The end of the nightclub era? 

Bottle service and egos ruined the club

Why is the club scene fading? Look at what we do to each other. We used to go and dance and act a fool, having a great time with friends. Now, people will record you, mock you, put you on the internet, turn you into a meme, shame you, and ruin your life. No one wants to risk being in that seat. People are scared to be human because society has taken more pleasure in throwing punches at those enjoying their life than in their freedom of expression.

I feel like people in clubs nowadays, at least where I live, are incredibly judgmental. I feel like I can’t dance without the fear of someone recording me and putting me on their Snapchat or Instagram story. Others also seem to always look for a fight even if you just make unintentional eye contact with them. The environment just feels overall very toxic. Most people are just standing around as well.

Went to a night show a few months ago after having not been to one in years. First thing I noticed about the younger generation was how they don’t “dress up” to go out. People wearing regular clothes, gym clothes with sneakers to go out at night. No effort in their appearance and then sat around in circles on phones. Nobody dances. Back in my 20s during the early 2000 we all got dressed nice, we socialized, danced and made fun of the wallflower folks refusing to get off their chairs. Such a strange experience watching this younger generation not understand how to have fun in a social way. No wonder they suffer from loneliness.

People are Awkward now... the phone is an escape for them.. not living in the moment.. they’re anxious.. it’s pathetic

Don’t forget the violence that happens in clubs. Too many shootings. Date r, fights and drama.

As a person who lived the early House music scene to the full 88-94, I'm so glad we did not have mobile phones then, just banging crowds all feeling a oneness with the music and each other.

I'm an older millennial and clubbed in the 2000s and early 2010s. It was so much fun. Even if you weren't a good dancer, you still had fun. Cellphones were flip phones and the only social media was MySpace(mid 2000s). I'm old now (turning 40 in three weeks) so I can only imagine how it is now.

I’m a lounge person , I just became a brunch girl and I enjoy chillin at my house and Inviting people over we play games and have good conversations . The club scene is too dangerous

Millennial here! Use to go clubbing in my early 20s and it was so much fun. Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Lil Jon, Usher, Rhianna would blast through the speakers and music would switch to dancehall. We would dance and have a good time! Hell we got dressed up to go to the club. The cell phone was used to call up friends but was quickly put away once inside. Once we left the club we would stop by a 24 hr diner having fun. I can't imagine the club experience not being like this anymore. I also blame today's current music. The music is not club bangers. It sounds like depression. It's a no wonder gen-z is reaching into the millennial bag for music. I don't blame them.

literally, every single component of our society is being demolished and redesigned to encourage people to not leave their homes. It’s so depressing. We’re watching the slow, rapidly accelerating deaths of nightlife.

I'm glad I'm married and over 50 now. The clubs in the 80s/90s were the places to be

Still in my 30s...and i haven't been to a club in almost 10 years. People go clubbing to show off and act all tough now. Not to relax and have a good time

NOBODY DANCE ANYMORE ! MEN ON ONE SIDE AND WOMEN ON THE OTHER ! EVERYBODY HATES EACH OTHER NOT LIKE BACK IN THE DAYS !

I'm 40 now and I am glad that when I was younger, I actually got a chance to go to clubs to dance and talk with people outside my immediate circle. Matter of fact, when I was clubbing, we actually practiced dances all week long so we could do them when we went out. Even though we had cell phones, pictures were grainy, so you just took them in to store numbers. I do agree, that these youngsters aren't actually living in the moments of their lives. They are just merely capturing snippets of what they think other people would envy. In some instances, technology has really taken us back instead of forward...

I experienced club culture back in 90s-2000s (I'm 43) and we actually had fun back then. We used to leave our brick cell phones(not everyone had cell phones back then) in the car, pay $10 to get in, buy a couple of drinks for $5 in a little plastic cup and had fun dancing all night. Guys would be doing their dance, girls had their our dance moves then we got together at the end of the night and had a blast. The DJ played music we could dance to and there was no sections, only VIP but nobody cared about that anyway because all the fun was happening on the dance floor. Nowadays all that is dead. Clubs now are just people pretending to have a good time for social media, people acting fake rich and everybody got a stink ass attitude for some reason. I'd rather watch paint dry.

