Chic

USA, 1976–now

American band of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. 'Le Freak' and 'Good Times' pair Rodgers's muted rhythm guitar with Edwards's melodic bass, a combination sampled and copied throughout disco, hip-hop and pop.

MusicRoots documents 2 artists who influenced Chic and 8 artists Chic influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Chic?

• Roxy Music — Nile Rodgers has told the story many times: seeing Roxy Music in London in 1976 directly inspired the concept of Chic as a total-style band.
• James Brown — Brown's rhythmic architecture is the documented foundation of the Chic groove Rodgers and Edwards built.

Which artists did Chic influence?

• Dua Lipa — The string-and-bass groove of Future Nostalgia revives Chic's disco sound — Nile Rodgers even features on the album.
• Sister Sledge — Sister Sledge's defining hits 'We Are Family' and 'Lost in Music' were written and produced by Chic's Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, giving them the Chic sound.
• Madonna — Chic's disco — Nile Rodgers went on to produce Like a Virgin — was foundational to Madonna's dance-pop sound.
• Queen — John Deacon was in the studio while Chic cut 'Good Times' and built 'Another One Bites the Dust' on that groove — Nile Rodgers called it an homage.
• Daft Punk — Nile Rodgers' Chic grooves are the rhythmic DNA of French touch; Daft Punk brought Rodgers in to co-create 'Get Lucky'.
• Duran Duran — John Taylor built his basslines on Nile Rodgers and Chic — the funk engine the band later brought Rodgers in to produce.
• The Sugarhill Gang — 'Rapper's Delight' was built on the bassline of Chic's 'Good Times' — re-played by session musicians — making Chic the musical foundation of the record.
• Orange Juice — The other half, and the unlikely one: Nile Rodgers's chopped rhythm guitar is what makes a Glasgow post-punk record danceable instead of grim.