Biography: Village People

In 1977, French record producer Jacques Morali (Ritchie Family) dreamed of creating a fun, campy disco group who would both mock and celebrate gay stereotypes in a way that would be palatable for the public at large. The result was the famous lineup of characters in the Village People: the cop, the cowboy, the "Indian Chief," the construction worker, the military man, and the biker. During the late '70s, the group had three smash hits and a few lesser ones that, taken as a whole, are the quintessential representation of the brief, fiery conflagration that was disco. Although the band's popularity tanked as the disco era crashed and burned, their hits live on. There is still no faster way to fill a dance floor than by cranking "Y.M.C.A." and watching the limbs flail.