I talked to a relative that is in their 20s and they don’t even go to clubs. They actually have never been to a club. They go to parties, but no clubs. It sounded bizarre to me. I think smart phones and social media have kinda killed people’s motivation to have in person interactions as much as in the past

It's too dangerous nowadays

Men woke up not to be scammed by these ladies nights.

Gem X here....I'm just going to say this....I went clubbing all thru out the 80s-90s...and even thru the 2000s...and I can proudly say that Those were the best years of my life...The generation now will Never know what that magical time was and I deeply feel sorry for them that they've missed out on ALL THE "REAL FUN in LIFE"!!!!!!🤭 LMAO!!!!!

All the complaints here are valid. My solution: I bought an online DJ software, I bought speakers, I bought colorful lights and a Disco ball. I converted my garage into my Disco dance room. Now on the weekends, I play my 70's Disco and dance until I''m spent, then go uptairs, shower and go to bed!

The culture isn’t fitting for it anymore. There are cost and fee’s for every single thing, customer service at establishments are horrible, men and women seem to not like eachother in a real way anymore, life itself is a challenge and not fitting for freedom and fun. No one dances or interacts anymore. The cell phone is a huge issue. Current music is trash, fashion trash, hair styles super basic and Everyone looks alike. Safety and violence is also an issue

I'm 33 and I've never been to a club and don't ever plan on going.

Social media ended the nightclub era. People would rather look at their phones than get on the dance floor. People are socially awkward these days.

It's been like this for at least 10 years

I clubbed from 17 to 33. After that, I was strictly a lounge lizard. I loved clubbing back in the day before social media. We did have cell phones and beepers but no one was glued to them like today. I miss those times. It was truly a vibe.

Not sure if some of yall are just getting old, or just don't know how to explore the city's wonderful variety of scenes . Houston has diverse night life. A club for just about every culture. you have the Middle Eastern clubs all down Richmond and fountain view area. Hookah spots, African clubs, Latin clubs by the handful, House clubs, grimey raves events, and then your standard pubs, bars, and hundreds of holes in the walls. Houston night life is not dying. I personally Dj at Sunset Rooftop on Dallas street in the eado area and I get that place popping with twerking, dancing, house dancing, etc. Yes people are on their phones but its usually the ones who walk around with a sour face the whole time . The rest of the people are there getting lit and dancing their night away, forgetting all about their bills and home issues, exactly what clubs are supposed to be for . I'm still witnessing people living in the moment, especially when the dj is doing his job right. Maybe this places that are getting "old" just got wack djs. Maybe the standards for a good dj have dropped so bad that bar owners and clubs owners can no longer get away with paying for the cheapest dj in the bucket of crabs pinching for any gig they can get their hands on . MAYBE this club owners should start investing a bit more on quality djs who know how to read and control a crowd . its not about STRAIGHT BANGERS. Its about keeping the crowd in waves. Understanding when you got them tired, when to give them a brake to hit the bar, when to drop the perfect song to bring them back un to the dancefloor . Idk just my humble 2 cents of a Local Houston dj in the industry for the past 13 yrs and seeing how club/ bar owners treat their DJ's.

Sadly the social media age killed the nightlife around the mid 2010s. And no one dresses up anymore. Gone are the days of a place to dance every night. 😭

I'm so glad I got to experience a majority of my 20's during the 90's. Back then ppl went out to have a good time by dancing, drinking and socializing. If you were single, going out was one of your best bets to meet someone. You had to because it was before smart phones and social media. Everyone was mainly concerned about what was going on in their own lives. It was just a different time when there was less fighting and shootings at the clubs. Also a time when ppl actually had fun and not had their heads down looking at a phone. And like I said before, I'm so glad I got to experience that time.

