Chic recorded “Good Times,” the 1979 disco single that influenced early hip-hop.
The song was performed by the American band Chic, whose core creative partnership included guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. Its tightly repeated bass line, clipped guitar, and elegant dance groove became hallmarks of Chic’s sound.
“Good Times” reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. Its rhythm section became especially important beyond disco: the Sugarhill Gang used an interpolation of its bass line in “Rapper’s Delight,” helping connect disco musicianship with the emerging commercial hip-hop scene.
A frequent mistake is attributing “Good Times” to Sister Sledge, another act closely associated with Rodgers and Edwards. The pair wrote and produced Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” but “Good Times” is a Chic recording.