Chicago reached its commercial apex with treachly pop in the 1980s, but with “Street Player” they showed a suprising ability to satisfy hardcore dancers when so inspired. 

Originally performed by Rufus, Chicago made the song their own and turned out all the stops: the rhythm was kicking, Peter Cetera had never sounded so soulful, the lyrics were a quintessential expression of the streetwise nightlife aesthetic, and Maynard Ferguson’s characteristic high-pitched horn parts were the icing on this essential club groove. 

Despite the song's quality, Chicago's fan base considered the song a blatant attempt at selling out to disco madness, and it flopped. The group had the last laugh when "Street Player" was revived in 1995 as the cornerstone of "These Sounds," the massive club hit from Kenny Dope’s disco tribute side project Bucketheads.