Seven Tips for Making the Best Party Playlist
This is not a party without music. Whether you’re throwing a kegger, an upscale cocktail, or a cool holiday party, you need tunes. These tips for creating playlists will make your event fun and memorable.
Don’t plan on using Shuffle and make sure your playlist lasts long
Before you just start adding your favorite songs to your Spotify playlist , there are a few things to consider. Jessica Suarez , Playlist Editor on Google Play, invites you to create your playlist from scratch by including songs that you think will play well one after the other. This means you ditch the shuffle feature and schedule the entire flow of your playlist in a mixtape style.
Suarez also recommends trying to listen to music for at least three hours. Striving for that sweet point makes your playlist long enough so that it doesn’t end too quickly, but it also makes it short enough that you can probably hear most of the songs in it. You don’t want to have to repeat a playlist or have your guests miss some great tracks that get lost after five or six hours.
Adapt the playlist to your guests and environment
Since you create your playlist from scratch, you have control over the atmosphere, tempo, theme, and all the ebb and flow that comes with them. Keri Noble , the singer-songwriter-turned-radio DJ, says you should think about the band you’re playing in , the time of day, the volume, and even the expected outcome. What’s the purpose of your playlist? Are you trying to create a relaxing atmosphere in which people can talk? Add some jazz, electronic music, or classic acoustics to play at low volume. Are you trying to throw a fun Christmas party at the office? Sprinkle festive tunes to the top of the charts. Or are you trying to turn the crowd into a real dance party? Progress towards high BPM tracks and hit the top 40 as you turn up the sound.
However, when you think about your guests, Boston di – DJ Ryan Braun recommends to think about the overall composition of the group . The goal is to play music that everyone will enjoy. If you have guests of all ages, mix a little antiquity with the current. The classics are well suited for both adults and children. And Brown suggests remixing old songs can be a great way to bridge the musical gap between different age groups. The spirit of the original track remains unchanged, but more modern elements can make it more appealing to those who don’t know it.
Make sure you have a good mix of styles
Variety is the highlight of life, and there should be a little bit of flavor in your playlist. According to DJ Lee Lezarque , a wide variety of slow songs, fast songs, classics, pop hits and other musical styles will pique people’s interest. Make sure you spread things out too. Don’t play nine hip-hop jams in a row before you switch to country. Mix things up and surprise people.
And don’t be afraid to get a little vulgar and blend in with some of the public’s old favorites of the Top 40. Lezarc notes that artists such as Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and the Spice Girls almost always bring the crowd to life. These may not be your favorite songs, but it will be nice to see everyone having a great time. When in doubt, add more classic songs that the audience likes .
Don’t be afraid to play some of your favorite tunes
Of course, it’s still your party and your playlist. So, Lezarc says you shouldn’t be afraid to mix a few of your favorite songs in a playlist. If you have songs that you think other people will like based on their tastes, play them alongside pop hits.
But remember, your playlist shouldn’t be teaching your guests “good music”. As Rory Woodbridge , curator and head of streaming for Google Play Music Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explains, don’t try to impose your musical tastes on people . You may consider yourself a connoisseur of music, but your guests don’t care unless they have the same musical taste as you. They want to have fun, so try to be objective and diverse in your choices.
Sandwiches of little-known songs between crowd lovers
If you have some lesser known songs that you really want to play for everyone, place them between two songs that everyone knows and loves. And if you can, play your unknown favorite music alongside songs that have a similar vibe or pace. DJ and producer Jay Boogie describes the process like this: “I know you like it, so I’m going to mix it too.”
In a sense, you show them a song they already like after reminding them why. If he plays well and people dig him out, the third song in the sandwich will strengthen him. If it doesn’t play well and you kill the mood, the third song brings the party back to where it was. You cannot fail.
Hear your playlist and make drastic edits
A well-chosen playlist is like a carefully chosen essay: it won’t be perfect on the first draft. Don’t assume he’s ready for prime time as soon as you collect it. Listen to it a few times , Noble says , and tweak as needed:
“I’ve made playlists where I haven’t noticed super-loud guitar solos that go on forever, or songs in which after a few minutes the bass mixes so loudly that it becomes a punishment … Besides, as soon as the party starts, the last thing is that what you want to do is talk to someone and understand that the lyrics are offensive. Remember this when choosing songs. “
As you listen, Woodbridge recommends imagining how people will react to each song when it starts playing. You probably have an idea of which songs will be popular and which ones will make people want to reach for the skip button. If you don’t feel confident on the track, take it off. You can always listen to it yourself.
Keep your hits ready
That said, no matter how hard you work on your playlist, you will still run into hiccups from time to time. “It’s important to know when to move on,” says Lezarc . If you can tell that people don’t like the heavy electronics you’ve added to your playlist, it’s a good idea to have a plan B. Have a playlist or folder close at hand that has nothing but audience-friendly hits that you can grab when you need to. This. You can swap things that you know don’t work, or even switch playback to the “match only” cache if needed.
The stash of your hits isn’t just about blowing up your playlist, though. Woodbridge says you should also be prepared to back up songs that will blow your party off :
“You have to be careful. Let’s say this is a party for people between the ages of 20 and 30 and you are playing something from this whole punk rock scene, like the track Blink 182 or Sum 41, something fun that makes a world of nostalgia – you have to watch out. it’s with something similar, otherwise people will take your phone and turn on something that is not in the playlist, because “Oh, that reminds me of that song.”
Think ahead and plan for these occasions. The more prep work you do, the less nervous you will have when it comes time to party.