Kool & the Gang are an American jazz/R&B/soul/funk/disco group. They originally formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. in 1964. They went through several musical phases in their career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a smooth disco ensemble, and ended the successful period of their career producing pop/R&B crossovers. They have sold over 70 million albums worldwide. "Celebration" is a song released in 1980 by Kool & the Gang from their album Celebrate!. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 7, 1981 and held that position until February 20, 1981. Late in 1980, the song had also reached number one on both the Billboard Dance and R&B charts. The song dominated the radio for nearly the entire year, and is still heard today at weddings and parties. It was also an international hit, reaching number 7 in the UK, and a version was recorded with a Spanish language vocal for relevant markets.
It is also a popular anthem for sporting events; for example, it was prominently associated with the 1982 World Series victory by the St. Louis Cardinals and is played over the PA.