“It’s the music.” “It’s technology.” “It’s too expensive” “It’s too dangerous” “Nobody dances” “People don’t interact.” Guess what: You’re ALL correct! It’s everything everywhere all at once LITERALLY. With the exception of a few niche places (ie spots that play House music), this is the new normal in mainstream clubbing. I’m an older millennial so clubbing for me was fun back when I was in college and post grad. But this is not our wave. Every generation is different for a multitude of reasons. They socialize different. They date different. I don’t personally understand it either but there’s more than just 1 culprit for the nightclub era dying. The underlying reasons are way deeper but I’m gonna keep it at surface level because….conversations like that are not made for the internet. Ironic huh lol.

I feel as though we (Millennials) were the last generation to truly have a good time out at a nightclub. It's like when smartphones and social media became popular, clubs became boring and super expensive.

Bottle service and VIP areas ruined the club scene. Used to go to a club packed with hundreds of people and had to talk to others. It was so much fun. Now everyone thinks they’re too cool to talk. It’s awful now

Going to clubs in the 90's was a pivotal part of my maturation into adulthood. It was a way to meet girls and touch them in a non-threatening way. It was a way to get over my shyness and social anxiety, to get out of my head and into the world. I learned how my body could move. Slow dances were heaven. It was like jumping into the pool of life.

I can be my own waitress and bartender and still only spend 30 bucks

Bottle service killed the club! Dancefloor square footage had gotten teeny tiny to accommodate a more lounge-like atmosphere even though the music is too loud to actually socialize

Dang, I remember getting dressed up and excited to be going out. Parking was free, $2 - $5 to get your entry stamp and then dance and party all night. No one was fighting, shooting or killing each other. Just great fun. Some of the best years of my life. 🎉

Back in the late 70s and through the 80s, I enjoyed going to nightclubs. Back then, most were free; a pricy one might cost $5 to enter. I almost never encountered parking fees. It was more fun after I took ballroom dance lessons. I would attend dances at a gym, and they played current music, and other genres dating back to the 40s. I think the best way to bring back the nightclub scene is to do this. Today's music is unfit for dancing or even listening to.

Ain't nobody trying to die and pay for expensive drinks in the same night. The music is to violent driven.

I remember dancing at a club and someone came up to me and told me I'm brave lol 😂😂😂

I'm a millennial, and i have to say, there is something very wrong with Gen-Z. They don't know how to socialize. I take comedy classes with a bunch of Gen-Z people and nobody is talking to each other. They just sit around staring at the wall, or they stare at their phones, or their laptops. Imagine being in a room full of people and no one is saying anything to each other. It's like something out of a horror movie. It's kind of creepy. So it's not just the clubs, they're a very isolated and lonely generation wherever they go. SAD 😂

Cell phones and reserved seating killed the club

Young people has changed the culture. You have a nice place to go for adults, dancing, and socializing. When young people come in, the 40 plus moves out and the music changes. As an owner of numerous establishments, I keep the music and culture the same. All business isn't good business.

Clubbing in the early 2000s was so much fun! I went regularly up until like 2010. Then every blue moon until 2015. I think the last time I went was 2017 and it was pretty dry then. I have so many great memories with my friends though. And some not so great memories. But for the most part, we had a time. Every generation had a great club era. Sucks Gen Z won't get to have that experience.

Mid to late 70s Until late 90s were the best times to go clubbing. Wish I was alive to club in the 70s 😊. Late 90s was sweet 👍👍👍

Tinder broke clubs. Used to go get hooked up. Now people stop going cause people don’t like being randomly being groped by a stranger. Unsafe, dishonest new generation. Not worth meeting those people.

This is a generation of self centered robots trying to convince others on the screens that they are human.

