Donna Summer left behind a legacy as the queen of ’70s disco when she sadly passed away after a battle with lung cancer on May 17, and American Idol judges Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler tell HollywoodLife.com how she changed the game when she came onto the music scene!

“Being a Rock & Roller when that kind of music came along, we felt threatened,” Steven said. “And when she came out and did her thing, she made it be OK. She was the focal point of that era, we are going to miss her so so much!”

Randy, who was a friend of Donna’s, said today’s biggest pop stars should be inspired by the woman who changed dance music with her hits like, “Last Dance” and “Hot Stuff.”

“For all the Madonna’s and the Gaga’s this woman was really it, everyone should pay homage to that,” he said. “She was a true pioneer. At a time like Steven said, we were both in rock bands so we felt threatened. She slated it and formed a giant moment, I mean look at Ryan’s morning show, the Top 20 songs and 15 are dance records. There is something to say about what she did.”

What Do YOU think, HollywoodLifers? Are you a fan of Donna Summer’s music?

– Reporting by Russ Weakland, written by Kaydi Poirier

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Donna Summer sadly passed away on May 17 at the age of only 63 after a battle with lung cancer. The Studio 54 singer defined ’70s dance music with hits like “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls.” The disco queen’s death left behind a huge hole in the hearts of her friends and fans, who took to Twitter to express their grief and offer condolences.

Rihanna‏ @rihanna
Donna Summer??

Ryan Seacrest ‏@RyanSeacrest
I remember sitting in the front seat of my mom’s toyota while she sang Donna Summer’s “she works hard for the money” songs were just classic

La Toya Jackson ‏@latoyajackson
My condolence to #Donna Summer’s family & love ones. She will be terribly missed. She was truly the #Disco Queen!

Duran Duran @duranduran
So sad to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. Our condolences.

Donna Summer, the queen of disco, died on May 17 after battling lung cancer, TMZ reports.

The five-time Grammy winner was reportedly in Florida at the time of her death.

Donna was best known for hits like ”Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls.” The superstar shot to fame in the ’70s, and is credited with defining dance music of the decade, influencing acts like Duran Duran and David Bowie to get into the genre.

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Donna believed she contracted lung cancer by inhaling toxic particles after the 9/11 attack in New York City, sources tell TMZ.

She married Brooklyn Dreams singer Bruce Sudano in 1980. They had two daughters together.

Donna’s family said in a statement they are “are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy.”

Our hearts go out to Donna’s family. She will definitely be missed.

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1. Chuck Brown Dead: ‘Godfather of Go-Go’ Dies At 75
2. Vidal Sassoon Dead At 84
3. Whitney Houston Dead At 48

With her birthday landing on New Year’s Eve, Donna Summer is bound to have an awesome celebration! We’re sure she’ll save the “Last Dance” of the year for her husband Bruce Sudano, who still thinks she’s “Hot Stuff” after all these years! (Cheesy, I know.) Donna and Bruce have two children together, Brooklyn, 29, and Amanda Grace, 28. She also has a daughter with her first husband Helmuth Sommer named Mimi, 36. Brooklyn is an actress, singer and dancer — just like her mama!

“It’s a juggling act, without question,” Donna said this summer of balancing motherhood and being a Grammy winning superstar. “but if you’re kids know you love them and you’re active in their lives, then you have to find ways to be there even when you’re absent whether it’s by phone or by tape.” Well now that her kids are older and pursuing their own careers, we are sure they understand how hard it was for their mom! We hope Donna and her family have a wonderful New Year’s and celebrate her birthday in style!

Hey moms, want to know what today has in store for you? Click on your sign below for your momscope. Astrology.com has all the details!

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