Help w/ Planning Wedding Reception Music!

Hi All:

I've been working hard at creating a playlist for our wedding reception - I want most of the songs to be selected by us. I've got the contemporary stuff covered, as well as the 90s since that's what I grew up with. I also have a huge appreciation for classic stuff like Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole - which fills the slow song quota and makes the older folks happy.

But I need the varied-age expertise of the members here to help me learn what makes people from the 35 - 55 set happy???

Please tell me what songs at a wedding reception make you actually want to get up and dance? (Keep in mind I'm 26 so please give the song title AND artist!)

Also, what should be on my (already extensive) DO NOT PLAY List?

Thanks!

On the do not play list......THE CHICKEN DANCE! :D :laughing::laughing:

Chaser cant really help you cause I suck at music! :thumbs up

I agree with Winston - NO CHICKEN DANCE! :yuck:

One maybe would be the Mr. Cheeks, Cha Cha slide song! :crazy: :shrug:

On the do not play list......THE CHICKEN DANCE! :D :laughing::laughing:

Trust me, that is the #1 DO NOT PLAY song!

DO NOT PLAY YMCA (Village People)

R & B and Classic Rock does very very well with 30-50 year olds.

Heard it through the grapevine by Marvin Gaye
Mustang Sally by The Committments
Papa's got a brand new bag by James Brown

lLOL @ do not play YMCA


Got the 80's covered :lovestruck:

What a Feeling - Irene Cara & Maniac (Flashdance)

Doubt anyone would be able to sit through FootLoose :) ok maybe the young ones' :D

Shout - Tears for Fears

Let's Dance - David Bowie

Billie Jean - Michael Jackson

You give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi

Summer of '69 - Brian Adams

Glory Days/Dancing in the Dark/Born in the USA - Bruce Springfield

O Can't forget the Beatles - Twist & Shout Can't By Me Love Eight Days a Week

Then when everyone is really drunk sing along to Hey Jude and In my Life I love you more :D

Awesome :thumbs up Thank you for helping me out with suggestions! So many I actually do know but just never would have thought of.

Got the 80's covered :lovestruck:


Oooh....Like the Footloose suggestion!

I already have some Bon Jovi on the list (LOVE him!) - can't resist Livin' on a Prayer.

Our entrance to the receptions is going to be "Love Song".....but FH HATES The Cure. Fortunately Death Cab for Cutie recently did a really good cover of it so he agreed to that at least!

And "My Sharona" has always been a favourite of one of my bridesmaids and I, so that's a given too.

Heavy MetalChaser :D

I'm not a fan of sloppy songs, buuuuuuuuuuut, I do love hearing "Unforgetable" by Nat King Cole :o

Well although I can't stand YMCA myself, we go to a lot of dinner/dance things with a real mix of ages and that song always gets people going (especially the really old and the really young). It's a laugh watching people when it's playing. That said I'm not sure I'd play it at my wedding (if I ever had one...), but people laugh and dance to it.

Well although I can't stand YMCA myself, we go to a lot of dinner/dance things with a real mix of ages and that song always gets people going (especially the really old and the really young). It's a laugh watching people when it's playing. That said I'm not sure I'd play it at my wedding (if I ever had one...), but people laugh and dance to it.

I'm with you. I've decided it's a no to the YMCA....as well as chicken dance, macarena, copa cabana, etc.

I want to have good energy and try to appeal to most guests......but I also refuse to play any songs that absolutely grate on my nerves. That's why even though I've hired a DJ I'm basically creating the playlist myself. I'll be asking them to choose from within the list I give them based on the crowd's mood etc.

Heavy MetalChaser :D

I'm not a fan of sloppy songs, buuuuuuuuuuut, I do love hearing "Unforgetable" by Nat King Cole :o

LOL.....yep, Unforgettable is actually on my "Must Play" list. Love it :)

bump bump.....:rolleyes:

I really suck at remembering song titles but there are lots of good dance songs by the Rolling Stones and they pretty much cover the last 50 years. :laughing: Brown Sugar by them comes to mind for the age group you are referring to though. :D

Also ABBA and the Bee Gees were good groups back then and, of course, Michael Jackson. :thumbs up

I think one of the all time waltz favourites back then was Unchained Melody (the song in the movie Ghost with Patrick Swayze) by the Righteous Brothers. :cloud9:

Have you checked out these websites? .....

Wedding Reception Dance Party Songs
80's - Today Dance Songs

http://www.yourweddingplace.com/wedding-songs/dance%20party/80s%20dance.htm


100 Greatest Rock Songs of the 1970s

http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_songs70s.html


100 Greatest Dance Songs of the 80s

http://www.nutsie.com/top100sradio/100%20Greatest%20Dance%20Songs%20of%20the%2080s/2162337


.

Awesome - thanks for the links rainbow :thumbs up

The Bee Gees Greatest Hits .....

http://www.last.fm/music/Bee+Gees/Greatest+Hits


ABBA's Greatest Hits .....

http://www.last.fm/music/ABBA/Gold:+Greatest+Hits

It's hard to sit still through Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, Doobie Brothers, and for some reason, even though I don't know a lot of country fans, Sweet Home Alabama gets people up. I'm a Baby Boomer Beatles Fan and I think they're always a safe bet.

Make sure they DO NOT PLAY- I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock and Roll- I loathe that song! It makes me want to pluck out my eyes with a spoon.

A definite is Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World!" That's a must have. :thumbs up

Gipsy Kings have some good music. Volare and Bamboleo to name two that come to my head.

To please the most guests stick to 60's -80's pop, with some more up to date stuff for the folks your age... we had a lot of songs that we wanted to hear on a cd we gave to the dj, he insisted on playing some of his own, which usually cleared the dance floor....we knew what our guests would like to hear. Best thing to do is ask people like your family what their favorite songs are.... and play a little something for everyone. I went to a wedding a while back and the dj played a whole lot of modern dance music, which was ok, but no one over the age of 30 was on the dance floor unless they were wasted.

Oh and as for do not play stuff...anything RAP...I'm too sexy (right said fred)... macarena.... celine dion (well ok that was me, she was on my do not play list cause well she makes me want to claw my ears off!:laughing:)...