In the late 20th Century, the club scene was for dancing, socializing, having a few cocktails, and relieving stress while having a good time. This generation has lost the art of socialization, and the joy of getting on the dance floor. Their phones and devices are the center of attention instead of people

clubbing has always been lame as hell

Clubs now are dying because it’s all about status, clout and egos. Nobody goes to have a actual good time but just to flex on people. It’s such a turn off. All you see in clubs now are a bunch of wannabe bougie celebrities trying to impress people that they have a table or to cool to socialize. People literally just stand on their phones taking videos pretending to have a good time and post it for clout and status. Social media destroyed everything

As a young Millennial, I started going out in 2009 and was clubbing for 10 years. I did notice things starting to change subtly around 2017, but the change was drastic after the pandemic. The music in the early-mid 10s was made for parties and good vibes; plus, we went to clubs to dance, enjoy the music, and meet people. I don't remember taking photos and sharing stories while in a club. I still try going out and visiting EDM festivals, but it's not the same. They either play music from the 00s and the 10s or some depressing sh*t from the 2020s that doesn't make you want to dance. Plus, people just stand there, scrolling through their phones, and not interacting. But when they dance, it's very vulgar twerking, especially because many clubs play reggaeton. They also pay hundreds of dollars/euros to sit in a VIP and take photos with expensive bottles, but that's about it. It does seem like the nightclub era is fading.

Can anybody remember vividly how it was b4 social media...when pay phones was on every block..man miss those days. Simpler times then..

No one wants to dance anymore because someone will film them and they’ll become a meme. Everyone just stands around and stares at eachother.

I"m glad to have been able to enjoy club life in the late 70's early 80's. The club vibe was fun, dancing to great music, drinking and having a good time!! The picture man was always at the club to take memorable pictures posing/sitting in the wicker chair. I miss those days!!

Another reason the club scene is dying is because of how hard it is to make good friends. So many people are toxic these days and want to see each other's downfall... just search youtube and you will find hundreds of videos of narcissistic friendships and the need to cut people off. Another reason is there's no return on investment... maybe around 2008 and back, you used to be able to go to a club and find somebody to be in a long-term relationship with or you could make a friend. Nowadays, men just want to take women to the bedroom and the girls just want to drug the men and rob 'em lol. It's like you're gonna spend all this money on parking, entrance, drinks just to go home with no new friends, no potential relationships... it's not worth it.

I’m definitely not having that much fun anymore like i used to 10 years ago or even longer… People don’t talk anymore … You enter a space and you leave that same space without saying a word to anyone… It’s more important for this generation to capture the moment than to live it… It’s a shame and sad at the same time … They think they are living it but actually its the exact opposite … I stopped going out period.I much prefer hanging out with my friends in my own house and grab some drinks and put some music on. You can call me old fashioned but I’m glad to be just like that. I’m not liking this new era and the way things are going…

The social scene has become self focused which is an antisocial scene. It's a narcissistic era.

Clubbing in the USA sucks/dead. This is why I save my $$, travel over seas a couple of times a yr, & have a very fun time clubbing/partying abroad. Internationally clubbing is great! I also get the perks of site seeing & learning about different cultures on the side.

When a shot of liquor cost $10/each and a mixed drink cost $20/each in damn Houston Texas.........its time to stay home

Reasons why I stopped clubbing: 1. I turned 24. Most stop partying at this age, I noticed. Probably because you value sleep more since your energy levels decline. 2. Miserable people. A shocking amount of people were just angry or upset. Some of the girls even looked lost. I always wondered yth were they there? Even the bartenders hated their lives too. 3. People can’t dance! They just stand around, usually on their cell phone. When they do ‘dance,’ it’s because they are so drunk. 4. Male:female ratio. I would go out early and it was majority female, which was nice. And I swear, by midnight, it was 80% male. And they were desperate and the girls would hide outside the bathrooms locking arms, tired of being hit on. 4. Because closed/house parties are better. Clubbing is actually a hostile environment since no one knows eachother.

I was big in the club scene 20 years ago in my 30's and 40's in San Francisco but people today are so rude and unfriendly. I can't imagine doing it today.

