After listening to the last few top 40's I realised that there are no 'pure' dance tracks in the chart and that is kind of sad as instrumental or tracks with just a vocal hook were what I loved to buy.
Tracks such as Usura - 'Open Your Mind' or Chemical Brothers, FSOL, Jean Michel Jarre, 808 State - well there used to be so many.
All tracks are singing or rapping - nothing wrong with that but the absence of a good dance track does make the chart weaker.

Any idea why this is?

Wasn't a dance track number one this week ?

Martin Garrix - Animals ?

Calvin Harris ft. Alesso - Under Control ?

Storm Queen - Look Right Through ?

Hardly on a scale with the ones that the op mentioned.

I don't like the Garrix or Storm Queen records much either, but it seems odd timing to say there's no big pure dance records in the charts when we've just had two at number 1!

Dance music seems to be getting big again - unfortunately it has changed a bit from the 90s and doesn't speak to me, but it's definitely back.

There are loads of massive dance tracks out there! It's all I listen to, the stuff in the charts is because people don't look any further than the radio and music channels for music, so that's why that stuff gets bigger because to them that's all that's around, they don't bother making the most of the Internet and searching for other music and developing their tastes.
Apperently (I don't know if this true) but a lot of original tracks they make nowadays, they make them abit simpler because apperently they are easier to remix that way into many different styles so there is a remix to suit everyone.
But yea it's what I said. You have to remember that things change and come back around to.

I have to admit that mainstream dance does sound a lot weaker than non mainstream though.

I think you'd be surprised at how much good dance music is actually out there, because I personally think the scene is the biggest it's ever been right now with so many different sub genres, artists, djs, remixes etc around. You have to look for it. That's the thing, there is so much out there to choose from that I guess most people who are really into all that kind of music have completely different equally good tracks to eachother, because there is such a massive range to choose from, causing these good tracks to not become as big if you get what I mean?

There aren't many pop artists to choose from so that's why one direction, miley Cyrus, Katy perry and that are so big even though they aren't anything special, because people who are fans of their style of music don't dig deeper for different artists, whereas people in the dance scene do!!

I really don't know if what I've said makes sense. Drunk and rambling haha.

Yes weird thread with back to back pure dance no. 1s. I do agree that neither are great although they are contrasting - uplifting stylish catchy US Storm Queen vs the dirty, minimalist Euro bass of Martin Garrix.

I think the Chris Malinchak track from earlier this year is my favourite

It's changed a lot. In 2011 there were lots of famous pop, R&B and rap stars releasing dance-pop songs (e.g. Chris Brown, Lady Gaga, Ne-Yo, Flo Rida, David Guetta, etc.). Now those songs all flop, and it's unknown DJs getting the dance hits. Pop and urban stars are having to revert back to their original styles of music now. Also, most of the dance songs are genre specific. It's stuff like drum & bass, house, etc, rather than the cheesy Eurovision-sounding/Kylie Minogue-esque songs that dominated a few years ago.

I definitely prefer it how it is now.

I kinda get OPs point - I remember Professional Widow, Insomnia, I'll Be Your Friend, Playing with Knives, Groovejet, Lola's Theme. Now they were songs!

I do like Lies by Churches - that sounds like an olde style club banger!

I agree. I just played 'Animals' (will try the others tomorrow) and can't say it is a storming dance track. Professional Widow still packs the dancefloor because it has such a solid and unrelenting sound. Animals sounds like it hardly gets off the ground and is borderline forgetable. I'm sure that there are other good tracks being made but without some exposure then I just don't know where to start - and neither do the record buying public it seems.