The term disco is a shortened form of discothèque, a French word meaning “record library,
” and refers generally to
dance clubs
that play recorded music rather than using live bands. The first venues to call themselves
discothèques
developed in France during the German occupation of World War II, when jazz was banned and underground clubs that wanted to continue playing it were forced to rely on contraband albums rather than live acts. Discothèques flourished in many cities after...
