At the recording sessions for his album 'Disco Baby' (1975) Van McCoy had one extra hour of studio time left and so he wrote 'The Hustle' in a hurry, as a well-known New York disc jockey had told McCoy about a new dance rage. Contrary to McCoy’s expectations, this song became a real hit and even a number one hit in the States. In 1976, the song was awarded a Grammy as Best Pop Instrumental Performance.