The movie "Saturday Night Fever" and its soundtrack are usually credited with the explosion of disco music. Some historians speculate that the popularity of disco music and dancing was the result of a generation attempting to forget and escape from severe societal problems of the 1960s and early 1970s associated with the Vietnam War and political fall-out from President Nixon's Watergate scandal.
There were many social figures responsible for creating and popularizing disco music. Gloria Gaynor, John Travolta, Donna Summer, Alicia Bridges, The Village People, and the Bee Gees were just a few who became household names during the disco era.
"Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive," as recorded by the Bee Gees, were top songs contained on the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack. Donna Summer's "Last Dance," which appeared on the soundtrack from the movie "Thank God It's Friday," is another song that popularized disco. These songs and other disco music contained lyrics referring to disco dancing and such song lyrics were set to music that was rhythmic and easy to dance to.