Discotheques, or “discos” for short, originated as French clubs in the early 1940s during the Nazi occupation, which played recorded popular music instead of having live bands. This style of club, playing records, later developed into a widespread cultural phenomenon in New York City’s underground scene during the early 1970s, where marginalized groups found community and freedom. The word “disco” itself comes from “discotheque” and is primarily associated with the music and subculture that exploded in popularity in the mainstream during the 1970s.Â