“The Hustle” was the Van McCoy instrumental that gave its name to a popular 1970s disco dance.
Released in 1975, the recording was performed by Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony. McCoy wrote the song with Charles Kipps, and the track used bright orchestration, a steady dance beat, and a memorable melodic hook that suited the emerging nightclub culture.
The record became a major commercial success, reaching number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1976.
“The Hustle” refers both to the recording and to several related partner-dance styles that spread through clubs and television. Those dance variations were not identical everywhere, so the song title is the safest single answer. The track is often remembered as one of disco’s defining crossover instrumentals.