (PURCHASE)
Soulful house, rhythm and blues and masterful remixing converged when Canadian pop vocalist Deborah Cox’s end of the 90s crossover surprise chart-topper was remixed to great success by Hex Hector.
3. Madonna – Vogue (1990) (PURCHASE)
It’s an ultimate showcase of what makes Madonna the star that she is that she was able to mix New York City’s underground dance culture with pop songwriting and create a song that not only topped the charts on the dancefloors, but on the radio, too.
2. Los Del Rio – Macarena (1996) (PURCHASE)
There’s the “Electric Slide,” the “Cupid Shuffle,” and the “Cha Cha Slide.” However, none of those songs have had the massive pop success and longevity of Spanish duo Los Del Rio’s catch smash “Macarena.” How a song about a seductive woman who *really* loves to dance is one of the most identifiable songs of 90s dance is anyone’s best guess, but is unequivocally is.
1. Cher – Believe (1999) (PURCHASE)
Cher. Yes, no matter what you think about music or entertainment in general, you definitely have an opinion. Cher singing an entire dance song in auto-tune? If it were probably any other iconic vocalist, it’s a horrible idea. But there’s something about Cher, maybe in her mix of fashion, cheese, and undeniable talent that just makes all of this come together. Some seven million singles sold and worldwide #1 success later, and it set the 90s standard for dance excellence.
The 90s Boom Could Last Forever
Don’t think for a second that millions of viral Youtube video clips of people dancing a version of the Running Man dance to R & B hits, pop acts like Duran Duran and 98 Degrees reuniting and playing 20 tour dates in August 2016 alone, MTV program Daria resurfacing, Pokemon being the world’s most popular video game and Mariah Carey seductively posing on the cover of mainstream magazines are five unrelated events from the past three months. In fact, they’re connected by the fact that they prove that the 1990s and retro culture in general are incredibly popular right now. In presenting facts, figures and thinking about what the future may hold, we’ll get a sense of why love for the 1990s could possibly not be just a trend, but rather, the start of a phenomenon that lasts forever.
Recently, Viacom has swapped brands and concepts on it’s “classic” music channel. VH1 Classic is now MTV Classic, and is not just focusing on throwback content in general from the Viacom family of music networks. Instead, the new MTV Classic is specifically ‘90s focused, with MTV President Sean Atkins noting that “MTV’s [‘90s] programming vault is a music and pop culture goldmine with universal resonance.”
‘90s music reaching “goldmine” status should be obvious by now, but to break the trend down by simple numbers, overall music sales in the 1990s rose roughly 75%, while in the years since 2000, overall sales have dipped 64%. If you’re NOT looking for numbers as proof, ask yourself just how quickly you specifically downloaded and paid $20 for the Tidal app *just* to hear Prince’s feel-good hits from the 1990s after he unexpectedly passed away.
Nostalgic feelings for the 1990s are not just limited to music. In 1996, the top five comedies on free television were watched in 54 million homes. Comparatively, in 2014, there were only three comedies in the top 30 TV programs on free television, and these programs were viewed by 27 million households. Clearly, while there’s certainly more broadcasting options than ever before, the ratings also show that people could easily want to watch ‘90s TV shows again. Need proof? 1996’s top-ranked comedy was Seinfeld, and famously, the streaming broadcast rights for the show were sold to Hulu last year for $160 million. That’s a lot of puffy shirts.
Discussing music again, there’s also the idea to consider that for every modern day Drake and Kanye that become superstars, that we’re not comparatively creating the seemingly never-ending list of ‘90s rap stars that include Biggie, Tupac, LL Cool J, Puff Daddy, Busta Rhymes, Dre and Snoop, Meth and Red, and so many more.
Here’s a quick number to drive home that point. There’s a group of 11 artists who had #1 singles for 42% of the 1990s. By comparison, there’s 11 artists who have had #1 singles in the 2010s, but for 71% — or nearly twice as long. This definitely allows for fewer options to break through as superstars.
In 20 years, imagine say, Desiigner, going on a sold out tour like the 1990s-beloved 98 Degrees, “I Love The ‘90s” Tour participants Salt-N-Pepa, Kid ‘N Play, Vanilla Ice and Coolio, “90sFest” Tour headliners Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Spin Doctors, or say, current Billboard pop chart toppers Blink-182. It’s safe to say that a nostalgia tour where “Panda” and “Timmy Turner” are played on repeat probably will not happen.
What happens when fewer records sell, modern entertainment isn’t so entertaining, there are fewer current superstars and people want fun experiences more than ever before? People literally start doing the Running Man again. Exactly.
The ‘90s boom is not a joke. Instead, it’s a sign of things to come, and things that also may last forever. Now, imagine if there were a club, let’s say in Washington, DC, where people could hear their favorite ‘90s tunes played all night long.
Decades is coming soon.
