Disco
The song was written by brothers Gerald and Peter Jackson. They were keyboardists, session musicians, and members of the R&B group Touch of Class. The song is simply about the music itself — especially the beat and the percussion. It was recorded by Vicki Sue Robinson in 1976 and became a disco classic. The song was released on Robinson’s 1976 debut album Gonna Let You Go. It was also released as a single backed with “Lack of Respect.” And in 1976, “Turn the Beat Around” went to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Chart and #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and #15 on Cash Box. It rose to #14 in Canada. It also charted in Australia, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, and the U.K. Robinson earned a Grammy for Best Pop Female Vocal for the song.
There have been other popular versions by Laura Branigan and Gloria Estefan. It has also been featured in the TV shows The Sopranos and Ally McBeal. In film, it was featured in The Specialist, The Last Days of Disco, The Spirit of ’76, and The Martian.
Robinson was a theater and film actress as well as a singer. She was in the Broadway casts of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar.