Hi-NRG

Hi-NRG developed during the end of the 1970s on the heels of Electro-Disco and quickly became the most popular Electronic Dance Music genre in the LGBT club scenes of San Francisco and New York. The seminal Donna Summer single "I Feel Love" (1977), produced by Giorgio Moroder, is widely credited to be the first Hi-NRG song and made a huge impact on the club scene. In an interview, Summer described it as having a "high-energy vibe", which became the name for the entire genre. "I Feel Love" was covered or remixed by many important Hi-NRG artists and contained the following stylistic characteristics: octave basslines; an upbeat, sometimes aggressive four-on-the-floor rhythm; high-pitched, dreamy vocals, and usually no funk elements. Along with Moroder, Bobby O and Patrick Cowley were the most successful and influential producers. Among the most popular Hi-NRG artists were Sylvester, The Flirts and Divine. The genre had influence on House music, which replaced Hi-NRG as the club music of choice during the second half of the 1980s.