The most common lyrical themes included melodramatic lyrics about unrequited love. The genre was additionally influenced by other popular music styles within Europe, namely Italo disco, a music genre which originated in Italy and was mainly produced from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. Pioneers of the genre include the band Bayer Full, which was founded on November 19, 1984, and Top One, formed in 1986. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, more bands emerged, such as Akcent, Atlantis, Boys, and Fanatic. Blue Star, a record label in Reguły was the first official record label that published disco polo in Poland.

This burgeoning style of music was coined by label owner Sławomir Skręta as piosenka chodnikowa, or 'sidewalk music', which was a reference to the main means of distribution: records were sold primarily in stalls on streets and bazaars. Scenes were centered in Białystok and other cities in the province of Podlasie, with regional scenes in Żyrardów and Sochaczew. ' Mydełko Fa' ('Fa Soap'), recorded in 1991 by Marek Kondrat and Marlena Drozdowska, was created as a parody of the genre, but ended up popularising it further.

Sidewalk music was played in country picnics, county depots, weddings, as well as political campaigns for Polish parliament and presidential elections. Former president Aleksander Kwaśniewski was one of the most notable examples of politicians who used disco polo during his presidential campaign. Skręta coined the name 'disco polo' in 1993, taking influence from the name Italo disco.

The name caught on and replaced 'sidewalk music'.

Muzyka disco polo akcent