Released in May 1994, “No Good (Start the Dance)” is one of The Prodigy’s most iconic and genre-defining tracks. Taken from their second album, Music for the Jilted Generation, the song marked a key moment in the evolution of UK rave culture, combining aggressive beats, bold sampling, and a rebellious energy that propelled The Prodigy into global prominence.
At its core, “No Good (Start the Dance)” is a high-octane fusion of breakbeat hardcore, techno, and early jungle, with touches of industrial and punk attitude. It’s built around a relentless, skittering drum pattern and a pounding bassline, layered with distorted synth stabs and intense tempo shifts that capture the chaos and euphoria of the underground rave scene.
The track’s signature hook comes from a looped vocal sample: “You’re no good for me, I don’t need nobody…”—taken from Kelly Charles’ 1987 dance track “You’re No Good for Me.” Producer Liam Howlett manipulated the sample into a hypnotic mantra, turning a soulful vocal into a defiant battle cry against conformity. Ironically, Howlett initially didn’t want to use the vocal, thinking it was too “pop,” but its contrast with the dark, frenetic beat became one of the song’s most compelling features.
“No Good (Start the Dance)” wasn’t just a club banger—it was a crossover hit. It reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart and performed well across Europe, helping to bring the underground rave movement into the mainstream spotlight. The music video, directed by Walter Stern, matched the song’s intensity with gritty, fast-cut visuals of dancers in dim, strobe-lit warehouse spaces—perfectly reflecting the raw, kinetic energy of 1990s rave culture.
The song was a statement—not just about music, but about youth resistance, anti-establishment attitude, and the raw power of rhythm. It was also a glimpse of things to come: Music for the Jilted Generation would go on to solidify The Prodigy as leaders in electronic music, paving the way for even more genre-defying work like “Firestarter” and “Breathe.”
“No Good (Start the Dance)” is more than a rave anthem—it’s a cultural touchstone. By fusing breakbeat intensity with an irresistible vocal sample and anarchic spirit, The Prodigy delivered a track that defined an era and broke down the barriers between electronic music and rock rebellion. Decades later, it still hits as hard as ever—urgent, unfiltered, and unforgettable.