Remembering Victor Willis: How He Wrote the Disco Anthem “Y.M.C.A.”

Timeless: Stories from the Library of Congress

07/01/2026 04:03 PM EDT

-Victor Willis, the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the Village People, died yesterday at the age of 74, his wife announced in a statement this morning. The Library inducted "Y.M.C.A." into the National Recording Registry in 2020 and we caught up with him for a delightful phone interview. He politely recounted how he had written one of the most iconic songs in American pop music history. We reprint it today in honor of his passing. 

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