Going to clubs is not fun at all. When you go, you pay a cover charge. Then are forced to buy a section with over priced bottles. I miss just being able to dance and go home.

From an old school clubhead (1980's - 2010's), this new era HORRIBLE....😂 No couple dancing, too much cellphone use, too much line dancing, horrible music, and etc.!! Soul Train needs to come back on tv, to show how it was done!!

Used to go to clubs to approach and meet girls before the pandemic. Started noticing a decline then. Once things started reopening, I started noticing that most women in the clubs either brought their boyfriends or would literally just be there to post on insta/snap just to show other people that they’re there then look at me like I’m crazy when I try to talk to them. The club scene in America is trash

Gen Z is not clubbing. The Millennial scene was lame, but it was the last generation willing to shake it's ass in public. The modern scene is mostly girls taking reels yelling "yoooooo." Honestly if you younger guys are looking to party, make some money and go foreign. Be a digital nomad or something.

I wouldn't change growing up in the 80s. That's was the best clubbing times of all time. I could have done without the aids epidemic but that's about it. everything else was pretty awesome.

To much shooting going on there's always someone looking for trouble.

You guys failed to talk about how men are attacked and called creepy just because they approached a women. Men are “checking out” and no longer pursuing women and going out in fear of that.

Latino nightclubs are the move!! $15 to get in, no VIP tables or expensive bottles, everybody dances

82’ baby over here 👈 I’m so glad I was a 90’s teen and an early 2000’s over 21 young adult. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE 🔥🔥🔥🔥 97-2006 clubbing was WILD!🤭

Growing up in Los Angeles in the 90s and going to night clubs was a movie. The golden age of hip hop and R & B. Getting into the VIP section was the goal when you were younger, mingling with the stars. A lot of us got in without ID if you knew the right person. I know much hasn't changed now. Just a different era, same buildings different name. But I can't imagine the night club scene gone

I have never been to a club. I don't drink and I also don't have any friends to be social with. A lot of clubs in my area have shut down due to violence. I was 21 in 2010.

It was so much fun going to the club in the early 2000’s. I was so excited going out and people watching. Good times.

It's much more DANGEROUS now too💀

What killed the night club was over priced drinks, social media, and a total disregard to men in general.

At 16 we were clubbing, having a blast dancing just having a good time, back in the late 90s and early 2000s

Blaming phones is not really the issue, who honestly believes most people want to party and dance in our current environment with how everything is currently aflame

i live in Cincinnati, OH but often find myself watching Houston news lol! this guy Isiah does a great job being a interviewer, commentator or whatever you call it. salute!

Sections limit people from interacting with others, which is the point of a club. It used to be that the only people who would sit down in a club were those in the VIP section. Now everyone wants to be VIP. Hookah is also lame, as are bottle girls.

Homie said “damn cellphones”😂

In Berlin the best clubs banned the use of mobile phones, we want our guests to be THERE to be present to mingle with the people. One time I saw a US American guy being caught with his phone and he was kicked out.

Lets be brutally honest here, the music sets the tone. The most popular music now is rap or falls under the rap umbrella, and if you listen close to the content, the lyrics in most of these songs is promoting black genocide, gun violence, violence, etc. In the past clubbing was fun and had people dancing because the content of the music was uplifting, jovial, etc. Why is rap the only genre of music where the artists are dying every week? The shows/concerts getting shot up all the time? The fans imitating their favorite rappers are the ones on the news getting killed every day? Lets be honest rap music has become cancer to those who make it and especially those who consume it. Like Kanye West said "and the white man gets paid off for all of that" so music is business and as long as rap is making money then the artists and fans will continue dying and executives will continue getting rich Here is an example of a billboard charting song... I gotta feed the streets, my pistol gon' bleed the streets Ski mask on my face, sometimes you gotta cheat To stay ahead in this bitch-a (gang), drank syrup like it's liquor Street life'll have you catchin' up to God quicker (yeah, gang) Sticker, AK-40 to your liver Let the chopper bang on you like a Blood or a Cripper (gang) Flipper, so much bread, I'm a gymnast Made so much money off of dummies, off of dummies (yeah, gang) I'm mister body catcher, Slaughter Gang soul snatcher Ain't no regular F-150, this a fuckin' Raptor No capper, street nigga, not a rapper Chopper hit him and he turned into a booty clapper Smith & Wesson, I'm 4L Gang reppin' We done baptized more niggas than a damn reverend (yeah) Kappa Alpha, me and my gang, we do all the steppin' Who you checkin'? This FN shoot East to West End (gang) How does one dance to a song like this?

