Village People is an American disco group known for its on-stage costumes, catchy tunes, and suggestive lyrics. The group was originally formed by French producers Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis following the release of the debut album Village People, which targeted disco's large gay audience. The group's name refers to Manhattan's Greenwich Village, with its reputation as a gay neighborhood. The characters were a symbolic group of American masculinity and macho gay-fantasy personas.
The group quickly became popular and moved into the mainstream, scoring several disco and dance hits internationally, including the hit singles "Macho Man", "In the Navy", "Go West" and their biggest hit, "Y.M.C.A." In March 2020, the US Library of Congress described the last as "an American phenomenon" and added the song to the National Recording Registry, which preserves audio recordings considered to be "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".
Last Updated: June 9, 2021
