Disco balls also make great props for your next photoshoot or Halloween costume. It’s not just for use at night though - the best mirror balls are great during the day too, say, hanging from your bedroom or patio to stream sunlight into your room. The largest disco balls have mirrored surfaces that can fill an entire room with a warm glow, making them ideal for school dances, weddings and other big parties. Pair the disco ball with a motor and watch as it spins the light around the room, creating a unique, magical effect. Each facet reflects light back into the air, casting it into dozens of small beams that stream out in all directions.

Typically made by gluing hundreds of tiny mirrored tiles around a foam, cardboard or plastic “ball,” a disco ball is a fine piece of decor on its own, but it really shines - pun intended - when light is directed at it.

Justin Timberlake famously steps on a disco ball in his album cover for “FutureSex/LoveSounds,” while one of Neil Young’s best albums is literally called “Mirror Ball.” Everyone from Lady Gaga to Beyonce to Drake have used disco balls in their music videos and motifs, and the shimmery accessory has inspired entire disco ball-themed fashion collections, with party dresses, jewelry and footwear all sharing the glittery and glamorous look and feel. These days, disco balls are seen in everything from karaoke rooms to dorm rooms, and of course, in clubs and lounges too. Also known as a “mirror ball” or “glitter ball,” the spherical, hanging object first appeared in nightclubs during the Roaring Twenties, though it really gained prominence during the disco era of the Seventies (hence its name). Nothing sets the stage for a party quite like a disco ball. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.