I worked in many night clubs. The problem with clubs is that they push buying bottles and vip sections. Clubs used to have seats for common folks to take a break. Now, half of the clubs are sections with very little dance floor room. For example, look at that silly battle between ny and Baltimore pouring out liquor on the floor. They wasted thousands of dollars in a dic# swinging contest of idiocy.

Clubs and lounges that play mostly Caribbean music and Afrobeats are the places to be. I notice dj’s dont usually have any of those songs in their mix if they’re not of that ethnic background. Too many clubs play trap music and songs from people like sexy red all the time and it gets repetitive and boring.

I am 67, raised on the West Coast. I lived to dance back in the day. No fights, shootings very little drugs. Every city had their dance clubs. Parking was free, drinks were $1.50. It was a good era.

RIP Nightclubs It was fun while it lasted

It died along with celebrating tradition and community. In the US, individualism has ruined the dancefloor.

Gen X here. My club day's were mid late 80s- early 00. We didnt have smartphones but in the 90's everyone had pagers but they didn't distract us at clubs. I use to go to Raves , but mostly underground music clubs like industrial, goth, electronic and sometimes house music. Every weekend was a party until early in the morning than we often would go to Denny's for coffee and food. I had sooooo much fun and feel lucky we didn't have smart phones distracting us from dancing, drinking and having fun with friends. sadly, things seem very different now.

Clubs are sure not like they use to be. I was in the club in the 90s. Guys would ask a lady to slow dance... love songs were played in the club. People actually danced and had fun. I hate my daughter is not able to experience this. We, also, did not worry about someone getting shot.

Hitting clubs in nyc in the late 90’s to early 2000’s were some of the best nights of my life. Walking out drenched from all the dancing 🕺🏽

2006-2012 was the peak of clubbing days

As things got more ethnically diverse they just get worse. Less trust, more rivalry, more peacocking to stand out, increased jealousy. all that stuff leads to tension...which the ladies absolutely love

Im jealous of all of you that got to enjoy the 70s, 80s or 90s, I was just a kid in the 90s, so I couldn't have real fun, everybody so hooked on trying to be cool, they dont know how to have fun, its really sad!!!

Loved that you are covering this topic. Old school clubs still exist where folks are dancing, real music is being played, and folks are having fun. But its the over 40 crowd, and the clubs are in the hood. $5-10 covers and free parking all day. Yes, mostly a house music blend. Folks only use their phone to call an uber.

Great segment. BS social media life has somehow surpassed actual real life, or IRL, as the kids would say.. I deleted all social media when people in real life began to complain about me not accepting their "friend" requests. It's all garbage

Who was into the 90s,-00s NYC freestyle scene? Oh, those were the days.. 🤠

COVID and Social Media have pretty much decimated the nightclub era. It's interesting that one of the panelists said that House Music is the only scene/nightclub that people are dancing. I will say because with House Music you feel the rhythm, you go with it, you move with the flow. All these other genres you don't really get that.

Safety, SAFETY, SAFETYYYY…. respectful staff ,prompt service and great music !

I always hated clubs that were too packed. They were always more lit when they had lighter crowds. Either way, clubbing gets old quick.

I've found the cure for this...I throw my parties (alone!) at home. Yes, that's even MORE fun creating your own!!

Clubs, like gyms, need a "no phones" policy at this point.